10 Questions Universities Should be Asking

Some Summer Homework for Faculty, Staff, and Leaders

We imagine most of you, like us, expected choppy water with the arrival of a new administration. But, we also imagine most of you, like us, didn’t expect a tsunami. But, that is what we have in higher education at this moment – a tsunami that has made landfall, with much to be defended, managed, redesigned, and rebuilt.

Our last several posts have focused on this wave of changes coming from federal and state governments and what those changes mean for institutional self-governance, viewpoint diversity, and accountability.

With summer near, we wanted to leave you with 10 questions to think about while the campus is a bit quieter. While we think everyone on campus should be thinking about all 10 questions, some are more relevant for campus leadership, so we will separate those.

The questions are broad and general. And, frankly, it will be easy to nod and say ‘not my job’ or ‘yep, got that covered’. But all 10 questions are relevant given the current scrutiny of higher education. And, we believe that universities taking action to address these questions will be far better positioned to survive the aforementioned tsunami – perhaps with positive momentum.

To force some discipline when you are thinking through these, it might help to imagine you are sitting in front of a group of students/families, or alumni, or agitated legislators – and they are demanding answers. What details will you share that will satisfy an energized group that you and/or your institution have taken the question seriously and you/your institution is taking appropriate action?

Here we go…

Questions for Everyone…

1. What specific actions are you taking to improve student outcomes – retention, graduation rates, placement, and career preparation?

If there is one question on this list you answer this summer, make it this one – nothing is more fundamental in the current environment. Hand-waving answers won’t cut it. Get specific – put metrics and data to work in assessing where you are in your course, your unit, your university. It far too easy to describe general initiatives and approaches that sound good, but may or may not have any material impact on these most fundamental measures of student success. And yes, faculty, this is your job too.

2. What do you know about the strengths and challenges of incoming students and about what employers want from your graduates?

You can’t get improved student outcomes without this kind of information. Importantly, who on your campus knows these things (someone likely does) and who doesn’t? Ultimately, most of the campus needs to know how your students are changing and what employers want from your graduates. And, they need to bring that information into decisions – decisions about course content, decisions about curricula, decisions about student support, decisions about co-curricular activities. A common campus understanding of your students and their starting point and what employers want from your graduates provides the platform needed to change a university’s student success trajectory.

3. What changes are needed in your graduate programs to adapt to a new work world and shifting federal support?

The market for professional masters programs has been dynamic for a while. Beyond shifts in modality, program length, subject-matter focus, etc., what happens if student loans for graduate degrees are capped? Do any current programs need to be restructured? Discontinued? Are there any opportunities for new MS programs/expansion of existing programs? If federal research cuts stick and universities continue to pull back on tenure-track faculty positions, how should doctoral training change to support students who are taking non-academic positions?

4. What are you doing to support a culture of free and open inquiry?

This question has urgency in the current environment. What steps can you take personally and how can you support the broader campus in building such a culture? What barriers to free and open inquiry are currently limiting on your campus and need to be addressed? What tangible steps are you/your campus taking to signal this is a core university value? In our view, universities better have a good answer before the fall semester convenes.

Questions for Leadership…

5. What do your key stakeholders believe your mission to be and what does their perspective tell you about where your leadership energy needs to be invested?

Yes, we know you have a mission statement – one likely you repeat with every presentation to alumni groups, donors, civics, organizations,…. But, what do your elected officials believe your mission to be? Students and their families? Your faculty and staff? How do you know? It’s worth digging deeper, understanding where they are coming from, and what all that says about where your focus needs to be.

6. What are you doing to hold units and faculty and staff accountable for your institutional mission and goals?

We assume your campus has an extensive set of such processes. But, how are reviews/evaluations currently conducted? Are they used to identify superior performers and performance issues, or are they box checking exercises? Much, much time can be spent engaged in elaborate box-checking, when something simpler would be better at separating the wheat from the chaff. (Yes, one of us in an ag guy…) What is the simplest, least onerous way to achieve a particular goal?

7. What are the implications of the alternative revenue streams you are exploring for hiring, promotion, professional development/support, and faculty and staff expectations more generally?

There is so much pressure on our traditional revenue streams - especially tuition and federal research funding. Looking for new revenue streams is a must in this environment if you want to maintain/grow. But, what will it mean if your campus successfully taps these streams and turns to more on-line programming, adult education courses, industry research funding, etc.? Better consider the implications up front before your old processes and expectations – and current faculty and staff - get slammed with the new realities that can come with new revenue streams.

8. What one, two, … ten internal processes can be radically streamlined/eliminated?

We know identifying such processes is hard. Folks like to complain, but when pressed, struggle to give you specifics on what needs changed/killed. And, every inefficiency has a constituency. Making progress here likely means breaking some things and it definitely takes strong senior leadership. But, this environment calls for no less. What will it take to make progress here in the fall?

9. How are you telling your story in the moment and how does your messaging need to change to address the goals/concerns of your stakeholders?

Instead of repeating the standard set of brag points about your university (which may be communicated in higher-ed speak), how are you specifically addressing the goals and concerns of your key stakeholders? We do believe that if you have thoughtful answers to our earlier questions, you have a LOT to say your key stakeholders will be interested in. Beyond standard media approaches, who do you and/or members of your team need to personally visit to share your (new) story?

Last Question…For Everyone…

10. What are you doing to take care of yourself? Really take care of yourself…

We have been in your shoes and the pressure during a ‘normal’ period is extreme. But, what we are experiencing now is not normal. You know you will be a better faculty member, staff member, leader if you have an answer to this question – make sure you do. Leaders, your team – and your campus – are under enormous pressure. The uncertainty in our current environment can be overwhelming. Answering our previous nine questions can help address the uncertainty, but will be real work. So think carefully about how much you take on and who takes it on (including yourself). In the end, while every question is important, less may be more - you need to help ensure your team and your faculty are taking care of themselves…

A Final Thought

This semester has been long and it has been hard. An institution many of us have devoted our entire professional careers too has been demeaned, dismissed, and declared worthless…

That said, Spring is the time for commencement. A time when hard work by students, and the faculty and staff who guided them, is celebrated. A time when families and friends gather to lift up their student and all they have accomplished.

Despite all that is going on around us, and all the criticisms we have had to address, we hope you take a few moments to reflect on your good work and that done by your institution, the work that has helped those graduating grow personally and professionally, to prepare them for whatever path is in front of them.

We know we have plenty to work on as higher education. Commencement reminds us that some great work is already being done. That is something worth celebrating…

What’s Next?

We have plenty of plans for Finding Equilibrium and will be working on those plans over the summer. Podcasts, more explainers, and more commentary on current events is all on our agenda.

We will be on hiatus for some of the summer working on the above, but you can expect new posts from time to time. As always, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks for reading and your support of Finding Equilibrium!

Research Assistance provided by Marley Heritier.

“Finding Equilibrium” is coauthored by Jay Akridge, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Trustee Chair in Teaching and Learning Excellence, and Provost Emeritus at Purdue University and David Hummels, Distinguished Professor of Economics and Dean Emeritus at the Daniels School of Business at Purdue.