Legislators, Industry Expect “Economic Value” Also . . .
Legislators, Industry Expect “Economic Value” Also . . . Support for colleges and universities may hinge on meeting community needs For years, the question of higher education’s “value” has centered on parents and students. When we mention “value,” we don’t mean some vague notion of the growth of a student’s intellect. Instead, as the price […]
Closing the Campus “Will Gap”
Closing the Campus “Will Gap” Turning campus resistance into improvements Robin Capehart Aug 11 On many college and university campuses, there is no lack of ideas or ambitious plans for student success, new programs or institutional innovation. As such, one would think that higher education is in a constant state of ongoing improvement. It’s not. […]
Career Pathways vs. Traditional Curriculum
Choosing the future of your college. Robin Capehart Jul 21 Growing Skepticism In recent years, American higher education has faced a crisis of confidence. College enrollment has been on a steady decline, with a 15% drop between 2010 and 2021, and a further 10% decrease over the last decade, trends exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Bringing Back Night School
Bringing Back Night School Colleges, nontraditional students benefit from being back in the classroom. Robin Capehart Jun 23 Recently, we worked with a college that had a strong, traditional program for nontraditional students, consisting of evening and weekend classes. This program was well-loved by older students, who valued the connection it fostered with the college […]
Navigating Declining Enrollment and Shifting Demands
Navigating Declining Enrollment and Shifting Demands New colleges to address community needs starting to emerge Robin Capehart Jun 9 The landscape of higher education is on the brink of significant transformation. Over the next 15 years, college enrollment is projected to decline due to multiple factors, including shifting demographics, growing skepticism about the value of […]
Higher Ed clings to shaky metric
Higher Ed clings to shaky metric Graduation rates punish colleges that serve low-income students Robin Capehart May 22 Graduation rates are the coin of the whelm for the higher education establishment. It is often cited as some type of indication of the quality of the education offered by an institution. This just isn’t true. Let’s […]
The Skills Gap, the College Gap, the Will Gap (Part II) The insufficient response of higher education. Robin Capehart Despite the clear and urgent need for skilled professionals in critical sectors like technology, healthcare, and manufacturing, many colleges and universities across the United States have been slow to adapt their programs and strategies to meet […]
Rethinking Strategies for Struggling Colleges (Part I) First, the don’ts. Robin Capehart May 7 This week marked the closure of yet another college: Limestone University in Gaffney, South Carolina, underscoring the ongoing crisis in American higher education. The trend of college closures has become increasingly alarming, with data from the National Center for Education Statistics […]
Rethinking Strategies for Struggling Colleges (Part II) Robin Capehart May 7 Last week, Limestone College added its name to the nearly one-per-week list of colleges closing across American. The pattern of college closures across America reveals several reactive strategies that consistently prove ineffective in achieving long-term sustainability: budget cuts and layoffs; emergency funding dependencies; reactive […]
Time for a Focused, Professional Degree? (Part 1)
Time for a Focused, Professional Degree? (Part 1) A new option to meet the economic needs of the community Robin Capehart Apr 21 In recent years, many people have started to question whether traditional college degrees are still worth the time and money they require. Students and parents are especially concerned because college can be […]