Matters of the Day
Trending Higher ED Figures
Turning Point
While many institutions grapple with financial instability due to declining enrollment and reduced funding, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that undergraduate enrollment grew by 2.5% in spring 2024, marking the second consecutive semester of growth following years of decline during the pandemic.
Source: https://nscresearchcenter.org/current-term-enrollment-estimates/
Public Perception
Trust in the value of a four-year college degree is diminishing. A Pew Research Center survey found that only 22% of adults believe a college degree is worth the debt incurred.
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/477f1fa0-d189-4b31-b3ce-67777a49aebf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Wanted: Leaders
The average tenure of university presidents continues to decline—between 2006 and 2022, it fell from 8.5 years to 5.9 years. A recent American Council on Education study indicates that 55% of presidents plan to step down from their positions within the next five years.
This is Private
Higher education leaders increasingly recognize the value of collaboration with the private sector, regarding these partnerships as a key resource. In a 2023 Chronicle of Higher Education and P3•EDU survey, 74% of respondents said these partnerships provide unique competencies and superior services compared to in-house alternatives.
AI AI Captain “While an overwhelming majority of higher education faculty and administrators believe that gen AI will impact their institutions in the next five years, far fewer—just one in five—believe their institution is prepared for this change.”—2023–2024 Digital Learning Pulse Survey, Cengage
