5Through the tumult of socio-economic, political, and ideological shifts exerting pressure on higher education in the United States, leaders need effective, practical tools to guide their institutions toward relevance and sustainability. Surviving to Thriving has served as that guide for independent college and university presidents, cabinets, and boards of trustees around the country since its release in 2014. With an updated introduction, this second edition offers a framework to inform institutional planning and thinking with students always at the center. Authors Joanne Soliday and Rick Mann consider and apply the nine elements of Credo's Thriving Framework(R) through which institutional health can be examined and improved