With college students increasingly calling on schools to divest endowments from fossil fuels, Becker College in Massachusetts became the first institution to mandate that all of its investments generate a positive impact on society—and a targeted financial return. "As a college that is educating the next generation of global citizens, prepared to solve our most pressing social […]
Effective collaboration between administration, academic officers and faculty is crucial for effective leadership at colleges and universities. Enrollment levels, academic freedom, financial viability and student success could all be affected if these individuals don't team up to develop and implement an effective strategy. I recently had firsthand experience on how close collaboration between the chief […]
After six colleges and universities in the Boston Consortium launched a self-insurance program in 2012, healthcare costs at Wheaton College ceased their upward spiral. Health premiums at the small liberal arts college had been increasing by 7 percent annually, but now costs have remained flat for the past four years. "We've changed the trend line […]
In March, North Carolina passed a law that public colleges and universities require individuals to use restrooms that match their birth gender. The controversial "Public Facilities Privacy and Security Act," which also applies to government buildings, jeopardizes $4.5 billion in federal higher ed funds as it potentially violates Title IX statutes, and runs afoul of […]
The new higher education alliances cropping up are not just of the regional variety. A group of private colleges and universities created a consortium in fall 2015 to negotiate better deals on enterprise resource planning systems, which can account for up to 4 percent of an institution's entire annual budget. The Higher Education Systems and […]
Colleges or universities looking to join a higher education consortium have two major options: alliances that are regionally based or those focused on a common goal. Schools that choose to participate in a regional consortium have the advantage of being able to easily meet with other members to discuss common issues. "If I were looking […]
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 […]
At first glance, Deyven Ferreras looks like a typical university student: youthful face, college sweatshirt, backpack. But until recently, his backpack carried more than books. Quite literally, it was his lifeline. Inside was a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), a mechanical pump that helped his weakened heart move blood throughout his body. Ferreras, a second-year […]
The University of Connecticut's recent announcement of a planned learning community intended for first- and second-year African-American male students has reignited a decades-old debate regarding ethnically themed living spaces on campus. Two members of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights penned a letter to university President Susan Herbst urging her to reconsider the community's launch. […]
The twin goals of affordability and diversity dominate the nation's push to expand access to higher ed, but another critical factor—geography—is drawing more attention for the role it plays in where students go to college. With more than half selecting colleges less than 50 miles from home, there's growing concern about "education deserts"—localities that lack […]
