ALA 2013: Reimagining a Philosophy of Excellence

Reimagining a philosophy of excellence:New habits of mind

Janet Cottrell, Champlain College@cottrell | cottrell@champlain.edu

Context• Founded in

1878• Beautiful

campus• Small

• 2,000 UG• 13:1• Avg 17, max

30• Geography

Context• Fast pace of

change• Business,

communication, human studies, technology

• Liberal arts core

“A radically pragmatic education”

Advantages• Budget ?• Staffing ?• Time ?• Support ?• Past success ?

Nope!

Finding direction:• Mission• Start with why

Finding direction:• Mission• Start with why• Embedded info lit

• inquiry-based• scaffolded• rubric-based

assessment• Intentional

innovation and autonomy

• Reflective practice

Since then:• Turnover of 25-

30%• Core “broke”

our model• Instruction,

and• Assessment

What to do?

Renewal:• Confidence during

change• Identifying what to

preserve• Great hires• Management team• Continued reflective

practice

Habits of mind• Reflection/retreat• Tolerating failure• Living with

uncertainty

• Resonance• Resilience• Grit (CWRU and Penn)

Habits of mind• Reflection/retreat• Tolerating failure• Living with

uncertainty

• Resonance• Resilience• Grit (CWRU and Penn)

Knickers in a twist?

Audeamus!

Janet Cottrell, Champlain College Library@cottrell | cottrell@champlain.edu |

champlain.edu/library