How you go to college matters more than where you go to college, says Bentley University President Gloria Cordes Larson. In her book Prepared U (2017 Jossey-Bass), Larson says institutions that focus on professional studies do a fine job preparing students for a job after college. But they often fall short on building “lifelong learning […]
Giving to American higher education has enjoyed a significant increase over the last decade, far exceeding inflation. Despite the recession in 2008-10, giving to higher ed grew steadily from $23 billion in 2006 to $34 billion in 2015, a healthy increase that’s highlighted by a significant and continuous stream of megagifts (more than $50 million). […]
This month we begin a trilogy of best value proposition case studies providing an inside look at how several institutions have developed more relevant ways of measuring value-added outcomes, quality of learning experience, and return on tuition investment. Typically, the college selection process for high school students is as routine as the senior prom, where students and parents eyeball traditional college […]
These days a majority of college students attend institutions in cities, but that wasn’t always the case. Higher education—as it was conceived from the earliest days of the nation—purposely took place in rural areas, far from the immoral influences of fast-growing cities. A university education focused on philosophical discussions and classical literature. The few city-based […]
A small change in admissions at many of the most selective colleges and universities could make a big difference to low-income learners. To meet a goal of having all schools enroll at least 20 percent Pell Grant recipients, about 350 “elite” institutions would have to admit about 20,000 low-income students, says a new report from […]
The Chicago Cubs finally learned this lesson: A baseball team without a good farm system won’t make it to the top. Higher education needs to focus on employee development and start rebuilding their own farm systems. Why do so many colleges look externally for new talent instead of developing their employees? Due to an external-candidate […]
The current anti-immigrant rhetoric in the U.S. has collided with the economic challenges of source countries, creating a perfect storm for international student enrollment. Many institutions that have benefited from the rising demand from key source countries such as China, India and Saudi Arabia, will be the first to lose in the possible decline in […]
MONTCLAIR, New Jersey—Montclair State had been a university for only a few years when Susan Cole took over as president in 1998. She wanted the job—her second presidency—because she saw vast, untapped potential on the campus of 12,000 students. She also felt certain that she could, pretty quickly, ensure the institution lived up to its […]
Tom Snyder retired in June after nine years at the helm of Ivy Tech, the nation's largest singly accredited community college system. Snyder's coming from a corporate background gave him a different perspective about higher ed in general and community colleges in particular. For one, he realized the role community colleges play in serving millions […]
EL PASO, Texas—Diana Natalicio, recently named one of the 100 most influential people in the world, hopes the honor causes a little dissonance in the minds of people who care about higher education. She wants observers to wonder why Time magazine placed her, the longtime president of The University of Texas at El Paso, on […]
