We’re Losing Our Minds

America is being held back by the quality and quantity of learning in college. Many graduates cannot think critically, write effectively, solve problems, understand complex issues, or meet employers' expectations. The only solution - making learning the highest priority in college - demands fundamental change throughout higher education.

"We're Losing Our Minds adeptly describes the systemic nature of limited learning in higher education. As the authors convincingly argue, the task is not to change a few practices or chastise a few institutions, but to alter the core of higher education in America. Their proposal for change is at once simple and radical - higher education institutions need to develop a serious culture of teaching and learning. This is a straightforward proposition, but one that will require a fundamental transformation in the attitudes, priorities, and cultures of colleges and universities. Based on years of experience and research, Keeling and Hersh are aware of the challenges ahead yet bold enough to outline strategies for success. Only one question remains: Will higher education leadership have the courage to heed their call for transformation?" - Josipa Roksa, University of Virginia; co-author of Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses

"Keeling and Hersh clearly state why we're 'losing our minds' and what needs to be done to turn things around. Anyone who has a stake in higher education - that is, most of us - would do well to read their work and join in the discussion." - Terry Christner, Library Journal

"This text is more than a call to action. It is a steppingstone in the conversations that need to be occurring on the national and local levels." - Stephanie Bibbo, NACADA JOURNAL

"Throughout this book the authors cut to the chase, offering a candid and sometimes painful assessment of the state of higher education in the United States. However, their work is not limited to a litany of what is wrong with colleges and universities today. . . The authors provide concrete suggestions for improving the college experience for students and are optimistic and confident about these possibilities." Research and Practice in Assessment

Author Richard P. Keeling: Richard P. Keeling, MD, leads Keeling & Associates, LLC, a comprehensive higher education consulting practice based in New York City. Keeling serves on the Board of Directors of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education and has been president of four professional organizations in higher education. Before creating Keeling & Associates, Keeling was both a tenured faculty member and a senior student affairs administrator at the University of Virginia and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. Author Richard H. Hersh: Richard H. Hersh has served as President of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College (Hartford), USA, and as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at The University of New Hampshire and Drake University, USA. He also served as Vice President for Research and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Oregon and was Director of the Center for Moral Education at Harvard University, USA. In his early career he was a high school teacher, professor and dean of teacher education.