While many colleges are making investments in recruiting Latino students, Western Oregon University, a public institution primarily serving first-generation students, has made significant investments in supporting and retaining Latino students. Oregon Live reported that WOU raised its completion rate for Latino students 16% between 2002 and 2007 (the 2007 rate was 49%, actually several points […]
Change is the one constant in higher education. And now — in the face of a global pandemic, massive budget cuts, enrollment declines, and hiring freezes — change is more prevalent than ever before. As colleges and universities respond to unprecedented levels of uncertainty and top talent for leadership positions are in high demand across the country, the need […]
A NEW SERIES FROM JESSICA NENO CLOUD This is the third in a series on donor acquisition by Jessica Neno Cloud, CFRE, the author of Successful Fundraising Calls: A Phonathon Scripting Workshop. Cloud is the assistant director for fundraising initiatives and planned giving at the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation. She practices evidence-based fundraising with a focus […]
A recent feature in The Chronicle detailed how as funds for facilities decrease, more colleges are signing performance contracts with energy services companies (ESCOs); often, an experienced ESCO can implement much needed infrastructure improvements and efficiency projects that are then paid for by energy savings. However, the Chronicle notes several cases in which poorly structured […]
Running a lab is essential in some disciplines; it is how one maintains a research portfolio, creates an avenue for original publications, and establishes credibility among colleagues in order to build your brand. However, maintaining a lab while Chair can be challenging, considering the added administrative duties associated with leading the department. Join us online […]
Online instruction continues to thrive, but instructors and designers struggle to develop effective forms of online assessment. How can an instructor know if students are meeting course objectives or achieving area competencies if tests and quizzes are not primary assessments? How can you ensure academic integrity and curb online cheating? What other forms of assessment […]
Given the lower retention rates of first-generation students, more colleges and universities are devoting attention to how best to aid the success and persistence of this cohort. To learn more about how higher ed institutions can respond to the issue, we turned this week to Thom Golden, senior associate director of admissions at Vanderbilt University […]
Given voluminous research on the impact of individualized attention on at-risk students’ academic performance and persistence, more institutions are innovating new ways to leverage both peer mentors and professional academic success coaches. To learn more about the second approach (which has not yet been as widely adopted), we reached out to Derek Moore, a key […]
Leaders of diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts are continually charged with spearheading initiatives that require them to navigate critical conversations with stakeholders who may have divergent or even radically different views and opinions than their own. In some cases, these views can run counter to the goals of the initiative at hand. In these possibly […]
While research about Millennials seems to suggest a focus on online giving platforms, direct mail and phone outreach are not dead. Your team needs to deliver consistent, integrated messages across multiple channels in order to cultivate this segment of young donors. Join us online to learn how to: Synthesize national research with your own young […]