Securing Records Before the Storm
Are you prepared? Have you been adequately securing records? Do you have a disaster recovery plan? What would happen to you, your institution, and your students in the event of a disaster? While the nation is recovering from the most recent storms—Harvey, Irma, and...
Terminating for Moral Failure
Terminating for Moral Failure: How to personally thrive when terminating senior staff The third-hand rumor of sexual misconduct came to my office. Without corroboration, I could do nothing. I would not, and could not, ask a valued senior staff member about a sexual...
How to Find the Right Development Officer
College leadership often struggles with how to select the right development officer. Here are some tips: Distinguish between a development officer and an administrative support person. Make sure you have adequate administrative support so that your professional...
4 Reasons to Choose a Christian College
Recently, an undergraduate student that I’ll name Karen shared an experience she had in a Religion class at a local state university. A discussion emerged there about Christians (specifically Baptists) who had been persecuted early in American history. They discussed...
Promotion to Dean: 7 Best Ways to Guarantee Failure
Solid faculty members with longevity at a Christian college often find themselves in new roles. This can be the result of their own choice or sometimes even coercion, such as when failed searches or limited financial resources “force” faculty into these new roles. ...
Support of the University by Former Board Members: A Personal Experience
University board members come and go. In fact, it’s common for a board member to serve a term or two and then disassociate from the school with little involvement and support thereafter. While serving, some board members only attend board meetings and offer little...
You are the Voice of the Cause
A colleague asked: “Is it more important for people to believe in the cause or the individual?” My response: “Every cause needs a voice; every organization needs a face.” We all know dynamic, inspirational figures that lead organizations we support or serve in....
How to Generate Alternative Revenue Streams for Your Institution
Alternative revenue streams for higher education institutions are gaining momentum. How can your institution grab hold of this opportunity? First, take heed: “Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the...
Accreditation Eligibility: Determine If Your School Is Ready to Begin
When a school comes to us wanting help achieving accreditation, the first step is often to help them produce a document proving that the school is eligible for accreditation with their chosen agency. It is not uncommon for a school to be accredited by more than one...
Trends in Philanthropy for Higher Education
Charitable donations hit a record $390 billion last year, according to Giving USA 2017: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2016. This represents a growth of 4% over 2016, and the trend is expected to continue in 2017 with the economic recovery coming out...
5 Strategies for Increasing Enrollment at Theological Institutions with Limited Resources
Increasing and maintaining enrollment. That’s the task of every higher education school, and is especially challenging for theological institutions, many of which must function with limited resources in contrast to their secular counterparts. The purpose of this...
Retrenchment and Renewal in Christian Post-Secondary Education
What some have called a “perfect storm” of disruptive circumstances has impacted all of post-secondary education in both Canada and the United States for the last five years. The result has been two interrelated trends that have especially shaped Christian colleges...
Six Months into the New Administration: What’s the Prognosis for Higher Education?
"Whenever there is a transition to a new president and new political party, there is always a delay in new policy guidance and development, as a new administration makes its plans and chooses its leaders for the tasks ahead." Harry S. Weber At the U.S. Department of...
Writing Student Learning Outcomes: A Guide
Below is a brief but thorough overview of how teachers can guide students into knowledge, skill and demonstration of a subject through the use of a Student Learning Outcomes (SLO). Here, we will look at how to write an effective SLO that also complies with your...
Your Son’s Mentor: Distinguished Professor Che Guevara
“I am one of those people who believes that the solution to the world’s problems is to be found behind the Iron Curtain” (Che Guevara). Matthew Guevara is not related to the Cuban revolutionary / leftist hero Che Guevara, yet it seems he has received significant...
Fairness for All (FFA) Legislation and Christian Colleges: Pros & Cons
Where are the dead ends in this labyrinth? Where are the landmines? Is Fairness for All (FFA) Legislation good or bad for Christian higher education institutions? To help you think through these issues, we are providing two articles on this subject: one pro and one...
Fairness for All: In the debate between LGBTQ rights and religious freedom, is there a way forward? (Pro Article)
The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) has been exploring a legislative initiative sometimes called Fairness for All. This initiative seeks to find a way to simultaneously combine federal protections for religious freedom and for LGBTQ persons, two...
The “Fairness for All” Proposal: Is It Really Fair? (Con Article)
Sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) laws have banned religious adoption agencies from placing children only with opposite-sex married couples, and required Christian bakers to bake cakes celebrating same-sex weddings, businesses to address people by their...
