Kaufman Hall’s Post

“Early planning” only occurs with the acknowledgement that there is a problem. Acknowledgement that there is a problem only comes with humility in the leadership. Leaders who identify problems have not failed (yet) but those who refuse to acknowledge problems have failed before they even start. Lead better.

In today's challenging financial landscape, early planning and transparent communication are crucial when an institution's budget is strained, and investment resources are limited. The author of this article provides sound suggestions of how to address these issues. However, these strategies are only effective if leaders have the necessary decision support infrastructure to: a) Identify and address emerging problems early on, and b) Leverage vital information to make informed decisions and adjust their operational and strategic priorities accordingly. From my experience, many issues highlighted by the author stem from a lack of this vital information. Clearly, a culture of informed decision-making can make all the difference. Let's prioritize data-informed insights across all levels of the college or university so that the students, faculty, staff, and community are able to improve their chances for long-term success. #InformedDecisions #Leadership #FinancialPlanning #HigherEd

An exciting note from the Higher Education Policy Institute about working on your university's strategic plan in such uncertain times... To take away: 'Better to be roughly right than precisely wrong' but above all is about leadership: 'The reality of leadership is making decisions with imperfect information'. Being in a leadership position in today's HE environment can make a big difference in the future of a university! #HE #Universitystrategy #leadership https://lnkd.in/eYY7XtC6

In a recent article in Times Higher Education, Dr. Fernando León García, President of IAUP, underscored the need for university leaders to be better equipped to navigate the complexities of increasing political polarization, populism, and shrinking resources. 📉 Dr. León García emphasized the importance of structured succession planning and the evolving role of university presidents. Today’s leaders must engage more with external stakeholders—businesses, governments, and fundraising partners—to secure new revenue streams. 💡🤝 He also called on leaders to move beyond short-term crisis management, like during the pandemic, and focus on tackling long-term challenges collectively. → Now more than ever, it’s crucial for universities to adopt a forward-thinking, collaborative approach to ensure their institutions thrive in an uncertain future. #HigherEd #Leadership #FutureOfEducation #UniversityLeadership #IAUP READ THE ARTICLE HERE: https://lnkd.in/gNUw72vd

Robert Kelchen points to common characteristics of private colleges that have closed, and his article should be read, especially by trustees. For metrics to follow, I recommend by own guidance (https://lnkd.in/eKKaxH6h) published on the website of AGB (Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges). The biggest challenge, of course, is predicting the future, and metrics only help to the extent that you can identify trends over time and assume, sometimes erroneously, that those trends will continue. The most significant predictor, in my experience, is the quality of the college's leadership and governance, which cannot be quantified.

Harvard Alumni Clash Over Diversity in University Leadership: Billionaire-Backed Candidates Rejected #billionairebackedcandidates #diversityandrepresentationinhigherlearning #diversityinuniversityleadership #freespeechinacademia #HarvardAlumniAssociation #Harvardcontroversy #HarvardUniversityboardofdirectorselection #inclusivityinuniversitygovernance #promotingdiversityinhighereducation #universitygovernanceanddiversity

It has been brilliant to meet with so many leaders in the higher education sector over the last few weeks. Whether over coffee, lunch, or Teams, it has been incredibly useful to talk about the challenges and opportunities that the new academic year brings. This article is my attempt at summarising some of the main discussion points and the issues that have arisen in each conversation. You can read the full article below. It would be great to meet and discuss some of these points in the coming weeks - do drop me a message if of interest. #HigherEducation #Leadership #UniversityManagement #EducationSector #StrategicLeadership

Harvard Alumni Clash Over Diversity in University Leadership: Billionaire-Backed Candidates Rejected #billionairebackedcandidates #diversityandrepresentationinhigherlearning #diversityinuniversityleadership #freespeechinacademia #HarvardAlumniAssociation #Harvardcontroversy #HarvardUniversityboardofdirectorselection #inclusivityinuniversitygovernance #promotingdiversityinhighereducation #universitygovernanceanddiversity

Harvard Alumni Clash Over Diversity in University Leadership: Billionaire-Backed Candidates Rejected #billionairebackedcandidates #diversityandrepresentationinhigherlearning #diversityinuniversityleadership #freespeechinacademia #HarvardAlumniAssociation #Harvardcontroversy #HarvardUniversityboardofdirectorselection #inclusivityinuniversitygovernance #promotingdiversityinhighereducation #universitygovernanceanddiversity

It is rare that an elite university selects a business school dean as president. Yes, President-elect Levin is a renowned scholar, but his leadership skills, integrity, and institutional knowledge made him the obvious choice to steer #Stanford out of its current crises. Will be interesting to see what #Harvard, #Penn and #Yale prioritize in their next presidents. #leadershipmatters