Disqus - Latest Comments for patmcgraw

Re: US centurylink

patmcgraw — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 17:22:18 -0000

"Downline problems" with the telephone lines in Phoenix. Took almost 24 hours to get a human on a phone to tell me that...and that I get to wait 3 days for someone to come out and "fix it"

Re: Private polling offers another warning sign about college admissions season

patmcgraw — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:32:52 -0000

How many 4-year colleges have made the decision to open campus for fall? From what I have read, not all that many which means that uncertainty in the students' minds is probably high.

Then, how many are making the decision because of concerns over the virus vs. concern about paying tuition now that Mom and Dad have been unemployed for the past 2 months?

It's tough to enroll someone if you don't know you will hold classes. And it's tough to solve your students' concerns when you don't know the specific concerns.

Re: Conference speakers stress value of liberal arts skills to small college presidents

patmcgraw — Mon, 13 Jan 2020 10:34:02 -0000

Putting aside the comments from McBride for a moment, the issue is that society doesn't seem to share that opinion regarding the value of liberal arts.

If an institution wants to change that perception, it will require dedicating resources to re-educate society on the value of a liberal arts program.

And what liberal arts college has the resources laying around and the leadership willing to invest those resources in a campaign that won't generate immediate enrollments and tuition revenue?

Now, back to McBride's comments - show me the data that proves you hire liberal arts graduates and that they have seen the most upward mobility within the corporation over the past 5 to 10-years. If you can do that, open you wallet and pay for the campaign that is designed to help change society's perspective of liberal arts.

Re: An OPM debate between 11 colleagues, in 32 tweets

patmcgraw — Thu, 31 Jan 2019 15:41:05 -0000

Interesting but to the original question - why is a NP OPM needed? Does it matter if the OPM is NP or FP as long as the work they perform delivers or exceeds promised goals and objectives?

The reason OPM came into existence was 'OPM' originally meant 'Other People's Money' and the interest was in letting someone else take the risk.

Just curious but does anyone know of any profitable OPM efforts?

Re: 10 OPM questions

patmcgraw — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:43:44 -0000

Interesting read ...a few comments and questions for your consideration.

Hopefully you can answer Q1 and Q2, so you can then decide "is this an opportunity we have the resources for and can successfully pursue on our own?" If the answer to the last question in "Yes", why bother talking to OPM at all?

Also, if you can answer Q1 and Q2 but your answer to that last question is "...no, we don't everything we need to successfully pursue

Re: 10 OPM questions

patmcgraw — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 15:29:36 -0000

Interesting read ...a few comments and questions for your consideration.

Hopefully Q1 and Q2 can be answered internally, so they can then decide "is this an opportunity we have the resources for and can successfully pursue on our own?" If the answer to the last question in "Yes", why bother talking to OPM at all?

Also, if Q1 and Q2 can be answered but the answer to that last question is "...no, we don't everything we need to successfully pursue the opportunity", then the next question is "...what do we need and what is the price we feel is worth paying?"

If you can't answer the "...what is the price we feel is worth paying?", talk to someone with expertise in finance before talking to an OPM. Build your own financial model and then decide if the opportunity is large enough to support all the requirements to successfully pursue.

The problem seems to be that too many run off after OPM without enough information, and then they wind up getting a sales proposal that rivals the great works of Asimov and Clarke. After all, if it's Excel, it must be true!

Again, interesting article...thanks for sharing.

Re: What Do Presidents Talk About?

patmcgraw — Wed, 31 Oct 2018 14:55:55 -0000

They might be in higher education, but the other institutions are competitors so talking about mental health issues of students or the Cubs or the weather makes sense.

My larger concern is what, if any conversations are being led by the presidents within their institutions on issues like how to differentiate their institution from others so that their audience realizes the unique, valuable benefits available to them at the institution. Or how to remind society that education is not career training...and that there is a place for both in their lives. Or how to find a business model with a pricing strategy that doesn't lead to 6-figure debt for a 22-year old.

Re: Cumberlands Slashing Tuition by 57%

patmcgraw — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 12:06:26 -0000

Couple of questions...

First, what's the impact on current students/recent graduates that have been paying the average net tuition quoted in College Navigator for the past 3-4 years? They have been paying around $18,000 average net tuition between 2014-17 (https://nces.ed.gov/college..., if I am reading the chart correctly.

How many current in-state students asking for a refund today? How many recent graduates will elect not to donate?

Also, I wonder if anyone looked at the in-state students that elected not to enroll due to the price - how many were/weren't receiving substantial aid offers to reduce their tuition? Is this a solution to a problem - or a solution in search of a problem?

Would be interesting to see how many new students it generates - and how many of those new students a retained after Year 1.

Re: Marketing Influences Everything

patmcgraw — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 12:46:28 -0000

Marketing is "...the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large."

That encompasses identifying needs in the market and helping the institution develop unique, valuable solutions to those needs. It's the program and service strategy. The pricing strategy. The modality (which I prefer to keep part of the program and service offering - is it classroom, hybrid, online, blended, etc.). And it is the promotion.

The article seems to confuse marketing communications or promotions with marketing as a whole, as does your response..

Re: Is a shakeout coming for online program management companies?

patmcgraw — Mon, 04 Jun 2018 09:30:01 -0000

As long as there are institutions that don't want to spend their money on promoting their programs, OPM will exist. As long as a for-profit is willing to walk into the office of a college president and say "Don't spend that money on recruiting and retaining students - we will spend our money and then split the results later on", OPM will be around.

Re: 7 Bad Decisions E-com Marketers Make

patmcgraw — Mon, 19 Feb 2018 09:18:44 -0000

Would you please explain what you mean by "While the bottom line is important, noting how robust the business is from the starting line and throughout the race can show e-commerce marketers if they’ll even make it to the finish line."

I ask because if my clients aren't profitable, they cannot pay the bills - including the e-commerce marketers sitting there pointing metrics like site traffic.

Thanks

Re: Enrolling and graduating more students isn’t enough -- colleges must prepare them for work, too (opinion)

patmcgraw — Wed, 07 Feb 2018 09:06:26 -0000

One challenge is that too few employers have a clue what "practical job skills" are - and it's proven countless times per day when they rely on "other duties as assigned" from the job description. Sit down with an employer and walk through the job description for an open position - ask them what they mean by X and many will struggle to clearly explain it. What many want is a mind reader that can do things exactly as they would even though they themselves are unsure how they would do it.

Re: Outgoing Michigan State president's employment contract draws scrutiny

patmcgraw — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 15:24:59 -0000

Wonder if they stipulated where the parking spot was located...would be nice to see it relocated to somewhere less convenient.

Re: CIC Presidents Institute increases focus on solutions for struggling colleges

patmcgraw — Wed, 24 Jan 2018 08:09:14 -0000

Then why have the remained fixated on under 24 segment? Why haven't they addressed the 35M adults with some college/no degree over 25 years of age - some of whom would like to return and complete their degree? Or the 30M that have a degree over 25 years of age - some of whom would like to update their skills with certificates, certification, a second degree?

Because for many, it means doing something new/different. It means finding efficient ways of turning weaknesses into strengths to meet the different wants/needs of these audiences.

Re: New book argues most colleges are about to face significant decline in prospective students

patmcgraw — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 09:53:04 -0000

I might have missed this but would appreciate clarification...when the article mentions "students", are they referring solely to "traditional age" or are the including "adults/post-traditional" as well? I ask because I wasn't clear after reading the article and after talking with campus leaders, it just seems that too many ignore the 25+ year old audience when having this type of discussion.

Thanks for the help!

Re: Budweiser Stuns Nation: Releases 4th of July Ad That Has Conservatives in Awe

patmcgraw — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 16:15:49 -0000

Tom, I loved what you said...until you ended with "...who daily remind us how sick and twisted the left truly is." I am a liberal...hardcore. Cynthia Veronica's comment does not, in any way, shape or form, mirror my beliefs and attitudes or the beliefs and attitudes of those close to me in this life that also believe in liberal principles. This one isn't a "Liberal or Conservative" comment/issue...it's about someone that obviously has issues.

Have a great 4th.

Re: The key trends for all institutions embedded in the Purdue-Kaplan acquisition (essay)

patmcgraw — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 16:49:15 -0000

Very insightful - been trying to get college leadership to understand #2 for about 20-years now. Some get it and take appropriate action while others continue to do the same thing over and over, expecting different results. ;)

Re: Is What We're Doing Working? 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Measuring ROI

patmcgraw — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 08:12:29 -0000

We invest resources in promotional efforts in order to achieve enrollment goals - and, eventually, graduation rates. So if the money/effort is spent to attract new students, the goal is new student enrollments.

At that point the key metric is the cost to enroll a new student because the lower that cost, the faster you get to profitability.

For example, if it cost you $2500 to attract a new adult student that is attending part-time (6 CH per term) at a tuition rate of $500 per CH for a 3 CH course, they generate $3000 in revenue in the first term - but not all of that is profit. Let's say those courses at 50% GP, that means $1500 against the $2500 it cost to acquire them - so you are still in the hole by $1000. You need to retain them in order to break-even in Term 2.

Hope this adds a little value to the discussion...and my apologies...I wrote this over my first cup of coffee this morning so I might have missed something. :)

Re: How Colleges Use Big Data to Target the Students They Want

patmcgraw — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 09:33:29 -0000

Interesting series...thanks for writing and sharing.

I would appreciate some clarification regarding the following
“To see where admissions marketing is going, we need to look at marketing in the business world,” said Jim Black, the president and CEO of SEM Works, a company that assists colleges with their enrollment strategies. “Businesses discovered years ago that direct marketing was too expensive to gain customers. Higher ed is just a few years behind. Purchasing a list of names is a big investment to getting people in the door.”

Since direct marketing is "the business of selling products or services directly to the public, e.g., by mail order or telephone selling, rather than through retailers", is Mr. Black referring to direct mail vs. direct marketing?

Assuming he is actually referring to direct mail, could he provide some data to support his assertion that "Businesses discovered years ago that direct marketing is too expensive to gain customers"?

I ask because research shows us that direct mail spend has been around $9B for the past several years (https://thedma.org/marketin... which seems to imply that direct mail is working...so the question is if it works with new customer acquisition or customer retention,

And then there is this - "In 2015, 54% of Target Marketing respondents were using direct mail for their customer acquisition efforts. In 2016, this rose to 58%."

It's been my experience that direct mail works for those that know how to use it - and there are a lot of colleges and universities that don't know how to use direct mail. (It's not about stuffing as much as possible into a 9x12 two pocket folder and then stuffing that folder into a large envelope then hoping the recipient will be able to figure out what all that stuff is and why it should matter to them.)

Anyway, thanks again for a very interesting series.

Re: Differentiation and College Marketing

patmcgraw — Fri, 13 May 2016 08:35:38 -0000

Your last paragraph had me standing and applauding! This isn't about another campaign. This isn't about what image of smiling students (18 to 20 years of age, diverse ethnic selection) sitting on the lawn in front of the famous statue/fountain/building.

What's uniquely valuable about the educational experience I, as your student, will enjoy? How will you help me achieve my goals - heck, how will you help me develop more clearly defined goals?! What services and experiences do you offer me, outside the classroom, that no one else offers and that provides me with unique value.

These are hard questions to answer - they require a great deal of work and sometimes it's just easier to say "Let's update the student rec center and add a new rock climbing wall - then change the tag to 'Ever upward' or 'Climb to new heights"

Re: Why colleges’ brands look so similar

patmcgraw — Mon, 02 May 2016 15:27:41 -0000

Because most don't feel that "we've been here since 1898" and "our faculty cares" is justification for a $150,000 debt.

Re: In a Fake Online Class With Students Paid to Cheat, Could Professors Catch the Culprits?

patmcgraw — Tue, 22 Dec 2015 12:30:51 -0000

Enrollment in degree-granting institutions increased by 15 percent between 1992 and 2002. Between 2002 and 2012, enrollment increased 24 percent, from 16.6 million to 20.6 million. Much of the growth between 2002 and 2012 was in full-time enrollment; the number of full-time students rose 28 percent, while the number of part-time students rose 19 percent.

Source: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfact...

Re: Redefining the College Degree

patmcgraw — Thu, 26 Nov 2015 07:54:07 -0000

Lynn, thanks for taking the time to write this article. I appreciate the insight...but I am still confused and hope you might be able to help.

You wrote that the "programs are built around competencies" - how does this differ from programs built around learning outcome and objectives?

When it comes to "pace", how does CBE differ from a typical college course that offers the student the ability to turn work in early and/or gain extensions when "life happens"?

You wrote " Rigorous and valid assessments are key to competency-based education." How does this differ from the typical/traditional course today?

And, finally, when you wrote:

"They can be seen as more effective because they develop methods to validate student learning has occurred and competencies have been achieved, rather than assuming such learning has taken place if a student has taken a certain number of courses. They can be seen as fairer because they recognize learning the student may have acquired outside of a classroom. Learning is what counts, not the time spent in a classroom."

How does this differ from the typical/traditional classroom? And I am struggling with "...rather than assuming such learning has taken place if a student has taken a certain number of courses..." because [a] the student is tested along with way, and [b] capstone projects/assignments typically address that subject matter has been learned and the individual can apply that knowledge to real world situations.

Finally, how do typical/traditional courses fail to recognize what the student has acquired outside of the classroom? I seem to recall plenty of professors asking for and leveraging the real world experiences of students.

Thanks!
Pat

Re: Florida community college to consider salary bids from potential faculty members

patmcgraw — Sat, 31 Oct 2015 08:21:58 -0000

Well that is one way to differentiate your institution from others in the market.

"Our faculty know they aren't worth much" or maybe "A degree employers will quickly discount."

#sarcasm

Re: How IBM Got 1,000 Staffers to Become Brand Advocates on Social Media

patmcgraw — Fri, 03 Jul 2015 11:35:25 -0000

When you start of with such attention to detail "...accrued 120 million digital impressions and drove 141,000 clicks to campaign content", but then fail to mention a specific $ impact ("...though Armstrong said it's clearly helping members make sales"), you kinda lose me. Is it helping increase sales? Or is it helping the sales team spend time on social media but not increase sales?