EAB’s Erin Preston hosts a discussion with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dr. Jonathan Wexler, about his study of university consolidation and closures. The two discuss the types of institutions at greatest risk and options available to those facing declining enrollments and revenues. They also offer insi…

EAB’s Sean Tivnan and JP LaFors discuss how new college search behaviors are forcing university websites to evolve. The two share tips for connecting and engaging with Gen Z “stealth shoppers” who are heavily influenced by your institution’s digital presence. Tips include quick fixes and more comprehensive strategies to improve your site’s navigati…

EAB’s Linda Marchlewski is joined by Todd McLees, an internationally recognized strategist and thought leader on the future of work and learning. The two share why it’s so critical for colleges to teach students how to use AI to make them better architects, actors, or anything else they want to be. They also share tips for higher ed leaders on how …

EAB’s Val Fox and Jennie Bailey take a fresh look at the relationship between universities and OPMs, companies that partner with schools to help them develop and market online programs. The two offer tips on how to exit a relationship with an OPM that is no longer generating sufficient value. They also outline steps schools should follow to help th…

EAB’s Jenny Jones hosts a discussion with the University of New England VP for Institutional Advancement (Alicia Fereday) and the Associate VP of Finance and Administration (Matthew Kogut). The three offer tips to help department heads communicate more effectively with the people in charge of approving budget requests. Tips include advice on planni…

EAB’s Sally Amoruso sits down with Paul LeBlanc and George Siemens from Southern New Hampshire University to discuss how higher education institutions can reap the benefits of AI. Paul and George argue that university leaders have been slow to embrace AI despite the extraordinary opportunity the technology gives us to transform higher education for…

EAB’s Brett Schraeder hosts a conversation with Bill Hall, the founder and President of Applied Policy Research. The two discuss the impact of the FAFSA delays on this year’s enrollment figures and discuss the extent to which admissions teams may still have financial aid levers they can pull that could boost yield. They also talk about how APR will…

EAB’s Kate Brown and Lilia Shea examine the protests that spread across US campuses this spring and provide historical context on student activism. The two also explain why it’s so important for university leaders to prepare this summer for more student unrest this fall as the presidential election season heats up. Finally, they offer tips on how t…

EAB’s Pam Royall and Michael Koppenheffer discuss what colleges can learn from EAB’s newest survey of nearly 13,000 recent high school graduates. The survey examined the factors that drive college search behaviors and influence student satisfaction with the college experience. Pam and Michael explore how those factors vary by race, ethnicity, and i…

EAB’s Camilla Arias hosts a discussion with Pam Royall, head of research for EAB’s enrollment division, and global higher education consultant, Donald Resnick to unpack findings from the latest EAB-NAGAP survey of graduate enrollment leaders. The three discuss the extent to which graduate enrollment professionals are happy in their jobs, meeting th…

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 organizati…

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 growin…

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…

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, …

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 ch…

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 u…

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 teleh…

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 c…

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 t…

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 …

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 o…

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 …

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 a…

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 bei…

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 asses…

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 al…

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 m…

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 …

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 t…

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 h…

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 …

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 …

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 improv…

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…

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 financ…

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 …

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, backgr…

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 uni…

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-advis…

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 Ge…

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 …

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 on…

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 …

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 …

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…

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 o…

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 par…

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…

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 a…

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. Th…