In 2008, former Yale professor William Deresiewicz wrote a scathing essay titled “The Disadvantages of an Elite Education.” It quickly went viral, gaining more than 100,000 views in a matter of weeks (and many times that since). “The system manufactures students who are smart and talented and driven,” he noted, “but also anxious, timid and […]
What are the biggest challenges facing higher education as a business? There are a few challenges that institutions face today. For such a long time, many were in a continuous growth pattern, developing new programs and online programs for receptive audiences. That certainly is not the case today. Many institutions are experiencing flat enrollment and […]
Each year, the University of Nebraska, Omaha, hires several hundred new administrative or office service workers, says Cecil Hicks, who himself was hired in May as the school’s HR director. Although onboarding new hires can range from a one-day orientation program to a year-long mentorship, Hicks believes the first day of anyone’s job should be […]
Managing course scheduling involves more than just cracking a complex logistical code each semester. It’s also a potential bane or boon to the operating budget. Course scheduling is tied integrally to two of an institution’s most expensive resources—facilities and faculty. An
Students at the University of Louisville’s School of Medicine work in six-person groups around computer monitors to diagnose a medical case. The instructor roams the classroom, using an iPad application to share content on a large monitor and control all the technology in the room—including lighting, audio, video and screen positions. When exceptional work is […]
The often-used businesses term "right-sizing" has in recent years become common in higher education. Though sometimes used as a euphemism for "downsizing," it more rightly refers to an effort to optimize enrollment, human resources, programs and facilities—in other words, fixed costs. There are a host of factors that should go into the analysis when an […]
“Your reputation is at risk.” That was the message relayed to Marist College Vice President and CIO Bill Thirsk by a hiring manager who had been contacted by a former employment candidate. The job seeker had attempted to apply for a position through the New York college’s online employment system, only to give up because […]
In the business world, products sometimes price themselves out of the market and provide an opening for competitors. Because of strong demand for what they offer, universities have long been able to raise tuitions without triggering this effect. But today we have controversy about the burden of student loans (a movie expose, “Ivory Tower,” opened […]
Strategic planning is a serious business. At Emerson College in Boston, it's also been turned into an online game that everyone on campus can play. The private college with 3,700 students tapped its own Engagement Game Lab to create a series of question-based missions that allow students, faculty, staff and alumni to share ideas about […]
Conservation on campus is about saving money and electricity at a time of lagging state funding and soaring global demand for power. Worldwide energy use is slated to jump 56 percent by 2040, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Meanwhile, students and faculty are increasingly well-versed in energy use and are demanding sustainable solutions. […]
