Overview

The course readings for this week will begin a deep dive into the organizational structure of higher education institutions. Public colleges and universities are considered governmental organizations and must be accountable for the state and federal government systems and laws. Most public colleges and universities receive money from federal and state governments and must adhere to those regulations or risk losing access to the funding provided. The readings will explain the various leadership roles and describe the differences between board governance, faculty, staff, and student leadership roles. Students are the lifeline for any college or university, but most university systems operate under a shared governance model. Students will learn the difference between the various roles and how they complement or come into conflict with each other.

Students will also discover how colleges and universities are working to remain relevant, impactful, and transformational. Colleges and universities must be agile and adjust in this fast-paced environment. Students are looking for unique, personalized experiences, and universities must deliver on their promise or risk not meeting their enrollment, retention, progression, or graduation. College presidents are considered the face of a college or university. What happens when the President decides that their values no longer align with the institution's strategic direction?

Module Objectives

In this module, the activities, content, and assignments will guide your learning process to ensure you can:

Describe the organizational structure of colleges and universities (CLO A and B)
Describe the operational structure of colleges and universities (CLO A and B)
Explain a general understanding of the higher education environment (CLO A and B)
Explain a general understanding of leadership positionality and college strategies (CLO A and B)

(CLO) stands for Course Learning Objective. You will find a complete list of Course Learning Objectives in the Syllabus and on the Start Here: Course Overview page. Each Module Objective in this course has its associated course-level objective indicated in parentheses to clarify the relationship between the two.

Module To-Do List

Here's everything you need to do and remember for this module:

Review Syllabus and Start Here Module
Submit Academic Integrity survey
Attend Live Session
Read all assigned materials
Complete the discussion board assignment