A Farewell June 22, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Weekly Discussion.1 comment so far
Since May 2009, I’ve tried to populate this blog with news and opinion on things related primarily to higher education marketing and admissions. With sadness, this will be the final post.
This week represents my last week at Azorus; and so, the last blog post.
To all who have read the blog, and to those who have posted replies, I’d like to thank you for your participation and your ear. It has been a pleasure sharing thoughts with you all and I wish each of you the utmost success in whatever area you’re working in!
Sincerely,
Toby Keeping
Funding Tied to Performance May 28, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Challenges, Information sharing, Successes.2 comments
In my last post, I asked about ways higher education could perhaps become more efficient and effective as the economic challenges mount. USA Today just published a story that a number of states are now considering linking funding to the performance of the school.
Many states have proposed different funding formulas and as Julie Bell of the National Conference of State Legislatures expresses in the article, “We as legislatures have been giving higher education a pass on accountability. With tuition going up … there’s a whole new thinking about productivity.”
Some proposals include;
- Ohio and Indiana are targeting degrees in science, technology, engineering and math.
- Missouri’s department of higher education has proposed a plan to finance schools based on how students in allied health and other fields fare on state licensing exams.
- Washington state’s board of community and technical colleges plans to reward schools when students cross certain hurdles, such as completing 15 credits and passing math, along the way toward earning a credential.
Of course, few things guarantee success. Florida apparently used a system like this for 10 years and community college completion rates went up by 43%, and enrollments 18%. However, of 26 states that had performance funding since 1979, nearly half abandoned it.
“Accountability”, “performance”, and “data driven results” are phrases that I hear almost daily from executives at higher education institutions. As the shift to view students as ‘customers’ continues, has the culture in higher ed shifted to the point where a philosophical change, such as performance-based funding, could now be suitable?
Please share your thoughts!
Higher Ed Bubble to Burst? May 26, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Challenges.2 comments
I just finished reading a commentary piece at The Chronicle of Higher Education by Joseph Marr Cronin and Howard E. Horton who jointly question if in fact higher education could be the next bubble to burst.
They relayed some statistics which are of no surprise to those in higher education circles, including;
- tuition has crested $50,000/year at many private schools
- average tuition and fees have risen by 440% in the past 25 years
- the middle class is restricted by a private student loan market that has dried up
- declines in housing valuations makes it hard for home-equity loans to pay for college
- endowment losses no longer allow for deep tuition discounting
- many states could see eligible students decline by 10%; Vermont is expected to lose 20% by 2020
- non-traditional competition has risen steeply
- and others
The suggestion is that higher education institutions need to look for ways to become more efficient and other sources of tuition.
While much of the commentary was dire, a few bright spots emerged. Specifically, the government has raised support to returning veterans to obtain education. They also suggest that an additional 400,000 students each year could be enrolled in US schools from abroad if visa applications were expedited. While this may be true, it’s important to note that the UK has recently become a more prominent draw for international students and the US has increased competition.
Like any institution, company or individual seeking to become better, higher education is now presented with a challenge to become more efficient and effective. “Doing more with less” is now part of the higher ed vernacular and the economic and demographic challenges facing it are profound.
What are your thoughts? Could higher ed be the next bubble to ‘burst’? What are unique examples you’ve heard of that schools have either found alternative sources of tuition and/or become more efficient/effective?
Facebook and Recruitment Webinar May 12, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Facebook, Information sharing.add a comment
The use of social media for the purpose of recruiting students is on the rise. As a vast majority of high school and college aged students are on Facebook, institutions are both anxious to meet students in their area of preference, but are also cautious and nervous in doing so.
As part of the Azorus 20 Minute Take Away Webinar series, the title of the upcoming seminar is “Facebook and Student Recruitment”. Alexandra Fricker, Director of Market Research and Business Intelligence at Azorus, will deliver information that will help you understand the Facebook platform and who is using it, steps to overcome your fear of social media, and best practices in Facebook and social media.
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2009
Time: 11:00am EST
Cost: Complimentary
Click HERE to register
Survey Results: Impact of the Economy on College Enrollment April 22, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Challenges, Information sharing.add a comment
Longmire and Company just released a report on the impact of the economy on college enrollment and the findings are substantial. President of Longmire, Robert Longmire, says “Higher education institutions will need to retool their recruitment and financial aid departments if they are to remain competitive in this environment.”
I invite you to review the 18 page report here but here are a few snippets which I’m certain will be of interest;
- 46% of households surveyed said their plans for college have changed “dramatically” or “somewhat” because of the economy
- 53% said as a result of the economy, changes to their plans include enrolling in a less expensive college
- New England recorded the highest percentage of students looking to less expensive schools – 64%
- 76% of respondents indicated they were “somewhat” or “very likely” to consider a college initially believed to be too expensive if they could demonstrate value
- When identifying this ‘value’, 38% indicated scholarships and aid would demonstrate value while 62% mentioned non-financial values; like track record of students finding high-paying jobs upon graduation
- 27% of applicants will submit fewer applications; with the south reporting this number being close to 40%
- 33% said that the existence of a large endowment is attractive when deciding where to apply
- 10% of people with multiple children enrolled in college indicate a return to college will be impacted by the economy; 29% were not sure
Are these changes visible at your institution already, or are you expecting different outcomes?
Rethinking Admissions Conference April 16, 2009
Posted by tobykeeping in Challenges, Successes.add a comment
On April 15th and 16th, Wake Forest University is hosting a gathering of admissions officers and researchers. The purpose of the event is to question the role of standardized testing, GPA in predicting student success, and other relevant data-driven success factors.
You can learn more about the event at the following pages:
Main Website – http://www.wfu.edu/provost/rethinkingadmissions/
Blog – http://rethinkingadmissions.blogs.wfu.edu/
Twitter – http://twitter.com/rethinkingadmis
