This is How We Need to Rethink the Work of Student Affairs

The challenges facing our students and our institutions are more complex than in the past, and no single, siloed office can address these challenges adequately. That’s why some institutions have been forming student affairs innovation hubs to bring together a more diverse crew of creative minds from across campus and put them to work on […]

What Happens When Volunteers Are No Longer a “Nice to Have” Resource, But Instead a Strategic Investment?

Most colleges treat volunteers as “nice to have” resource, but a well-managed volunteer infrastructure can mean better fundraising, stronger student outcomes, and deeper relationships with donors, alumni, and friends of the institution. by Valerie Jones, College of Saint Benedict The Scenario In October 1989, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling was abducted from a rural road in St. […]

Why Rethinking Developmental Education is a Priority

Included in This Report: A Letter from Amit Mrig, President, Academic Impressions March 2013. Given public and federal pressures on college completion, several higher education and policy groups have recently shone the spotlight on developmental education. Recent studies suggest that half of all undergraduates will take at least one remedial course, but that only a small […]

A Whole-Campus Approach to International Students

In This Issue Does Your Curriculum Serve International Students? Recruiting and Admitting International Students: Key Considerations The Transition In: Setting International Students Up for Academic Success The Transition Out: Moving International Students into the Donor Pipeline A Letter from Amit Mrig, President, Academic Impressions May 2012. According to the Open Doors report on international education, international […]

Chiefs of Staff Learning Hub

Critical Advice for University Chiefs of Staff The role of Chief of Staff is intensive, difficult to define, and requires a unique and challenging skill set. We asked five veteran chiefs of staff for their best nuggets of advice for both those new to the role and those experienced in it: View Video Transcript Expand […]

Challenging Androcentrism and Implicit Bias in the Academy

Higher education is still “a man’s world,” though it doesn’t have to be. But equipping women with tips and tools for getting ahead isn’t enough to level the playing field; deep change requires a shift in organizational culture. This is the first in a series of articles looking at how college and universities can navigate […]

The Skills Higher-Ed Leaders Need to Succeed

2017 Update: Following up on this research, we have published our findings and our best current thinking in the paper “The Skills Future Higher-Ed Leaders Need to Succeed.” In Denver, CO this March, Academic Impressions convened a select group of forty academic and administrative leaders from diverse colleges and universities to address the question: What are […]

Hiring Non-Traditional Candidates for Your MGO Team: Navigating the Opportunity and the Risk

To find your talented next major gift officer, look beyond your borders and deepen your candidate pool by searching for non-traditional candidates who have the right combination of skills and personality traits to succeed. But also recognize that candidates who are new to university advancement or to higher education will need onboarding and support. The recruitment […]

Mergers and Acquisitions: Strategic Questions Every University Leader Should Ask Now – Not When It’s Too Late

Higher education mergers are often seen as a sign of personal and institutional defeat, to be avoided at all costs. Yet the truth is that waiting until the last possible moment, when the institution is in full tail spin, is the true sign of failure. The time to be watching for strategic partnerships or opportunities […]

The 21st Century Academic Advisor: 3 Critical Skill Sets

This article is an excerpt from Sue Ohrablo’s acclaimed book High-Impact Advising: A Guide for Academic Advisors, which you can find here. Being an effective academic advisor is like being an expert juggler. It is easy to drop a ball now and then. In this article, I examine strategies to keep all the balls in the […]