Office Hours With EAB

Reporter Jon Marcus joins EAB’s Tara Zirkel to explore the root causes behind steep enrollment declines and poor student outcomes at community colleges. Marcus points to deficiencies in the culture and processes at many two-year schools that make it harder than it has to be for students to earn their associate degree or transfer to a four-year institution. Zirkel and Marcus also discuss low-cost c...

EAB’s Katie Herrmann is joined by Dr. Carl Dindo, the Director of Counseling Services for Northern Arizona University, to discuss innovative approaches to meeting student mental health needs. Dindo and his team have focused on connecting students with the right information, counseling, and other mental health resources in places and ways that students find most helpful. Among the strategies they’v...

EAB’s Michael Fischer and Maya Graham discuss findings from a new survey of higher education facilities leaders. The survey explores topics such as talent retention, carbon neutrality efforts, deferred maintenance, space utilization, and computerized maintenance management systems. Maya and Michael offer insights and advice for facilities managers on ways to prioritize and make meaningful progress...

EAB’s Carla Hickman joins David Kuehl to trace the evolution of online program managers and offer advice to today’s university leaders on how to partner with OPMs to boost online enrollment. Carla and David explore the current regulatory environment as well as different contract models that minimize upfront costs without sacrificing long-term revenue growth potential. The two also urge listeners t...

EAB’s Michael Koppenheffer and Colin Koproske discuss ways that virtual reality is already transforming higher ed. Colin recently hosted a delegation of university presidents on a tour of the Dreamscape Learn offices in Los Angeles where they got to “kick the tires” on new virtual reality course content that Dreamscape developed in partnership with Arizona State University. Michael explains what s...

EAB’s Beth Donaldson and Dave Kuehl discuss how to reach prospective graduate school students who are looking to switch careers and enroll in business programs that may be very different from their undergraduate field of study. They encourage institutions to develop a data-driven approach to identify this unique student population and craft messages that will resonate with that audience. Beth and...

EAB’s Michelle DiMenna and Emily Upton discuss the growing “stealth shopping” phenomenon that is forcing colleges to change how they recruit and engage prospective students. Michelle and Emily identify the best ways to connect with stealth shoppers early in their college search by optimizing your website for recruitment, refining your social media strategy, and by enlisting faculty in the effort t...

EAB’s Maggie Everett is joined by the University of New England Dean of Students and VP of Student Affairs, Jennifer DeBurro. The two discuss Jennifer's efforts to build a better student mental health counseling framework at UNE. That work began with an unflinching study of existing approaches, intensive data collection, and establishment of benchmarks to measure progress going forward. The initia...

EAB’s Tara Zirkel and Mike Saxvick examine systemic weaknesses within the admissions practices at two-year institutions that allow far too many prospective students to fall through the cracks. They urge listeners to begin cataloging all the “side doors” through which prospective students inquire about your school and then capture those disparate data points into a unified CRM and student retention...

EAB’s Angela Street is joined by DC-based PR professional Stacy Skelly from The Reis Group, for a conversation on managing PR during a crisis. The two discuss how to prepare a crisis communications plan before disaster strikes, how to communicate with key audiences, and pitfalls to avoid in the heat of the moment. They also discuss ways to overcome challenges common within the university setting,...

EAB’s Jarrell Anderson and Alexa Silverman explore proactive steps that colleges can take to help Black and Latino men build a stronger sense of connection with their campus community. With Black and Latino men lagging nearly every other demographic in terms of college graduation rates, colleges are trying creative new approaches to drawing these students in and making them feel valued. Jarrell an...

Juli Scalf, part of the College Greenlight team at EAB, is joined by Jordan Wesley, Managing Director of Partnerships for a community-based organization called Let’s Get Ready. The two discuss ways to forge better partnerships with CBOs by understanding the role they play in helping students overcome obstacles when applying to colleges. Jordan also shares tips for admissions teams who want to comm...

EAB’s Michael Fischer and Ron Yanosky discuss whether ChatGPT represents an existential threat to higher education. The two review the current state of play and examine ways that institutions are adapting to force students to complete assignments and demonstrate mastery of course material without the aid of artificial intelligence “shortcuts.” They also explore ways that institutions might evolve...

EAB experts Caylie Privitere and Matthew McAloon examine the benefits to students and institutions from the restoration of Pell Grant funding for incarcerated persons who want to pursue a college education. Caylie and Matthew explore the challenges and opportunities for institutions that are eager to tap into a new market of at least 700,000 potential students. The two also offer examples of schoo...

EAB’s Beth Donaldson and Kevin Shriner share findings from a new survey of university Presidents, Provosts, and Vice Presidents of Enrollment Management to learn more about their strategy and goals for increasing graduate enrollments. Respondents made it clear this is a significant priority, but they may not have an effective strategy to accomplish their goals. Beth and Kevin examine the state of...

EAB’s Nicole Council, Scott Baker, and Jonathan Barnhart discuss the explosive growth of TikTok as a student recruitment tool and why it may, nevertheless, disappear completely from college campuses. While TikTok has become the dominant social media platform used by Gen Z students, state-run colleges across America are banning access to the platform over a variety of concerns. Our guests share adv...

EAB’s Lauren Edmonds and Natalie Ken discuss the programs, course modalities, and other educational preferences of active-duty military and veterans. The two explore differences between those looking for credentials that will help them advance their military career versus those looking to build on their military experience to launch successful post-military careers. They also share advice for admi...

Syracuse University’s Kal Srinivas joins EAB’s Andrina Musser to talk about how the technology, people, and processes changed at Syracuse to boost student retention efforts. The two discuss institutional barriers that had to be addressed, ways to get faculty on board, and the use of predictive analytics in facilitating proactive student outreach. Dr. Srinivas also shares lessons learned and top ti...

EAB’s Jeff Schiffman is joined by enrollment consultant Errol Wint and Lindsey Hoyt from Reed College to talk about their respective career journeys in higher education. The three share advice on networking, on how to earn that coveted promotion, and on how to showcase your skills in ways that will resonate with prospective employers. They also urge listeners to listen to your gut and take that le...

EAB’s Abigail Zeiler is joined by Mary Lou Sole and Valerie Martinez from the University of Central Florida College of Nursing to talk about their work together on the Progresando initiative. Through the initiative, UCF is working with EAB, through a generous grant from Bank of America, to increase their capacity to recruit and educate students to meet soaring demand for skilled healthcare workers...

EAB’s Jada Harris and Katie Herrmann discuss the key drivers leading to faculty burnout, all of which stem from a weak workplace culture, not employee shortcomings. The two offer strategies for training deans and department chairs to be more effective at managing the issue. They also share novel approaches being used by a couple of forward-thinking institutions to foster a more supportive working...

EAB’s Wenie Lado is joined by Tufts university professor and author, Natasha Warikoo. The two discuss Natasha’s new book, “Is Affirmative Action Fair? The Myth of Equity in College Admissions,” as well as the potential impacts of the upcoming Supreme Court decision on the legitimacy of race-conscious admissions. Natasha and Wenie examine the arguments for and against affirmative action and offer r...

EAB’s Michael Fischer and Jon Barnhart guide listeners through the process of evaluating, prioritizing, and gaining leadership buy in on making their institution into a carbon net zero enterprise. The two explain how to assess costs and ROI on energy efficiency investments and how to engage the broader campus community in these efforts. Finally, they offer tips on how to sustain and build on early...

EAB’s Kevin Shriner and Camilla Arias discuss the elements of an effective graduate enrollment plan. The discussion covers a range of issues including the importance of market research, setting appropriate goals, staffing, and securing buy in from campus stakeholders. Kevin and Camilla also explore strengths and weaknesses of different course modalities and offer tips on finding and engaging today...

EAB’s Tara Zirkel is joined by Pueblo Community College VP of Student Success, Dr. Heather Speed, to examine changes Pueblo made to boost enrollment heading into the fall semester. Leadership began by listening to staff to identify and resolve disconnects between departments, which had been limiting their ability to market and fill open courses. They also provided more hands-on training for facult...