Alarming demographic shifts mean university admissions departments are facing a new reality. By 2026, it is predicted that the number of college-aged students will drop almost 15 percent – much of this driven by a plummet in births due to the Great Recession of 2008. While many higher-education institutions have pivoted towards online learning that […]
What is the biggest key to success with campus store promotions, and what is the biggest challenge in executing them? “Communication with regional managers and store managers is key. The more time store managers have to review and understand the details of promotions, the better positioned they are to effectively communicate the offer or prepare […]
As textbook sales have declined, campus stores are relying on promotions to attract students who might not otherwise have a reason to visit. The wave of special events continues year-round in an attempt to drive business beyond the pre-semester rush.
In the winter of my first year at the University of Minnesota, a fellow student proposed screening his carefully made VHS recordings of the 16-hour Live Aid “super concert.” Seen by more than a billion people when it was broadcast earlier that year, the support for rebroadcast in the TV lounge of the Middlebrook Hall […]
Thousands of students, faculty, staff and alumni visit the Student Union at Oklahoma State University each day and take advantage of a large number of available retail services. For Mitch Kilcrease, who is assistant vice president and director of the Student Union, something was missing: a printing and parcel shop. "I felt there was potential […]
What are some ways that you’ve seen student services within residence halls grow to meet student needs and expectations? “Letter-centric mailrooms are not prepared to handle the packages and the expectation of doorstep-service associated with e-commerce. Students want low-touch retail, and administrators want to offer streamlined, cost-effective and safe services. “Modern mail processes can automatically […]
Gone are the precooked burgers and warmed-over chicken patties that once dotted the college dining hall landscape. "Today it's all about freshness, healthy food cooked to order, and customization," says Mike Purcell, president of CulinArt Group, which recently took over the dining options at a large public university in the northeast. "Students want to know […]
One decision to be made in launching or expanding an e-textbook program is whether the office managing it should be on the business or the academic side. Here are two options. Campus store Since the retail manager negotiates the costs of digital course materials anyway, many institutions choose this administration model. Cornell University houses its […]
More than half of students at Indiana University’s seven campuses started the fall semester with at least one e-textbook loaded directly into their learning management system account—at about a quarter of the cost of a new print edition. And at the University of California, Davis, students in hundreds of courses use e-textbooks and take interactive, […]
Without vehicle fleets, many higher ed institutions would function in gridlock. Facilities technicians wouldn't be able to go out and make repairs, and police would have difficulty patrolling. "Fleet is a vital part of keeping an entire organization moving," says Carlos Berriz, Florida International University's fleet manager. Yet the realities in higher ed vary from […]
