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The Empowered University: Shared Leadership, Culture Change, and Academic Success
There are few higher education leaders today that command more national respect and admiration than Freeman A. Hrabowski III, the outspoken president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Named one of America's Best Leaders by US News & World Report and one of Time's 100 Most Influential People in the World, Hrabowski has led a community transformation of UMBC from a young, regional institution to one of the nation's most innovative research universities.
In The Empowered University, Hrabowski and coauthors Philip J. Rous and Peter H. Henderson probe the way senior leaders, administrators, staff, faculty, and students facilitate academic success by cultivating an empowering institutional culture and broad leadership for innovation. They examine how shared leadership enables an empowered campus to tackle tough issues by taking a hard look in the mirror, noting strengths and weaknesses while assessing opportunities and challenges.
The authors dig deeply into these tough issues in higher education ranging from course redesign to group-based and experiential learning, entrepreneurship and civic engagement, academic inclusion, and faculty diversity. The authors champion a holistic approach to student success, focusing on teaching and learning while offering an array of financial, social, and academic supports for students of all backgrounds. Throughout the book, the authors emphasize the important role of analytics in decision-making. They also explore how community members and senior leaders can work together to create an inclusive campus through a more welcoming and supportive racial climate, improved Title IX processes, and career support for faculty of all backgrounds.
Ultimately, The Empowered University is as much a case study of the authors' work as it is an examination of institutional change, inclusive excellence, and campus-community partnerships. Arguing that higher education can play a unique role in addressing the fundamental divisions in our society and economy by supporting individuals in reaching their full potential, the authors have developed a provocative guide for higher education leaders who want to promote healthy and productive campus communities.
In The Empowered University, Hrabowski and coauthors Philip J. Rous and Peter H. Henderson probe the way senior leaders, administrators, staff, faculty, and students facilitate academic success by cultivating an empowering institutional culture and broad leadership for innovation. They examine how shared leadership enables an empowered campus to tackle tough issues by taking a hard look in the mirror, noting strengths and weaknesses while assessing opportunities and challenges.
The authors dig deeply into these tough issues in higher education ranging from course redesign to group-based and experiential learning, entrepreneurship and civic engagement, academic inclusion, and faculty diversity. The authors champion a holistic approach to student success, focusing on teaching and learning while offering an array of financial, social, and academic supports for students of all backgrounds. Throughout the book, the authors emphasize the important role of analytics in decision-making. They also explore how community members and senior leaders can work together to create an inclusive campus through a more welcoming and supportive racial climate, improved Title IX processes, and career support for faculty of all backgrounds.
Ultimately, The Empowered University is as much a case study of the authors' work as it is an examination of institutional change, inclusive excellence, and campus-community partnerships. Arguing that higher education can play a unique role in addressing the fundamental divisions in our society and economy by supporting individuals in reaching their full potential, the authors have developed a provocative guide for higher education leaders who want to promote healthy and productive campus communities.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published November 12, 2019
22 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 19, 2020
This book is a great read for folks who work in higher education who want to better understand the ways in which culture change and shared leadership are crucial to the growth of a university.
Its author, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, is one of the most respected college presidents in the country. As an acquaintance of my boss, Dr. Hrabowski delivered the Commencement address at my employer (and alma mater) back in December.
His words onstage that morning were every bit as empowering as those found in the pages of this book (which he wrote with the help of several of his colleagues at UMBC, where he’s been president for decades).
I read about three-fourths of this text, and took lots of notes as I did. Then I read a few reviews about it, and smiled when I came across one that described Hrabowski as “the kind of university president whose conference talks make you feel like you gulped some coffee, not like you need to.”
That has been my personal experience with this inspiring leader, a man who wears on his shirt sleeve his passion for reshaping America’s colleges and universities to be better both culturally and academically.
Its author, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, is one of the most respected college presidents in the country. As an acquaintance of my boss, Dr. Hrabowski delivered the Commencement address at my employer (and alma mater) back in December.
His words onstage that morning were every bit as empowering as those found in the pages of this book (which he wrote with the help of several of his colleagues at UMBC, where he’s been president for decades).
I read about three-fourths of this text, and took lots of notes as I did. Then I read a few reviews about it, and smiled when I came across one that described Hrabowski as “the kind of university president whose conference talks make you feel like you gulped some coffee, not like you need to.”
That has been my personal experience with this inspiring leader, a man who wears on his shirt sleeve his passion for reshaping America’s colleges and universities to be better both culturally and academically.
January 18, 2020
A lot of the advice and examples were very institution specific. But a great read none the less and he’s an inspiring and creative leader.
November 30, 2019
My hopes were not high for this book. Another president of another university telling us about their vision statements and strategic plans.
Bless.
But this book? A wow from me. I've done a lot of research on higher education administration, management and leadership - and held some leadership posts as well. But this is a fine book. A fine model. And - unbelievably - inspirational.
"Inclusive excellence" remains the unicorn of higher education. Hrabowski shows us how it is done: the slog, the mis-steps, the challenges and the generational transformations.
If you want to make a difference in higher education - rather than just talk about making a difference - then this is the roadmap.
Bless.
But this book? A wow from me. I've done a lot of research on higher education administration, management and leadership - and held some leadership posts as well. But this is a fine book. A fine model. And - unbelievably - inspirational.
"Inclusive excellence" remains the unicorn of higher education. Hrabowski shows us how it is done: the slog, the mis-steps, the challenges and the generational transformations.
If you want to make a difference in higher education - rather than just talk about making a difference - then this is the roadmap.
January 2, 2024
The Empowered University" by Freeman Hrabowski is basically a deep-dive into how the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) turned itself into a big deal in the STEM world. Hrabowski, who was the president there, talks about how they did it by really focusing on teamwork and changing up the campus culture.
One of the cool things they did was start the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. It was all about giving African American students a boost in science fields, thanks to a big donation. This program was a hit and even inspired other universities to do similar things.
The book isn't just about UMBC's success story, though. It goes into bigger issues in higher education, like why the arts and humanities matter as much as STEM, how to make a university that really works together, and the tough stuff about changing how an institution works. It's split into two parts: the first is like a how-to guide for making an awesome university, and the second part has case studies on different education topics, like dealing with race and gender issues and keeping students engaged.
Hrabowski's main message is that leadership is key at every level in a university. He's all about creating a place where people are encouraged to ask questions and work together. His take is that universities have to keep evolving to help students do well in today's world, which is always changing.
So, "The Empowered University" is more than just a story about UMBC. It's a guide and inspiration for people in education and leadership, showing how to make more inclusive and effective learning places.
One of the cool things they did was start the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. It was all about giving African American students a boost in science fields, thanks to a big donation. This program was a hit and even inspired other universities to do similar things.
The book isn't just about UMBC's success story, though. It goes into bigger issues in higher education, like why the arts and humanities matter as much as STEM, how to make a university that really works together, and the tough stuff about changing how an institution works. It's split into two parts: the first is like a how-to guide for making an awesome university, and the second part has case studies on different education topics, like dealing with race and gender issues and keeping students engaged.
Hrabowski's main message is that leadership is key at every level in a university. He's all about creating a place where people are encouraged to ask questions and work together. His take is that universities have to keep evolving to help students do well in today's world, which is always changing.
So, "The Empowered University" is more than just a story about UMBC. It's a guide and inspiration for people in education and leadership, showing how to make more inclusive and effective learning places.
July 17, 2022
This book is a sort of memoir and book of advice by a University President to aspiring and current University Presidents. It’s also a bit of a history of and love letter to UMBC.
Some of the actions in the book are actions that are contraindicated by some of my other reading but that worked in Dr. Hrabowskis context (a focus on research parks for example). I think it shows that progress is contextual, though.
I wouldn’t call this a universally appealing text to folks wanting to learn more about higher Ed - I think the folks who will get the most out of it are those I listed above. If I ever get to a place where my aspiration moves toward presidency then I hope I’ll remember to read it again.
Some of the actions in the book are actions that are contraindicated by some of my other reading but that worked in Dr. Hrabowskis context (a focus on research parks for example). I think it shows that progress is contextual, though.
I wouldn’t call this a universally appealing text to folks wanting to learn more about higher Ed - I think the folks who will get the most out of it are those I listed above. If I ever get to a place where my aspiration moves toward presidency then I hope I’ll remember to read it again.
February 24, 2022
Not hard to understand how Dr. Freeman Hrabowski is one of the leading educators in our country. This review of his efforts and initiatives to create culture change at UMBC is a roadmap for any leader who wishes to create change in any large organization. A fantastic read!
January 2, 2025
Insightful leadership of a successful uni
November 17, 2019
Hrabowski and his co-authors take us through the different projects, initiatives that shifted the climate on his campus towards success for all students. Lots of great examples and ideas.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews