Higher Education
Leadership Practices for Interfaith Excellence in Higher Education
This 2015 article presents nine leadership practices that illustrate effective ways to engage religious diversity on university campuses.
Eboo Patel, Katie Bringman Baxter, and Noah Silverman
Leadership Practices for Interfaith Excellence in Higher Education
Authors: Eboo Patel, Katie Bringman Baxter, and Noah Silverman
Originally published in 2015 in the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U’s) Liberal Education Magazine, this article presents nine best practices for engaging religious diversity on campus. These emerged from Interfaith America’s partnerships with hundreds of campuses. Meant to answer the question, “What does excellence look like when it comes to the engagement of religious diversity on a college or university campus?,” the nine practices named are:
- Establishing links to institutional identity and mission.
- Developing a campus-wide strategy.
- Creating a public identity.
- Respecting and accommodating diverse religious identities.
- Making interfaith cooperation an academic priority.
- Building competence and capacity among staff and faculty members.
- Encouraging student leadership.
- Engaging in campus-community partnerships.
- Assessing campus climates and interfaith initiatives.
See more details, examples from the field, and recommended action items to support these nine practices below.
Liberal Education Magazine
About Liberal Education Magazine | AAC&U
Liberal Education, the award-winning flagship quarterly of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, offers compelling content and high-quality writing and analysis on a mix of topics integral to AAC&U’s work. Magazine articles highlight the voices of educators, faculty, administrators, and students from universities and colleges of all types and sizes, as well as policymakers and others involved in liberal learning and higher education. Stories provide thought leadership and hands-on advice on subjects related to teaching and learning, leadership, faculty innovation, diversity and inclusion, social justice, educating for democracy, and institutional change.
AAC&U
The American Association of Colleges and Universities is a global membership organization dedicated to advancing the democratic purposes of higher education by promoting equity, innovation, and excellence in liberal education.
Through our programs and events, publications and research, public advocacy and campus-based projects, AAC&U serves as a catalyst and facilitator for innovations that improve educational quality and equity and that support the success of all students.
Copyright
This article is reposted by Interfaith America with permission from AAC&U. Copyright Liberal Education Magazine. Liberal Education Magazine is the property of Association of American Colleges & Universities and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.
To cite this article: E. Patel, K. Bringman Baxter, and N. Silverman (2015) Leadership Practices for Interfaith Excellence in Higher Education, Liberal Education, v101 n1-2 Win-Spr 2015.
