Changing Higher Ed

Creative partnerships, and mergers and acquisitions are helping colleges and universities get out of financial crises while also serving students' needs. One example of this type of partnership involves three higher education institutions -- Goodwin University, Sacred Heart and Paier College of Art—that are working with the University of Bridgeport to create a partnership.  The University of Bridg...

Christian colleges and universities face unique challenges, even without coronavirus, economic issues and racial unrest. One of the guiding lights in helping navigate those challenges is the Association for Biblical Higher Education, which serves as an accreditor and also offers a number of services. After long-time president Dr. Ralph Enlow retired, ABHE selected Dr. Philip Dearborn to fill the p...

Christian colleges and universities face unique challenges, even without coronavirus, economic issues and racial unrest. One of the guiding lights in helping navigate those challenges is the Association for Biblical Higher Education, which serves as an accreditor and also offers a number of services. After long-time president Dr. Ralph Enlow retired, ABHE selected Dr. Philip Dearborn to fill the p...

Many higher ed institutions are struggling with finances due to COVID and other reasons, and some higher ed l eader s are   seriously  con templating a merger with or acquisition of or by another institution . These processes can be a win-win proposition, allowing for increased capacity ,  services  and efficiencies  for students.    One example of this process is Delaware State University, which...

The world has become a place of open pain and suffering, as well as one in which people are more curious. People are asking questions about how we got here and where we are going next. While part of this is due to the coronavirus pandemic, another major part involves the explosion of long-simmering racial tensions. University of San Francisco Vice Provost for Diversity Engagement and Community Out...

Federal policymakers are trying to figure out their next steps in relation to higher education in the wake of the pandemic. In addition, these policymakers are continuing in developing and implementing regulations. TEN Government Strategies CEO Tom Netting, a regular guest on this podcast, provides an update on new regulations that are coming on line as well as recent and proposed federal legislat...

Higher education institutions are still reeling from dealing with the coronavirus pandemic during the spring term. However, now they are faced with the challenge of making critical decisions that also offer flexibility moving into the fall semester. Beloit College already is far ahead on this path. This edition of the podcast will feature Dr. Eric Boynton, Beloit College's provost and dean of the...

The current coronavirus pandemic puts an intense spotlight on leadership, both at the administrative and board levels. While boards and leaders have found ways to work effectively in dealing with the immediacy of closing the campus as the pandemic began, now they have to find ways to work together to create a learning environment that engages students while also taking proper precautions to keep s...

The COVID-19 pandemic has put even more pressure on institutions that serve underrepresented populations. One such institution is Amarillo College in Amarillo, TX. This community college is redefining its efforts to reach and engage its student body, many of whom are non-traditional and underrepresented students. Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart is the college's president. A product of the area, he previou...

Many higher education institutions are struggling with survival. While many leaders are beginning to consider closing the institution, there are other options available. Some of the most commonly talked about are mergers and acquisitions. However, forming or becoming part of a consortiums can offer important support that can help an institution survive and even thrive. One example of a consortium...

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the changes already facing higher education.  These issues include financial, structural and enrollment. Mike Goldstein, one of the top higher education attorneys in the country, offers his insights on how higher education leaders can navigating these challenges. Fall-out from Remote Learning Goldstein sees many implications for higher education that starte...

Higher education leaders are in a difficult position as they navigate the coronavirus pandemic. They have had to make the difficult decision in closing campuses during the spring semester, and now they need to focus on bringing students back safely in the fall semester and moving forward in the "new normal." Dr. Billy Hawkins has successfully led several higher education institutions through trans...

Higher education will need to increasingly focus on innovation in both how it operates and how it educates students in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant recession. So what does that look like? This podcast focuses on taking innovation to the next level. Julie Lenzer serves as the University of Maryland's chief innovation officer. As an entrepreneur, she worked extensively in t...

Raising Money for Universities during COVID with Scott Roberts and Tim Hill | Changing Higher Ed 043 Higher education fundraising is even more critical as colleges and universities navigate the unexpected and unpredictable financial situation caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic. During a time marked by physical separation, institutions and their development offices need to find creative ways t...

This podcast explores fundraising in the time of COVID-19. Contrary to what many would think, the current situation could be an important time to visit with donors. During his 24 years of professional fundraising, Martin Leifeld and his teams raised a staggering $500 million dollars. He served as vice chancellor of advancement for the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a decade. While there, he...

The current pandemic is offering a wealth of learning for higher education. By taking that approach, institutions can better position themselves to survive through the challenges that will continue to ripple through the nation. This podcast features Rob Hartman, who is the chief financial officer of Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia, S.C. Taking a Learning Perspective There are s...

  Dr. Cathy Trower offers insights in the board's role during a major crisis, such as the current pandemic. She discusses the importance of a partnership between the president and board chair as well as the communication channels that need to be created in a time of crisis.   The   president of Trower   &   Trower   has more than two decades of experiencing providing governance consulting to colle...

Christian higher education is facing numerous challenges. The Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) conducted a study in collaboration with the Barna Group in 2017 that focused on the marketplace, the dynamics facing member institutions as well as the perceptions of Christian higher education. The study identified a number of actions that Christian higher education institutions need to...

Higher education already was  facing major challenges, but an unprecedented black swan event – the COVID-19 pandemic—is testing the resiliency of colleges and universities across the country.  Long-time education leader Dr. E. Gordon Gee offers the wisdom he has gained from serving as a university president for 40 years. Dr. Gee believes that serving in this role is one of the most important calli...

Higher education traditionally does not move quickly when it comes to innovation. However, the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is forcing higher education institutions to do just that. Which is where the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) comes in. UIA, which is led by Dr. Bridget Burns, is a group of 11 universities that are committed to innovating together, scaling up what works a...

Palo Alto University (PAU) has faced several crises over the past few years that ended up serving the institution well in dealing the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Risa Dickson, the university's interim vice president for academic affairs, said the institution is committed to putting the students first, followed by the faculty in order to move through this crisis. The institution is located in Santa Clar...

  Crises offer many common lessons once they are over. That's the case now as higher education faces the latest crises, the COVID19 pandemic.   This  episode of  Changing Higher Ed  features Dr. Scott Cowen, the former president of Tulane University. Dr. Cowen , who is now a faculty member,   as  shares his insights of surviving a crisis, which in his case was Hurricane Katrina.   He believes that...

This episode addresses the upcoming enrollment cliff that institutions of higher education are facing.  Bill Conley  is  vice president for  enrollment at Bucknell University , which is  in  an enviable position with a 3 0- percent admittance rate  and a strong alumni base . The in stitution offers  nationally recognized programs  in arts, science, engineering and management.    Conley , who began...

Dr. Philip Rous  is  provost and senior vice president for academic affairs  of  University  of  Maryland Baltimore County .  He has been at UMBC for 29 years, both as a faculty member and administrator. He tries to facilitate the community as a whole to grow and expand.   Founded in 1966, UMBC is a relatively young  public research university  that  is  building  a new model of a modern universit...

In the summer of 2011, conversations began with the Governor's office about potential mergers. Toward the end of the year an announcement was made that four mergers would occur. This resulted in eight institutions being merged into four. The most complex merger involved Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University, which created one larger and more comprehensive institution than...