By Mahendran Jawaharlal

President, CampusWorks

The new year has brought me the opportunity to serve as president of CampusWorks, a strategic higher education consulting firm that transforms community colleges by providing independent perspective and creative solutions to leverage technology to improve operational efficiency, reduce costs, and position students for success. Having spent over 30 years in the global higher education space, I’ve seen our industry confront challenges large and small, and the institutions that have fared best have been those that have looked past the challenges for opportunities to evolve and grow. 

It’s no secret that today’s community colleges are faced with serious issues. We’ve seen countless headlines about declining enrollment, shrinking budgets, low completion rates, rapidly-changing technology, and the general public’s corroding faith in the value of a higher education degree. Our work at CampusWorks exposes us to some of the less publicized issues facing higher education—one of which is centered on the clarity around mission. Community colleges are united in their mission to provide high-quality, accessible, and comprehensive learning experiences that meet the needs of the communities they serve. But as institutions struggle for survival, there is an opportunity to reengage their purpose and unify around a clear direction.

If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s how to do more with less. But for the health of our organizations and sanity of our people, it’s time to start doing things differently. As I look at the year ahead, I believe there is opportunity for institutions to reinvent and reinvigorate themselves by letting go of old, comfortable habits, reevaluating the institution’s mission, thinking outside the box, and exploring new opportunities to drive growth. 

Of course, reinvention begins with an honest look inward. In 2018, community colleges would be well served to revisit their mission statements and determine if it still reflects the organization’s goals and values. If so, this is the year to recommit to that mission and ensure that it is woven into the fabric of the college and possibly even redefine it. When institutions are mission driven, their organizational goals are aligned, they act with intention and purpose, and they’re open to embracing new ideas, opportunities, and ways of doing things—and the results can be transformational.

Despite the challenges on the horizon in 2018, there are a number of opportunities that community colleges can act on to drive growth. While the strong labor market means that competition for students will continue to increase, employers are simultaneously facing labor shortages, creating a need for qualified workers and an opportunity for community colleges to offer programs that cater to those needs within their local economies. In July, Campus Technology identified "a surge in the demand for ‘middle-skill fields,’" such as police officers, firefighters, electricians, dental hygienists, and other jobs that require specialized training, as one of the top three trends that will impact community colleges by 2021. Institutions can capitalize on this trend by reviewing their program offerings and delivery models and leveraging partnerships to continue supporting a growing economy. 

We’re also seeing the community college’s role, in general, shift to become more comprehensive to meet students’ broader needs beyond instruction. More than ever, community colleges are forming partnerships and adopting new technology to offer robust services and delivery modalities to reach more students. Colleges are also reexamining the role they play in students’ transition from high school to college and eventually the workforce. According to the 21st Century Commission on the Future of Community Colleges’ report, Reclaiming the American Dream, "a preponderant majority of community college students arrive at their college under-prepared to succeed in college-level work." Successful institutions will be those that find ways to help students ease the adjustment and see their educational goals through to completion. 

From a financial perspective, all signs indicate that budgetary pressures will continue to challenge already lean organizations, rewarding those that think outside the box to expand their funding sources and leverage emerging technology to reduce operational inefficiencies and decrease expenditures. I believe one of the most impactful things community colleges can do to continue to drive enrollment is show prospective students a clear pathway to their goal, whether that be the pursuit of a higher degree or employment. With prospective students questioning the return on investment of a higher education degree and public and private investors questioning colleges’ ability to deliver outcomes, increasing transparency and accountability can help demonstrate not only your college’s value but also its commitment to its mission.

If your college is ready to reinvent itself in 2018, CampusWorks can help. Since 1999, CampusWorks has become a trusted partner of community colleges across the nation, helping them overcome business and technological challenges that stand in the way of student success and completion. Our team has the experience and expertise to bring fresh perspective to your institution's challenges. Our services are rooted in systems thinking and reach across the institution—from Student Services to Human Resources to Finance to Academics—to achieve transformative results. Since we’re not associated with any hardware or software vendors, you can count on us to listen to your needs, provide unbiased insights into your organizational challenges, and develop tailored solutions with your best interest in mind.

Whether you need to reimagine and redesign ineffective business processes, refresh your IT organization to adopt new technologies, engage in strategic planning, or redefine your mission statement, CampusWorks can help you see past today’s challenges and capitalize on opportunities that will position your institution for success in the years to come. For more information and a free consultation, visit www.campusWorksinc.com.

Mahendran Jawaharlal joined CampusWorks as the president on January 1, 2018 and will transition to CEO on July 1. Mahendran has served in leadership positions at Macmillan Enterprise Services Group, Campus Management Corporation, Jenzabar, and CARS Information Systems. Learn about Mahendran's 30-year career in higher education and his plans as the president of CampusWorks in this short video: Meet Mahendran.

 

Since 1999, CampusWorks has become a trusted partner of countless community colleges across the U.S. We serve higher education exclusively, so we understand and appreciate your institution's mission, vision, and values as well as the business and technical challenges you’re facing. Since we’re not associated with any hardware or software vendors, you can count on us to listen to your needs, provide unbiased insights into your organizational challenges, and develop tailored solutions with your best interest in mind. Whether you need a technology assessment, cybersecurity support, process reimagine and redesign, or interim leadership, CampusWorks can help. Learn more at www.campusworksinc.com.