Strategic Planning:Addressing the Critical Issues in

Higher EducationJohn J. Hurley, J.D.

President, Canisius CollegeRev. James J. Maher, C.M.

President, Niagara University

The Context

• 4100 colleges and universities in the U.S.• New York State– 189 independent colleges and universities– 64 units of SUNY– 23 units of CUNY

Costs of College Education

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that college tuition and fees have gone up 107% since 1992

• BUT– Net tuition and fees at private 4 year schools have

only gone up 22% since 1992– Net tuition and fees at public 4 year schools have

gone up 60%• Source: The College Board

Student Debt

• Total student debt is now $1.3 trillion– The largest segment of consumer debt after home

mortgages• BUT– 58% - less than $10,000– 18% -between 10,000 and $20,000– 7% - more than $50,000• Source: The Brookings Institution

Student Debt

• Share of Personal Income directed to student debt is only marginally higher than it was in 1992

1992 - 3.5%1998 - 4.3%2010 - 4.0%

Source: The Brookings Institution

Federal Support of Higher Education

$30.20

$0.98

$36.50 $99.70

Total Aid = $167.4 Billion

Grants

Federal Work Study

Tax Benefits

Loans

The Challenges

The model of American higher education is threatened

The Challenges

• Accountability– Retention Rates– Graduation Rates– Student Outcomes– Career-Readiness– Relevant Learning Goals– PROOF REQUIRED!

• This is an accreditation and federal oversight issue

The Challenges

• Financial Issues– 40% of private colleges will not achieve net tuition

revenue growth above 2% this year– 45% of private universities project that enrollment

will decline– Falling enrollments and rising freshman discount

rates will temper future growth of net tuition revenue

Source: Moody’s Investor Services Sector Report 11/17/2014

The Challenges

• An Increased Focus on Getting a Good Job– Programs aligned with the job markets– Soft Skills– Additional Special Skills

Some Shakeout/Consolidation in Higher Education is Inevitable

• What will this look like?• Who will be the survivors?• Do healthcare or the newspaper industry offer

us any models?• How do we prepare to be the survivors

The Sign in the Chiropractor’s Office

The Five Most Dangerous Words:

Maybe this will go away

Higher Ed Must Prepare Students for a New Economy

Graduates need to compete in a global, digital marketplace

Where are the jobs?

• STEM– 29% of the degrees in higher education are

awarded in STEM; but 48% of the jobs are in STEM• Computers, IT• Nursing• Hospitality, Food & Tourism

Source: Burning Glass Technologies, cIcu Presentation 02.26.14

How Should We Guide Our Students?

• Only 40% of college graduates thought about their career before selecting a major

• Less than 10% talked with a career counselor before selecting a major

• More than one-third regret their choice of major

Source: Burning Glass Technologies; NACE, Heldrich Center, Rutgers University 2014

How Should We Guide Our Students?

• One-half say that college did not prepare them to look for a job

• More than half wished they took more computer classes

• One-third wished they had done more internships

Source: Burning Glass Technologies; NACE, Heldrich Center, Rutgers University 2014

What Skills Are Needed?

• Microsoft Excel and Office are employers’ top requested software skills

• Basic accounting, data analysis, financial modeling, mathematics, and marketing can nearly double the number of possible jobs for a typical liberal arts graduate.

Source: Burning Glass Technologies, 2014

The Necessary Proof

• Ad hoc examples of success are not enough• A true culture of assessment will provide the

necessary proof– Relevant learning goals– Measure our performance with data– Continuous improvement

• The schools that master this will be the leaders

Higher Education Needs a Different Operating Model

• Costs must be contained– A change in focus from inputs to outputs

• Delivery systems for services need to be streamlined and improved

• Strategic alliances between and among institutions could lead to creative new approaches

Getting from Here to There: Strategic Planning

• Vision – Where are we going?• Mission – Why do we exist?• Strategic Goals – What is our focus?• Objectives – What results do we want?• Actions – How will we get there?

The Importance of Mission

• Ultimately, everything we do must be in furtherance of the mission.

• We are judged – by students, by accreditors, by external publics - by our fidelity to mission.

• In faith-based institutions, this is an important differentiator

Strategic Goals

• Critically important new things that must be done to move the institution to the next level

• Avoid “continue”, “maintain”, and “further develop”

• Watch out for the “planning to plan” syndrome

Execution is Critical

• Detailed plan for each action item– Responsible party– Budget– Time frame– Proposed activities– Desired outputs– Measurable outcomes

Execution is Critical

• Periodic reviews and revisions

• Performance metrics

• Annual individual action plans

Your Challenge

• What will be your role in crafting the strategic response to the critical challenges your institution faces?– College or University-Wide strategic planning

committee– Critical division, department or other unit plan