Office Hours With EAB

EAB’s Ed Venit is joined by University of Montana President Seth Bodnar who talks about his unorthodox journey to higher education leadership. A West Point graduate and former Green Beret, Seth shares strategies he has used to grow enrollment, improve student retention, and help UM achieve R1 classification as a research university. He and Ed also discuss why declining college-going rates place the US at a competitive disadvantage and threaten national security.

EAB’s Tara Zirkel is joined by Dr. Tiffany Ray-Patterson, VP of Student Services at Germanna Community College, to discuss her “One Front Door” approach to student onboarding that is breaking down institutional silos and connecting more students to the guidance they need. The two contrast the “One Front Door” method versus traditional bifurcated onboarding and share some of the tangible improvements the new approach is having on students. Dr. Ray also shares valuable insights for community college leaders nationwide who are looking to make similar changes to the way they onboard students.

EAB’s Vashae Dixon and Brett Schraeder discuss the ways in which financial aid professionals are adapting to the recent SCOTUS ruling barring consideration of race or ethnicity in university admissions. The two share best practices for institutions on how to navigate the intersection between financial aid optimization and diversity. They also talk about criticisms they are hearing from university leaders in response to guidance offered to date by the Department of Justice.

EAB’s Madeleine Rhyneer and Autumn Baggett-Griggs explore findings from a recent poll that identifies the top concerns of enrollment leaders. The two discuss the growth of the non-consumption market, the challenges of recruiting Gen P students—those heavily impacted by the pandemic—as well as unexpected impacts from the recent Supreme Court ruling on ways that colleges engage with prospective students. They also share advice for admissions leaders on how to address these challenges.

EAB’s Paul Gunther is joined by Missouri State University Provost John Jasinski to talk through a highly successful transformation effort that resulted in more than $5 million in cost savings at MSU without cutting staff or programs. The two discuss how MSU leadership earned the cooperation and support from faculty and other university stakeholders. They also share advice for other institutional leaders on how to avoid common pitfalls and build flexibility into the strategic plan for any transformation project of this magnitude.

EAB’s Emily Mittermaier welcomes Long Beach City College Dean of Student Equity, Sonia De La Torre, and the Director of First-Year Experience at the school, Esteban Alfaro, to discuss the transformation of the school’s approach to student success. They examine the role of technology, goal setting, and how they collected data to measure the impact of their efforts on students and the institution. The three also share tips for other schools on how to gain buy-in from stakeholders, act on their feedback appropriately, and continue to make adjustments to ensure their processes and systems remain responsive to evolving student needs.

EAB’s Jonathan April is joined by Kimberly Williams from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to talk about creative ways to attract out-of-state students from underserved populations. Their discussion is focused primarily on the school’s use of fly-in programs and all-access weekends in which prospective students and their parents are invited (all expenses paid) to travel to the campus to explore, meet staff and students, and participate in fun group activities. A current Michigan student joins the discussion toward the end to share his own journey as an aspiring first-generation college student and the impact that the fly-in weekend had on him.

EAB’s Ed Venit, Becky Carpenter, and Jessica King encourage colleges to treat belongingness as a key component of student mental health. The three share tips for identifying students who may feel like they’re not fitting in and offer outreach strategies to help them feel like they belong. They also discuss ways to differentiate between students who may be naturally introverted but feel just fine with their level of engagement, versus those who are feeling isolated and may be at risk of dropping out.

In this second of a three-part series focused on student mental health, EAB’s Ed Venit, Lindsay Schappell, and Matt Mustard share ways to encourage and support help-seeking behavior by students. The three touch on the role of technology, the importance of promoting self-service resources effectively, and how to follow up with students to see what additional help they might appreciate. They also offer tips to university leaders on how to engage students and support them along their journey to becoming more self-reliant.

EAB’s Lindsay Schappell, Matt Mustard, and Ed Venit explore the eight dimensions of wellness as they related to keeping students engaged, healthy, and on path academically. The three offer data that highlight the magnitude of the student mental health challenge and the extent of staffing challenges that are decimating college counseling centers. They also share tips for university leaders on better ways to identify students who may be struggling and support those students with a coordinated care network.