While direct mail and phone remain strong methods of courting donors, advancement offices face the reality that younger alumni may not even have a landline or use a checkbook. More than 1 in 5 online donations were made on a mobile device in 2017, according to research from the Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact. In […]
It's extremely challenging and costly to build an in-house mobile donation platform, not only because of the technology, but also because of privacy and compliance issues. That's why most universities choose to work with providers that have it all figured out, says Caryn Stein, vice president of marketing at higher ed consulting firm Ruffalo Noel […]
Latino students complete degrees at lower rates than other ethnic groups—and are more likely to still be enrolled after six years. These factors are prompting higher ed institutions to develop supports to help accelerate Latino student success. Six years after initial enrollment, only 46 percent of Latino students have completed a two- or four-year degree, […]
Governors State University in Illinois opened in the 1970s as one of a handful of two-year “upper division” schools for students finishing their degrees. It quickly proved unsustainable as far as attracting students and providing a complete education experience. In Leading Academic Change: Vision, Strategy, Transformation (2018, Stylus Publishers), the university’s president, Elaine Maimon, discusses […]
On the road from acceptance to enrollment, would-be students stray, often stepping off the intended path. However, led by admissions offices, higher ed institutions are enticing accepted students to officially enroll by using innovative communication approaches, developing peer connections and making students feel as if they are already part of the family. That process starts […]
At the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, along the scenic Charles River overlooking Boston, a few dozen college presidents and provosts gathered in early May for a day focused on achieving campus harmony. Called the Campus Climate Summit: Getting from Contention to Consensus, the event was sponsored by Thoughtexchange, a provider of stakeholder engagement solutions for leaders […]
In a higher education landscape marked by a shrinking student population and increasing uncertainty, institutional longevity—if not short-term survival—is top of mind for most. What many at-risk institutions fail to see, however, is that a primary focus on competition is a precarious survival strategy that more often than not, backfires. Cooperation, not competition is the […]
Institutional resiliency is a daunting challenge for smaller, tuition-dependent, change-resistant institutions. Indeed, the most vulnerable of these fragile colleges and universities may soon face extinction. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics tells us that there has been a noticeable decrease in the number of degree-granting postsecondary institutions in America over the past decade. […]
Astrid Tuminez will leave Microsoft to hold her first executive-level higher ed leadership position when she becomes president of Utah Valley University, effective this fall. She currently serves the company's Southeast Asian branch as regional director for corporate, external and legal affairs. Raised in poverty by her 15-year-old sister in the Philippines, Tuminez started her […]
You think there's not enough sun in cold, dark Maine to generate solar power? You say solar panels belong in the deserts of the Great Southwest? Actually, solar panels operate more efficiently in cooler weather, and Maine gets more sun than Germany, known worldwide as a solar powerhouse. Five New England colleges have teamed up […]
