Claire Sterk is the new president of Emory University in Atlanta, effective September 1. Currently provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, Sterk’s long-range plan includes increasing diversity of staff and students, improving access, making the university more affordable, and strengthening Emory’s healthcare programs. Sterk has been at Emory since 1995, when she joined […]

Programs to help employees purchase housing near campus have gained favor in the past decade, both as an employee benefit and as a tool for community development. Efforts such as Wayne State University’s involvement in Live Midtown in Detroit inspired Eastern Michigan University to develop its own “LiveYpsi” program to boost neighborhood revitalization in Ypsilanti. The […]

It is no coincidence that at a time of staggering family college debt burden, hands-on learning is experiencing a revival in schools, colleges, and universities across the Nation and around the world. Students and families perplexed and frustrated by the gainful employment vs. tuition gap are looking for more practical (maker) skills from their next […]

For a long time, the academy has faced questions about whether or not liberal arts and STEM could co-exist. The talking points haven’t changed much – liberal arts colleges help students learn how to think and learn, while STEM institutions provide the highly technical education required. But today’s colleges and universities are tasked with delivering […]

A recent survey of alumni of institutions confirmed what every university president knows: when asked who set them on a constructive path, at the top of the list are professors who made them excited about learning, professors who cared about them as persons, encouraged them, mentored them, and directed them in projects—what we call “high touch.” […]

Over 16 years ago, the California State University system’s 23 campuses had independently managed networks. Each had autonomy over standards and used a hodgepodge of products. But leaders in the Chancellor’s Office knew a single setup across the board had potential to create a better experience for 450,000 students and over 45,000 staff members. “The […]

Unionizing efforts are picking up steam at colleges and universities across the country. In the last three years, the Service Employees International Union’s “faculty forward” campaign has organized more than 10,000 part-time instructors at more than 40 different schools. Beyond the widespread cultural impact, this trend has significant financial implications for universities. If union targets […]

It takes more than good intentions and extra space to be successful in starting an incubator. Here are three tips to to help campus departments of economic development go from idea to execution: 1. Write a business plan (and be prepared to change it). As with all successful startups, incubators might need to adapt their focus […]