The Smarketplace

Today's Fast Company magazine's daily e-newsletter featured "The 10 Commandments of Social Media" by Lon Safco, author of The Social Media Bible. Good advice.

Business & Leadership.com, a wonderful information destination based in Ireland, just published a story about the future of newspaper journalism in light of the rise of Web 2.0 readership habits.  Although the model or format for quality journalism may be changing, there is still a need for our colleges and universities to graduate intellectually curious writers who are effective communicators.

Summer Seminar 2009 begins this week in Minneapolis.  Described by past participants as "one of the best private college enrollment management conferences," the seminar will welcome over 100 guests from throughout the country.  Roger Goodman, vice president of Moody's Investors Services, will kick off this year's Summer Seminar conference, which is focused on the theme of Asserting the Value of Private Higher Education in an Age of Frugality.

Everyone I talk to says that this recruiting year has been one of the most challenging years ever.  I agree, but next year is going to be even more challenging. My concern is that with so much focus on bringing in this year's class, people aren't focusing on planting seeds for the class of 2010. Strategic marketing informed by research has never been more important.  

Today has historically been that magical "postmark" date that is an indication of a job well done and mission accomplished.  May 1, 2009 and the week ahead will be different.  Many colleges are down in deposits.  Word of multiple deposits is spreading.  Summer melt is a serious concern.  Yield will be crucial this fall.  To that end, it is an absolute necessity that colleges focus on yield activities during the next several months. Success is the residue of persistence.

May 1.  Big day today in college admissions.  2009 though is full of consternation.  Concern about deposit counts, multiple deposits, summer melt, the economy, and overall yield.  Bjork's song "Possibly, Maybe" seems to capture the moment.

Deleveraging.  I heard the word used twice last week to describe how people are approaching the "new economy."  Savings are on the rise and prudent frugality is the new badge of honor.  As Mohamed El-Arian states in this week's Newsweek cover story by Daniel Gross, "We've gone from an age of entitlement to an age of thrift."

In college admissions offices across the country, admissions deans hardly have time to bite their nails, but give them a moment of unstructured time and that's exactly what they'll be doing. It isn't pretty nor even sanitary—but it's essential to making it through the next five weeks.

A friend of mine who is the managing partner of several companies and a non-profit board leader shared this article with me.  Whether you are college president, chief enrollment officer, or department head, this sage advice from Bill George

I heard an interesting comment on Tuesday evening about the value of a college education: "Education used to be a growth stock.