It is hard to pick up a newspaper or magazine nowadays that doesn’t contain an article about the affordability crisis in higher education. Calls for greater accountability and fiscal responsibility are coming from members of congress, state legislators, parents, and students. In his recent State of the Union speech, President Obama announced that the Department of Education would be releasing report cards grading colleges and universities on their effectiveness and efficiency. I am sure that all of the college presidents watching the speech were hoping that they would be graded on a curve.
As a result of these concerns, resources at colleges and universities will be constrained even further in coming years. Faced with hard choices, some administrators will choose to defund “non-essential” expenses, such as memberships and conference attendance. While on the surface it might look prudent to keep the money focused on the mission, it could actually undermine the long-term viability of these institutions. When resources are scarce, we need to follow the old carpenter’s rule of, “Measure twice, cut once.” We should be placing a greater emphasis on planning, especially the unique model of integrated planning advocated by the Society for College and University Planning.
SCUP’s approach to planning cuts across silos and integrates all of the key factors – resource allocation, academic planning, budget & finance, and facilities – into an inclusive, transparent process. Membership in SCUP should be seen as an essential first step toward achieving greater accountability and demonstrating fiscal responsibility.
Conference attendance is also sometimes constrained when budgets are tight. Yet, what is one great insight or idea worth to an administrator? SCUP’s collegial culture provides opportunities to learn from members who reflect the broad range of interests and roles found in higher education. Our conferences bring the best minds together to share ideas and case studies in efficient and friendly forums. The post-conference surveys we conduct always show that participants place a high value on what they have learned and feel it is essential to their professional growth.
I therefore encourage you to join us at our upcoming conferences. On May 1-3, 2013 we will travel to Montreal to explore the impact that globalization is having on colleges and universities. The title is, “Global, Local, or ‘Glocal’: Identity for Higher Education in an International Context.” We will be hosted by both McGill University and Concordia University, both of which are located in the vibrant heart of Montreal, one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. We have several outstanding plenary speakers lined up, including Jamil Salmi, former Education Sector Manager for The World Bank and Philip Altbach, Director, Center for International Higher Education at Boston College.
We are especially excited that the City of Montreal will use the occasion of our conference to unveil its new strategic plan for higher education. Conference attendees will be invited to the presentation on Wednesday afternoon and an exclusive reception afterward. For more information about this exciting conference, go to http://www.scup.org/page/regions/na/2013.
Our one-day conference will be held at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut on October 4, 2013. In August, 2012 Gateway opened its new 367,000sf campus in the heart of downtown. At a reported cost of $198 million, it was the largest project of its kind in state history and is expected to boost enrollment by 50%. In addition to exploring state-of-the-art laboratories and classrooms, we will discuss the role of higher education as an economic driver. We all understand how increasing educational attainment and improving worker training are essential to economic growth. Here we will also learn how colleges can stimulate community revitalization, as well.
Please join us! I can promise that you will leave refreshed and reinvigorated with a pocketful of good ideas that will strengthen your institution or practice. For more information about SCUP and our upcoming regional conferences, please go to www.SCUP.org.
Bob Joy is managing principal at JMZ Architects and Planners, P.C. and North Atlantic Regional Representative on the SCUP Board.