Why Leaders Accelerate Decline when They Focus on Survival
Leaders who mistake survival for strategy often trigger a slow decline, as they replace vision with narrow cost‑cutting. The article illustrates this with Tiffin University, which avoided collapse by digging into enrollment data, tightening discount controls, and refocusing on purposeful growth. It argues that financial discipline alone cannot reverse a trajectory set by a survival mindset. Culture, transparency, and an engaged board are presented as essential levers to shift from mere endurance to renewal.
AI in Higher Education: Leadership Strategies for Responsible Adoption
A 30‑minute Ed Talk on April 7, 2026, hosted by University Business, features Pete Zuraw, VP of Market Strategy at Gordian, to guide higher‑education leaders on responsible AI adoption. The session outlines where AI adds tangible value, where it falls short, and...
College Admissions Are Confusing. The Right Mix of People and AI Can Help
The federal student‑aid system is undergoing its biggest overhaul in decades, introducing new borrowing caps, ending Grad PLUS loans and tightening Pell Grant eligibility. High‑school counselors, already stretched with an average 372‑to‑1 student ratio, cannot fully translate these changes, leaving...
With Just One Word, Brandeis Is Trying to Change College Shopping
Brandeis University launched Faye, an AI‑driven cost estimator for prospective students. The tool ingests high‑school transcripts, tax returns and personal data to predict the net price of attending Brandeis, including both need‑based and merit aid. By delivering a personalized cost...
AI in Action: Practical Strategies for Enrollment Success
AI has moved from theory to operational necessity in higher education, with institutions adopting predictive and prescriptive analytics to boost enrollment, aid allocation, and student success. A Liaison report shows AI usage among enrollment leaders jumped to 65% in 2025,...
Mobile Credentials Are an Operational Commitment. Evaluate Them Like One
Mobile credential programs on campuses transition from a technical procurement focus to an operational reality where the system is live the moment a student uses their phone. Unlike traditional enterprise rollouts, there is no soft‑launch window; failures surface immediately and...
How to Pair Sustainability with Satisfaction in Campus Dining
Luther College in Iowa launched a reusable metal container pilot to replace single‑use takeout trays, addressing waste‑sorting confusion and poor food temperature retention. After a year‑and‑a‑half of planning and a partnership with Bon Appétit, the insulated containers with tracking were...
Southern Cities Capture Six of Top 10 Spots for Graduate Hiring
Graduate hiring has migrated to the South, with Birmingham topping the WSJ‑ADP ranking at the 96th percentile for entry‑level hires, 88th for affordability and 85th for wages. Tampa surged to second place, posting perfect 100th‑percentile scores in hiring and affordability...
Public Safety Lessons for Quick Decision-Making when in Peril
Higher education leaders are urged to adopt public‑safety decision habits—acting quickly with incomplete data, clarifying authority lines, and focusing on outcomes. The article argues that traditional shared‑governance deliberation slows response to enrollment drops, workforce shifts, and funding squeezes. By borrowing...
AI Readiness on Campus: How to Strive for Durability
The article warns that higher education must move beyond teaching narrow AI tools and instead embed broad, durable AI competencies across all programs, because AI capabilities evolve faster than any single technology lifecycle. It cites the rapid pace of AI...
New College Graduates Overestimate Starting Salaries by Nearly $24,000, Report Finds
A recent survey by real‑estate platform Clever shows college seniors expect to earn about $80,000 one year after graduation, but the actual average starting salary for recent graduates is $56,153, a shortfall of nearly $24,000. The data, collected from bachelor‑seeking...
How to Look at Mergers and Acquisitions as Transformations, Not Transactions
Higher‑education mergers are often portrayed as desperate bailouts, yet they can serve as strategic transformations akin to corporate M&A. When institutions prioritize mission alignment, early planning, and cultural fit, mergers become tools for expanding academic offerings, achieving economies of scale,...
Redefining Leadership in Athletics: The CEO Model
College athletics has transformed into a multi‑billion‑dollar enterprise, driven by NIL revenue sharing, massive media‑rights deals, and escalating coaching costs. University of South Florida responded by creating a CEO role for its athletics department, complemented by a COO and chief...
Hampshire College to Sell Campus to Pay Off $25 Million Debt
Hampshire College announced it will sell its 800‑acre Amherst campus to settle roughly $25 million in debt. The debt, accrued mainly in 2010 and 2016, stems from loans and a private‑partner agreement. Efforts to boost enrollment, refinance, and liquidate assets failed,...
University Of Wisconsin Receives $100 Million for Its New AI College
The University of Wisconsin–Madison has secured $100 million in private gifts to launch a new College of Computing and Artificial Intelligence on July 1, 2026. The funding comes from the Catalyst Collective, a consortium of alumni, business leaders and corporate partners such as...