George D. Kuh and his research team (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh & Whitt, 2011) profiled 20 colleges and universities in a study focused on fostering and maintaining student engagement and success. They found four common key conditions for sustaining good work in hard times, the first being that positive restlessness permeated these campuses. Essentially, these successful institutions were rarely satisfied with their performance and engaged in ongoing efforts to improve.
How Leaders Shape, Signal, and Build Cultures: A Discussion Guide for Academic Leaders and Their Teams
Among the many desired traits most prized in academic leadership, the ability to shape (or reshape) institutional culture is sometimes overlooked in favor of fiscal acumen, the ability to drive
Lisa Jasinski
May 4, 2026
