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 […]
Beginning in 2016, when prospective students to the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Ind.) submit their SAT scores and transcripts, they'll be asked to take a personality quiz to help the school determine who has the right stuff to succeed. "I've always felt there's something missing in admissions, something that we can do better," says Jim […]
Bill Dampier, President & Chief Operating Officer at MBS Direct When does an online bookstore make sense? Most bookstores that are on campus are threatened by external competition. Students are already shopping around for the best value when acquiring their course materials. It has become more difficult to meet their expectations. Many want lower-cost alternatives […]
Higher education administrators looking to increase efficiency frequently cite document management as a major roadblock. Even so, the numerous flaws in the system used by the College of the Desert’s admissions and records department went beyond the typical woes. Half a dozen faculty and staff at the California community college might end up handling a […]
Increasing enrollment is a priority for many institutions. The race is on to create a marketplace distinction in order to attract new students and to retain current students. As if this challenge weren’t enough, colleges and universities are faced with rising costs, reduced endowments and smaller budgets. As campus leaders look for ways to leverage […]
The go-to data point used to indicate whether an institution is helping students reach success has tended to be its graduation rate. Post-graduation employment is another indicator that colleges and universities will note for ROI-focused students and families. While these signs of success aren’t going anywhere, the definition of student success has evolved to include […]
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 […]
More transfer students will now have the chance to obtain an associate degree—with-out extra administrative burden—thanks to a Lumina Foundation grant that National Student Clearinghouse received to provide an automated solution for exchanging reverse transfer student data. With this technology (currently in phase-one development in Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin), four-year schools will send academic data […]
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. […]
