Weddings, Rubrics, and IEPs: Falling in Love with Institutional Effectiveness

Weddings, Rubrics, and IEPs: Falling in Love with Institutional Effectiveness

At its heart, a strong IEP is your institution’s way of saying “I do”—to accountability, to continuous improvement, and to the students and communities you serve. And like any good marriage, the commitment doesn’t end with the ceremony. It’s something you show up for, work on, and grow through, year after year, ‘til death (or retirement) do you part.

Read More
State Authorization in Higher Ed: Strategy Over Stress
State Licensure, Compliance, advice, Teamwork Kevin Van Bell State Licensure, Compliance, advice, Teamwork Kevin Van Bell

State Authorization in Higher Ed: Strategy Over Stress

Ask any institutional leader about their least favorite compliance task, and there’s a good chance “state authorization” will come up. Much like “root canal” or “surprise tax audit”, “state authorization” is one of those phrases that inspires dread, confusion, and the unshakeable feeling that you’ve forgotten something. But what if we told you it doesn’t have to be that way? With the right mindset, state authorization can shift from a stress-inducing obligation to a strategic advantage.

Read More
The Starbucks Method: 7 Things Higher Ed Can Learn About Institutional Effectiveness

The Starbucks Method: 7 Things Higher Ed Can Learn About Institutional Effectiveness

Behind the pumpkin cold foam and cinnamon sprinkles is a finely tuned operation that constantly monitors, measures, tweaks, and improves. In higher education, we call this Institutional Effectiveness: the ongoing practice of evaluating whether you're doing what you said you'd do and making changes when you're not. Even if this means that the thing you used to do before is more effective than the thing you’re doing now.

Read More
8 Things No One Tells You About Accreditation (But We Will)

8 Things No One Tells You About Accreditation (But We Will)

Whether you’re a seasoned administrator or someone who got voluntold to help with the self-study, understanding how accreditation actually works and what it really means for your institution is crucial. And while there’s no shortage of formal definitions and policy handbooks out there, there’s a lot that tends to go unsaid. That’s where we come in. Today, we're sharing 8 things no one tells you about accreditation (but we absolutely will).

Read More
Higher Ed New Program Planning: Why Intentionality Beats Impulse

Higher Ed New Program Planning: Why Intentionality Beats Impulse

It can be really tempting to try to capitalize on the many student niches and needs by offering as many programs as you possibly can. But, as Icarus, taser owners, and anyone who’s ever painted an accent wall in their home will tell you: just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you should.

Read More