Critical issues facing higher education
What do you think is the most critical issue facing higher education (or your organization) in the near-term?
Like many colleges today, compliance is crutial to stay competitive. Educating and training everyone will help to stay on track with government compliance.
We also need to be sure students are not only enrolling but completing their degrees so they are successful in the workplace and hopefully become valuable to society.
Absolutely, Jeannine. With everything happening in higher education, it is essential that our teams have a complete understanding of how to conduct business compliantly and in the most ethical fashion.
What would you add to training to ensure this is happening and that your team clearly understands the expectation?
We have already added role playing for accurate phrasing and representation. We have also been recording calls to help reinforce compliance. It's always helpful to hear yourself and share the recordings with co-workers for everyone's benefit.
These are great practices to incorporate for reinforcement and continuous training. Thanks for sharing, Jeannine.
The private and for profit college sector is under increased scrutiny and therefore it is very important all we do falls under compliance regulations and that all staff is trained properly. The most important thing to remember is that we need to always put the students best interest first.
Well said, Sandi! Following compliance regulations is a must in the industry. And it is absolutely critical that the students best interests are the first priority.
This is what I remind my staff of everyday and it helps to put in perspective all that we need to do as Admissions Associates to remain within compliance.
Thanks for sharing, Sandi. I bet your staff appreciates your daily reminders of putting students first.
Right now the for-profit schools are contending with the new FA regulations coming on July 1. Understanding these regulations are going to be vital to helping our students succeed. Financial issues are big cause of our students withdrawing.If a student is struggling academically and runs into trouble with finances they may feel the fight to stay in school is not worth the effort.
Dave, you are so right and it sounds like you are looking at the new regulations as an opportunity to help students. In regards to finances, you are right, this seems to be a large issue for students. What have you done to help students see the value in education?
I think the most critical issue facing higher education in the near-term is actually the issue of loss of focus on what education is supposed to be. By this I mean that we are becoming so focused on outcomes by measuring graduation and completion rates that no one is looking at whether there is any actual learning taking place. In light of the new FA rules that have been implemented the issues are being diverted from education being about education to education being about completing a program. This has driven many to believe that no one should ever fail. Why have assessments on learning if they are not going to be utilized? I constantly struggle with instuctors who ask "what do I do, this student is failing?" Since the student has not mastered the skills required to pass why is there even a question? This is a highly critical component of career schools that cannot be overlooked just to enhance completion rates. If Sally doesn't master the skill of intramuscular injections then Sally doesn't pass. Period. She has the option of repeating the class or changing career path. No educator should be pushed, guided, forced, or influenced to alter the benchmarks simply to increase percentages. This is where I believe the education downturn started in the first place.
Thank you for sharing your insightful observations, Raymond. As a leader in your industry, what are some of your suggestions for addressing this issue in higher education?
Shannon Gormley
Enrollment of qualified students and their retention. The competition for student s is growing and quality students are becoming more challenging to find and keep.
melinda,
Great points. Yes, it is challenging to find and serve today's students. What changes can an organization make to stand out amongst the competition?
Dr. Jean Norris
In higher education some of the programs are facing a significant drops from students. I would have to say that with the changing trends in the market the demand for technology increases.
In the CIS and Computer Science Departments across the world are seeing siginifact drops in higher education related to the techology changes and seeking more certified IT professionals. Traditional univerisites and colleges are facing the same critical issues as the technology college.
Tamikah, this is a great point. With all of the shifts in the marketplace, we will always see some changes with the programs that are popular. It's always a good idea to continue to be up to date on this piece of your product knowledge. Great job.
Dr. Jean Norris
I think that we need to continue to increase the positive results as it pretains to the Career College Sector and it's graduation rates and how it impacts the US economy by producing the human capital required to get back on top. Where the challenge becomes more significant is getting this positive message into the minds and thoughts of our government officials and the community at large. I feel that Career Education has never been given the credit it deserves and this practice must change.
Gregory, I couldn't agree more. I'm curious, what can you do personally to help get that positive message out there?
Dr. Jean Norris
I agree that graduation/completion rates in addition to the current regulatory environment.
