SB 1146 Update: The Future of California’s Christian Colleges & Universities
Christian higher education in the Golden State dodged a major bullet last year in the form of targeted legislation posing an existential threat to religious liberty. Early versions of SB 1146, if enacted, would have marked the beginning of the end for...
Developing a Board of Ambassadors, Advocates, and Your Biggest Fans
Several years ago, I was invited to join the board of directors of our regional food bank. At the first board meeting I attended, I didn’t have a clear understanding of the cause or my role. I didn’t fully understand the focus or the mission of the organization. I did...
A Lesson from Joshua on Passing the Baton
Sadly, on rare occasions I have served with people who were more interested in building their own kingdoms than the Kingdom of God. Still, they do some good. Even Judas only took some of the money from the bag with which he had been entrusted. Might there someday...
Shoot the Pirates: And Three Other Strategies for Safeguarding Your School’s Mission (Part 2)
What do Christian colleges have in common with corporate America? Mission drift. So pervasive is this problem that it got the attention of the witty writers at The Onion, a satirical “news” publication. In a 2012 article, a fictitious CEO explains that his “company...
What Role Does a Gift Range Chart Play in Your Fundraising Success?
What Is a Gift Range Chart? A gift range chart is an empirical tool based on sound statistical analysis used to determine how many potential donors you will need to ask to raise a specific amount of money. A gift range chart is based on the “giving pyramid” that shows...
Dangers in the Managing of Title IV Programs
Recent audits and U.S. Department of Education program reviews reveal several areas which if mishandled or overlooked can cause problems for institutions. In our efforts to alert you to potential problems, we also offer solutions or procedures to avoid dangers in...
How to Get Everybody Talking About Your School
Everybody should be talking about your school. I want your supporters, faculty, and students to talk about your school. I want them to talk about how they love what you do. If they are happy, they will tell their friends, their neighbors, and they will share about you...
How Leveraging Technology Impacts Enrollment Goals
Rising student expectations, increased competition, and the pressure to reach enrollment goals means it is more important than ever for schools to differentiate themselves in this difficult landscape. For Saint Leo University, a liberal arts-based school...
Conference Profile: Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU)
The mission of the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities is: "To advance the cause of Christ-centered higher education and to help our institutions transform lives by faithfully relating scholarship and service to biblical truth." The CCCU is an...
Shoot the Pirates: And Three Other Strategies for Safeguarding Your School’s Mission (Part 1)
Safeguarding against Mission Drift In the Middle Ages, kind-hearted Franciscan monks developed a charity model to make sure the poor could buy food and wisely manage their money. This model, called Montes Pietatius, was also intended to help protect the poor from...
5 Steps to Strengthen Your Institution’s Cybersecurity Defenses
Russia, China, the CIA, and FBI. Hacking has been receiving a great deal of attention lately in the political arena, but many higher education leaders may not realize the severity and scope of the threat to their very own institution.The reality is that colleges and...
Educational Vouchers: A Strategic Opportunity for Christian Colleges
“As your President, I will be the nation's biggest cheerleader for school choice.” - Donald Trump Were these just words? Not anymore. Our 45th president nominated Betsy DeVos to head the U.S. Department of Education. The daughter-in-Law of billionaire Richard DeVos...
Key Factors Correlated with Fundraising Success
Why do some colleges or universities have huge multi-billion dollar endowments, and why do some get huge multi-million dollar donations? What can you do to bring more fundraising success into reach? Listed below are the results of dissertation research conducted by...
Reinvent Your Development Department in 8 Steps
As part of the natural growth and maturing of an institution, you may find that your school needs to undergo a complete reinvention of its development function. How do you know if your time has come? Consider if your school has experienced any of the following: A...
The New “F Word” on College Campuses: Fundamentalism
It’s really funny, almost. And sad. Too many faculty at Christian universities are more afraid of “fundamentalism” than they are of agnosticism or outright atheism and its secularist implications. Most dangerous of all, they are even more afraid of Christian...
Trump Administration and FAFSA: What to Expect
Having survived federal financial aid transactions through eight presidents, I offer my thoughts on the ninth—President Donald Trump—and how his administration may affect the education system and financial aid regulations. Education regulations and programs are...
Trinity Western Law School’s Legal Quest to Protect Religious Freedom in Canada
The year 2017 will likely go down in history as a decisive one in the struggle to define the character of religious freedom in Canada. After four years of political and legal maneuvering and litigation, two key cases concerning Trinity Western University (TWU)...
What Might an Accreditation Self-Study Consultation Look Like?
Are you battling an accreditation self-study? Do you wonder whether it's time to engage a good consultant? Achieving accreditation is not simply a matter of submitting correctly-written answers and perfectly-formatted documents. It is a matter of changing the way your...
