Opinion: The higher-education landscape is unclear, and employee values are shifting

The higher-education landscape is unclear, and employee values are shifting...

The campus culture is being torn apart by external contributing factors, many of which predate the Covid19 epidemic but were exacerbated as a result of it:

• Demographic shifts, online learning choices, and new career routes made possible by technological advancements have reduced the demand for a college education on campus. Institutions are no longer able to rely on their local markets to meet their enrollment needs due to factors such as increased student mobility, the growth of "national" institutions, and even the expansion of high school dual-enrollment opportunities.

• With a steady supply of "sales" staff, colleges were able to avoid most of the changes in their industry for many years. Admissions has evolved into enrollment management, and alumni relations has evolved into development and advancement. Because of these maneuvers, institutions were able to essentially disregard market influences and carry on as usual with their culture. In other words, when we started hearing things like, "Enrollment is everyone's business," and "Retention is everyone's business," we knew something had to give: the revenue-generating sectors couldn't be kept separate from the primary objective of education.

• In addition, the regulatory and reporting load has grown exponentially. Institutions were far more autonomous 50 years ago, and they were able to set their own rules. IPEDS, the National Student Clearinghouse, the NCAA, state and local reporting, accreditation, program reviews, assessment plans, strategic plans, and compliance now occupy a large portion of the time of administrators.

We frequently have the impression that we are exerting twice the effort to achieve half the results. These aren't the portions of the job that people look forward to, either.

Many campuses are experiencing a generational shift in leadership, which is changing the workplace culture. Generation X is taking over the reins from baby boomers, many of whom have avoided retirement. The millennials, a relatively tiny group that came after the Gen Xers, are now taking their place. The values of each generation are also different:

• Baby boomers place a high value on loyalty and productivity, and they expect to be recognized for their efforts through advancement in the ranks. They'd expect a strategic meeting to come to a close with a decision being made by the most senior or powerful individual present.

• Incentives such as autonomy and freedom of choice are important to many Generation Xers. They believe that the idea with the most merit will be the one that is chosen. In order to keep Xers in the fold, the institution needs to be more transparent and less prone to power disputes.

• It is common for millennials to appreciate authenticity and community, and they want to be rewarded with consistent positive feedback and the opportunity to make a difference in the world. They want everyone to be heard, regardless of their status or experience, and they want for meetings that are interactive and memorable experiences.

Many campus norms and protocols are being disrupted as a result of the clash of values and styles, and tensions are arising over the "correct method" to accomplish tasks.

The higher-education landscape is unclear, and employee values are shifting. How can we make our institutions better places to work?

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