In recent years, higher educational institutions (HEIs) have come to rely more heavily on data-driven assessments for decision-making, including students’ satisfactory academic progress. The need for students to successfully complete courses also is causing HEIs to become more student centered by focusing resources on improving student retention and graduation rates. Student centeredness, in turn, requires a holistic approach to education—one that accounts for students’ diverse backgrounds, goals, and learning needs. Strategies to promote student success include increasing access to enhanced learning experiences, instructional techniques, and academic support services.
Character (Still) Counts: Moral Injury and the Case for Character Education
Many academic leaders remember the Character Counts! initiative from the 1990s and early 2000s. It was visible in schools and youth programs nationwide, emphasizing as core values the Six Pillars
Teresa Maggard Stephens
June 15, 2026
