College and university efforts to support greater mental health and well-being were already increasing prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past decade, several presidents, chancellors, and provosts appointed mental health task forces and produced public-facing task force reports. This report analyzes and synthesizes 16 of those reports to surface general operating procedures and common themes across task force recommendations. Interviews and insights from 10 task force leaders also inform the considerations. Access.

Last year tested colleges and universities in unparalleled ways; we expect to see the impacts for a longtime to come. In our view, revenue forecast updates and management teams' ability to adjust budgets will remain critical. We enter 2021 with 39% of our rated colleges and universities on negative outlook, highlighting our opinion that the increasing pressures in the sector will continue to stress the lower end of the rating spectrum or schools that were already struggling operationally pre-COVID. Access.

Hybrid learning has been an essential part of many institutions' COVID response, but it's not the full story. Here's 5 articles exploring key considerations for higher education through the pandemic and beyond. Sponsored by Microsoft, the articles include, Envisioning the Future of Higher Ed in a Post-Pandemic World; Top IT Issues for an Uncertain Future; and 15 Trends Shaping the Future of Higher Education. Access

"A disturbing number of prospective students (one in six respondents) appear to be near the point of giving up on the idea of attending a four-year college or university as a full-time student in the fall,” notes a student poll published by Art & Science Group. Further, “an additional two-thirds of graduating seniors are currently concerned that they may have to change their first-choice school due to COVID-19.” During the coronavirus pandemic and its fallout, what can enrollment managers do to maximize recruitment and retention at institutions of higher education?  Access.

This report includes a series of interactive charts that explore recent US higher education data and trends. The aim is to understand how these trends may shape leaders’ decision-making and to raise questions for further investigation. We have used publicly available data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE), and Higher Education Demand Index (HEDI). Unless noted, we have looked at all active four-year and two-year institutions. Access.

Many university boards have not revised their governance models in decades and struggle to deliver on their mission. To update their current operating model, boards can focus on three best practices. Access.

The law firm of Stevens & Lee and the APCU strategic partner Academic Innovators have developed a series of complimentary on-demand webinars for APCU presidents that address strategic alternatives for institutions of higher education. You are invited to access the three webinars released to date by clicking on the 'Access' link below. When prompted, use the password 'APCU2020' to access the content. Future webinars will be made available upon their release. Access.

Higher education in the United States is at an inflection point. In short, the coronavirus has confirmed the case for fast and fundamental change. It has also demonstrated that change is possible. With that in mind, we pose five questions for US higher-education leaders to address as they look to the future. For each question, we describe the current conventional wisdom and then make the case for challenging it—to the benefit of students, faculty, staff, institutions, and society. Access

Numerous studies and surveys indicate that the mental health of students has significantly worsened in the last few months. As a recent story by Sarah Brown in the Chronicle of Higher Education underscores, these mental health concerns are likely to be higher for students of color, whose populations are disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and the country’s racial tensions and distress. It’s essential that colleges and universities prepare to support the mental health of students of color, whether students return to campus or continue remote learning. Access.

The CDC has dedicated a section of its website to the work of colleges and universities. This section contains a series of articles and white papers that address issues specifically related to the higher education sector and the re-opening of colleges and universities. This content includes guidance on cleaning and disinfecting, student travel, worker safety and support, and updated considerations for college administrators. Access.