Not long ago a journal published an article criticizing registrars for holding back the tide of innovation and change. While it dawned on me that registrars frequently have to say "no" to change, I have never thought of my fellow registrars or myself as stodgy curmudgeons seeking to restrain the pace of innovation. Quite the […]
Have you ever wondered why experts like Forbes and Bloomberg estimate that between 80-90 percent of entrepreneurial initiatives fail? American higher ed surely has, and universities are now investing in startups by connecting them to business incubators, product development accelerators, and other higher education-based launchpads. As small business entrepreneurs, we observed early on that many […]
In the ongoing debate over the rising cost of higher education, collaboration frequently emerges as a proposed path forward. Despite the allure of savings and efficiencies, efforts to follow the strategy often fall victim to both conceptual and implementation flaws. Two institutions, a higher education association and private liberal arts college, have managed to navigate […]
Samford University—a private, faith-based institution in Birmingham, Alabama—offers more than 30 health-related degrees through its College of Health Sciences and expects to add 5,000 students there by 2020. To manage that demand—and keep quality metrics high—Dr. Nena Sanders, vice provost of the College of Health Sciences, charged her assistant dean of enrollment management and student […]
The college presidency is a high-risk occupation. The old challenges—fundraising, strategic planning, managing enrollment, protecting students—are still there, along with newer trials involving demographic shifts, flatlining family incomes, access, and compliance to growing governmental regulation. The list goes on. It's a wonder anyone wants to do it. Yet the ranks of new college presidents continue […]
Just imagine this nightmare scenario playing out at your institution of higher education: armed agents in navy blue "FBI," "ICE" and "DHS" windbreakers wandering the halls, stuffing files into boxes marked for evidence, removing and taking possession of computer hard drives, and sealing off rooms with yellow tape. Television reporters chase you and other university […]
Greencastle, Indiana is home to a unique blend of industrial and commercial businesses as well as a top ranking private liberal arts college – DePauw University. As a State of Indiana Stellar Community grant recipient, Greencastle's vision to revitalize its community and downtown area and create the next great college town was in motion. With […]
Higher education is supposed to be a critical first step on the ladder that leads to economic mobility. But William Elliott and Melinda Lewis say that students often leave school with debilitating debt that delays or even prevents any upward climb on that ladder. The Real College Debt Crisis: How Student Borrowing Threatens Financial Well-Being […]
Campus cards accomplish many tasks—from purchasing meals and vending machine snacks to unlocking dorm rooms and other campus facilities. A growing number of colleges and universities now offer even greater convenience, having replaced less-secure swipe cards with "contactless" cards and mobile devices that perform the same functions. In two to three years, this technology—known as […]
Much of what we read today about higher education tends to dwell on constraints and reductions, but at least one sector of academe is actually growing. New medical schools are in various states of planning, development and accreditation, while existing schools are expanding class sizes, portending perhaps the greatest increase in this sector since World […]
