There are few economic challenges that move the dial in America quite like the skyrocketing costs of higher ed. From early morning pundits to late night talk shows the student and family debt burden issue is clear and ever present. In the view of U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren – “Rising student-loan debt is an economic […]
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 […]
At the end of the 2014 Little League World Series star pitcher Mo'ne Davis got the call of her life. Mo'ne is only in 8th grade but already she has new learning and earning options. Head Coach of the University of Connecticut women's basketball team Geno Auriemma acknowledged the 13 year old's athletic prowess with […]
From cashing in on beer sales at football games to providing community members with a safe way to trash old electronics for a fee, administrators are looking beyond tuition and endowments to make up for budget shortfalls. Typically, there have been three types of alternative revenue sources, says Shandy Husmann, managing director of Huron Consulting […]
With national student debt at a stunning $1.2 trillion and financial pressure playing a key factor in retention, colleges must take the initiative to help students maximize opportunities for financial aid. Yet many colleges have downsized their financial aid offices and automated various functions. At Mercy College, we take another approach: We’re dedicated to humanizing […]
Georgetown University officials had a bit of an epiphany recently about the impact of their noncredit courses. While the offerings had been around since the 1990s, administrators hadn’t realized the big benefits they could bring to the institution. “What started as fairly standard, adult-education, personal-interest type of courses has evolved into a major part of […]
Rather than dealing with the intensive labor involved in sending and receiving paper transcripts—and frustration from students and graduates accustomed to automation—most colleges and universities have implemented electronic transcript capabilities. The process allows administrators to capture lots of valuable electronic data, but the majority of schools are not utilizing that information beyond sending or receiving […]
Some see the three year baccalaureate as a fad which will ultimately dilute the depth, breadth, and rigor of the true college learning and living experience. Other commentators see the accelerated credentials megatrend as the natural outcome of decades of degree inflation. Think about the fact that an associate's degree is no longer the coin […]
There have been continuous outcries in recent years for colleges and universities to lower their costs, yet in almost every area those costs continue to rise. We all know that health care premiums, utility bills and food are among costs that are beyond a college’s control. Institutions also must spend to deliver new or enhanced […]
When it comes to online education, careful course development is hardly the only piece needed for successful student outcomes. "Some institutions, eager to jump in the field, think once they've developed their online courses, they are set to launch," says Jacqueline Moloney, executive vice chancellor at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. "But many neglect to […]
