The current coronavirus pandemic puts an intense spotlight on leadership, both at the administrative and board levels. While boards and leaders have found ways to work effectively in dealing with the immediacy of closing the campus as the pandemic began, now they have to find ways to work together to create a learning environment that engages students while also taking proper precautions to keep students, faculty and staff safe on campus.

Resuming the Dance

Many institutional leaders have been bracing themselves due to the pandemic, but Dr. Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University, is not one of them. Instead of being focused on the WVU’s survival during the coronavirus pandemic, he is figuring out how to help the institution thrive by using what is being learned from this situation. He believes that to do so will require reducing costs while increasing quality. Additionally, institutions need to be increasingly student-centric.

Higher education institutions are now coming out of the shutdown and entering into the dance of how to open up. West Virginia recently announced that its campus will reopen, but everyone will be required to be tested, wear masks, and social distance. This decision will require a major configuration of classrooms. The university also plans to move to a hybrid flex model in which some courses will be taught in-person while others will be offered only online.

The protocols required to do this are extensive and dramatic, but critically important so that institutions can help parents feel comfortable sending their children to the college or university. In addition, faculty, staff and students need to feel like they’re being well taken care of.

Acceleration Due to COVID

Dr. Gee believes that COVID-19 is one of the long-term issues that institutions are going to have to deal with.  He believes that institutional leaders need to figure out how to deal with reality and ensure that that reality becomes a way of life in a positive way.

The acceleration / change that started a decade ago and has exponentially sped up over the past 10 months is clear. Much of this is due to technology advances, and during the pandemic, Dr. Gee has found more relevant uses of technology. As an example, he has found technology has improved his efficiency, although he has not yet determined if his effectiveness has gone up.  

Dr. Gee believes that technology will remain an integral part of higher education, especially since the younger generations easily use technology. To that end, higher education leaders and faculty have to embrace a different dynamic that has emerged due to wide-spread use of technology in the pandemic. That means that higher education leaders and faculty need to find ways to embrace technology – and to learn how to lead using technology.

Changing Approach to Governance

Higher education governance has changed in the past two decades, as highlighted by Dr. Gee’s tenure as president at multiple universities. In his initial presidency, West Virginia University had a system governance board with a board of regents and local advisory boards. The University of Colorado had elected regents while Ohio State had a board appointed by the governor. Brown had 61 members on its board, Vanderbilt had 41 members and Ohio State had 17-18 members. Now Dr. Gee is back at West Virginia, which has 17 members of its Board of Governors.

He learned in each situation that dynamics among board members and leaders are very important. It’s important not to let factions on the board develop.

Dr. Gee noted that many of his colleagues have a view that you bring the board in, take them for a good meal and to a football game, and then get them out of town. He sees things differently. He wants the board members to be his partners so he communicates as much and as often as necessary to achieve that. He noted that with the West Virginia board, he tries to communicate in a number of different ways on an on-going basis.

Boards have become much more engaged in the minutia of universities. Dr. Gee believes the line between (micro)management and governance has gotten very murky, causing a major challenge for both the board and the university. How leaders deal with that requires an immense number of conversations with the board and making certain that the board understands the president’s views.

Dr. Gee believes there are higher education institutions have to deal with numerous levels of bureaucracy. The first is at the federal government level while the second is state government. The third is at the board level, which can involve the board asking higher education staff to deal with pet projects and issues.

In the age of the coronavirus, the relationships with boards have become very intense and many presidents’ positions also are very tenuous. At this point, Dr. Gee said, university presidents’ heads are sitting lightly on their shoulders because there is a lot of oversight and second-guessing. Boards are also more externally oriented and more business oriented while the university’s internal constituencies tend to be in an academic bubble where they are much more political and less realistic in many ways. To balance that, the president needs to find a middle ground that looks at the external world’s concerns about the university’s struggles as well as funding issues, as well as the internal constituencies’ “Cinderella” approach.

Difference in Institutional Boards

There are fundamental differences that also exist among boards at private and public higher education institutions. Boards of private institutions may meet 2-3 times a year. At these institutions, the executive committee—made up of the chair, vice chair, and vice chair of finance, etc. – meet more often. Boards of private colleges and universities also tend to be cheerleaders, funders and those who have made an extraordinary contribution of time, talent and treasure to the institution.

In comparison, boards of public colleges and universities often are very intense. They may meet monthly or every other month. These members are often politically appointed and come with a political agenda, whether that is the governor’s or their own, if they are elected. This means that higher education leaders have to deal with circumstances beyond their control, but are present in the boardroom with the trustees.

Dysfunctional boards are the worst thing in the world because they are about infighting and who has access to power. The challenge for presidents in these situations is how to determine who to talk to in order to get a straight answer.

Higher education leaders need to always have a pole star and then be able to convince people about why their vision for the institution is the correct one. This campaign should extend to the board, the faculty, the students and the staff. This requires decision-making that continually is rebalancing, based on conversations.

Dr. Gee believes that institutional presidents need to understand how to work with the 1-2 board members who think they have all the answers. This requires “cajoling” these board members as well as not becoming submissive to what they are doing. At the same time, it’s important that board leaders be willing to discipline fellow board members who move outside of the lines of good board behaviors. This requires a yin/yang relationship between the board chair and the university president so that the board remains firmly planted in the middle of the road.

The university president and the board chair should be linked at the hip. They must trust each other implicitly and share their views openly. A strong relationship helps create the level of intimacy that allows these two to work together to make the university a better place as well as keep the governance function operating at an optimum level.

Dr. Gee believes the optimal-size board is between 15-20 members, which allows for diverse views while also being small enough so that the board is not an army. West Virginia’s board includes two faculty members, one staff member and one student as regular members of the board. He believes these individuals’ views need to be part of the overall board conversation. He also tells them that they don’t come with a constituent representation; instead, they come with a point of view but they should not lobby for their particular group. Having a student representative on the board is especially important because that individual brings the current perspective of what it’s like to be in college today.

Dr. Gee also noted that he would like to get rid of what he calls “the rear-view mirror” of everyone involved in the institution, especially those who graduated from the institution. He believes this would help change the discussions about how to manage the institution so that they are looking forward instead of backward. This is especially important in today’s world, where individuals will either be architects of change or change’s victims.

He also noted that many ideas from corporate board governance are moving into university and college boards, as the two share many commonalities. In fact, many elements of corporate governance are moving into higher education, which is important because universities and colleges are complex organizations and can use improved governance processes.

The learning curve for a higher education board member is steep. Therefore, Dr. Gee believes that a trustee’s term should not be too short; however, he also believes the term should not be too long. He likes West Virginia’s system in which trustees are appointed for a four-year term and then can be reappointed for another four-year term. He noted that Ohio State had nine-year terms, which can be appropriate so that trustees can get acclimated to the culture, the contrary nature of universities, and the possibilities of the institution, as well as the daily happenings.

Dr. Gee said the trustees should not try to simplify a higher education institution because that gets in the way of governance. However, he does believe that the bureaucracy should be simplified as well as what the institution does. “Simple makes complexity work,” he said. “Complexity does not make complexity work.”

He also thinks that corporate boards can learn from the dynamic interactions of university boards. He also stressed that the chief academic officer tells the higher education institution what it is going to do; the chief financial officer then must make sure the money is available to make this vision a reality.

Dr. Gee thinks higher education institutions must have a long view. The “education bubble” started in Bologna in 1200 AD and continues through today. However, he thinks the American corporation does not share the kind of long view that the Japanese, Chinese or other cultures have. Instead, U.S. companies’ drive for profits hurts the issue of culture and opportunity for corporations.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Dr. Gee suggested three takeaways for higher education leaders in working with boards:

• Love them.
• Communicate with them.
• Never surprise them. Never let them learn something through the regular media or social media that you should have told them.

Bullet Points

• Higher education institutions need to focus on thriving instead of just surviving the pandemic. To achieve this requires a cohesive and collaborative effort between the administrative leaders and the Board.
• The pandemic has accelerated change. A large part of this change involves the use of technology, which will remain a critical part of higher education moving forward. The question remains unanswered regarding whether the adoption of technology will lead to increases in both efficiency and effectiveness.
• The composition and structure of boards have changed over the years.
• Boards are not one-size-fits-all; they differ from institution to institution. Additionally, there are differences in how boards function in public vs. private higher education institutions.
• Board members should be considered partners in the running of a college or university.
• Academic and board leaders should strive not to let factions form.
• Boards increasingly have gotten involved in the organizational minutia. Therefore, it’s incumbent on the president to find ways to communicate with the board to help them understand and adopt his viewpoint for the institution.
• Higher education leaders need to have a pole star that they use as a guidepost for their work at the institution. They need to find ways to communicate that vision to board members as well as internal stakeholders.
• The board chairman and the university president need to be on the same page in the sense that they have built trust and opened respectful communications so they can work together. This can help the board and administration work more seamlessly for the betterment of the institution.
• Board membership can (and should) include a faculty member, staff member and student. These members can prove to be advantageous because they bring a different perspective to discussions.
• Avoid always looking in the “rear view mirror” when making decisions. Instead, focus on the vision of where you want the institution to go in the future – and encourage board members to do so as well.
• Specific length of terms as well as term limits can be helpful. Terms need to be long enough so that the member has enough time to go through the steep learning curve about the complexity of the institution and then can provide meaningful input on decisions. However, serving too long can dampen the trustee’s decision-making abilities.
• Trustees should not try to simplify higher education’s inherent complexity.
• Higher education and corporate boards are becoming more similar. With that said, corporate boards can learn from higher education boards to place the human equation over profit.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• West Virginia University

Guests Social Media Links:

• E. Gordon Gee
• Twitter: @gordongee

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Keywords: #Education #HigherEducation #University

The COVID-19 pandemic has put even more pressure on institutions that serve underrepresented populations. One such institution is Amarillo College in Amarillo, TX. This community college is redefining its efforts to reach and engage its student body, many of whom are non-traditional and underrepresented students.

Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart is the college’s president. A product of the area, he previously served as a faculty member and associate provost of academic affairs at nearby West Texas A&M University (WTAM) before moving to Amarillo College as vice president of academics. He assumed the college’s presidency in 2014.

Focus on Educational Attainment

While serving as WTAM’s associate provost, Dr. Lowery-Hart was part of a community study on educational attainment in the Amarillo community. The data suggested that the community would be at-risk if the educational path for the majority of students did not fundamentally change. The institution that would be most critical in changing that trajectory was Amarillo College, the area’s community college.

With that in mind, Dr. Lowery-Hart applied for the position of Amarillo’ College’s vice president for academic when the position came open. He wanted to make this move because he understood that the college was going to be the epicenter in changing the community’s economic future.

Dr. Lowery-Hart considers himself an academic at heart so he looks at issues from a faculty perspective. When he came to Amarillo College, he initially looked at the institutional success rates, which were low. Wanting to understand what was happening in the classroom, Dr. Lowery-Hart assumed what the answers behind why students were failing so profoundly centered on academics. While that was partially true, students also told him that the biggest barriers to their academic success had nothing to do with what was going on in the classroom; instead, the biggest barriers were child care, health care, transportation, housing, food, utility payments, legal services and mental health support.

That understanding of the students’ situation changed Dr. Lowery-Hart as a person as well as a professional. He realized that the college’s infrastructure and support services needed to change dramatically in order to prepare students for workforce demands as well as transferring to universities.

Changing Perceptions about Students

Hearing students’ stories highlighted the fact that higher education is often built around a history that doesn’t necessarily reflect the reality of students that are in the community and on campuses. Institutions often are committed to perpetuating the wrong thinking that they need to serve the students that used attend instead of the student that is here now.

Conversations with students also taught Dr. Lowery-Hart that higher education administrators and faculty need to fall in love with the current students, instead of the students that the institution wishes it has or used to have. This means listening to, acknowledging and seeing students for who they are, and using their voices to shape the institution’s work. Higher education needs to provide a familial context in order to learn profoundly – students don’t care how much faculty and administrators know until they know how much they care.

To that end, Amarillo College held a professional development training as part of a poverty certification. Administrators, faculty and staff learned that while students who have nuclear family are enrolled in some form or fashion, generational poverty has changed how many students see themselves, their world and their own advocacy. Dr. Lowery-Hart said that most institutions are set up to support people like those already in higher education instead of supporting students who come from poverty.

Generational poverty teaches passivity and that hard work isn’t rewarded because people who live in poverty have done the hard work without seeing it pay off. This realization caused Amarillo College to rethink its bureaucracy, messaging and support systems. It also caused the institution to embrace the concept of love, with the idea that love through education can help someone emerge from generational poverty.

Because of this work, Amarillo College used its student enrollment data created a composite student, which they have named Maria. Maria is 27 years old, a Hispanic female who has real financial need. She is working two part-time jobs and raising a child while going to college.

This type of student is common in most community colleges and at many universities. Dr. Lowery-Hart noted that the institution needs to design itself around “Maria’s” needs while at the same time being cognizant of keeping male students on a successful pathway.

Improving Student Services

Amarillo College already had numerous innovative student services in place before the pandemic. Dr. Lowery-Hart said that life barriers need to be removed to help students embrace the learning. Providing systems of support have fundamentally altered students’ outcomes.

Some of these structures are unique. For example, Dr. Lowery-Hart has hired four social workers to bring robust community support to the college and to case-manage students through their classes and into success while ensuring they have the resources they need to graduate. Amarillo College also expanded the number of available counselors because so many students grew up in generational poverty and are struggling with trauma that many cannot understand. Additionally, there is academic support, through required tutoring, coaching and mentoring.

The system that Amarillo College put in place, which was instrumental in increasing the college’s completion rate from 19% five years ago to 52% currently, includes:

• Social workers, who are structurally connecting students to support;
• Required tutoring in classes to help students improve their learning;
• A mentor or coach, to help students connect with resources and navigate the bureaucracy ; and
• A counseling center to provide emotional support.

Additionally, the poverty training also helped faculty understand their role on the frontline because they have the most robust relationship with these students. Because faculty serve as the glue to help the students get to the proper services when they need it, the college created an early alert system in the faculty’s grade book so they can alert appropriate support staff that they have a student who needs specific assistance.

The training also helped faculty members change their paradigm. Faculty were seeing students who were not coming to class and/or sleeping in class as not being successful. The faculty had been internalizing these situation, thinking that they were not able to engage their students. What the poverty training helped highlight is that faculty cannot assume they automatically understand what the student’s behavior means. Instead, faculty need to ask. For example, students who were sleeping in class were working the night shift at the meat-packing plant in the community. Students who were late to class were delayed by unreliable public transit.

This understanding freed faculty to see that they weren’t the center of student disengagement, but that they could be the center of supporting students in a more effective learning environment. By giving faculty resources and a few key pieces of information, the college has created an important support system for students.

In the Aftermath of COVID

The COVID pandemic highlighted the fact that many students don’t have technology resources, a danger which will disparately affect these students by moving everything online. Therefore, Amarillo College focuses on tech-supported learning, as opposed to online learning. Online learning creates fear for many students because they think they don’t have the skills or ability. Tech-support focuses on the learning instead of being online (although that is there).  Additionally, more counseling, tutoring and advising sessions are available through tech-supported learning, although the way these are accessed are different.

Amarillo College also had a subset of students who did not have access to technology at home. Dr. Lowery-Hart believed it was important to keep one of the school’s largest computer labs open with every safety protocol imaginable so that these students could access it during the pandemic. The college also moved to the lab’s circle desk and, wearing a mask, Dr. Lowery-Hart pitched in personally by taking students’ temperatures and asking them all the protocol questions. He then connected students to a group of employees who could help students get online or help them access tutoring or advising.

Most students didn’t know it was him doing this as his lower face, including his beard, were covered.

Dr. Lowery-Hart stated that being on the frontlines at this time was important as the president of the institution. He also believed strongly that the college needed to keep those services available because otherwise students would fail or drop out, and the college would never get them back. He also noted that once students realized that the president was the person helping them in the computer lab, they had a stronger understanding of the institution’s commitment to them.

Lessons from the Pandemic

One of the biggest lessons involved the counseling center. Robust counseling services were available prior to COVID, but half of these appointments were cancelled. The college found that moving these appointments to a Google Meets environment resulted in fewer cancellations, while also being able to counsel students more profoundly.

The same thing is happening with advising. Moving forward, Dr. Lowery-Hart believes that much of the advising and counseling services will be offered through an online platform because the college is seeing more students.

The college also is seeing more need as well as more trauma, and is working with Heal the City, a free area clinic, in a partnership. That way, college counselors can connect students to a psychologist who can assist them until they can get more robust psychological intervention.

Post-COVID, the college will try to use these new tools that have emerged during the pandemic to serve more students. The counseling and advising centers will remain in a remote environment moving forward because students are accessing these more freely and are being served more effectively.

Changes in Academics

In the breakneck transition to a remote learning environment online, students have given the college a lot of grace, but by the time the fall semester comes around, that grace period ends and the college needs to be experts at it. Faculty are really embracing professional development opportunities that are being offered and incentivized by the college in relation to doing a better job in creating a remote learning environment. When the college comes back in session in the fall term in whatever form, faculty will be extremely effective in whatever modality of learning is used. COVID has expatiated that transformation.

The institution also is assessing which classes are best suited for a remote environment and which should be taught in a hybrid or face-to-face environment. These decisions now can be made using data instead of instructor- or student-comfort level.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Dr. Lowery-Hart suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Develop the composite of who your student is, not who you think she is. Make your typical student the center of your re-imagination of your institution in a post-COVID world.
• Use a secret shopper process. Dr. Lowery-Hart each year identifies a handful of students and pays them to be a secret shopper so they can report back on their experiences using school processes. These shoppers help him understand the student experience beyond typical survey data. Each year, the focus is different. In the past, these have included the onboarding process, the tutoring process, the learning experiences and the advising process.
• You have to understand what your students need on the front line and what your employees on the front line need from you.

Bullet Points

• Community and local commuter colleges may be the linchpin in helping communities maintain economic viability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Higher education leaders need to ask students about the barriers to learning they are facing, rather than relying solely on conjecture or past history.
• The institution’s administrators, faculty and staff need to fall in love with the students who are at the institution, instead of focusing on a different type of student who are not in attendance. A composite student that is based on enrollment data can help leaders, faculty and staff have a template of what students are facing and the assistance they need.
• Generational poverty is a major factor facing many students. Therefore, it is important for leaders, faculty and students to get a better understanding of what this means for students and how to develop meaningful services that will help these students succeed.
• Support systems can include social workers, counseling, tutoring and advising. These systems need to be built with student need and usage in mind.
• Faculty are the frontline staff members with students, and they need to have a strong understanding of generational poverty and what services are available so they can make appropriate referrals to support students.
• Generational poverty also may mean that students are intimidated by online learning. Therefore, tech-supported learning that provides additional assistance may be the best way to go.
• Some students may not have access to technology to be able to do online learning. Therefore, the college needs to look for innovative ways to make these technology available so that students can succeed.
• The pandemic has increased the need for many services. In addition, many students are facing increased trauma. Consider forming a partnership with a community organization in order to provide necessary resources to support students.
• Higher education needs to continue to improve its online course offerings through professional development.
• In the wake of the pandemic, it’s important for institutions to use data to determine which courses are best taught online, which need to be hybrid and which work best as face-to-face courses.
• Institutional leaders need to be the face of the institution in times of crisis. By interacting regularly with students, leaders can help underscore how much the institution cares about each student’s issues and success.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• Amarillo College
• Russell Lowery-Hart

Guests Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellloweryhart/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/loweryhart?lang=en

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Keywords: #Education #University #BlackLivesMatter #HigherEducation

Many higher education institutions are struggling with survival. While many leaders are beginning to consider closing the institution, there are other options available. Some of the most commonly talked about are mergers and acquisitions. However, forming or becoming part of a consortiums can offer important support that can help an institution survive and even thrive.

One example of a consortium is TCS Education System, a non-profit system of higher education institutions. TCS stands for The Community Solution in higher education. Dr. Michael Horowitz, president of the TCS Education System, is the guest on today’s podcast.

TCS’s Background

When Dr. Michael Horowitz founded TCS, he was president of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Near the start of his tenure, the institution had about 200 students and was one enrollment cycle from closing. Through concentrated effort, the institution then grew to 2,000 students.

Dr. Horowitz realized during this growth process that the institution needed to allocate the responsibility for certain resources—the business side of higher education--to a bigger and broader community. The areas he wanted to delegate were that didn’t directly affect students, teaching or learning. He also believed that the lives of faculty and students would be enriched through creating a bigger community of like-minded institutions. That led to the creation of TCS.

After doing initial research, Dr. Horowitz and some colleagues created a formal system in 2009 that had a common commitment to student success and community impact. This system was designed to support small- and medium-sized colleges, and enabled them to work together to do more of the work that didn’t involve students in order to lower costs, create better systems and alleviate pressure on people. This freed up energy and creativity for the colleges that they could focus on teaching and learning.

Looking at his own institution’s strengths (psychology and behavioral science), Dr. Horowitz tried to invite institutions that offered logical and complimentary fields—business, health care, medicine, nursing and law. By 2010, two institutions – Pacific Oaks College and Children’s School and Santa Barbara and Ventura Colleges of Law – joined this new system. Today, TCS has six colleges involved and is in discussions with at least one college at any specific time about joining.

Services Provided

In today’s turbulent environment, higher education leaders should step back and think through every business element that isn’t directly tied to teaching and learning. That’s where organizations like TCS can help – by providing expertise in areas such as accounting, payments, student finance, and the back office of enrollment – things that do not directly involve teaching and academics.

TCS offers these types of services. For example, in a regular college, admissions teams spend an inordinate amount of time on computers processing applications. TCS handles that part of the work so that the admissions team can spend more of its time interacting directly with prospective students.

Additionally, TCS handles negotiations for the major health care insurance contracts and retirement plans. The nonprofit has a marketing team whose only clients are the system’s six colleges in the system as well as a technology team to handle technology systems on campuses. A TCS team also facilitates the logistics for global engagement and partnerships.

This thoughtful delegation allows institutional leaders and faculty to focus on student success as well as those things that shouldn’t be centralized, such as fundraising and community relations. Therefore, a consortium such as TCS allows institutional leaders to spend their limited time focusing on these important issues instead of the details of a healthcare plan.

Dr. Horowitz also noted that there are other existing models of shared services in other industries that higher education can learn from. For example, Zingerman’s Deli offers a model that includes a number of food companies as well as a consulting arm, Zing Train.

The Secret Sauce: Community

TCS’s model is unique in that institutions are part of a formally governed system. Dr. Horowitz describes the “secret sauce” as the creation of community and goodwill that is not a top-down mandate.

For example, there is an academic assembly in which faculty from participating institutions come together to share best practices. They talk about how to share curriculum and courses as well as how to share dual degrees. No one tells them they have to do this; instead, they feed off the excitement of being with colleagues from across the country.

Additionally, TCS brings consortium institutions’ board members together annually, whether at a TCS-sponsored event or another conference. This gives board members from different institutions a chance to come together to discuss what is working and how they are handling different issues in relation to finance and innovation while also creating a level of community.

This community also offers support beyond these meetings. For example, one member institution has board members from other institutions providing valuable input on issues related to starting a new medical school.

A Different Model

TCS is not the type of vendor that is trying to create a profit through shared services. In fact, TCS’s assets remain at and belong to the college and the institution has seen its financial strength grow by being part of TCS. When the TCS IT or marketing team works with a college, the team feels very much part of that college’s mission.

Dr. Horowitz also noted that TCS partner instutions will never have a key position go down – if one college in the consortium loses a leader, other colleges offer to share leaders to cover the gap until a new person is hired. This creates a family, team and community environment that feels unprecedented 10 years after its founding.

Dr. Horowitz supports consortia arrangements, because higher education is lacking in the spirit of this type of cooperation. He sees higher education as a team spirit. Consortiums tend to get limited because leaders are taking energy to make a choice, such as sharing the parking lot, library or purchasing function. However, the real benefits are seen when institutions opt in to a model in which they are sharing the whole decision-making process, while in tandem with each college has its own operating board.

Differentiating Responsibilities

The college’s board is responsible for and critical to the operation of each institution. The role of the system’s board is to maintain the overall health, resources and alignment of the entire system. These are two separate and distinct functions and roles. The system’s board never takes up business that is the college’s board. Instead, TCS’s role is to facilitate the mission and strategic plan for each college.

For example, one college wanted to purchase its campus. The role of the system in this situation is to assist and provide the financial acumen to do that. Then its responsibility extends to getting the best arrangement at the lowest terms for the college. However, the system board is not responsible for deciding whether the institution should take this action.

A Neglected Model

Many institutions seem to want to close or merge rather than join a system such as TCS’s. Dr. Horowitz believes that many institutions have a misplaced idea that their autonomy and identity are based on doing all activities (including the ones that TCS offers). They also may suffer from embarrassment about mistakes they’ve made and why they might be in dire-straights.

Once boards get comfortable after joining, they see that they can look at what’s happening in other colleges within the system and learn from best practices. That creates a higher level of performance for boards and leadership.

Dr. Horowitz also points to the proof of the model’s power. TCS’s members have grown academically in terms of their accreditation review and their scope and impact. Today they all have more employees—faculty and student-facing employees as opposed to accountants--as compared to when they joined the system. These institutions also have better facilities and technology and are developing new programs, modalities and outreach opportunities.

Dr. Horowitz doesn’t believe that TCS should be the only non-profit model of this sort in higher education. A number of institutions, especially those that are religious institutions that have a common faith or order, could easily form this type of system.

In the Wake of the Pandemic

This type of model probably will come to the forefront in the post-coronavirus era since many institutions will find that they are not able to afford the backend functions. Institutions can share these types of services through working together.

The sense of community also pays off in other ways in relation to surviving the pandemic. TCS has convened its member presidents as a group to discuss the best response to COVID. They also looked at policies and plans in relation to re-opening campuses.

The TCS internal group also is discussing the best way to spend federal funding offered in the wake of the pandemic. Part of these funds will go to students while part will be spent institutionally.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Dr. Horowitz suggested three takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Adaptability is the most important thing and this crisis is amplifying that. The most effect leaders in higher education have accepted that change is a constant. Be willing to break conventional wisdom and come up with your own model and response.
• Leaders need to place more attention on financial health. This extends beyond balancing of the budget. Leaders need to look at institutional aspirations for distance education, new programs and additional student services to determine whether the institution has the capacity to do it. If not, leaders should be looking at other models for operating, such as an acquisition, merger or consortium.
• Keep your core mission in mind at all times. Are your students successful in terms of retention, graduation, and are they prepared for their future careers? Do they look back and say that they are happy that they spent time pursuing higher education?

Bullet Points

• Many struggling higher education institutions are considering closing, mergers or acquisitions. However, joining a consortia can provide life-saving support both financially and programmatically.
• Institutions should consider creating or joining a consortium that has institutions with similar sizes, missions or approaches.
• Consortia can provide support in business functions (accounting and contracts), human resources functions (health insurance and retirement plans), admissions (inputting applications), marketing, technology, and international partnerships.
• Most institutions want to remain independent and aren’t used to collaborating. However, a consortia provides an opportunity to work as a team in a collaborative environment.
• Consortia remove some of the more mundane tasks from leaders’ agendas so they have time to focus on students, faculty, teaching, learning, fundraising and other more critical responsibilities.
• Consortia also can provide a sense of community where board members, leaders and faculty members can interact with other members to learn about what is happening across the system, identify best practices, and find additional ways to work together and support each other.
• The system’s board and the college’s board are responsible for different areas. The system would look at feasibility, capacity and contractual issues whereas the college’s board would be responsible for making the campus-level decision.
• This approach makes sense in terms of dealing with the financial challenges of the pandemic. It also gives leaders a forum to share ideas for re-opening and moving forward in the “new normal.”

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• TCS Education System

Guests Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drmichaelhorowitz/  

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Keywords: #Education #HigherEd #University

The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the changes already facing higher education.  These issues include financial, structural and enrollment. Mike Goldstein, one of the top higher education attorneys in the country, offers his insights on how higher education leaders can navigating these challenges.

Fall-out from Remote Learning

Goldstein sees many implications for higher education that started during the pandemic. One long-term implication involves the necessity to move from some form of face-to-face instruction to remote learning because of the pandemic.

He felt it was important to distinguish between online learning and remote learning. Zoom uses the Internet but it is not online learning. What Zoom does is take face-to-face synchronous interaction and moves it to remote synchronous interaction. This is essentially the same thing and this approach works in a lot of settings. In comparison, he defines online learning as involving more advanced platforms and different kinds of platforms.

This change is important in relation to student enrollment and retention. Higher education leaders are concerned that enrollments will drop between 20-40 percent in September; the latter would be cataclysmic for most institutions. Goldstein believes online learning is part of the problem because students have been catapulted from sitting in class to sitting in front of a screen with a lot of other distractions. Their reaction is, “That’s not what I expected.”

Institutions need to find ways around those perceptions in a way that can keep students engaged and enrolled, while also getting past this immediate emergency. For example, the University of Cambridge just announced that they are discontinuing their large live lectures, which are going to instead be offered online. However, their small classes – known as tutorials, which have characterized Cambridge for the past 300 years – will continue face-to-face but with social distancing. That is the ultimate hybrid system because it’s the tutorial that is the hallmark of the nature of a Cambridge or Oxford education. These institutions are preserving that hallmark, but turning to technology to bring the easiest thing to present online – a face on a screen.

Goldstein is a trustee of two low-residency institutions. In these, small tutorial groups work independently either electronically or personally, and then gather together for short periods of time during the year. These sessions also can switch to an online environment very easily. Enrollment has gone up in these institutions since the pandemic hit.

Financial Changes

Goldstein believes the short-term problem that institutions are facing involves weathering this storm and enabling themselves to make necessary changes and have the resources to do that. The bulk of institutions are going to have to figure out how to deal with the financial hurdles association with this situation. Institutions that are already near the margin – which includes a significant portion of smaller private colleges—are in particularly difficult straits. If a small college loses 10 percent of its enrollment, its ability to operate is going to be severely damaged.

A Possible Remedy

Many are talking about the reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Act; however, this is not available to institutions of higher education in the United States, even though it’s available to every other business. The reason for that is the Higher Education Act, which states that institutions that declare bankruptcy immediately lose access to federal student loans and grants, and that loss is permanent. Basically this serves as a death penalty.

Many now recognize that businesses that go through Chapter 11 reorganizations often come out the other side stronger than when they started. This organization involves restructuring overhanging debt and contracts, while also making their business model more efficient. This is a standard way that businesses work in the United States.

Higher education is a business, even if it is a non-profit.

One thing that is promising is that the urgency created by COVID-19 is now forcing policymakers in the Congress and U.S. Department to seriously consider taking steps to change this situation. This would allow higher education institutions to use Chapter 11 reorganization to climb out of the hole that the pandemic made deeper.

Short-term Decisions

Goldstein believes the short term decision-making process for higher education institutions involves several characteristics. The first complex decision is whether to reopen or stay online. California State will remain online for the fall semester, while others will reopen with social distancing. For a commuter campus, it’s easier to hold class on campus, but transportation becomes an issue if students have to rely on public transit. The residential institutions that have dormitories with occupancy of 2-3 students in a room or 3-5 students to an apartment will also face difficult economic challenges if they to drop that occupancy to one student to a room or two students to an apartment.

However, Goldstein feels the real challenge that leaders face is how to structure the institution so that people will want to come back and feel it’s safe to return to campus. That is the hard question. This comes down safety and priorities. The college experience, which includes the social environment and social interaction, goes beyond the classroom.

Adult learners will be less affected and more likely to adapt to an online environment. However, traditional college-age students have different expectations of college and are interested in the campus experience. Moving forward in the wake of this pandemic, leaders may find it more challenging to appeal to these students.

In fact, some students and their families are bringing lawsuits that suggest the quality of education has diminished in the post-pandemic higher education environment. They also argue that they are paying for the college experience in its totality and that’s not what they are getting. They believe that they shouldn’t be paying high tuition (or any tuition, in some cases) if they are going to be forced to experience less.

While there is legal protection for institutions moving to online education in the spring, the issue becomes hazier in the fall. Goldstein expects legal challenges if institutions decide to charge exactly the same amount if students aren’t going to be living on campus and won’t have the same campus experience. However, he is not sure if this argument will stand since there are many institutions that charge the same price for online and on-campus education. Some would suggest that the educational program between these two is comparable. The institutions also will argue that students are paying per-credit hour (the cost of classes and the credential being earned). However, students and families may note that while the online and on-campus educational program may be comparable, campus life factored into their enrollment decision. He is not sure how these cases will evolve.

The relationships that a student builds while earning their degree also is part of the deal, and this also may be an issue.  The social interactions, connections, decisions and maturation that happen in college are important. Institutions need to figure out how to create those connections without the same level of physical interactions.

The Costs for these Changes

Goldstein believes there will be a wholesale change in how higher education is done. For a lot of institutions, affordability will be a grave issue. Institutions are going to have to look at alternative ways of financing their operations. They may be dipping into their reserves or endowments. Institutions will be declaring financial exigency and changing their faculty financial structures.

There also will need to be more governmental support of both private and public higher education because in almost every case, tuition is the primary budgetary source for the institution at this point. States and the federal government will need to step up to prevent a wholesale loss of educational opportunity.

Policymakers will also have to reckon with past decisions in relation to higher education. The nation has made a paradigm shift away from education’s role as supporting the public good. While the GI Bill and Student Aid programs focused on grants and low-cost loans increased higher education’s access and availability initially, policy decisions made over the years migrated to expensive student loans with the idea that the student would pay it off over his or her lifetime. As higher education became more expensive, these loans became more burdensome.

However, if we are going to sustain the availability of higher education, we’re going to have to put more money in. Simply subsidizing student tuition will not be sufficient due to the changes in enrollment and costs, which are going to imperil the institution’s ability to survive.

Before the current crisis, there were estimates that between 20-40 percent of private institutions would not be around a decade now. Goldstein thinks the high end initially was excessively pessimistic. Now, the risk and the likelihood of failure of private higher education is high. He foresees a number of institutions merging or creating partnerships or affiliations with other institutions, including public and private institutions. Public universities have started absorbing private institutions that can’t sustain themselves.

He also foresees belt tightening in public universities. Some smaller campuses may close, hopefully for only the short term. This decisions is difficult due to student access. Additionally, these institutions are often the economic engines for their communities. If they go away, the impact on their community could be very significant.

The Silver Lining

One of the ironies of higher education is the student aid system. Higher education has been counter cyclical in that if people can’t find work, they’re more likely to go back to school to improve their education.  

If students go back to school and get a student loan, that loan also will include the cost of living. Students can pay for rent, food, car loans and their electric bill, although they will still have debt. The question is whether the government will do something to make this loan less burdensome.

The people who are most likely to go back to school are adult learners, which may be the silver lining of this pandemic. These adult learners also will often want quality online education instead of the campus experience. That may help institutions survive the issues brought on by this pandemic.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Goldstein suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Don’t give up.
• Be imaginative. Work collaboratively across the institution to make it both safe and attractive.
• Look at every possible option educationally and financially. Think the unthinkable, other than closing. Think of the opportunities to keep the institution alive, whether through restructuring, merger, transition to different program, using a different faculty model or reaching out to a different type of student.

Bullet Points

• Many students are not enamored with how online education is being offered in the wake of the pandemic. Identify new models online learning to use in your favor. For example, Cambridge is moving its large lectures online, but keeping its signature smaller groups face-to-face and socially distant.
• Policymakers are beginning to consider opening the Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization to higher education. This would enable some institutions to survive their current financial situations.
• There are many short-term decisions that need to be made. At the top of the list is whether to remain online or to bring students back to campus. While this is a complex decision, the real issue is whether students want to come back to campus and whether they feel safe returning.
• Adult learners are more interested in the online environment. This may prove a blessing since many of these individuals may enroll in order to retool their careers after being laid off in the recession.
• Some families of traditional experience are starting to bring lawsuits if they are charged the same tuition rates but don’t get the same college experience. Institutions need to consider how to create this experience in this new environment.
• Federal and state governments are going to need to provide more financial support for higher education institutions if they are to survive.
• Many institutions also are going to need to consider merging or creating partnerships or alliances to survive this situation.
• In some university systems, some smaller campuses may be closed. Hopefully this will be a short-term decision since these campuses provide access for students and serve as an economic driver for their community.
• Student loans may actually help students return to college in this current situation because they cover the student’s daily expenses. However, there is an issue of debt and repayment, which needs to be addressed by the federal government.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• Department of Education: https://www.ed.gov/

Guests Social Media Links:

• Mike Goldstein Bio: https://www.cooley.com/people/mike-goldstein
• Mike Goldstein LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelbgoldstein/
• Cooley LLP: https://www.cooley.com/
• Cooley’s Higher Ed Newsletter: https://ed.cooley.com/2019/04/17/surprise-accreditation-and-innovation-neg-reg-reaches-consensus/

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Higher education leaders are in a difficult position as they navigate the coronavirus pandemic. They have had to make the difficult decision in closing campuses during the spring semester, and now they need to focus on bringing students back safely in the fall semester and moving forward in the “new normal.”

Dr. Billy Hawkins has successfully led several higher education institutions through transformational change. During his 13-year tenure as president of Talladega College, the college has undergone a transformation and quadrupled its enrollment. The institution is listed among Princeton Review’s best colleges in the Southwest and U.S. News and World Report’s most innovative colleges. He is currently the chair of the 37 presidents of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).

Working Collaboratively

Leading during this time requires collaboration instead of isolation. For instance, Dr. Hawkins uses his role as UNCF presidents’ chair to interact with the presidents who serve on the organization’s advisory board through Zoom calls and meeting. These meetings and calls allow the presidents to collaborate and work through the many challenges that their institutions are facing.

Closing the Campus

Talladega College and similar institutions had to make the difficult decision to send students home in mid-March. In making the decision, Hawkins reviewed what other institutions were doing across the nation. He then sat down with his leadership team to analyze this information. Using this data, Talladega College’s leadership made the decision to shut down on-campus instruction during spring break so that students wouldn’t return from other parts of the nation and inadvertently infect members of the university’s community. This closure also meant that Talladega’s faculty had to convert their classes to an online platform.

One of the major challenges that Talladega College faced was helping students through this difficult time. Some students were international students who couldn’t travel home; other students’ hometowns were hotspots for the coronavirus.  

Talladega College approached this uniquely and with compassion, telling students that they could remain on campus if they didn’t feel they could return home. Those who stayed were given jobs on campus working in the physical plant. In addition, the institution was able to tap into a campus emergency fund to help international students return home if they were able to do so.

Many students also faced challenges because of lack of technology and Internet connectivity. For those who remained on campus, Talladega College set up technology in the library so students could easily take classes online.

In addition, the institution reached out to the community, continuing a long partnership. There are two major education institutions in the city, Talladega College and Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. The two presidents often talk, and AIDB’s president serves on Talladega College’s board. In addition, the city council and community businesses have been very supportive of the college during the pandemic.

CARES Act

Talladega College received approximately $4 million from the CARES Act and the PPP loan program. The institution is using the 50/50 part to support students through a grant application process. Students were asked to log into the institution’s portal to complete the application form. This gave Talladega College a current address where the student was residing as well as hard data in terms of where they are residing at the present time. Once the school received that information, the business office cut a $500 check for each student. Hawkins sent a letter with the check that acknowledged Congress, the U.S. Department of Education and the UNCF, which provided key leadership in the CARES Act’s passage.

If students didn’t access that website portal, the institution did not send a check; this gave the college a better accounting of the funds.

This is the first of two checks. Talladega College will send out a second check in early July, which Hawkins believes will help with student retention. Furthermore, by allocating these funds in two distributions, the institution is encouraging students to use the amount on what they truly need in their daily life.

Creating a Family Atmosphere

Dr. Hawkins believes that the institution’s leaders, faculty and staff have to connect with the students to be able to help them – and reminds employees that the students are their customers. If they treat these customers right, they’ll keep buying their “product.”

The college’s small enrollment allows Dr. Hawkins and the faculty to get to know every student personally. He wants students to be able to walk up and have a conversation with him. He also hosts students at the president’s residence.

The family atmosphere on campus is important – and can be been seen in the college’s various activities. For example, Talladega College has 400 band members (even without a football team) and is striving to be the largest band among HBCUs. The band has participated in the Inaugural Parade, been the lead band in key Mardi Gras’ parades, and performed half-time shows with the New Orleans Saints football team and two senior bowls.

Student Retention

Dr. Hawkins and faculty members continue to check on students, and many are ready to return to campus. He said that the institution needs to show they care about the students, which also convinces their parents that they have taken the appropriate measures to ensure everyone’s safety.

The retention office also is actively working to stay in touch with students. The office is doing weekly podcasts and also reaching out to students on a weekly basis. They are having regular chats and there are chat groups with faculty participation that are specific to groups, such as the band. There also is an e-blast that goes out regularly.

The institution recently opened a new dorm, and has taken advantate of students being away to renovate the older dorms so that they are more comparable to the new dormitory. Talladega will be distributing information on renovations of the dormitories in the near future. This will create a “wow” factor for students because the campus leaders are listening to student feedback.

Dr. Hawkins and his cabinet also meet with student leaders every month. The vice presidents and the director of the physical plant are allowed only to sit and listen, as Dr. Hawkins wants them to hear how students feel about what’s going on around campus. After the meeting, the administrators discuss how to fix a specific issue, if it is indeed a problem.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Dr. Hawkins suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Prepare for students’ return to campus. Make the campus a safe environment; this is what parents want to hear. For instance, Talladega College has ordered 6,000 masks and plans to have hand sanitizer and rubber gloves available across campus. Also, screen companies that want to provide these items carefully since many just began selling these items during the pandemic.
• Connect to the students. Know how they are feeling about being away from campus and find ways to celebrate their return. Dr. Hawkins likes to create unique t-shirts to celebrate college milestones as a way to send positive energy. For example, he is considering holding a barbecue at the start of the school year.
• Communicate the continued importance of on-campus education across the nation. The current focus is online, but we need to make sure that the importance of on-campus education is not forgotten.

Bullet Points

• Seek out a group of presidents to discuss critical decisions during the pandemic.
• Maintain the focus on students during this time. Ensure their safety and also find ways to support them as they face challenges.
• Seek the community’s support during this time. They can offer a variety of resources to your institution.
• Look for innovative ways to support students that also can help boost retention. One example is Talladega College’s decision to split up student payments from the CARE Act. The second payment which will be distributed in July, will help reinforce the school’s commitment to the students – and serve as a prompt to reenroll.
• Create a family atmosphere on campus. This includes getting to know students personally and encouraging faculty and staff to see the students as their customers.
• Find ways to strengthen the bonds with students to encourage them to return in the fall. These can include podcasts, chat rooms, email blasts and information about what is happening on campus, such as renovations.
• Meeting regularly with student leaders. Invite your cabinet to sit in and listen. Take the students’ feedback from these meetings and address these issues, when appropriate.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• Talladega College

Guest’s Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-billy-hawkins-96211921/

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Keywords - #Education #University #HIgherEducation

Higher education will need to increasingly focus on innovation in both how it operates and how it educates students in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and the resultant recession. So what does that look like? This podcast focuses on taking innovation to the next level.

Julie Lenzer serves as the University of Maryland’s chief innovation officer. As an entrepreneur, she worked extensively in the private sector, including owning Applied Creative Technologies, which handled data analytics and collection for food manufacturing companies. Lenzer also worked in the Obama Administration as the Director of the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which was housed within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

She has been in academia for 3 years where her focus is on creative problem-solving and making things happen. Lenzer fosters and supports UMD’s innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization enterprise, including the development of the UMD’s Research Park, the Discovery District, and the Greater College Park initiative. She also promotes and facilitates university-wide collaboration to launch startup ventures based upon University intellectual property.

Sparking Innovation

The coronavirus pandemic is forcing higher education institutions to embrace innovation at an extremely fast pace. Everything that institutions (especially those that are not purely online) thrive on—sense of community, students on campus, research labs—is being rethought during the pandemic.

Higher education also has been forced to embrace changes on numerous fronts during this pandemic, including managing team members who are working remotely. Lenzer believes this approach to work will continue, which will be good for employees and the university because of greater organizational and personal efficiencies. Additionally, this remote-working approach is good for the environment.

The pandemic also is offering higher education the opportunity to infuse students with the mindset of “How can we….?” Through that problem-solving, entrepreneurial mindset, creativity is being enhanced.

Going forward, institutions will need to encourage broader connections in order to spark innovation. Many institutions tend to be siloed, although progressive institutions have started to figure out that they need to have greater connections across campus. To achieve this level of connection, we recommend finding ways to connect individuals across disciplines and functions since innovation comes from differences in thought and perspectives.

This approach to creating innovation also should be adopted to connect students who have different majors and interests. For example, the University of Maryland just created an immersive Design Media major, which is a collaboration between the art and the computer science departments.  The creative mindset and liberal arts education are not going away; in fact, this approach is becoming more important in the STEM-focused world because it is proving to be the differentiator.

In another example of this type of cross-pollination, the University of Maryland offers a program called Quest that brings business students and technical students together to work in diverse teams focused on problems faced in industry. This type of program exposes students to real-world issues and requires them to be innovative through applying the knowledge they gained in class to create a solution.

At many institutions across the nation, faculty members and students offer their knowledge and skills in the fight against the coronavirus. For example, one University of Maryland incubator, TechPort, brought in engineers from a nearby U.S. Navy base. These engineers used 3-D printers to create facemasks, developed frames for facemasks and created a large device to sterilize PPEs. One person took a breast pump and redirected it to be a ventilator.

Fostering Creativity

Fostering creativity is based on allowing and even encouraging failure, which is often difficult in higher education which focuses on pass/fail grades. One of the key concepts in this requires embracing the concept of measured failure, i.e., when someone tries something and then is positively acknowledged for the effort and thought process that was underlying the measured failure.

However, this approach can be a conundrum between the current version of higher education and the need for developing and encouraging creative problem-solving people. A good example of this was Thomas Edison, who failed numerous times before he created the light bulb.

Institutions shouldn’t look down on people because they failed. In fact, the University of Maryland actually celebrates spectacular failures and now hold a conference where people talk about where they’ve failed, but more importantly what they’ve learned from it and how they changed what they were doing and improved on what they are attempting. That is the tool that is going to help students the most in their future careers because everyone will be focused on challenges and improvements.

The next level of academics

The cross-disciplinary approach is critical to prepare students for the world they will enter. Students increasingly can create their own majors and craft their own paths based on their interests and skills. While this is not a new concept, many institutions do not do this. It’s also an institutional mindshift away from “I know what’s best for you” to instead embracing a more personalized education.

Higher education needs to find ways to expose students to new ideas and unlock something—a skill or interest-- in them that they didn’t realize they had. The institution should support these students in this inquiry but not hand them everything as they go forward. It’s also important to connect students with individuals with similar viewpoints and interests as well as with others who think differently. Students’ own exploration through their classwork as well as their interactions with a variety of classmates will offer more important insights and learnings that ultimately will be more useful to them. This model also means that higher education institutions aren’t driving the students’ academic progress as much as they have in the past; instead, the institution’s role is more about unlocking, supporting, connecting and encouraging potential.

Online education also is creating innovation through allowing students to make higher education their own. For instance, students who are not morning people don’t have to take 8 a.m. classes, which provides real efficiencies. Institutions need to consider the blend of synchronous and asynchronous delivery in relation to how the faculty develops curriculum, delivers knowledge, and provides students with opportunities to apply what they have learned. Students need to learn how to think, find meaningful resources, problem-solve, break down barriers and go around obstacles. The focus needs to be on creating adaptable, resilient, persistent, resourceful citizens. And higher education needs to see themselves as part of the talent-supply pipeline.

Higher education faculty and leaders also are determining is that some of the instructional methods and techniques that work in the classroom don’t translate to online education. This means that faculty members are having to learn to teach in different ways that go beyond their standard Powerpoint and lectures. As higher education moves forward toward totally on-line or hybrid models, faculty will need to explore other ways to more effectively engage students. Lenzer believes this will be critical because the “new normal” will require colleges and universities to make better use of technology going forward.

Additionally, institutions need to consider an individualized approach to learning. While this can be very difficult when a class has 100 or more students, this approach still can offer significant benefits to students. Furthermore, adopting this student-centered approach to learning can differentiate the institution in potential students’ minds, serving as a major enticement to enrolling.

This approach may be an easier transition for younger faculty, who have a different perspective. While the traditional “tenure” approach offers faculty the chance to explore new worlds in research, there needs to be accountability in relation to students and what they want from their college experience.

Change Agent

Lenzer was brought in to the University of Maryland as an outlier on purpose because flexibility is becoming increasingly more important because the world is changing so rapidly. Higher education needs to keep up, because some studies show that what students learn in their freshmen year could be obsolete by their senior year.

Lenzer believes her role is to continually ask, “Help me understand why we do it this way.” She finds that most of the time, people don’t know. While people need to be cautious about crossing a legal line and a moral/ethical line, they also tend to be worried about the policy and accreditation lines. However, these last two lines can be changed. With that said, it’s critical to speed up the system to make these changes to reflect the continuous change in a rapidly evolving society.

Institutions should also find quick leading indicators for success. Data is a really powerful resource that institutions need to leverage, especially in relation to students and their successes. Tracking data from alumni also can provide important information to inform higher education programs.

Innovation becomes more important in a crisis. During these times, institutions are forced to be less risk-adverse as far as trying new things. Faculty and researchers like to wait to have all the data and be right; however, in these times you can’t be right. You need to focus on being close.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Lenzer suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Engage students to help them develop an entrepreneurial mindset that encourages them to take ownership of their own destiny.
• The siloed approach in higher education isn’t helpful. Higher education needs to break down those siloes – whether created by schools/colleges, discipline or function – to more effectively drive institutional goals and innovation. True innovation comes from diversity of thought and discipline. Therefore, try to bring individuals together who have different backgrounds, ethnicities, experiences and disciplines. This will drive innovation among faculty and students, and also will help attract a new generation of talented faculty and students as well.
• The traditional university culture of “let’s build a building” no longer works in the age of coronavirus. It also doesn’t work for economic development if that’s part of the institution’s mission. Instead, focus on what is happening inside the building – the people, programs, community and culture.

Bullet Points

• The coronavirus pandemic is causing extreme change for higher education institutions. The parts of university life – a sense of community, students, research labs—have been negated for the moment due to the pandemic. This also is offering a sense of innovation to emerge.
• Broader connections among faculty and students that span the breadth and depth of the higher education institution can lead to the high level of innovation that can take the institution to the next level.
• Creativity is fostered through creating a culture that allows for failure. People need to be celebrated for trying and talking about the lessons they have learned to refine their projects. Institutions can also highlight these efforts through conferences and other outlets.
• To foster this level of innovation and creativity, students should be encouraged to build their own majors through combining their own interests and skills. Faculty members should move into a role that encourages, opens doors and unlocks a student’s potential.
• Online education offers an opportunity to individualize instruction for students. This will be challenging for faculty members who are set in their ways.
• Higher education leaders need to continually ask, “Why is this done this way?” in order to spark innovation. Many people will reply that it’s due to legal or moral/ethical groups. However, others will say it’s a policy or accreditation issue, without noting that these can be changed. It’s important for higher education to speed up in making these types of changes in order to stay relevant in these rapidly changing times.
• Higher education also needs to be better about tracking data. This can include student data as well as alumni data.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• University of Maryland

Guests Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julielenzer/
• Twitter: @ChiefMuse
• Personal website: https://www.julielenzer.com/

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Raising Money for Universities during COVID with Scott Roberts and Tim Hill | Changing Higher Ed 043

Higher education fundraising is even more critical as colleges and universities navigate the unexpected and unpredictable financial situation caused by the current COVID-19 pandemic. During a time marked by physical separation, institutions and their development offices need to find creative ways to stay in touch with donors and potential donors while also having compassion and empathy for what these individuals are facing during the pandemic.

Scott Roberts is the president of the UConn Foundation, which serves the University of Connecticut.  Tim Hill works for Blackbaud, an EdTech company that supports advancement and alumni development across the higher education campus. 

Hill and Roberts are not sure when higher education will be back to normal. UConn is beginning to plan for reopening, but hasn’t set a date to reopen. Roberts noted that there is a lot of work to be done to make this happen. Hill is optimistic that if institutions which follow the CDC guidelines and take appropriate steps, students can be welcomed back to a new normal in the fall.

Internal and External Challenges

Foundations are facing various layers of challenges involving internal and external situations. The internal challenges include budgetary concerns due to the economic downturn created by the pandemic. Most foundations depend on investment earnings to pay for staff and events. In addition, there’s anxiety among foundation staff regarding uncertainty about their roles; for example, if they work in event management, what happens to their position if the foundation can no longer host events? And how can they pivot to virtual events?

There also are challenges among front-line fundraisers in relation to their metrics and goals. What happens if they cannot meet with potential donors? How are they able to raise money? UConn has changed their back-of-house software in how they track constituent interactions, expanding the categories to include virtual meetings along with phone calls, emails and face-to-face meetings.

These challenges extend to donors, alumni and stakeholders. How does the institution continue to be optimistic about the institution’s work while also being compassionate and empathetic about what the individual is dealing with, whether that’s a professional or financial reversal or a loved one whose health has been affected in the pandemic?

Role of Technology in Pandemic-Era Fundraising

Any technology company that is working in higher education fundraising should consider itself a practitioner in all things advancement because the company’s team gives counsel and helps on the technology side. Additionally, they need to ensure that their technology platforms are scalable, have a high level of up-time and feature extensive functionality.

During this period, it’s key that customers get the resources they need. These include the individuals responsible for the advancement services as well as those who run the technology for these departments. Blackbaud is trying to offer technology that helps development officers stay in closer touch with their constituents, incorporates intelligent analytics to segment their market, and gives them access to additional resources from other partners and industry experts.

Staying on Message

Many similarities exist between the foundations and the universities in how they reach out to constituents. There’s currently a heavy emphasis on social media, in addition to emails and other types of communication.

Stakeholders want to hear that their alma mater is making a difference for students, faculty, alumni, other constituents and the state. Constant communication is important; this is not a time to be quiet. This is a time to connect with constituents more than ever before.

Internal and external meetings also have been shifting online. The development staff is hosting virtual happy hours with staff in the evenings just to have face-time with one another. In one of these events, the university president joined and toasted everyone, thanking them for their efforts.

Additionally, many institutions are starting to hold more virtual events. This could include an online panel discussion involving the leaders of the institution. For example, the CEO of UConn Health has presented a virtual talk about health-related initiatives and ways that people can remain safe during this time. The Foundation also is featuring UConn’s coaches because top constituents are interested in the institution’s athletic programs and learning about recruits.

There also are a lot of unique ways to utilize technology to stay connected during this time. For example, Roberts has gone on a virtual walk with a major donor. These novel experiences make people feel connected.

Hill said the industry—customers as well as technology companies--has been using virtual meetings for a number of years. Having said that, the personal connection is important in times like these because people are hungrier for interaction, and the person-to-person touch makes a huge difference. He noted that major gift officers who are reaching out to donors are asking them how they are doing in their lives and what’s happening before getting into official messaging. This creates that one-to-one connection that means a lot to the donor and breaks down barriers.

Social Media

The UConn Foundation has done research on social media and also tracks stories that people are interested in. Part of this is designed to ensure that the Foundation can stay in front of constituents with relevant stories.

Additionally, development officers and development-related industries tend to get most of their content from LinkedIn. Sharing stories that have impact locally, at the state-level and nationally resonate with readers. With that said, Hill noted that in order to reach alumni, foundations should use all social media channels because they are important avenues for people who are hungry for stories.

Blackbaud’s global marketing team uses a variety of technology platforms to broadcast content through omni-channels that provides one post with similar messaging across multiple channels. These campaigns are focused on areas such as student scholarships and awards, thought-leadership around best practices in advancement or analytics to target. Hill noted that his company also measures engagement with these posts. Great content is only as important as whether it’s read and by whom.

UConn also uses multiple channels to get information out. They have an in-house marketing/ communications team and partner with the university’s marketing/communications team to push stories out that will be inspirational to constituents.

Shifting Foci

In the wake of the pandemic, UConn Foundation has focused on two funding priorities. The first is relief efforts related to the pandemic, whether that’s supporting UConn Health or research that is trying to help solve this global issues. The second is creating a student emergency fund to help students who are experiencing financial distress due to the pandemic.

Hill said there is a pressing need across multiple fronts in any university—no matter the size or mission—that spans the students, staff, faculty and administration. He complimented how institutions are making the extra effort to support their students. These emergency funds have gained a lot of support from alumni and other donors.

There’s also a lot of uncertainty among students about how they are going to pay for the fall semester. Hill noted that scholarships will be important because it directly impacts the student’s life.

Restricted vs. Unrestricted Gifts

Roberts said 90-95 percent of UConn Foundation’s donor gifts are restricted. He said as long as these gifts align with the university’s purpose, this type of gift is fine. Most donors want to support something that they are passionate about. If their donation is to support a student emergency fund, that gift allows the university enough flexibility to determine which student needs it and for what purpose. This still meets the donor’s desire of helping students.

In any situation, the foundation shouldn’t identify the priorities for the university. Instead, the foundation should listen to the university to hear the priorities and then implement all efforts to help the university raise funds to support the implementation of those priorities.

Hill says that Blackbaud’s support of their clients hasn’t changed. The company already has made a tremendous investment in its infrastructure, which includes cloud software, coupled with software that can be housed on local campuses.  Other foundations’ work is hosted through hosting systems. The company also has focused primarily on the security of its systems since the company handles the actual transactions of those gifts.

The company also has tried to provide customers with examples of best practices and thought leadership around what the foundations are doing on a daily basis. Additionally, the company tries to get resources to customers in a digestible way in partnership with these other organizations.

Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Three takeaways from Roberts:

• Be sensitive and empathetic about what people are going through. Don’t make assumptions.
• Be optimistic and positive. Be encouraging and inspirational in telling the institution’s story about what’s going on.
• Don’t be afraid to offer people an opportunity to help.

Three takeaways from Hill:

• Stay focused on the institutional mission and give constituents a reminder of the mission and the impact the institution is having.
• People are hungry for communications and content. Ask people about what is happening in their life before talking about the institutional needs.
• Take time to take care of yourself and your team. Ask team members how they are doing with the issues and challenges they are facing.

Bullet Points

• Higher education institutions have not reached the new normal yet. However, through following the CDC guidelines and doing their own planning, institutions can begin to move forward past this crisis.
• Foundations are facing a number of internal issues. These include declining endowments due to the recession, concerns by staff members about their jobs and changing metrics in relation to engaging with donors.
• Foundations need to be optimistic about the institution’s future while also being empathetic about the donor’s situation, which may involve financial loss or health issues related to the pandemic.
• Many institutions are turning to technology to remain engaged with donors. These can range from meetings, presentations by institutional leaders or athletic coaches, or doing walking tours with potential donors.
• Technology companies that support fundraising efforts can play an important role through identifying best practices, serving as thought-leaders, and providing cutting-edge technology. Additionally, these companies need to be continually upgrading security since they often are part of a gift’s transaction.
• Social media can offer institutions and fundraisers a way to share stories and campaigns with a variety of donors across multiple channels. These stories should highlight what the institution is doing during the pandemic, including how it’s helping the campus community, the state, the nation and the world.
• Foundations are focusing on several funding priorities. The first is support for efforts to protect individuals’ health and stem the pandemic. The second is an emergency student relief fund to help students who are having financial issues during the pandemic. Scholarship support also will be important going into the fall semester since many students may not otherwise be able to financially afford college.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• University of Connecticut
• UConn Foundation
• Scott Roberts
• Blackbaud
• Tim Hill

Guests Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertsunlv/detail/contact-info/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyhill/

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

This podcast explores fundraising in the time of COVID-19. Contrary to what many would think, the current situation could be an important time to visit with donors.

During his 24 years of professional fundraising, Martin Leifeld and his teams raised a staggering $500 million dollars. He served as vice chancellor of advancement for the University of Missouri-St. Louis for a decade. While there, he led a dramatic increase in fundraising, averaging $26.4 million per year. In 2018 Martin was named Outstanding Fundraising Executive by the Association of Fundraising Professionals St. Louis Regional Chapter. He is now president of Five Minutes with Martin as well as an author and speaker.

Fundraising during Turmoil

Leifeld joined UMSL in 2008, just as the Great Recession emerged. At the time, the institution was in the middle of a seven-year fundraising campaign. Leifeld described this time as overwhelming and phenomenally complex, resulting in a number of entities suspending fundraising campaigns while others decided to delay the launch of their campaigns.

In trying to determine what to do, Leifeld read an article quoting Robert Sharpe, a nonprofit consultant, who reported that a number of organizations raised more funds during the Great Depression than before that time.  Leifeld decided to move forward to engage with donors and prospects. During that fiscal year, UMSL raised 54% more than the previous year, which was 54% more than any year in the institution’s history.

Leifeld advises institutional leaders to not stop what you’re doing, but don’t ignore the current context. It’s important to stay focused on the basics--that higher education has a mission that is important to humanity and the advancement of the world.

Build Relationships

Relationships that are built during times of crisis may take more time, but they also tend to be more authentic. Leifeld noted that each person has relationships with themselves and with others, as well as many potential relationships with individuals we do not know. These relationships are the basis of life and do not change when there’s a crisis.

When we take a long view of a relationship, we are thinking of the lifetime of the relationship which transcends this moment.  Even if someone’s investments take a hit, their value system remains the same. In fact, one’s values tend to crystalize during times of crisis because it’s time to re-clarify what matters most. Philanthropic motivations are fundamental and deeper than what’s happening in the market.

Additionally, relationships often become more precious during times of turmoil. That’s because people consider what they value most.

Taking an Active Interest – and Listening

There are always opportunities in difficult times to learn, grow and change. Our current situation is an opportunity to engage more deeply in our relationships, which can include fundraising. Fundamentally, though, these interactions need to begin with asking how the other person is doing. What are their circumstances? How are their family and their relationships? How is their business? Do they know someone being affected by this current crisis?

You then listen. And people want to be heard. At this junction with COVID-19, we have people confined to their homes. They are worried about today and tomorrow. They are fearful, anxious, restless, bored and starved for human interaction.

Fundraising is about building long-term relationships. When we have moments that are hard and we listen closely, people will disclose things they wouldn’t normally share. This deepens trust, which is the oil of relationships. If you want to raise more funds from donors, developing trust within the relationship is critical – and listening to retain the information that another shares is at the heart.

Leifeld encourages leaders to listening to understand and then focus on retaining that information, which is how we can manage this complex world respectfully. This kind of care translates into access beyond the checkbook -- to the individual agreeing to participate in calls and influence others, as well as philanthropy and increasing donations over time.

Those who raise larger gifts for organizations rely on face-to-face interactions. However, it’s hard to do that now. Leifeld encourages using video calls to interact with donors. This gives the eye-to-eye, face-to-face contact that allows everyone to see physical gestures that aren’t seen on telephone calls.

Be Sensitive

Institutions, however, must be sensitive to the fact that people feel like they have fewer resources right now. Higher education development leaders have to be willing to work with them. For example, Leifeld offering a different time frame and structure for the gift. People are willing to be flexible if higher education leaders are flexible.

Leaders also can and should talk with prospective donors about what the institution represents. There are a variety of areas within a university that will be of interest to a donor. Leaders can think in this context about what areas would align best with the donor’s interests. For example, student emergency funding, student counseling, community services and technology are popular right now.

Use the Time Wisely

This also is an educational moment for fundraisers. Leifeld encourages fundraisers to go to websites, on conference calls and find other avenues to learn more or identify unique ideas. This also is a time to support others, through giving knowledge and encouragement to others. It’s also an opportunity for fundraisers to review themselves and their own values, using questions like, “Have I been spending my time on the right things?”

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Leifeld suggested three takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Don’t stop communicating. Find out how people are doing. Educate them about your circumstances. Ask them for their insight and advice.
• Think about the relationship long-term. You’re building for the future.
• Talk about resources with sensitivity. Use context, but also listen first to see how the potential funder.

Bullet Points

• While it seems contrary to popular opinion, fundraising can be effective in times of an economic downturn.
• Higher education leaders need to focus on building relationships with donors that stand the test of time. Relationships that offer sustenance during times of crisis are highly valued.
• These relationships currently need to focus on listening and retaining the information that is offered. Build trust in the relationship.
• Since face-to-face interactions aren’t possible currently, use technology such as Zoom to foster and nourish relationships.
• Be sensitive that many individuals are experiencing a financial downturn at this moment. However, they may be willing to discuss a donation if the timeframe and options of how to fund a gift are different
• Leaders can talk about institutional areas that have current needs that might align with the donor’s interests. This could be student emergency fund, student counseling, technology or community services.
• Leaders should also use this time to build their own knowledge, gain new ideas and also explore their own values.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• Changing Higher Ed Podcast with Martin Leifeld

Guests Social Media Links:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/martin-leifeld-07826111

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

The current pandemic is offering a wealth of learning for higher education. By taking that approach, institutions can better position themselves to survive through the challenges that will continue to ripple through the nation.

This podcast features Rob Hartman, who is the chief financial officer of Columbia International University (CIU) in Columbia, S.C.

Taking a Learning Perspective

There are so many lessons that can be learned during this time period, even though many institutional leaders are rightfully stressed about the pandemic and its fallout. Therefore, taking a learning approach can be really helpful during this crisis. This pandemic is forcing people into doing things that they had previously resisted. Now that they’re getting their feet wet, they are realizing that these changes aren’t so bad.

Hartman also noted that this is a time when if we’re not paying attention, the current situation could sink our institutional ship. However, if we are paying attention, we can learn how to do business more efficiently through using the technology that is available.

Financial Challenges

The pandemic and its aftermath potentially will have a huge impact on an institution’s finances. Loss of donor funds and the drop in the institution’s endowment are the biggest hit that Hartman is seeing at this moment. For example, Hartman’s institution was anticipating several large donations from major funders. However, the market decline led these donors to withdraw their gifts.  While these donors probably will return because they are loyal to Columbia, they currently need to focus on their own interests since they have lost millions of dollars.

Columbia’s operations have not been adversely affected at this point. When the pandemic hit, the institution responded quickly to move everything to online learning in order to keep day-to-day operations going. At this point, the university’s payables are down since athletic events are not taking place so Columbia is not leasing buses, purchasing fuel or incurring hotel costs. This has led to some short-term savings.

Columbia also has made refunds in relation to room and board. However, these refunds haven’t had a major impact on the institution’s finances.

Hartman said the institution also has sought federal funding to help cover some costs. He pointed to the Department of Education, which has stepped up to help with some of the institution’s financial issues. In addition, Columbia secured a Small Business loan that is forgivable if used for payroll. That will help the institution continue to operate through summer.

Looking Forward

This pandemic is accelerating higher education’s movement into a future that was still projected to be many years away, forcing higher education’s hand. Many institutions are taking a hard look at how to survive the current situation while also determining how to move forward. Hartman said that if this situation hadn’t happened, in his experience, higher education would have remained much the same.

Recessions tend to be either demand side or supply side, but rarely are they both.

This downturn is an anomaly in that it is both. The demand side has been shut off. The federal stimulus will help in this area. However, there are still concerns about the supply side, which will have far-reaching consequences on higher education, including institutional closures as well as ways higher education can reinvent itself into different forms.

Projections need to be done for the summer and fall semesters at this point, realizing that there is a big unknown -- how long the pandemic will last. Therefore, Hartman is regularly asking the university’s recruiting and advertising departments about what they’re seeing in relation to fall enrollment. He noted that there is good news in that the admissions team has stepped up to do creative recruitment events virtually. The viewership for some of these events have been vastly higher than an in-person tour.

At this point Columbia’s enrollment numbers for fall seem to be holding steady and match the institutional goals. However, if the pandemic goes on for another 4-6 weeks, the concern becomes whether people will have the financial resources to pay for their education.

Hartman hopes institutions learn lessons moving forward that include providing a less-expensive education to students, which will resulting in savings for both the student and the university. He also believes that while some students still want the full college experience, other students–especially the Gen Z, who are technologically inclined—will embrace online education more than earlier generations. They want to stay at home to watch a lecture, hear a speech or do a test, instead of attending school 100 miles away.

After dealing with immediate financial needs through seeking financial support from the Small Business Administration, institutions need to think creatively. The admissions staff need to reach out in a more personal way by conducting phone calls or creating virtual visits. Also, higher education leaders, faculty and staff need to maximize their contacts to recruit prospective.

Institutions also will learn to do things less expensively after this pandemic through relying on technology to hold meetings or to attend webinars. Hartman noted that his institution’s next meeting of the Board of Trustees will be held via Zoom. This decision is far-less expensive, because it saves the cost of airline travel, hotels, etc. Other meetings and trainings – including Board trainings and president’s cabinet meetings – also have been moved to virtual platforms. While it’s not totally the same as meeting face-to-face, Hartman sees the value in these types of meetings and believes that the quality comes close to matching an in-person meeting.

If the Current Situation Continues

If the pandemic and recession do not go away and people do not go back to work in the next 3-6 weeks, Hartman believes there will be serious problems in higher education, manufacturing and the service industry.  Continuation of the current circumstances also may provoke the need to discuss undergoing a merger or acquisition. A merger may make sense if there’s a good cultural fit and the financing can be arranged to have a buy-out or to relieve debt. A merger offers a workable way to preserve the institutional culture and keep an institution going.

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders

Hartman suggested several takeaways for higher education leaders:

• Don’t let fear force your decision-making. You need to think strategically. Knee-jerk decisions done in absence of strategic thinking will lead to unintended consequences.
• Don’t forget to think about where the institution will be three months from now. We’re currently caught up in the whirlwind of the moment, but we need to be thinking about scenarios in relation to fall enrollment and then identify budget decisions that may need to be made. You need to have prepared 2-4 budgets so you can transition into the leaner budget if the institution doesn’t meet its enrollment goals.
• Don’t despair. Always look for the lessons in a crisis. What can we learn? How can we implement this learning to become better? Some of the results that come out of this pandemic will be a good thing. Ultimately, the most important thing to focus on is taking care of people.

Bullet Points

• The pandemic is an opportunity to learn as individuals and as organizations. By taking this approach, leaders can lower the stress level related to this situation.
• While there are some financial challenges currently emerging in relation to donor gifts and the endowment, the present situation also includes cost savings, such as cancellation of all travel for athletic teams. Institutions also are tapping federal sources of funding, including through the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Small Business Administration.
• While focused on the day-to-day, leaders also need to take a longer view. Of special note are fall enrollment numbers. Institutions need to be creative about connecting with prospective students through available technology.
• Institutions also need to continue exploring less-expensive options, such as technologies like Zoom, for after the pandemic is over. Previous face-to-face meetings such as board meetings, board trainings and president’s cabinet meetings can effectively be done virtually using these types of technologies.
• If the current situation is prolonged, some institutions may need to start considering mergers or acquisitions.

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview:

• Columbia International University

Guests Social Media Links:

• Rob Hartman’s blog: http://rdhartman.blogspot.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-hartman-11682313/
• Twitter: @robertdhartman

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links:

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com
• Website: https://changinghighered.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/
• Twitter: @thechangeldr
• Email: [email protected]

Dr. Cathy Trower offers insights in the board’s role during a major crisis, such as the current pandemic. She discusses the importance of a partnership between the president and board chair as well as the communication channels that need to be created in a time of crisis. 

The president of Trower & Trower has more than two decades of experiencing providing governance consulting to colleges and universities as well as other nonprofits. She combines her knowledge of governance and strategic thinking along with the skill of building high-performance teams.  

Taking a Different Role 

Higher education boards are facing significant challenges created by the current pandemic. First and foremost, boards need to remain extremely focused during a time of crisis. They need to realize that some items that are less of a priority during this crisis need to be tabled. Instead, board members should focus on the priorities of the institution’s president in the current moment. Additionally, boards need to focus their efforts on backstopping the president. 

The partnership between the board and the president is even more critical in a crisis. The president needs to be communicating very clearly, primarily through the board chair.  Boards are not meeting together often at this point, so it is critical that the chair and the executive committee, if there is one, take responsibility for opening and maintaining clear lines of communications and responses with the full board.  

Essential Focus Areas 

The key areas that boards and presidents need to address during this crisis are: 

• Maintain clear and regular communications. Candor is needed so that surprises are minimized.  

• We recommend scheduling a weekly meeting at the very least between the president and the board chair during this crisis. However, the frequency can vary based on the type of institution and the partnership. In general, consistent and clear communication about what’s happening on the ground and what’s needed is of great importance during this time. 

• Ensure immediate needs are met. Early in the pandemic, the initial pressing issues involved moving courses online and making sure that students, faculty and staff were able to continue to handle their responsibilities in a safe manner. Now institutions need to focus on ensuring that faculty, students and families are getting what they need.  
• Discuss the institution’s financial situation. Boards and the president need to have discussions about the current financial situation as well as projections for the fall term. Higher education institutions are currently trying to secure early enrollment commitments. However, students and families are not sure about enrolling in the fall just yet. Some institutions are trying to use Zoom and other technology to build bonds with prospective students in place of the in-person campus visits. Trust also needs to be built now between higher education faculty and staff in conversations with students to help them build a relationship with the institution. 

Finding Innovative Ways to Govern 

Some boards have established a coronavirus taskforce that includes the president or his/her designee, some board members, some senior staff and potentially some faculty. These task forces are charged with considering what the institution should be thinking about currently and ways that faculty, board members and community members can be mobilized to provide assistance, i.e., risk and scenario planning. 

In addition, boards also should look at their committee structures because work is available for various committees that are part of the regular governance structure. They need to think strategically about the committee’s work. For example, compliance/risk, finance, and academics/student life committees should be looking at the same areas using different lenses. Therefore, creating a cross-committee task force can ensure a common conversation that puts everyone on the same page, which can help to push out topics/discussions to the appropriate committee(s). 

While the executive committee offers a great starting point for this type of work, we also recommend expanding involvement beyond this group of individuals. Trower recommends creating a subset of the committee and then adding some faculty in order to get their input. Students also could be involved. 

This type of taskforce should be tasked with thinking about big picture issues. For example, what is going to happen in the summer and fall in relation to staff? How is the institution going to ensure equity? How can the board ensure that minimal lay-offs happen? How can the institution take care of employees through all of this? 

Accelerated Change 

Higher education has traditionally been very slow to change. It will be interesting to see which institutions can make faster and better shifts related to what is coming up because of the pandemic. Online education is only part of it.  

Additionally, there are so many financially fragile institutions who were struggling prior to the pandemic, and it will accelerate many institution’s financial difficulties, requiring more institutions to merge and close. Higher education has always looked at a merger or acquisition as a failure on the part of the acquiree, and some institutions will choose to close instead of be part of a merger.  

This perspective needs to change and leaders need to think about what’s best for the students. 

Finding the Silver Lining 

The board or its task force should also look at the hidden benefits created by this current situation, such as the creation of innovative partnerships with other organizations, galvanizing the faculty to be part of the solution, and thinking about staffing in different ways.  

Additionally, the work of the board should be considered in new ways, e.g., is the board serving as an advocate for the institution among stakeholders and within the community.  

Alumni involvement also is needed in this time. Institutions that have been proactive in alumni engagement are more likely to reap the benefits—whether that’s financial or support--during this downturn. However, institutions that have neglected their alumni may not fare well.  

This will be a moment when many alumni will make a choice whether to give to support their alma mater or not, and they want to hear a strong message from the president and board chair about what’s happening in the institution, what the plans are for the future, and how the institution is going to use this current situation to make itself better, stronger and more nimble. 

Strategic Thinking 

Agility is important. The board needs to be nimble and push the institution to be more nimble. This requires getting board clients to think forward instead of looking backwards. If the board can embrace a forward-looking approach instead of only considering last year’s data and today’s crisis de jour, this will position the board to be more adaptive. This, in turn, carries over to the institution. The boards that are more poised to be able to deal with metaphorical whitewater rapids and headwinds are going to do better in this current situation.  

Boards also can build out a risk / scenario planning map that looks at the likelihood of crisis events and projects the impact on the institution. Institutions that have these types of planning are able to quickly put the coronavirus into their calculations and determine what needs to be done. As boards shift items around in the plan, the institutional focus becomes clearer.  

The task force along with the president also should triage everything that is going on. They determine what situations are critical in nature and what can be pushed out to a later date. 

Learning from What Happened 

At the end of the crisis, there needs to be an evaluation process to allow the board and the institution to learn from what happened. This often requires venturing into uncharted territory. While uncomfortable, this is at the heart of dealing with adaptive challenges. This approach requires taking steps, learning from them, and then doing course corrections without beating oneself up when something doesn’t work. 

Boards also need to evaluate the holes in the expertise of their members that were uncovered during this crisis. Varied types of expertise need to be a planned part of selection to the board so that there is a diversity of abilities and knowledge. If the board doesn’t have a specific area of expertise that is needed during this current black swan event, it’s important to reach out to the task force or the alumni to find someone who does. 

Three Recommendations for Higher Education Leaders and Boards 

Dr. Trower suggested three takeaways for higher education leaders and board members: 

• Listen to the institution’s president and be there if the president needs you. There needs to be regular and clear communication between the president and the board chair.  
• Focus on what needs to be communicated to the rest of the board. Board members want to be involved and can start reaching out directly to the president. However, this is not the time to do this. Therefore, it’s up to the board president to create a clear communication channel that allows board members to get regular updates.  
• Determine how to galvanize the talent available to be of the most helpful and create the most value. 

Bullet Points 

• In a crisis, the partnership between the board chair and the president is critical. These two individuals need to communicate regularly and clearly about what is happening. 
• The board chair needs to be the primary contact for the rest of the board about what is happening. Board members should not be contacting the president at this time. 
• Institutional boards and presidents need currently need to be focusing on how to help students, faculty and staff have what they need.  
• The board and the president needs to analyze the institutional financial situation. They need to consider that fall enrollment commitments may not come in until this situation settles.  
• This crisis offers innovative ways to govern. For example, a task force can help the institution think through the various angles related to coronavirus, including financial implications, academic/student life and risk management. 

• This crisis is going to require boards and institutions to be more agile. That is going to be a major change for higher education. 
• Many institutions that are financially struggling may have to consider closing or merging. They need to keep the students at the forefront of this decision. 
• Alumni involvement is critical at this time. Alumni who have been involved can help the institution survive this crisis.  
• Strategic planning and risk planning are critical and can help the institution focus on what’s important.  
• Boards and presidents need to spend time after this crisis is over to learn from what happened and how it was handled. This will help the institution be better able to adapt in future crisis situations. 

Links to Articles, Apps, or websites mentioned during the interview: 

• Trower & Trower 

Guests Social Media Links: 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathy-trower-a84b5413/   

The Change Leader’s Social Media Links: 

• Website: https://thechangeleader.com  
• Website: https://changinghighered.com  
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ 

• Twitter: @thechangeldr  
• Email: [email protected]