This two-book series is a major step forward in addressing the demographic changes affecting post-secondary education. The series offers an innovative framework for rethinking who the traditional student is, as well as strategies to create institutional changes to establish effective learning environments for the "new majority" of adult learners. Drs. Malm and Weber have used their extensive experience in higher education to create this timely and important series. I strongly believe that faculty and administrators from across the university community will find this an invaluable resource for creating more inclusive environments for today's diverse student body. -- Christy M. Rhodes, AAACE 2017 conference chair and assistant professor, interdisciplinary professions, East Carolina University
In their new books Academic Transformation: A Design Approach For The New Majority and Serving the New Majority Student: Working from Within to Transform the Institution Malm, Weber, and colleagues make a compelling case for colleges and universities to pay increased attention to (and to redistribute resources toward) the students they characterize as the "new majority." It shows how creative instructional design strategies can be adapted to meet the needs and take advantage of the strengths of new majority learners. As a faculty developer at a public university that serves a large number of new majority students, these books have challenged and extended my thinking about the nature of the professional enrichment opportunities we offer. I plan to integrate elements of Academic Transformation into my work with new faculty. -- Bill Reynolds, director, Lucas Center for Faculty Development, Florida Gulf Coast University
While we continue to focus much attention on redesigning our colleges to create pathways to accelerate and improve completion for traditional first-time, full-time students, our country and our communities will only thrive in the future if we are also redesigning to support the access and success of "new majority" students. "New majority" students, once labeled as non-traditonal students, are older, working, parents, attending part-time and are often first generation students. This second in a two-book series is a clear call to action for college leaders to develop a "new majority" student success agenda that aligns processes, systems, scheduling, and programs to support the success of "new majority" students in achieving a degree or credential that has a high return for them, their families and the community they live, work and serve in. This book is a valuable resource for academic and student affairs professionals and faculty committed to engaging in comprehensive institutional transformation that makes their colleges "new majority" student capable. -- Karen A. Stout, president and CEO, Achieving the Dream, Inc.
Serving the New Majority Student: Working from Within to Transform the Institution (Rowman & Littlefield), second of a two-book series, is a must-read for academic leaders who are committed to transformational change, particularly in responding to the needs of New Majority students: first-generation, part-time, adult learners. On the heels of the first book, Academic Transformation: A Design Approach for the New Majority (November 2017), the second book focuses on solution-based approaches for educational effectiveness that can, and should, be applied to administrative processes. One strategy for doing so is to reimagine planning, communication, and evaluation processes using the authors' tool, the Balanced Values Scorecard. Another valuable feature of the second book is an appendix that recommends critical conversations and team building exercises for cross-functional teams to use in engaging in courageous conversations to promote the success of New Majority students. -- Victoria L. Bastecki-Perez, vice president of Academic Affairs, provost, Montgomery County Community College
