Office Hours With EAB

EAB experts Caylie Privitere and Matthew McAloon examine the benefits to students and institutions from the restoration of Pell Grant funding for incarcerated persons who want to pursue a college education. Caylie and Matthew explore the challenges and opportunities for institutions that are eager to tap into a new market of at least 700,000 potential students. The two also offer examples of schools that are doing a good job of managing logistics around delivering educational content as well as resources, from counseling to computers to things as basic as pencils and pens, to students behind bars.

EAB’s Beth Donaldson and Kevin Shriner share findings from a new survey of university Presidents, Provosts, and Vice Presidents of Enrollment Management to learn more about their strategy and goals for increasing graduate enrollments. Respondents made it clear this is a significant priority, but they may not have an effective strategy to accomplish their goals. Beth and Kevin examine the state of the market for graduate degrees and identify both best practices and common pitfalls leaders will need to manage in the months ahead.

EAB’s Nicole Council, Scott Baker, and Jonathan Barnhart discuss the explosive growth of TikTok as a student recruitment tool and why it may, nevertheless, disappear completely from college campuses. While TikTok has become the dominant social media platform used by Gen Z students, state-run colleges across America are banning access to the platform over a variety of concerns. Our guests share advice for admissions teams on how to adapt quickly as the situation evolves.

EAB’s Lauren Edmonds and Natalie Ken discuss the programs, course modalities, and other educational preferences of active-duty military and veterans. The two explore differences between those looking for credentials that will help them advance their military career versus those looking to build on their military experience to launch successful post-military careers. They also share advice for admissions teams on ways to signal to military students that your institution understands their challenges and will offer them maximum flexibility.

Syracuse University’s Kal Srinivas joins EAB’s Andrina Musser to talk about how the technology, people, and processes changed at Syracuse to boost student retention efforts. The two discuss institutional barriers that had to be addressed, ways to get faculty on board, and the use of predictive analytics in facilitating proactive student outreach. Dr. Srinivas also shares lessons learned and top tips for others looking to undertake a similar transformation at their institution.

EAB’s Jeff Schiffman is joined by enrollment consultant Errol Wint and Lindsey Hoyt from Reed College to talk about their respective career journeys in higher education. The three share advice on networking, on how to earn that coveted promotion, and on how to showcase your skills in ways that will resonate with prospective employers. They also urge listeners to listen to your gut and take that leap of faith when the right career opportunity presents itself.

EAB’s Abigail Zeiler is joined by Mary Lou Sole and Valerie Martinez from the University of Central Florida College of Nursing to talk about their work together on the Progresando initiative. Through the initiative, UCF is working with EAB, through a generous grant from Bank of America, to increase their capacity to recruit and educate students to meet soaring demand for skilled healthcare workers. The three discuss the biggest obstacles to expanding nursing programs in today’s tight labor market and share what they’ve learned about recruiting and engaging Hispanic adult learners in the greater Orlando area. They also offer advice to leaders at other institutions about ways to grow their own nursing programs and about how to get the most out of a public-private partnership.

EAB’s Jada Harris and Katie Herrmann discuss the key drivers leading to faculty burnout, all of which stem from a weak workplace culture, not employee shortcomings. The two offer strategies for training deans and department chairs to be more effective at managing the issue. They also share novel approaches being used by a couple of forward-thinking institutions to foster a more supportive working environment.

EAB’s Wenie Lado is joined by Tufts university professor and author, Natasha Warikoo. The two discuss Natasha’s new book, “Is Affirmative Action Fair? The Myth of Equity in College Admissions,” as well as the potential impacts of the upcoming Supreme Court decision on the legitimacy of race-conscious admissions. Natasha and Wenie examine the arguments for and against affirmative action and offer recommendations on what university leaders can and should be doing to diversify their enrollments regardless of how the Supreme Court rules.

EAB’s Michael Fischer and Jon Barnhart guide listeners through the process of evaluating, prioritizing, and gaining leadership buy in on making their institution into a carbon net zero enterprise. The two explain how to assess costs and ROI on energy efficiency investments and how to engage the broader campus community in these efforts. Finally, they offer tips on how to sustain and build on early momentum as institutional leaders and priorities shift over time.