It’s a decade since I read “End of Business As Usual” by Brian Solis (2011). The book talked about the power of the connected customer, and the importance of engagement. Solis was right back then, it was the end of business as usual, Fast forward through a decade that has embraced a few technology spurts, and more recently, an unprecedented pandemic, we are reading much about the impact of Covid on business, but what about education? How is education doing in the big scheme of things? Is it the end of education as usual? We are hoping to emerge from a Pandemic, and a lot has changed!

Enrollments at community colleges in the United States have been in steady decline for the past decade, mainly due to (1) fewer college-age students, (2) the enticement to work, and (3) the desire for four-year degrees rather than 2-year degrees. The statistics speak for themselves. It is no secret that the college system has been grappling with a fiscal crisis for a long time! But, the most recent impact of Covid has led to a further steep decline in enrollments.

Will the college system emerge to a “same as usual” way of operating? What will the college education system look like next? After all, the community colleges adjusted well to the Covid crisis, through the use of emergency funding and the expertise of faculty and staff, the colleges continued to support students in meeting their goals. But, as we emerge from the Pandemic, the decline is still there, how will our colleges cope? Will the staffing structures change? How will our communities be best served to grow our communities?

There is a really good article Catastrophe or Catalyst? Reflections on Covid’s Impact on Community Colleges (Brock & Diwa, 2021)out of Columbia University. The article is full of data and information, if you have the same questions as me, I encourage you to carve out some time to take a read! – the main takeaway for me was the quote “colleges must ensure that their programs are worth completing” (Davis Jenkins and John Fink, 2021). Let me know if you take a read, and as always, your comments are welcome! More to come…..

#highereducation #highereducationleadership #studentsuccess