We all have a favorite holiday or event that occurs annually. Though it comes the same time every year, it always seems to sneak up. But every year, you'll tell yourself the same story. “Next year, I’ll start my shopping early.” And, just like the...
It’s easier said than done. College and university leaders want (and need) to piece together data into an understandable narrative. It’s important to be able to tell your institution’s student success story in a way that grabs the listener’s attention. But while that sounds simple, it is often anything but. In striving to tell a better...
Every college or university has a Board. They go by slightly different names, Board of Trustees, Board of Regents, Board of Governors. We use the generic term “Board” to refer to all these groups. Boards are primarily comprised of people who are NOT experts in...
Let's talk accreditation. There are nearly 100 accrediting bodies recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education – including regional, faith-related, career, and programmatic entities. Colleges and universities often elect to participate in multiple accrediting bodies, both regional and...
“What gets measured, gets managed.” We’ve all heard this phrase (written by Peter Drucker in 1954). Some 65+ years later it has been used a TON—and misused almost as often. Some folks have taken it as a license to ‘add one more metric’ that should...
You’ve secured a great leadership position at your institution. You took the job believing that you can really make a difference at the college or university and in student success. Even though IPEDS graduations rates aren’t due until February – you ask your “data people”...
Completion Rate. The beacon of institutional success. The metric that everyone points to to say whether or not an institution is successful. The metric used to justify funding and support. The metric used to decide which institutions are better than others. Graduation Rate. The metric that...
