Whither the “Next Big Idea”?

Last month’s Summer Seminar provided plentiful food for thought, although the excellent presentations may have had some participants reaching for antacid. Attendees were reminded by virtually every speaker of the need for constant innovation in the face of mounting pressures on educational content, cost, delivery, and value.

The situation is reminiscent of the old printer’s maxim: You can have a job done “fast, cheap, or good,” but never all three at once. Colleges and universities, however, may not have a choice; students, families, and other stakeholders expect both quality and affordability, and many are questioning the immutability of the four-year baccalaureate degree.

That’s why Hartwick College’s recent three-year degree offering, championed by one of our most engaging Summer Seminar speakers, President Margaret Drugovich, is precisely the kind of value-enhancing innovation we expect to see with greater frequency in the months and years ahead. Another example is the decision, first by Bucknell University and most recently by the University of Richmond, to combine career services operations with alumni relations and fundraising—a savvy trifecta.

Of necessity, private colleges are often more nimble at adapting to changing times, but with legislative coffers running dry, state universities are facing their own “innovate or die” mandates. We’d like to know where you think the Next Big Idea in higher education will emerge. California, here we come?