Office Hours With EAB

EAB's Ed Venit hosts a conversation with Knack CEO and co-founder Samyr Qureshi, who shares how institutions can build a peer tutoring strategy to fill gaps in academic support services. The two discuss how Knack's approach helps institutions recruit, train, and compensate student tutors. They also explain how a student-led tutoring model can help scale up support infrastructure and reach more at-risk students with after-hours and virtual tutoring sessions.

EAB's Ellyn Artis and Ed Venit examine the new Student Access and Earnings Classification system—set to launch this spring—that could turn traditional college rankings on their head. Unlike rankings that prioritize prestige and exclusivity, this new framework was designed by the Carnegie Foundation and the American Council on Education to put student access and career outcomes front and center. Ellyn and Ed explore how this shift could become a powerful catalyst for change, pushing institutions to redefine institutional excellence. They also offer practical guidance for higher ed leaders on how to make the necessary institutional improvements.

EAB's Madeleine Rhyneer and Michael Koppenheffer review new analysis of over 80 school characteristics to uncover what draws students to U.S. campuses today. Spoiler alert: the number of majors offered, availability of student organizations, campus safety, and favorable weather all outweigh affordability in influencing students' college decisions. Learn how to leverage your true strengths and opportunities to stand out in a crowded market.

EAB's Tara Zirkel hosts a conversation with Dr. Jessica Gerrity, a grant expert from McAllister & Quinn, a federal grant consulting and government relations firm in Washington, DC. The two discuss what changes at the Department of Education could mean for grant funding. They also share tips on how university leaders might adapt grant strategies in the months ahead.

EAB's Carla Hickman and Kate Brown discuss the practical effects of the “Dear Colleague” letter and offer insights into how higher education institutions might respond to increasingly aggressive federal attacks on DEI. They urge listeners to prepare for all contingencies while avoiding the risks of proactive compliance. Carla and Kate also share resources available to help education leaders make informed decisions as they navigate the political landscape.

AI is reshaping how we search for and discover information online—so what does that mean for university websites? In this episode, EAB's Emily Upton and Philip Walton break down the profound impact of AI on search and share practical strategies for staying ahead. They also offer the latest SEO tips to boost traffic and engage site visitors more effectively.

EAB's Chrysanthi Violaris and Ally Stanton explore best practices for benchmarking in advancement, helping teams assess their fundraising productivity compared to peer institutions and past performance. They discuss how to interpret key metrics, avoid common pitfalls, and use data strategically to strengthen decision-making. The episode also offers practical tips on leveraging benchmarking insights to guide budget discussions with university leaders and demonstrate the impact of financial investments on fundraising success.

EAB's Rebecca Kelley interviews Chris Goodbourn from GEMS Education, one of the largest private K-12 education providers in the world. Rebecca and Chris discuss the challenges US colleges face in attracting international students. They also share tips—including leveraging EAB's Global Match platform—to connect with and enroll more overseas students more cost-effectively.

EAB's Val Fox and Todd Heilman unpack data from a new survey that examines the mindset and preferences of today's adult learners. Val and Todd highlight important changes in current and prospective students' search behavior, expectations, and application preferences. They also offer enrollment leaders tips to engage and enroll prospective students more effectively.

Community college enrollment was up nearly six percent in 2024, outpacing every other higher education sector, and retention rates are higher now than before the pandemic. EAB's Tara Zirkel hosts a discussion with Dr. Martha Parham from the American Association of Community Colleges about how to keep this momentum going in 2025. They also share thoughts on potential challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

EAB's Rebecca Knisely and Jesse Holzbach share tips and tools (like Appily Advance) to help institutions attract and enroll adult learners and graduate students. Learn counterintuitive best practices for optimizing your website, prioritizing information about degree programs, and making lead nurturing a year-round strategy.

EAB's Kena Wolf and Val Fox share insights from a secret shopping spree across the graduate schools at 50 universities to see how they stack up against one another and industry best practices in adult learner recruitment. They also share tips for institutional leaders on how to adopt a “testing and learning” culture that energizes enrollment growth without breaking the bank.

EAB's Brian Schueler and Todd Heilman share the latest findings from EAB's research into graduate and online enrollment trends. The two discuss how institutions are rebounding from the pandemic enrollment dip. They also advise university leaders on how to serve adult learners who increasingly want community and in-person interaction blended with online alternatives to give them maximum flexibility.

Colleges face extraordinary financial pressures with an average of one per week closing for good. Merger activity has slowed so the best option available to the most financially challenged institutions is to minimize the damage to students, faculty, and staff before closing down for good. For the rest, EAB's Michael Fischer and Molly Bell share steps that university leaders should take to assess their current financial health and take proactive steps to build a stronger financial footing.

EAB's Lindsay Schappell hosts a conversation with Dr. Andrea Lewis from Spelman College about helping new students get off to a strong start. Dr. Lewis shares details of the student onboarding and orientation process at Spelman, which starts with a college readiness program the summer before they enroll. Spelman's student support efforts also include mandatory study groups for first-year students and the use of Navigate360 to unite students, faculty, and administrators in a shared effort to keep students on the right path.

Jonathan April, head of EAB's College Greenlight team, hosts a conversation with Andrew Moe, Rajwantie Sahai, and Julia Perkins — all from an organization called Matriculate. The group discusses how Matriculate is narrowing the college access gap by recruiting and training college students to serve as “near-peer” advisors for high school students. They also share advice for higher education leaders on how to connect with and help young people who can flourish in college but need help navigating all of the administrative obstacles.

EAB's Michael Koppenheffer and Pam Kiecker Royall discuss a new survey that shows most prospective college students want colleges to send them more personalized recruiting messages that incorporate what institutions know about their academic and non-academic interests. Students say this kind of hyper-personalized messaging saves them time and makes them feel the university values them as individuals. Pam and Michael discuss what's possible and advisable in creating bespoke recruiting packets for thousands of students.

EAB's Carla Hickman joins Seramount President Subha Berry to review the findings of a new paper that explores the rapid decline in student readiness. That decline is causing unprecedented numbers of young adults to either forgo college completely or enter college without the skills needed to be successful. Carla and Subha share advice for leaders working in higher education and corporate America on how to adapt to this new reality.

EAB's Erin Preston hosts a discussion with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Vice President for Enrollment Management, Dr. Jonathan Wexler, about his study of university consolidation and closures. The two discuss the types of institutions at greatest risk and options available to those facing declining enrollments and revenues. They also offer insight into current trends in M&A activity versus outright closures.

EAB's Sean Tiernan and JP LaFors discuss how new college search behaviors are forcing university websites to evolve. The two share tips for connecting and engaging with Gen Z “stealth shoppers” who are heavily influenced by your institution's digital presence. Tips include quick fixes and more comprehensive strategies to improve your site's navigation and information architecture.

EAB's Linda Marchlewski is joined by Todd McLees, an internationally recognized strategist and thought leader on the future of work and learning. The two share why it's so critical for colleges to teach students how to use AI to make them better architects, actors, or anything else they want to be. They also share tips for higher ed leaders on how to develop private-sector partnerships that will help them strengthen the AI literacy of their institution.

EAB's Val Fox and Jennie Bailey take a fresh look at the relationship between universities and OPMs, companies that partner with schools to help them develop and market online programs. The two offer tips on how to exit a relationship with an OPM that is no longer generating sufficient value. They also outline steps schools should follow to help them transition to a more effective growth strategy.

EAB's Jenny Jones hosts a discussion with the University of New England VP for Institutional Advancement (Alicia Fereday) and the Associate VP of Finance and Administration (Matthew Kogut). The three offer tips to help department heads communicate more effectively with the people in charge of approving budget requests. Tips include advice on planning, prioritizing, presenting data to support your requests, and ways to model expected outcomes that might result from less than full funding.

EAB's Sally Amoruso sits down with Paul LeBlanc and George Siemens from Southern New Hampshire University to discuss how higher education institutions can reap the benefits of AI. Paul and George argue that university leaders have been slow to embrace AI despite the extraordinary opportunity the technology gives us to transform higher education for the better. This episode was excerpted from a recent Presidential Experience Lab event hosted by EAB and NVIDIA.

EAB's Brett Schraeder hosts a conversation with Bill Hall, the founder and President of Applied Policy Research. The two discuss the impact of the FAFSA delays on this year's enrollment figures and discuss the extent to which admissions teams may still have financial aid levers they can pull that could boost yield. They also talk about how APR will be working together with EAB's Financial Aid Optimization team in the months ahead.

EAB's Kate Brown and Lilia Shea examine the protests that spread across US campuses this spring and provide historical context on student activism. The two also explain why it's so important for university leaders to prepare this summer for more student unrest this fall as the presidential election season heats up. Finally, they offer tips on how to plan for and manage the university's response to future campus flashpoints in a way that preserves the institution while making students feel supported and safe.

EAB's Pam Royall and Michael Koppenheffer discuss what colleges can learn from EAB's newest survey of nearly 13,000 recent high school graduates. The survey examined the factors that drive college search behaviors and influence student satisfaction with the college experience. Pam and Michael explore how those factors vary by race, ethnicity, and income, and how colleges might adjust their recruitment and retention strategies.

EAB's Camilla Arias hosts a discussion with Pam Royall, head of research for EAB's enrollment division, and global higher education consultant, Donald Resnick to unpack findings from the latest EAB-NAGAP survey of graduate enrollment leaders. The three discuss the extent to which graduate enrollment professionals are happy in their jobs, meeting their goals, and embracing new technologies like AI. They also share advice on growing enrollments by understanding the most important factors motivating prospective applicants.

EAB's Linda Marchlewski is joined by Dr. Siri Terjesen from Florida Atlantic University to discuss how to trim bureaucratic impediments that stifle innovation and lead to disengaged faculty and staff. The two talk about how to identify policies and organizational structures that do more harm than good. They also offer tips on making your organization more agile by sourcing more ideas from the lower rungs of your organizational ladder.

EAB's Jennie Bailey hosts a discussion about performance-based admissions (PBA) with the Assistant Vice President, New Ventures & Business Operations at Northeastern University, Robert Towner. Rob recently helped Northeastern pilot the use of PBA to admit students to the school's online MBA program. Jennie and Rob share their thoughts on the growing use of alternative admissions models at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. They also share tips for other university leaders who may be considering the use of PBA at their institution.

Jonah Nigh and Jenna Bastian from The New School in NYC join EAB's Paul Gunther for a conversation about the state of university fundraising. The three discuss the critical role of technology, particularly CRM tools, as well as the importance of diversity and inclusion within the field of advancement. They also offer tips to other advancement teams on how to build a stronger, healthier work environment.

EAB's Alexa Silverman hosts a conversation with Emily Isaacs and Danielle Insalaco-Egan about how to help students adapt to the rigors of college. Emily and Danielle discuss the “Strong Student” campaign they launched at Montclair State University to help students acquire the skills they need to complete assignments, actively participate in class, and manage their time. The three also offer tips to university leaders on how to ease the administrative burden on faculty so they can spend time helping students learn these softer skills.

EAB's Madeleine Rhyneer and Lorianna Mapps discuss the top concerns shared by admissions leaders as they begin to hear back from accepted applicants. From dealing with the revised FAFSA to navigating their involvement with various direct admissions programs, admissions teams face significant change and uncertainty. Madeleine and Lori discuss the challenges and offer advice on ways to adapt while supporting staff who are feeling the pressure.

EAB's Paul Gunter hosts an extraordinary conversation with University of British Columbia President, Dr. Benoit-Antoine Bacon. In a remarkably candid interview, Dr. Bacon shares how his personal struggles and healing journey inform his views on leadership and the elements of a healthy organizational culture. Dr. Bacon also offers advice to other university leaders who are ready to do the difficult but necessary work of making mental wellness a central focus at their institution.

EAB's Ed Venit hosts a conversation with Nathaan Demers from Mantra Health and Joe Cooper from Montana Technical University regarding ways to meet surging student demand for mental health services. The three acknowledge that colleges can't hire enough licensed clinicians to meet demand, so the conversation focuses on ways to expand the use of telehealth to give students fast access to one-on-one counseling, self-care content, peer-to-peer support, and more. They also share advice for other university leaders who may be looking to expand telehealth services for their students.

EAB's Linda Marchlewski hosts a conversation with Jason Bentley and Shelly VandePanne from Ferris State University to discuss the “ReFOCUS” program. The program enables Ferris students who are struggling academically, to engage in skill-building, receive academic, social, and financial support, and get back on track instead of falling through the cracks. The three also offer advice to other higher education leaders about how to get technology, staff, and volunteers from across your campus community to work together to help students succeed and build a stronger sense of belonging.

EAB's Matt Logan interviews his colleague, Jason Browning, about how to improve data integrity, reliability, and accessibility. The two examine what's driving the increasing complexity of campus data and IT systems and suggest ways that senior leaders can access the information they need without relying on data specialists. They also offer advice to other higher education leaders on how to use data more strategically to inform decision-making.

EAB's Heather Darrow hosts a discussion with noted student success pioneer, Donna Linderman. Currently the Senior Vice Chancellor for Student Success at SUNY, Donna helped launch the ASAP (Accelerated Study in Associate Programs) and ACE (Accelerate, Complete, and Engage) programs during her time at CUNY. Both programs have been studied widely—and with CUNY's active support—replicated successfully at dozens of two- and four-year institutions. Donna suggests that while the individual program elements are hardly innovative, what makes the programs so successful is the fidelity with which program stewards collect, analyze, and act on critical student success data. She also offers advice to other higher education leaders who are interested in establishing an ASAP or ACE program at their institution.

Jo Fretwell from the International Schools Partnership joins EAB's Adam Wu to talk about how her team uses Global Match to help international students engage with US colleges that fit their interests and aptitudes. The two discuss how students use the platform, ways that students and colleges benefit, and how the matching process yields bona fide offers of acceptance without requiring students to submit an application. They also offer tips to other international schools that may be looking to provide more effective support to students looking to study at universities outside their country of origin.

EAB's Alice Shindelar and Amanda Kelly discuss how virtual campus tours are created and why they're so popular with students and university recruiters. They explain the uses for different interactive elements, share basic dos and don'ts, and talk about what differentiates a truly exceptional virtual tour from one that is average at best. They also offer tips to university leaders on how to collaborate with a virtual tour vendor to create tours that are just as useful for the university as they are for prospective students.

This episode is a condensed version of a recent webinar in which EAB's John Workman presented findings from EAB's annual “State of the Sector” research. John summarizes EAB's research findings, which focused on six key themes that ranged from questions about declining public confidence in the value of higher education to the risks and benefits of artificial intelligence. He then opens the discussion to a panel of experts including journalist and higher education author Jeff Selingo, California State University Chancellor Dr. Mildred García, and American Council on Education President Dr. Ted Mitchell.

EAB's Jenny Jones and Mark Shreve offer advice to help advancement professionals fine-tune fundraising budgets and strategies for 2024. The two share tips on how to prepare for discussions with your CFO, energize staff, and analyze the right data to stay on track. They also suggest ways to keep your fundraising messages focused on the good work being done by your institution and alumni amidst election-year attacks on the value of higher education.

Matt Nickodemus from Utah Tech University joins EAB's Devin Jones to talk about how his school uses technology (including EAB's Edify and Navigate360 software) to gain more efficient access to and insights from their institutional data. Their discussion is focused primarily on better ways to define, track, and report on metrics that matter in assessing student success efforts. They also offer tips to other university leaders who may be looking to make similar advances.

EAB's Tara Zirkel and Grace Anderson discuss a recent EAB survey that highlighted ways that pandemic disruptions continue to influence the college search process, as well as student preferences and academic readiness. The two focus on six key themes that emerged from the survey that are important for community college leaders to understand. They also offer tips on how they might adjust their approach to better serve students who may be thinking about taking classes during or after high school.

EAB's Tisleen Singh and Emily Niedermaier discuss the emergence of Appily, a new online resource that streamlines the college exploration process for teens and enables colleges to connect with more prospective applicants. The two examine findings from a new survey of more than 6,000 students that highlights a strong correlation between adolescent mental health and college-going behaviors. They also offer suggestions to admissions leaders on how to engage prospective applicants in a way that will make these students more confident in their ability to find their people and their purpose in college.

EAB's Paul-Anne Robb and Brian Schueler unpack the data from a new survey of college-aged non-consumers. One of the key findings is that while price matters, perceptions of high cost may be at odds with the actual cost of attendance once you factor in grants, scholarships, and other institutional “discounts.” Paul-Anne and Brian share tips on more effective ways to communicate with prospective students on price and other potential objections.

EAB's Kathy Ruby and Brett Schraeder recap the early days of the newly revised Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Kathy and Brett discuss the merits of the form itself, review the technical glitches that have plagued the so-called “soft launch,” and share what they're hearing from front-line admissions and financial aid professionals about the new FAFSA. They also offer advice on things that college leaders can and should be doing now to serve students and their institutions while the Department of Education works out the kinks.

EAB's Michael Fischer and Afia Tasneem discuss ways that institutions are moving beyond their initial resistance to artificial intelligence and are now incorporating AI technologies within academia. They highlight some of the most promising opportunities for leveraging AI to reshape curricula, improve student support, and gain efficiencies across hundreds of administrative functions. Finally, the two offer tips to higher ed leaders on how to focus their energies and governance processes to gain the greatest institutional benefit from AI.

EAB's Madeleine Rhyneer and Kathy Ruby pull back the curtain to reveal how admissions professionals sift through thousands of applications and decide who gets admitted. The two differentiate between the approach typically used at highly selective institutions versus those that admit most applicants. They also explore how financial aid optimization works and the ways that institutions apply FAO to help fill and shape their incoming classes.

EAB's Tom Sugar hosts a conversation with Carthage College President John Swallow. The two look back over their three-year (and counting) collaboration on EAB's Moon Shot for Equity to share lessons learned in eliminating equity gaps that are having an enormously positive impact on students from more privileged backgrounds as well. They also offer advice to other institutions looking to apply proven strategies to improve graduation rates and close equity gaps despite potential pushback from those who may impede those efforts.

EAB experts Dr. Tara Zirkel, Dr. Christina Hubbard, and Allison Peeler discuss the major shifts and trends impacting community colleges over the past year. The three share specific examples of institutions doing innovative work and overcoming post-pandemic challenges. They also offer advice on what community college leaders can do in 2024 to improve student retention and modernize the student experience.