Rapid and radical change in higher education, along with predictions that half of the U.S. higher education institutions will close in the next decade makes understanding and plotting the future success for colleges and universities more important than ever.  Darden will share findings from research on the future of higher education and provide a landscape view of where higher education appears to be heading and what might be done to proactively set a course for maximal success.  Darden will also provide tools on how to create, launch, and plan from an institutional SWOT that is focused on innovation and the future.

The future is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Business and industry desperately need higher education to be responsive, innovative, and relevant in designing and delivering essential, custom-designed training programs. Dr. Box has experience building innovative course-delivery partnerships with business and industry and with those has created established ongoing relationships with prospective student pipelines.  These customer-service focused; non-traditional programs established consistently high retention rates of more than 80%.  Dr. Box will discuss her strategies and experience, and then work with the group on identifying opportunities and strategies for targeting partnerships within administrators’ geographical regions.

Each leader has a unique perspective on the challenges facing their institution and – better than anyone – may be able to clearly define exactly what is needed for both the institution’s survival and success.  And yet, almost no other organization or institution is so committed to the independence of its staff and faculty. Nowhere is leadership by inspiration and clarity of narrative more crucial than in higher education.  In this session, administrators will take their perspective, insight, and projected vision and frame a “call to innovation” that an entire campus could respond to in ways that are the faculty and staff’s own creation, while remaining in alignment with the direction the president and Board know the institution needs to go.  With some follow up coaching, future leaders will be able to launch a new kind of strategy-aligned invitation to innovation on each campus.

Colleges and universities are losing many millions of dollars and far too many hours in the courtroom.  This session will cover the current top ten areas that strike higher education, how to mitigate risk, and – as best as is possible – avoid the courtroom. 

The invitation crafted in Session One will be used to generate the first round of potential opportunities that align with the big picture view and fit into operational parameters.  These will be shared with co-participants, and a few will model the process of turning raw ideas into validated, actionable, excitement-attracting plans.  Armed with the new knowledge about facilitating that process, along with the work of the session on the ideas presented, administrators will return home ready to engage, and contribute to building a culture of sustainable innovation.

Colleges and universities have long depended on tradition, established practices, often siloed departments, and high levels of autonomy at many levels. When studying a number of institutions, we found that too often, rather than facilitating recruiting and admissions, they were actually better at discouraging students from attending.  Messaging was frequently negative and top administrators were often unaware of what students were hearing. We must learn from those who have successfully navigated these areas and who continue to improve in order to thrive in the future.  This workshop will contain specific examples and exercises in ramping up prospective student relations by developing micro-target marketing partnerships within a region.

Tuition and Donors are no longer enough to fund higher education. Explore the possibilities of what potential revenue streams may be created and/or deepened at your institution.  Learn from what others are doing and brainstorm your own options.

Reaching and influencing local, state and national government leaders is a crucial part of insuring the best possible future for higher education and prospective students. The best way to learn how to reach out, connect, and influence these leaders is from someone who served in those legislative positions and knows what works and what does not.

Conducting an open and honest analysis of an institution and using the creative minds of those who truly see viable untapped opportunities and issues within can be an enormous asset and can fuel excitement and buy-in for moving into a “thrive” mode.  Learn how to turn this type of assessment into an engine that moves operations forward into the future.

Colleges and universities that only utilize advancement because it generates alternative sources

of revenue—are losing out. More significant and longer-lasting results are possible by focusing

on personal involvement of leadership volunteers; viewing gifts of time, talent, and treasure as

donor investments; and valuing the influence committed advocates bring to your organization.

Mohler will discuss the experiences and strategies that have led to his success in generating

exponential results. He will provide examples of how to activate these principles, as well as

demonstrate the importance of providing opportunities for meaningful engagement to

maintain donor retention. This session will uncover the various motivations that individuals and

corporations use to guide their support. Participants will be equipped to approach philanthropy

and development with a mindset that is donor-centered and mission focused—meaning,

aligning donor interests with the organizational mission.

Change = Stability. A thriving and dynamic organization embraces change as normative and vital for a

healthy, relevant and sustainable future. Change ebbs and flows naturally whether it is planned or at

times unplanned, catching us by surprise. However, inherent in all change processes are dynamics that

are predictable and can be planned for systemically, culturally, operationally and fiscally. The first

session will focus on identifying and gaining insight into organizational change dynamics and patterns.

The second session will focus on planning and implementing successful organizational change, this will

include tools and skills.

Ramona Curtis served for decades directing diversity and equity initiatives in both the university and community college arena.  She will discuss the important responsibility and the way to lead toward increasing diversity, equity, and opportunity fairness at institutions. Using the Social Change Model of Leadership to explore the important and necessary work needed to make the critical shifts, she will give tips to navigating conversations that challenge the status quo and provide key takeaway ingredients that leaders need to use in planning to increase equity.