To enlist support for change on campus, which action should be taken first?

• A. Communicate the intended change effectively to all stakeholders
• B. Implement change secretly
• C. Punish dissenters
• D. Schedule a faculty-only meeting

Answer: (A)

Effective change on campus starts with clear communication to everyone who will be affected. When you describe the intended change, why it’s happening, and the benefits, people understand the goal and see how it aligns with shared values. This builds awareness, invites questions, and opens a channel for input, which helps create trust and broad support before any action is taken. Implementing changes in secret breeds suspicion and resistance once discovered, making it harder to gain legitimacy. Punishing dissenters discourages honest feedback and harms morale, undermining collaboration. A faculty-only meeting excludes students and staff and won’t create the inclusive buy-in needed for campus-wide adoption. So starting by communicating the plan effectively to all stakeholders is the best first step.