California Universities area mixed bag right now, some are holding their own in this tough economy, others are like the General Motors of academia and they are cutting classes and turning away students. Why is it that two universities in the same state or city — for that matter — could have dramatically different circumstances? What is one doing to better their position and succeeding while the other is less successful or failing?
All educational systems are being affected and the survivors will tell you that it is due to offering students their ‘unique skill sets.’ Although this may be true to some point, the key seems to be in how people and organizations adapt to changing circumstances. In California, it seems that the private colleges and universities are adapting faster and smarter. While one public university is adding administrative staff with one hand, it is laying off faculty with the other. How does this make sense?
In order to improve my education on the subject, I studied every college and every university’s web page in California for a clue. Let’s just say that there were far more web sites than I could imagine! The difference between those who were adapting and those who were falling behind was like night and day. One successful school had a link asking prospective students to meet them on Facebook, while others facing increasing troubles haven’t updated aspects of their sites in years carrying links to defunct organizations and former employees years after they have left.
Not all great ideas are just in the private universities, the Florida university system announced that for about $22,000 you can pre-buy your child’s education at birth! I love it, a ‘stock option’ on education!
In our challenging environment, those who have the best chance of success of thriving in the world ahead are those individuals that have learned to adapt and find and develop skills of value. If I were planning my college choice , I would follow those who are winning already in this tough economy.
Roger
Let me say that I have always been a supporter of Public Schools; however, faculty are not running the university anymore and it shows.