Colleges and universities have become a favorite target of cybercriminals because of the sheer volume of student information they handle. This is because payment processing happens all over campus, from the ticketing office to the bursar's office to the cafeteria. In addition to endangering students and damaging the reputation of the institution, the financial costs […]
Lori Fulton, director of institutional effectiveness, Pacific Northwest University "In the beginning, I was focused on developing systems and processes to capture and collect data for analysis and reporting purposes with the aim of becoming the central source for institutional data. Now, I see that role becoming more of a mentor and facilitator of performance improvement—helping […]
Despite the big push for STEM majors and career-focused skills in recent years, the liberal arts seem to be making a resurgence. Liberal arts degree programs in 2016 ranked No. 1 for most completions as well as for the biggest increase in completions, higher ed consulting firm Gray Associates found in a recent analysis of […]
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 […]
In a year defined by on-campus and national controversy, higher ed institutions worked to become more nimble. Here, we reflect on the major events in 2017 that will continue to shape the higher ed landscape in 2018 and beyond. Federal action and guidance President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress brought change and a new […]
Admissions, enrollment, marketing, retention and financial aid administrators surveyed generally have a sunny outlook about the student population in 2018—with 62 percent anticipating an enrollment increase. International student enrollment is in a less positive place, however, with only about one-quarter of the 92 respondents expecting an increase this year. Regarding the online student population, 47 […]
In the fall of 2015, Muhlenberg College President John Williams asked if I would teach a copyright law course to interested undergraduate students. While at Harvard Law School, he and his wife Diane had taken an online course titled CopyrightX, the brainchild of Harvard professor Terry Fisher. President Williams was very excited about the course, […]
Clouds that emerged throughout 2017 are hanging over the heads of campus administrators, posing potentially huge impacts to higher ed as a whole. Just a few of the significant national developments include: the proposed $9 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Education for fiscal year 2018—which if implemented will affect Stafford Loan financing, […]
The development of career-oriented academic programs will, in the coming years, increasingly rely on collaboration between institutions and industry. Rio Salado College, headquartered in Tempe, Arizona, has, for instance, worked with Kroger Foods to create credentials aimed at the continuing education needs of the multistate grocery chain's current and future employees. "It's going to be […]
