About – The Guide for Postsecondary Changemakers

About this site

The Guide for Postsecondary Changemakers provides institutions and other collaborators with transformation related tools, methods, and resources. These have been developed by higher ed field stakeholders with support from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This site and its assets are stewarded by Humanitae Advisors.

History

The perspectives, definition, framework and ideas about institutional transformation on this site reflect research, collaborations, and investment over many years.

These past collaborations with institutions and intermediaries from across the United States are represented by three efforts that have additional resources for your reference below.

The first was with a set of nine community colleges called ‘Completion by Design’ and a subsequent effort involved 29 varied institutions and state systems called ‘The Frontier Set.’

The examples and scenarios from the institutions represented on this site are from the Frontier Set. They are a blend of two-year community colleges and four-year colleges and universities (2Y4Y). Additional research was done with Research 1 (R1) universities.

Most recently, an operational focus from mid-level institutional leaders is helping to enable equitable transformation through user-centered product development.

Mid-Level Leader Transformation Dev/Test

2022-2024

This project operationalizes several insights gained on mid-level leaders (MLLs) as key engines for equitable transformation. It pioneers equity-focused, user-centered product development, enabling mid-level leaders to co-create solutions to organizational challenges, transforming higher education institutions for equity-centered student success (ECSS).

Understanding ECSS Routines Report

A report examining organizational practices and routines at 23 institutions (representing most designations) revealing challenges faced by mid-level leaders in advancing equity-centered student success (ECSS) initiatives, including competing institutional objectives, utilizing holistic data, institutionalizing faculty involvement, navigating obstacles in initiative operations, all while supporting the intentional redesign of student support units.

MLL Co-Design Workshop Report

A summary of the initial user-centered co-design workshop, where mid-level leaders (MLLs) addressed the most urgent challenges identified in the research report, previously reshaped into actionable opportunity briefs. This collaborative approach culminated in a collection of elaborate product ideas. Those ideas deemed the most crucial and applicable were given priority by the user group and are undergoing iteration to transform into tangible products.

Frontier Set

2015-2020

The Frontier Set is a select group of high-performing, high-potential colleges, universities, state systems, and supporting organizations that are committed to eliminating race, ethnicity, and income as predictors of student success by transforming how they operate.

R1 institutions report

A summary of observed practices and “good ideas” from institutions that are making progress in narrowing attainment gaps and increasing student success. Contains synthesized learnings, hypotheses, and common threads found in successful approaches at large research institutions serving diverse populations.

2Y4Y institutions report

A summary of observed practices and “good ideas” from institutions that are making progress in narrowing attainment gaps and increasing student success. Contains synthesized learnings, hypotheses, and common threads found in successful approaches at 2- and 4-year, regional comprehensive institutions working with limited budgets and serving diverse populations.

Completion by Design

2011-2017

Completion by Design documents the transformation experiences, starting in 2011, of nine diverse two-year colleges that set out to remove barriers and increase student success and credential completion.