Office Hours with John Gardner

We are searching for big ideas that inspire hope and action in higher education around institutional transformation and innovation to advance student success outcomes. Joining John Gardner are higher education leaders and other relevant persons of interest who will discuss innovation and strategies that improve higher education.

All opinions and views expressed as part of “Office Hours with John Gardner” belong solely to the individual participants and do not necessarily represent those of the people, institutions, or organizations with which the individuals may be associated in a professional, educational, or other personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Likewise, all opinions and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Gardner Institute.

Contributors

Host

John N. Gardner

John is an educator, university professor, and administrator, non-profit organization chief executive officer, author, editor, public speaker, consultant, change agent, student retention specialist, first-year, sophomore, transfer, and senior year students’ advocate, and initiator and scholar of the American first-year and senior-year reform movements. He serves as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Gardner Institute. The Institute was founded by John and his wife, Betsy O. Barefoot, in October 1999. Since its inception in 1999, the Institute has received over $8,000,000 in support from its philanthropic partners, most recently from the Lumina Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation.

The Gardner Institute works with colleges and universities to strengthen their resolve and processes to undertake assessment and other improvement actions to increase student learning and retention.

Guests

Guest

Teresa Rivenes

Teresa R. Rivenes is currently the Senior Vice President for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, also known as the NWCCU, which is a previously regional and now international accreditation agency. Before this role, Dr. Rivenes served as the Vice President at Umpqua Community College and as the Vice President of Academic and Student Services at Tillamook Bay Community College, both located in Oregon. At both institutions, she focused on systemic change, transforming struggling assessment processes into shining examples of assessment and accreditation success. She also led the first faculty teams in Oregon to eliminate developmental education classes and implement guided self-placement for all students.