1. Linda Samek George Fox University
NWCCU Annual Meeting 2010
Linda Samek
George Fox University

2. Teams Count Board of Trustees Academic Program Team Budget Committee
President’s Executive Leadership Team
Enrollment Meetings

3. Questions from the Board
How do we create a sustainable tuition (revenue) and cost model for the future?
Where are our future opportunities?
Can we consistently raise tuition forever? What are our limits?
How do we continue to raise salaries if growth is difficult as the demography of students change?
How will the digital age change our system?
Will we become a truly learner-centered environment?

4. Academic Portfolio Analysis An analytic tool that identifies program risk according to budget contribution and student interest 1 2 3 4 5 6
Sitting Ducks
Problem Children
Anchors
Bright Ideas
Rising Stars
Cash Cows
Ones are programs that many people
believe should be
terminated, but are
kept alive for political or humanitarian
reasons. Downgrade
these programs from a major to a minor. Don’t rehire faculty. Don’t promote the
program and thereby create a problem with students who want to enroll. Seek to crosstrain staff and transfer them to other programs.
Twos are programs
in trouble. They had
value in the recent
past and there is
strong evidence that they are salvageable. They typically lack
someone to
champion their
cause, and may need to be updated with new facilities, faculty and programming. Have as few Twos as possible. They tend
to distract attention and resources away from other programs.
Threes are anchor
programs that flow
directly from your
mission. Revenue is
not their primary
consideration because they represent a lot of where you came from, and guide and offer direction on where you’re going (e.g. Catholic theology for a
Catholic school).
Anchors are to be
cherished. Most
institutions can't afford to have more than a handful of anchors.
Fours are bright ideas, programs that research, and the students in your Marketplace, suggest you should consider adding to your curriculum. Program proposals for bright ideas! should be vetted through the creation of a business plan. They usually require start up costs and should have clear revenue expectations.
Fives are rising stars, programs that generate attention, students and some revenue. The revenue they do generate is usually reinvested into the program. These programs are usually growing and highly entrepreneurial. They are often centered on a strong faculty champion, and they are seldom stable. Some will become Sixes, others Ones. Donors especially love Fives.
Sixes are programs that generate more
resources than they cost to run. They are longer term. Many were former Fives,
rising stars. If you have a high number of Ones, Twos and Threes, you will need a high number of Sixes. Generally, Sixes require few
Additional resources, but need skillful
management and
enough resources to keep them current.
Bob Sevier – Stamats (Higher education marketing consultants)

5. Maxims to Live By Work with an abundance rather than a scarcity model.
Skimp on quantity not quality.
Take the long view.
Stop doing something!
Obscurity is not useful.
Look outward to see where you can be of service.
Focus on collaboration, not competition.
This too shall pass.
Celebrate small successes.
Trust your people.

6. Consider Your Faculty Lifting the human spirit is critical.
Focus on productive work. (Teaching, advising, sharing)
Only burden them with what they can legitimately address – someone should get to sleep at night.

7. Contact and Bibliography
Linda Samek:
Five Audacious Moves: Strategic thinking and acting in a very busy marketplace.
Dr. Robert A. Sevier
Vice President for Research and Marketing
Stamats Communications, Inc.