LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

President: The New Mission Impossible Job

The role of higher education presidents is facing unprecedented challenges —enrollments are declining, skepticism about the value of higher education is mounting, and the rate of graduate underemployment is on the rise.

As a result, presidents’ tenure are shortening, dropping from an average of 8.5 years in 2008 to just 5.9 years in 2022. A startling 55% of presidents are contemplating stepping down within the next five years. Additionally, while many presidents have a support network, the unique pressures of the role mean they often lack confidants who truly understand their experiences. These trends underline the pressing need for adaptive, resilient leadership in the face of these mounting challenges.

🦁 Leadership Insight »

As difficult as it may be, here’s what I tell leaders all the time…

You don’t get to choose
what it takes to lead.
You only get to choose
if you’re willing to do what it takes!

Any departure from choosing to do what it takes compromises your leadership in hard times. Even worse, it trickles down the chain, cutting your people off from what they need most: to believe. Belief is the currency of resiliency, and it’s hard to maintain while questioning the call to lead.

🎯 Cabinet Conversation »

• As a leader, where am I resisting what’s on my plate?
• Why have I not fully accepted what’s on my plate?
• Where on my team do I see a similar resistance?
• What would help me to accept the call to lead and choose to do what it takes?
• How can I help my team to accept the call to lead and choose to do what it takes?

FINANCE & OPERATIONS

The Rise of No-Loan College Policies

Amid rising tuition concerns, select colleges are introducing “no-loan” policies, a financial aid revolution promising to exclude loans entirely. This bold move aims to make higher education accessible despite soaring costs, targeting especially students deterred by the debt dilemma. As prestigious institutions lead the way, the question looms: Can smaller colleges compete without such hefty endowments?

🦁 Leadership Insight »

Navigating fiscal challenges in education demands ingenuity. While affluent universities have options like no-loan programs, smaller institutions have a different currency: agility and innovation. It’s about transforming budget constraints into creativity, fostering environments where rapid responses and tailored solutions thrive over deep pockets.

Small schools, like small businesses, compete by:

• Embracing nimbleness to outmaneuver larger, slower-moving entities.
• Innovate relentlessly, turning financial limitations into groundbreaking strategies.
• Prioritize agility and adaptability in financial and operational planning.

🎯 Cabinet Conversation »

• Are we an SSS, a slow-moving small school?
• If so, what encumbers our decision-making and strategic advantage for moving quickly and innovating in our market?

STUDENT SUCCESS

Latinas Lead in Degrees but Lag in Pay

Latino Data Hub reports that Latinas are advancing academically, surpassing their male counterparts in earning degrees. However, this achievement contrasts with persisting wage gaps when compared to Latino and white male peers, highlighting the need for focused efforts to bridge these disparities.

• Bachelor’s degrees among Latinas jumped from 1 million (2000) to 3.5 million (2021).
• Latinas outpace Latino males in earning bachelor’s degrees across various demographics.
• However, Latinas earn $26/hour, less than Latino and white men and significantly less than their educated peers.
• Younger Latinas are achieving higher education levels than older generations.
• Latina veterans hold college degrees 15% more often than nonveterans.

🦁 Leadership Insight »

The trajectory of Latinas in academia is a beacon of progress and a stark reminder of persisting inequities. Leadership must not only celebrate these academic victories but also champion wage parity. It’s a call to harness the power of education and advocate for systemic changes that ensure academic accomplishments translate into economic empowerment.

• Advocate for policies that address wage disparities.
• Foster environments that recognize and reward the true value of educational attainment.
• Champion systemic change to ensure equity in both education and the workforce.

🎯 Cabinet Conversation »

• How can we leverage the academic successes of Latinas to advocate for broader systemic change?
• What initiatives can we implement to address wage disparities within our community?
• How do we ensure that the progress in education translates into equitable economic outcomes?