Experienced chief development officers know that budgeting and staff planning must take into consideration agreed-upon fundraising priorities and goals. We also know that fundraising plays a role in achieving the campus leader’s overall strategic vision. Since most campaigns or projects require more than one year to complete, budgeting and planning beyond a year at a time makes sense. Why don’t we actually do this? So, if we believe this works best, then why don’t we do it? Or, if we try, what gets in the way of following through on a longer-term approach? Has any of the following ever happened to you? You secured input from your team of fundraisers and written approval from the campus leader on your five-year plan and then: Given these common pitfalls, can we really commit to longer-term planning? I believe we can. But I have found that doing so requires communication, execution, focus and flexibility. Communication and relationship-building are the keys to the success of any development operation. We know this to be true when relating to our donors and other external constituents. Do we value it and demonstrate it internally within our organizations, especially during our planning process and execution? Ask yourself the following questions: […]
Karen Thurmond coordinates the day-to-day operations of the general education program (core curriculum), degree audit system (DegreeWorks), and an 24/7 system for academic advising appointments (AppointmentPlus) at the University of Memphis. She has written extensively for NACADA, and recently completed work with a team to automate the graduation process at The University of Memphis. Congratulations! You just hired a new academic advisor! Whether your new advisor has just graduated from a master’s degree with a specialization in academic advising, or is making a transition from another area of higher education, is on a college campus for the first time, or is a faculty member taking on new academic advising responsibilities, they have a lot to learn. Academic advising is a wide interdisciplinary activity that will challenge them personally, professionally, academically, emotionally, and physically. How will you prepare them for this challenge? You should be waiting for your new advisor on the first day with an agenda for their development into a quality academic advisor. This agenda will include the details the advisor needs to know to answer student questions and assist students with making and meeting goals, an understanding of what quality academic advising is and how it impacts student […]
NSSE’s 2009 annual report cites low participation in high-impact activities (such as study abroad, service learning, internship, undergraduate research, or senior experience) among transfer students as one measure of engagement and likely persistence. The lowest engagement was from vertical transfers (students who enter four-year institutions from community colleges). In the survey, 62% of native seniors had participated in internships, but only 43% of vertical transfers. Only 7% of vertical transfers participated in study abroad, compared with 20% among native students. Given the low numbers on engagement, we asked Kurt Thiede, vice president for enrollment management at Bucknell University, for his tips on engaging vertical transfer students early and fostering affinity for the institution from the first point of contact. Early Engagement The earlier the engagement, the more likely affinity becomes. Early engagement with prospective vertical transfers from two-year colleges can take a number of forms, from a campus visit day to a summer program. But whether you have the funding for a visit day or a summer program, it is critical to think through what to include in that experience. You will want to expose students to all aspects of life at the university — the career offices, financial aid, academic advising, […]
In the current environment, change is no longer an infrequent ‘initiative’ that needs managing—it is all around us, it is constant, and it is not going away. But this does not mean that leaders should give up their autonomy: In too many cases, we experience change as happening to us (reactive stance) instead of proactively shaping the change we want to see, and the pace at which we want it to occur. Join us online to learn how you can take a more proactive approach to change management. Through a combination of instruction, case studies, and group discussion, you’ll gain practical tools for convening others and accelerating progress on your change effort, even against the backdrop of meetings and committees that characterize decision-making in higher education. Specifically, you’ll learn how to: Assess your own influence and authority Identify and persuade your critics Discern when and where to spend relational capital Maintain focus on the bigger-picture goal
You know it’s important to put your employer partners in front of your diverse students. But events that reach the most students, such as panels and info sessions, may not resonate with your students as they have in the past. Join us online to hear how UNC Charlotte has created a targeted approach to matching employers with diverse students – one focused on sustainability and quality, not quantity. You will learn how UNC Charlotte: Created and uses a survey to assess their employer partners’ needs, so they can match students with intention Retooled an existing program (Career Treks), which brings students to employers so the students can witness the work involved, and as a result, better meets the needs of its diverse students and employer partners while also managing its own resources effectively Built a referral system with the student diversity groups on campus to make finding diverse students on campus quicker and easier for employers
Dr. Sumanth G. Reddy received his B.S. from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, an M.S. from the University of North Texas, and a Ph.D. from Kansas State University, all in Geography. His research interests are in medical, cultural, population, and tourism geography, with regional application in Africa and Asia. Dr. Reddy has traveled globally for research, conferences, and leisure to over 45 countries. He is passionate about study abroad and providing students with the opportunity to experience the world beyond the classroom. As an undergraduate, he studied abroad in a semester-long program in Scotland, and he again studied abroad in Ghana as a graduate student. In 2016, he took 10 students to China on a 2-week Study Abroad trip, and in 2017, he took 10 students to Ghana and London on a 3-week Study Abroad trip (Travel Blog). For summer 2022, Dr. Reddy was awarded a $14,000 grant from the American Association of Geographers to conduct a camping and hiking trip with his students to explore several national parks in the Southwest. He was also the recipient of the University Presidential Teaching Award for 2021-2022. Besides the classroom, he enjoys hiking, cycling, gardening, cooking, and meeting people. He is a native of Bangalore, India.
6 Ways to Communicate with Students in Crisis Essential Communication Responses Faculty and staff are often the first point of contact for students experiencing mental health challenges. While it may feel daunting to be in that position without having received formal training, there are 6 essential communication responses you can use to confidently communicate with students when you find yourself in that position. While the 6 essential responses are fairly straightforward, it takes practice to use them confidently in the moment. We’ve created 3 interactive activities to help you practice these skills so you’re ready the next time a student approaches you for help. Watch the following video to learn about the 6 strategies before completing the practice activities: [h5p id=”88″] Practice Activities While the 6 essential responses are fairly straightforward, it takes practice to use them confidently in the moment. We’ve created 3 interactive activities to help you practice these skills so you’re ready the next time a student approaches you for help. [h5p id=”73″] [h5p id=”79″] [h5p id=”76″] Meet our Expert Contributor Jackie Leibsohn, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Seattle University; Licensed Psychologist Read Jackie’s full bio here.
Over the last two years, the COVID-19 pandemic shifted the way many advancement professionals approached their work with donors. At the same time, the pandemic also impacted employee hiring and retention in advancement shops. Today, advancement leaders are searching for ways to stabilize their fundraising and staffing needs and are considering questions like: If you are an advancement leader who is considering ways in which frontline fundraising and other metrics can not only help you achieve your philanthropy goals but also bolster individual and team success and support employee retention, we invite you to join us for this free webcast to examine these and other related questions. Through a facilitated dialogue with Sarah George, chief philanthropy officer-campus at University of Utah and Brent Pieper, associate vice president for campaign & major gifts at University of Kentucky, you will gain valuable ideas and learn how other institutions are addressing these intertwined needs.
A few years ago, National Louis University in Chicago, which has historically served adult working students, has launched the new Harrison Professional Pathways Program, which provides access to bachelor’s degrees for traditional-aged high school graduates from all socioeconomic and academic backgrounds, but aims in particular to increase college access and success for first-generation, often low-income students. Priced at only $10,000 per year, the program is remarkable both in its outcomes and in the intentionality of its design. The curriculum, student support, and the financial model were all designed deliberately to meet the needs of this student demographic. The program was launched in response to a low (14%) four-year college completion rate for Chicago Public high school freshmen. This caught our attention; here in Denver, CO, where Academic Impressions is based, the four-year college graduation rate for Denver Public Schools graduates is just 9%. These low percentages are red flags, and when colleges can innovate to answer this societal need, that is a clear win. It takes courage on the part of the institution’s leadership to create the space needed for that innovation and to dedicate institutional resources toward it, and it takes intentionality to do so in a way that […]
By Manya C. Whitaker, PhDAssociate Professor & Chair of Education, Crown Faculty Center Director, Colorado College When I started graduate school in 2006, I had no interest in becoming a professor or joining academe. I wanted to work at a think tank researching youth development to inform public policy. But in my third year of graduate school, I was a Teaching Assistant (TA) for a developmental psychology class and everything changed. I discovered the joy of teaching and eventually petitioned to teach sections of the course. When I entered the job market, I was certain to apply to small liberal arts colleges where teaching was paramount in the job description. Ten years later, I know I made the right decision. But I also confess that in year 6, teaching started to lose its appeal and I sought new challenges. I asked my chair if I could be the associate chair to ease the workload in the department. He happily agreed, and I had my second professional epiphany—I like administrative work! I’ve always been a person who made lists and found joy in crossing each item off. I have very detailed schedules that tell me what I should be doing almost […]
