Reinvention time for higher education?

As educational leaders ponder how to respond to so many issues hitting them at once (i.e. enrollment decline, shifting job markets, revolutionary new technologies), it's time to consider all the options. Adam Grant's new book Think Again proposes the long-term success in navigating the way forward will require putting values first in relation to perspectives educators hold and whatever actions they take. He says, "The reason for this approach is that our ideas about how the world works should remain fluid as new information is acquired and as the context changes." Regularly examining assumptions and embracing constant adaptability may be the new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Time for Reinvention by Ray Schroeder recounts some of the disorganizing dynamics and proposes that one of the models that should be considered is a "subscription model for students, and perhaps employers on their behalf, to pay a small continuing fee for forward-thinking, cutting-edge, career-accelerating learning opportunities?" This, delivered "just in time, online, accessible anywhere and at any hour" could be the impetus for students' endorsing some online learning to remain after the pandemic. A review of Grawe's The Agile College includes recommendations that institutions do four things: focus on retention through innovation, grow enrollment by appealing to new populations and offering different learning models, right-size class enrollment, and share services across institutions or merge. Responding to Grawe, Mary Churchill reinforced the critical importance of understanding who institutions are serving and focusing on improving all students' success. Improving course schedules and availability for students and more flexibility are approaches that could save institutions from a downward spiral of budget and program cuts. Southern New Hampshire University's acquisition of a coding boot camp provider Kenzie Academy, is one example of institutions incorporating alternative credentialing options. Offering modular degrees in partnership with community colleges and 4-year institutions could provide even greater flexibility in where and when students can take the courses they want to take.

One thing that will require rethinking for many campuses is space, evidenced by campuses selling or repurposing buildings left empty in the aftermath of the pandemic. As distance or blended learning remains a part of the mix for many campuses, space underutilization may provide the opportunity for campuses to be a resource for the broader community; examples include corporate partnerships, day care, recreation, and hosting events. The reverse may occur for campuses that have struggled with limitations on space as shifts to remote work leave offices and retail spaces vacant.

Another critical issue is the composition of the faculty. The number of tenured faculty has declined across a variety of institutions with 30% of those teaching now being tenured. There are multiple causes of this decline but fundamental questions need to be raised about why and also how the trend is impacting higher education. The faculty of most institutions has also been white and privileged far too long. With higher education contributing some of the strongest rhetoric about the necessity of facing equity and access issues, it's time that academics get serious about diversifying their own ranks.

At a broad and systemic level, university system leadership (through the National Associations of System Heads, NASH) has begun examination of their post-pandemic role throughout the 60 systems in 44 states within the U.S.A. This organization includes the administration of institutions that educate 75% of U.S.A. students. The "transformation agenda" that is being addressed includes; 1) responding to the health-care crisis, calls for racial justice, and economic recovery, and 2) enhancing success for students and the states these institutions serve. A recent survey found a high level of optimism among college and university presidents that their institutions will come out of the pandemic era in good shape, a finding that is somewhat surprising. The survey included items on financial stability, top concerns for students and the institution, and places to cut budgets or find sources of new revenue. Asked how their institutions will respond to the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn, the presidents indicated; 44% through institutional transformation, 34% reset for growth, 20% return to normal, and 3% shrink the institution. Probing the conclusions of the survey revealed that the demoralization that teachers have experienced was overlooked and that technology implications were neglected.

Other groups are addressing barriers to recruitment, retention, and success of students, especially those that have previously been marginalized. With common application data showing students moving toward elite institutions, the National Association for College Admission Counseling launched a commission to examine multiple aspects of the admission process that may result in fundamental rethinking of practices in areas such as the college admission pipeline, financial aid, and equity in enrollment and success. One can only hope that the examination of admission practices will honestly face the fact that graduates of private high schools have a huge advantage in gaining admission to elite universities.

2021 spring enrollment declined for undergraduates, but projections for 2021 fall showed increases at elite institutions and the competition for graduate enrollment increased. However, the surging delta variant put stabilization of enrollment at risk.  International student enrollment is likely to remain lower for several years which results in adult learner numbers being the primary ray of hope. COVID-19 vaccination acceleration couldn't come soon enough as a reassurance to students that in-person study in the fall of 2021 is possible, although requiring vaccination of students comes with political resistance. Some leaders in higher education urged their colleagues to lean into their institutional transformation work. Building for the future will require engaging with faculty, governing boards, and donors to pursue other funding sources and by positioning institutions to serve critical public needs.

Reconsidering the role and approach of higher education institutions has provided much food for thought including the possibility of greater flexibility in instructional approach and rethinking diversity, equity, and  belonging. Inside Higher Education's "Driving Transformation in Higher Education" and "Back to the New Normal" are compilations about the changes that are emerging. One of the questions to be cxplored is how research universities can be reinvigorated to spawn the innovation that is so important to growing an economy. Another critical element of the analysis will be honestly examining the assumptions under which higher education has operated to this point.

A potentially transformative initiative motivated by the impact of the pandemic, income inequality, and changes in the world of work, the Taskforce on Higher Education Opportunity, will begin to dig into the challenges faced by unemployed recent college graduates. The Taskforce is a joint effort of McKinsey, Strada, and an open list of institutional partners representing 2.5 million students. The National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) documented the impact of the pandemic on all students and found considerable imbalance among students at a variety of institutions and from specific cultural backgrounds.

Keeping disruptive innovation alive may be a challenge. As COVID is normalized to an illness that can be managed, there may be an inclination to return to previous practice. Instead, educators must look at what has been improved by the innovations implemented during this period of rapid and paradigmatic change.

One way to reinvent higher education during the time when students are enrolled would be to utilize work study to fund their expenses, a strategy of "earn while you learn," which could make college attendance more affordable while also enhancing the relevance of both work and study. Other strategies involve setting up apprenticeship programs in community colleges or, in the case of IBM's software engineering apprentices pathways initiative, gaining credits that are applicable to academic programs endorsed by ACE. Allowing Pell Grants to be used for high-quality and short term work experience is another strategy but concerns have been raised about letting employers off the hook, abdicating their responsibility to develop their workforce and undermining employees' ability to influence the workplace.

Particularly because many students believe the value of their education has declined during the pandemic, spawning multiple law suits for tuition refunds, educators will be well-served to focus on what students report they need; Barnes & Noble's study indicates that "colleges will need to shift their traditional models to be more 'outcome based,' providing students with more career preparation for the post-pandemic job market."