EAB’s Linda Marchlewski is joined by Dr. Siri Terjesen from Florida Atlantic University to discuss how to trim bureaucratic impediments that stifle innovation and lead to disengaged faculty and staff. The two talk about how to identify policies and organizational structures that do more harm than good. They also offer tips on making your organization more agile by sourcing more ideas from the lower rungs of your organizational ladder.
May 21, 2024•31 min
EAB’s Jennie Bailey hosts a discussion about performance-based admissions (PBA) with the Assistant Vice President, New Ventures & Business Operations at Northeastern University, Robert Towner. Rob recently helped Northeastern pilot the use of PBA to admit students to the school’s online MBA program. Jennie and Rob share their thoughts on the growing use of alternative admissions models at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. They also share tips for other university leaders who may be...
May 14, 2024•41 min
Jonah Nigh and Jenna Bastian from The New School in NYC join EAB’s Paul Gunther for a conversation about the state of university fundraising. The three discuss the critical role of technology, particularly CRM tools, as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field of advancement. They also offer tips to other advancement teams on how to build a stronger, healthier work environment.
May 07, 2024•37 min
EAB’s Alexa Silverman hosts a conversation with Emily Isaacs and Danielle Insalaco-Egan about how to help students adapt to the rigors of college. Emily and Danielle discuss the “Strong Student” campaign they launched at Montclair State University to help students acquire the skills they need to complete assignments, actively participate in class, and manage their time. The three also offer tips to university leaders on how to ease the administrative burden on faculty so they can spend time help...
Apr 30, 2024•32 min
EAB’s Madeleine Rhyneer and Lorianna Mapps discuss the top concerns shared by admissions leaders as they begin to hear back from accepted applicants. From dealing with the revised FAFSA to navigating their involvement with various direct admissions programs, admissions teams face significant change and uncertainty. Madeleine and Lori discuss the challenges and offer advice on ways to adapt while supporting staff who are feeling the pressure.
Apr 23, 2024•31 min
EAB’s Paul Gunther hosts an extraordinary conversation with University of British Columbia President, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. In a remarkably candid interview, Dr. Bacon shares how his personal struggles and healing journey inform his views on leadership and the elements of a healthy organizational culture. Dr. Bacon also offers advice to other university leaders who are ready to do the difficult but necessary work of making mental wellness a central focus at their institution.
Apr 16, 2024•36 min
EAB’s Ed Venit hosts a conversation with Nathaan Demers from Mantra Health and Joe Cooper from Montana Technical University regarding ways to meet surging student demand for mental health services. The three acknowledge that colleges can’t hire enough licensed clinicians to meet demand, so the conversation focuses on ways to expand the use of telehealth to give students fast access to one-on-one counseling, self-care content, peer-to-peer support, and more. They also share advice for other unive...
Apr 09, 2024•29 min
EAB’s Linda Marchlewski hosts a conversation with Jason Bentley and Shelly VandePanne from Ferris State University to discuss the “ReFOCUS” program. The program enables Ferris students who are struggling academically, to engage in skill-building, receive academic, social, and financial support, and get back on track instead of falling through the cracks. The three also offer advice to other higher education leaders about how to get technology, staff, and volunteers from across your campus commun...
Apr 02, 2024•34 min
EAB’s Matt Logan interviews his colleague, Jason Browning, about how to improve data integrity, reliability, and accessibility. The two examine what’s driving the increasing complexity of campus data and IT systems and suggest ways that senior leaders can access the information they need without relying on data specialists. They also offer advice to other higher education leaders on how to use data more strategically to inform decision-making.
Mar 26, 2024•35 min
EAB’s Heather Darrow hosts a discussion with noted student success pioneer, Donna Linderman. Currently the Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at SUNY, Donna helped launch the ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) and ACE (Accelerate, Complete, and Engage) programs during her time at CUNY. Both programs have been studied widely—and with CUNY’s active support—replicated successfully at dozens of two- and four-year institutions. Donna suggests that while the individual program elem...
Mar 19, 2024•29 min
Jo Fretwell from the International Schools Partnership joins EAB’s Adam Wu to talk about how her team uses Global Match to help international students engage with US colleges that fit their interests and aptitudes. The two discuss how students use the platform, ways that students and colleges benefit, and how the matching process yields bona fide offers of acceptance without requiring students to submit an application. They also offer tips to other international schools that may be looking to pr...
Mar 12, 2024•25 min
EAB’s Alice Shindelar and Amanda Kelly discuss how virtual campus tours are created and why they’re so popular with students and university recruiters. They explain the uses for different interactive elements, share basic dos and don’ts, and talk about what differentiates a truly exceptional virtual tour from one that is average at best. They also offer tips to university leaders on how to collaborate with a virtual tour vendor to create tours that are just as useful for the university as they a...
Mar 05, 2024•23 min
This episode is a condensed version of a recent webinar in which EAB’s John Workman presented findings from EAB’s annual “State of the Sector” research. John summarizes EAB’s research findings, which focused on six key themes that ranged from questions about declining public confidence in the value of higher education to the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence. He then opens the discussion to a panel of experts including journalist and higher education author Jeff Selingo, California S...
Feb 27, 2024•1 hr 15 min
EAB’s Jenny Jones and Mark Shreve offer advice to help advancement professionals fine-tune fundraising budgets and strategies for 2024. The two share tips on how to prepare for discussions with your CFO, energize staff, and analyze the right data to stay on track. They also suggest ways to keep your fundraising messages focused on the good work being done by your institution and alumni amidst election-year attacks on the value of higher education.
Feb 20, 2024•26 min
Matt Nickodemus from Utah Tech University joins EAB’s Devin Jones to talk about how his school uses technology (including EAB’s Edify and Navigate360 software) to gain more efficient access to and insights from their institutional data. Their discussion is focused primarily on better ways to define, track, and report on metrics that matter in assessing student success efforts. They also offer tips to other university leaders who may be looking to make similar advances.
Feb 13, 2024•32 min
EAB’s Tara Zirkel and Grace Anderson discuss a recent EAB survey that highlighted ways that pandemic disruptions continue to influence the college search process, as well as student preferences and academic readiness. The two focus on six key themes that emerged from the survey that are important for community college leaders to understand. They also offer tips on how they might adjust their approach to better serve students who may be thinking about taking classes during or after high school.
Feb 06, 2024•27 min
EAB’s Tisleen Singh and Emily Niedermaier discuss the emergence of Appily, a new online resource that streamlines the college exploration process for teens and enables colleges to connect with more prospective applicants. The two examine findings from a new survey of more than 6,000 students that highlights a strong correlation between adolescent mental health and college-going behaviors. They also offer suggestions to admissions leaders on how to engage prospective applicants in a way that will...
Jan 30, 2024•29 min
EAB’s Paul-Anne Robb and Brian Schueler unpack the data from a new survey of college-aged non-consumers. One of the key findings is that while price matters, perceptions of high cost may be at odds with the actual cost of attendance once you factor in grants, scholarships, and other institutional “discounts.” Paul-Anne and Brian share tips on more effective ways to communicate with prospective students on price and other potential objections.
Jan 23, 2024•33 min
EAB’s Kathy Ruby and Brett Schraeder recap the early days of the newly revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Kathy and Brett discuss the merits of the form itself, review the technical glitches that have plagued the so-called “soft launch,” and share what they’re hearing from front-line admissions and financial aid professionals about the new FAFSA. They also offer advice on things that college leaders can and should be doing now to serve students and their institutions while the Dep...
Jan 16, 2024•32 min
EAB’s Michael Fischer and Afia Tasneem discuss ways that institutions are moving beyond their initial resistance to artificial intelligence and are now incorporating AI technologies within academia. They highlight some of the most promising opportunities for leveraging AI to reshape curricula, improve student support, and gain efficiencies across hundreds of administrative functions. Finally, the two offer tips to higher ed leaders on how to focus their energies and governance processes to gain ...
Jan 09, 2024•35 min
EAB’s Madeleine Rhyneer and Kathy Ruby pull back the curtain to reveal how admissions professionals sift through thousands of applications and decide who gets admitted. The two differentiate between the approach typically used at highly selective institutions versus those that admit most applicants. They also explore how financial aid optimization works and the ways that institutions apply FAO to help fill and shape their incoming classes.
Jan 02, 2024•33 min
EAB’s Tom Sugar hosts a conversation with Carthage College President John Swallow. The two look back over their three-year (and counting) collaboration on EAB’s Moon Shot for Equity to share lessons learned in eliminating equity gaps that are having an enormously positive impact on students from more privileged backgrounds as well. They also offer advice to other institutions looking to apply proven strategies to improve graduation rates and close equity gaps despite potential pushback from thos...
Dec 12, 2023•33 min
EAB experts Dr. Tara Zirkel, Dr. Christina Hubbard, and Allison Peeler discuss the major shifts and trends impacting community colleges over the past year. The three share specific examples of institutions doing innovative work and overcoming post-pandemic challenges. They also offer advice on what community college leaders can do in 2024 to improve student retention and modernize the student experience.
Dec 05, 2023•35 min
EAB’s Julianne Turpin and Brendan Mannix explore the many changes that have made modern student success software such a central component of student retention efforts. The two discuss newer features (including CRM capabilities, AI enhancements, and more) that differentiate a truly effective system from those that fail to wrap students at risk in an effective, coordinated care network. They also share a glimpse into emerging tech features that prepare students for a successful launch after gradua...
Nov 28, 2023•14 min
EAB’s Paul Gunther hosts University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis for a wide-ranging chat about how to reach students and families who feel that a college degree is out of reach. They examine UCA’s innovative new program that creates a debt-free pathway to a college degree for all incoming Arkansas freshmen who qualify based on financial need. They also offer tips for higher ed leaders on ways to help students overcome learning gaps and other preparation issues to help them succeed...
Nov 14, 2023•34 min
EAB’s Sian Blake and Val Fox offer growth strategies for institutions that have grown increasingly reliant on their graduate programs to compensate for shrinking undergraduate enrollment. Sian and Val review best practices from schools that are finding success in growing graduate programs and offer tips on the best lead-generation tools you should be using. The two also share advice on smarter ways to set goals that are ambitious but still achievable.
Nov 07, 2023•36 min
Art Coleman, one of the nation’s foremost legal experts on affirmative action in higher education, joins EAB’s Tom Cakuls to unpack the recent Supreme Court ruling. Art also examines the recent guidance offered by the US Departments of Education and Justice and stresses that it is still permissible to consider facets of students’ experience, background, interest, and other qualities expressly associated with their race. Finally, Art shares his thoughts on what university leaders might do within ...
Oct 31, 2023•30 min
EAB’s Beth Donaldson is joined by her colleague, Todd Heilman, to review findings from a new EAB survey of nearly 4,000 adult learners. The two review what we learned about the motivations and preferences of adult learners, and about how they research programs and colleges they might attend. The survey findings offer a wealth of information for universities on how to find, engage, and enroll these students. Todd and Beth urge university leaders to make their school website more helpful to adult ...
Oct 24, 2023•30 min
EAB’s Kate Manning and Matt Sheldon welcome Chad Steinkamp from Wichita State University for a conversation about ways to make your institution a top transfer destination. The three offer tips on marketing your school to prospective transfer students and making their transition as seamless as possible. They also discuss the merits of the dual-advising approach and its impact on the transfer student community.
Oct 17, 2023•32 min
Lola Mauer from Ball State University and Daniel Burgner from George Washington University join EAB’s Mark Shreve to discuss why they’re glad that US News and World Report no longer includes the alumni giving metric in determining its college rankings. They also examine how their schools are adapting in response to the philanthropic behaviors of Gen Z and millennials. Lastly, they share top advice for other advancement professionals about adjustments they might consider to boost fundraising effo...
Oct 10, 2023•40 min
