The prevalence of mental health issues among college students is well documented (Auerbach et al, 2018, National College Health Assessment, American College Health Association, 2021), yet less is known about this same population group as they graduate and begin their careers. The Mary Christie Institute, in partnership with the Healthy Minds…

Focusing on the work of the Interfaith Leadership in Higher Education Initiative, a partnership between AAC&U and Interfaith Youth Core, this publication showcases institutional efforts to broaden, deepen, and strengthen commitments to interfaith teaching and learning. [Foreword by Lynn Pasquerella.]

While community colleges promote American ideals of democracy, opportunity, and social mobility; provide a vital accessible and affordable education for nearly 12 million first-generation, economically-disadvantaged, and minoritized students; are engines of local workforce and economic development; and enroll nearly half of all students who go on…

With the growing interest in undergraduate research as a high-impact practice, and the recognition that college education is increasingly moving online, this book -- the first to do so -- provides a framework, guidance from pioneering practitioners, and a range of examples across disciplines on how to engage remote students in research. Two…

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a demanding teacher. In "Getting Ready," William D. Adams explores how colleges and universities can draw from the pandemic's lessons about science, history, culture, and technology--as well as harsh truths about politics, systemic racism, economic inequality, and the fragile nature of democracy--to prepare…

Framed by a personal narrative detailing Dr. Gail C. Christopher's commitment to help our nation to jettison the false belief in a racial hierarchy, "Rx Racial Healing: A Guide to Embracing Our Humanity," provides individuals an overview of the methodology, tools, and resources to facilitate and engage in the Rx Racial Healing approach…

Higher education and America stand at a perilous moment brought about by economic and social inequality, racism, and the fracture of civic cohesion and structures. From its origins, the mission of American higher education was to promote democratic governance and a free, fair, and orderly society through the education of responsible citizens. Just…

This research synthesis aims to assess the state of research on the efficacy of high-impact practices (HIPs) in higher education broadly and with regard to the efficacy of community-based and civic engagement specifically. The focus of this synthesis has been intentionally narrowed to highlight common themes across empirical studies that meet a…

Based on a national survey of higher education professionals across campus roles and institutional types, this report examines how undergraduate learning and student success are shaped by an institution's common learning outcomes and commitment to equity, as well as by specific educational experiences and assessment practices. The findings…

To ask whether students are "college-ready" is to concentrate on factors beyond the control of higher education. With this publication, the authors flip the question to provide a new perspective on creating institutional value and facilitating student success. Rather than focusing on student preparedness (or lack thereof), the authors…

From 2005 to 2018, AAC&U led a national public advocacy and campus-action initiative to champion the importance of a liberal education for individual students and for a nation dependent on economic creativity and democratic vitality. At the heart of the initiative-titled Liberal Education and America's Promise, or LEAP, was a distinctive…

In 2019, twenty community colleges joined Strengthening Guided Pathways and Career Success by Ensuring Students Are Learning, a two-year project led by the American Association of Colleges and Universities. The project draws on the guided pathways framework to support institutions as they (1) map academic pathways and degree programs to student…

"How College Contributes to Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most" presents findings from a wide-ranging survey of executives and hiring managers that was conducted in partnership with Hanover Research. The survey explored employers' views of what constitutes workforce preparedness, the educational outcomes and…

The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) periodically surveys its members to better understand how colleges and universities are defining and articulating learning outcomes, providing access to engaging learning experiences (i.e., "high-impact practices"), and assessing student success. Though equity has been a…

As students face rising tuition costs, increasing debt burdens, and uncertain employment prospects, a central question arises: Is college worth it? Although empirical research consistently finds that a college education is a profitable investment, media stories continue to cast doubt on the value of the degree. Findings from two recent studies…