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.

Not Just a No-Show: Understanding Faculty Absence at Graduation
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and