When Susan Stuebner became president of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire in 2016, she faced a $4 million operating loss and a projected $2.6 million deficit for the following year. Stuebner made significant changes: She cut five majors, laid off employees and, in one of her first moves, initiated financial training for the board of […]
When it comes to risk management, a key fear is being blindsided by exposure we didn't even know we had. At Meredith College, we have addressed many risks through the establishment of an administrative management council, composed of the direct reports of the vice presidents. Meeting at least twice per semester, this group of about […]
When the national averages for freshman retention rates at public schools sits around 64 percent and private schools hover around 70 percent, there's clearly room for improvement in ensuring students return to campus the following fall. Of course, students and parents seem especially clued in to retention rates, as no one wants to get settled […]
We asked: What are your predictions, hopes and concerns for 2018? Administrators and experts who have recently contributed to UB answered. A link to each contributor’s recent column appears under their name. “College students are wired to think about their future. Higher education must start early to create meaningful career development experiences for students by […]
Watching students receive their degrees fills us with pride. However, the ceremony itself often leaves us with dread. How long will it be? Will the names of the students be pronounced correctly? After more than 25 years in higher education, I’ve seen plenty of ceremonies that failed to answer these questions ahead of time. The […]
Trademark licensing is big business for big universities. The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association estimates collegiate licensing programs raked in $209 million in 2015. Large universities with internationally recognized brands and large alumni bases—such as Notre Dame, the University of Texas at Austin and Florida State University—top the list of highest licensing revenue earners. These […]
HVAC/electrical tech building Manchester Community College (N.H.) This new $9 million HVAC/electrical tech building will be a 21,000-square-foot training facility with advanced electrical and HVAC technology in permanently exposed walls serving as educational aids. It will feature 14 different specialty labs, including a commercial air handler lab, a commercial chiller and boiler lab, and an […]
Meredith College, celebrating its 125th anniversary, recently adopted a new brand—"Going Strong"—that reflects its reputation, enrollment and financial strength. While Meredith's fundraising and application rate are the highest in our history, several other women's colleges have recently either gone coed or closed. Questioning the relevance of women's colleges is a bit obvious—and not so easy […]
Pom-poms; a marching band; cheering students; a four-by-two-foot, $25 million ceremonial check—all part of college football halftime. At least they were in November when Micron Technology CEO Mark Durcan presented the check to Boise State University President Bob Kustra, other officials and several delighted students on the 50-yard line. The Micron Technology Foundation's gift, which […]
When you think “rebranding campaign,” it most likely conjures up images of marketing and communications officers meeting with the school president and board of trustees to toil over logo colors, mascots and slogans. In reality, it’s a much more complex process, involving the entire school community. And its impact can be felt across all institutional […]