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As we face the pressing reality of the enrollment cliff, it’s crucial for leaders in higher education to adapt and innovate. Recent closures of nearly ten institutions in New York State since June 2023—such as Cazenovia College, Medaille College, The College of St. Rose, and Wells College—underscore the fragility of smaller, private schools, but this trend is not likely to stay isolated and compels us to examine the reasons behind students’ migration and identify strategic opportunities to enhance retention, both from a grassroots vantage point and from a systemic, and institutional perspective.   Higher education leaders can focus on what they can control: cultivating an exceptional student experience that highlights the unique strengths and distinct identity of their institutions. While factors such as geographic location may be outside their influence, strategic actions can emphasize what makes their campuses stand out. Forbes highlights a significant shift in student preferences, with many choosing to relocate from colder climates to warmer regions and moving from smaller, regional institutions to larger public universities, drawn by the promise of enhanced resources and opportunities. This increased competition, coupled with shifting public opinion about the value of a higher education degree, presents challenges for smaller institutions. However, by […]

As a senior administrator in higher education for decades, I spent a great deal of time creating programs and policies that would enhance the student experience. This seemed natural, and it was done in pursuit of boosting student satisfaction and retention. As an instructor, however, reconciling “student satisfaction” within my classroom was not as straightforward. My goal as an instructor was to provide information and build knowledge for students, despite the fact that sometimes the outcome was disappointing for both of us. Since students pay for classes, but not grades, there was never an expectation that students would be universally satisfied.  Enhancing the student experience and customer service on campus is often delegated to administrators and staff who develop policies, procedures, and programs for students that will act as guardrails at the edge of the enrollment cliff. However, many discussions over the years surrounding this important topic have often purposely steered away from the classroom— as though classrooms are shrouded under an invisibility cloak and are not up for discussion when it comes to customer service.  On one occasion, I was meeting with a mixture of administrators and faculty, and I shared my belief that we needed to examine our […]

For the last several years, there has been debate about whether students in higher education should be considered to be “customers.”  I have heard various arguments over the years against this viewpoint, including ideas against that point of view, like, “students aren’t customers, they don’t pay for grades.” As well as, in favor, “students are customers because they are paying for a service.” Recently, I read a thread on Reddit suggesting that some feel that college students aren’t customers, but actually the product of higher education. Still more posit that the products delivered in higher education are the experiences offered and degrees conferred. Either way, what is crystal-clear is that there isn’t consensus in this debate. But does it matter? The fact remains that debating this topic won’t solve the challenges of increasing student satisfaction, retention, and helping to mitigate the enrollment cliff—in fact, the debate likely exacerbates these issues. Today’s generation of students want to be attended to and cared for, and enhancing customer service is pivotal in this regard (Inside Higher Ed, 2023). This doesn’t mean that they want to be coddled—just valued and heard—regardless of whether or not we consider them to be customers. Perhaps this is most […]