Trends in Higher Education: Implications for SUNY OneontaExecutive RetreatAugust 22, 2014

Context

Higher education is a mature industry.Growth of 1960s-80s is not sustainable.

•Economic pressures•Demographic trends•Increased competition

Economic pressures

• Rising cost • Reductions in public support• Limits to tuition discounting• Increased borrowing• High unemployment of graduates• Moody’s prediction = poor BUT• Demand remains strong

Demographic trends

•Decrease in high school graduates•Increase in diversity•Increase in adult learners

Increased competition

•Growth of SUNY •Community college 2+2 programs•Online offerings •Outreach to nontraditional students

BUT•Presumed “flight to quality”

Our current model

•Predominantly undergraduate•Recent HS grads•New York State•Preference for frosh•Residential environment•Traditional delivery•Liberal arts and professional programs

New directions

• Increase diversity: ethnicity, age, ability, veterans, out-of-state, international

• Remove obstacles for transfers• Increase retention, reduce time to degree• Offer applied degrees w/ LA foundation• Offer applied master’s and certificate

programs• Market to our grads: 4+1 programs• Delivery models: online, low residency,

PLA

4 wishes for students

•Passion + competency•Personal growth•Lowest debt•Career / advanced degree

Outputs to demonstrate

• Quality of learning• Mastery - major field • Dispositions - general education, campus

life• Student accomplishments • Value of the degree • Timely and economical completion

Resource allocation

• “Do more of things that get us to where we want to be and less of the things that don’t” –Ellen Chaffee

• Set spending priorities focused on core mission

• Collaboratively build and monitor institutional and unit budgets

• Base resource allocation on data• Reduce cost of degree and time to degree• Develop new revenue sources