Academia is in trouble. Taxpayers are fed up with the enormous expenses associated with public universities, as well as administrators whose strategies and goals are fuzzy at best and destructive at worst. Parents worry about how they will find the wherewithal to send their offspring to college. Employers question the ability of new graduates and degree holders to write or reason lucidly. And everyone (except entrenched faculty members) questions the practice of tenure, which generally creates an incentive for mediocrity. Meanwhile, academic authorities responsible for managing our august institutions of higher education pontificate about the problems without delivering meaningful solutions. But meaningful solutions do exist, and this book explains them in depth. "Taking Back the Tower," a compendium of no-nonsense, management-oriented lessons and prescriptions for the academy, will go a long way toward restoring the respect our colleges and universities deserve.

"Taking Back the Tower" focuses squarely on bringing common sense to higher education by urging creative thinking, especially out-of-the-box approaches, in promoting change. It offers numerous solutions, many of which will be seen as quite controversial by the establishment. Smith outlines how to overcome resistance to change, lead more effectively, demand accountability for performance, manage resources for the highest return, remain firm with tuition payers and donors when warranted, manage costs to help keep the price of an education contained, and much more. The secret is in managing the few key variables that will have the biggest impact on overall results. The ideas are wholly practical and much less philosophical than those in most books on the subject. Following them will help schools improve results across the board. Smith's decades of experience as both a teacher and administrator in academia, as well as a consultant for many public and private-sector organizations, make him the perfect author for this book. Moreover, his insights, coupled with the many enlightening and entertaining examples (all true) will capture the attention of readers and help them understand why change must come--and why it must be radical.

While there are volumes that fall into the category of children's literature, there appears to be relatively few that explore the needs of bilingual learners and the linguistic and sociocultural context of Latino children's literature. This volume makes a needed contribution by addressing the social, cultural, academic, and linguistic needs of Latino bilingual learners who are still underserved through current school practices. We aim to conceptualize different forms of social knowledge so that they can serve as cultural resources for learning, acquiring knowledge, and transforming self and identity. This volume presents a balance of theory, research, and practice that speak to authentic multicultural Latino literature and helps ensure its availability for all students. The intended outcome of this volume then is to create a heightened awareness of the cultural and linguistic capital held by the Latino community, to increase Latino students' social capital through the design of critical pedagogical practices, and for the formulation of a new perspective, that of Latino multicultural literature for children.

While there are volumes that fall into the category of children's literature, there appears to be relatively few that explore the needs of bilingual learners and the linguistic and sociocultural context of Latino children's literature. This volume makes a needed contribution by addressing the social, cultural, academic, and linguistic needs of Latino bilingual learners who are still underserved through current school practices. We aim to conceptualize different forms of social knowledge so that they can serve as cultural resources for learning, acquiring knowledge, and transforming self and identity. This volume presents a balance of theory, research, and practice that speak to authentic multicultural Latino literature and helps ensure its availability for all students. The intended outcome of this volume then is to create a heightened awareness of the cultural and linguistic capital held by the Latino community, to increase Latino students' social capital through the design of critical pedagogical practices, and for the formulation of a new perspective, that of Latino multicultural literature for children.

Some experts argue that adventure is dead because few places on this magnificent planet have escaped explorers' snowboards, boot steps, parachutes, paddles, skis, or bicycle tires. However, a growing number of respected adventurers claim that the future of adventure isn't solely about being there first, achieving the most enormous physical goal, or surviving extreme conditions at the edge. It is increasingly about cultivating personal discoveries that lead to uniquely insightful epiphanies or revelations - the last best adventure. The Last Best Adventure focuses on attention-grabbing revelations discovered when exploring wild country - that unique moment when adventure attains a higher level of meaning because someone has a gripping revelation, discovery, epiphany, paradigm shift, or other soul-altering realization; they transcend being first on an ice-throttled peak or first at careening down a raging river. This book examines the pinnacle of extraordinary moments in the wild, yet it also explores more universal adventures. Join Howard Smith as he penetrates the remote hinterlands of Mt. Rainier, survives winter blizzards when snowshoeing, confronts a grizzly bear and her three cubs in the Tetons, dances down the Deschutes River on a rafting trip poised for disaster, and treks through the lonesome alpine country of Glacier Peak. He provides a passionate recollection of hard-core backcountry quests and outdoor recreation soulfully tempered by the power of epiphany. Come explore adventure's final frontier.

The Southwest is a land with remarkable spirit as well as stunning natural features ranging from red sandstone mesas to soaring mountain peaks; from infinite plains to immense canyons. The Anasazi called this country home--southern Nevada, Utah, and Colorado as well as large portions of Arizona and New Mexico. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ANASAZI explores how this region' historic Indian heritage, shaped by a dramatic natural backdrop, exerts a powerful influence over modern life. This book is a compendium of introspective essays about life and the outdoors under indigenous shadows. Chapters center on mini-adventures in the Four Corners remote backcountry where Native people trod.