With 17 years of insider experience, I specialize in enhancing university operations and strategic planning through innovative, data-driven solutions. Receive succinct, powerful insights on using analytics and artificial intelligence to streamline operations, increase ROI, and make informed strategic decisions. Ideal for C-suite aiming to do more with less and navigate the complexities of modern higher education.
🚨 Higher Ed’s $50B Crisis: What Columbia’s Funding Battle Means for You...
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Reader, Higher education is facing a perfect storm.... Rising costs, AI disruption, and now, direct political intervention into university operations. This week, we’re breaking down: 🚨 The $5B Funding Battle Over Columbia University The Trump administration has launched an unprecedented federal funding review into Columbia over its response to campus protests. If the administration follows through on its threat to cut funding, the impact could redefine the federal-university relationship—with ripple effects for every institution receiving federal dollars. Meta takeaway? Universities need to be prepared for direct federal scrutiny, especially on issues of campus governance, free speech, and civil rights enforcement. ​Read the Chronicle breakdown​ 💰 The Endowment Tax Hike: Who Really Pays? A new proposal seeks to increase the endowment tax on elite universities—raising questions about how institutions will adapt.
The takeaway? Institutions should be proactively shaping the narrative on their economic and societal contributions... Before policymakers dictate the terms. 📢 Read More​ 🎙️ Inside the Mind of the powerful Dr. Robbyn Wacker How do you align institutional strategy with student & workforce needs—and avoid the strategic plan becoming a wish list? Why AI isn’t just a tool, but a leadership challenge—and what top universities are doing about it. T he future of higher ed’s business model—how partnerships, revenue diversification, and new education models are shaping what’s next. The takeaway? Universities that can translate mission into action—and adapt to rapidly shifting external pressures—will lead the next era of higher ed. ​Listen to the Full Conversation; Clip​ 🔎 Final Thought:​ Higher ed is at a crossroads. Federal scrutiny, AI adoption, and business model shifts are no longer theoretical—they’re here. The institutions that embrace data-driven agility and policy foresight will thrive. The ones that assume business as usual will be in for a rough decade. 📢 Let’s talk about how your institution can stay ahead. ​Schedule a conversation.​ -Mike O’Connor O'Connor & Associates |
Hi, I'm Mike!
With 17 years of insider experience, I specialize in enhancing university operations and strategic planning through innovative, data-driven solutions. Receive succinct, powerful insights on using analytics and artificial intelligence to streamline operations, increase ROI, and make informed strategic decisions. Ideal for C-suite aiming to do more with less and navigate the complexities of modern higher education.
Hi there Reader, Hope your week is going as well as can be... We've got a lot to talk about this week, so let's dive in... The FAFSA Mess, Transparency Gaps, and a Smarter Model for Student Aid Guest: Chris Abkarians, Co-CEO of Juno Last week, I sat down with Chris Abkarians to unpack the FAFSA failure, the crumbling trust in federal aid systems, and the quiet emergence of more equitable models for student borrowing and pricing. A few takeaways: FAFSA Fallout Isn’t Just Tech: Chris makes it...
Hi there Reader, This Week’s Guest: Dave Sherwood, Co-Founder & CEO of BibliU What if your course content was as intelligent as your CRM? In this week’s episode, I sat down with Dave Sherwood, the Oxford-trained Rhodes Scholar turned edtech CEO behind BibliU — a platform rethinking textbook access, affordability, and alignment with student outcomes. Affordability = Access + Integration. BibliU eliminates publisher markups and embeds course materials directly into LMS platforms — cutting both...
Hi there Reader, Higher education leaders are staring down some of the biggest systemic shifts we've seen in decades... Politically, financially, and operationally. This week’s edition spotlights strategies to lead through the uncertainty... and unlock new opportunities. The Metrics of Belonging: A Fresh Lens with Meacie Fairfax We brought Meacie Fairfax (Strategy Director at Complete College America) back this week — but with a twist. Rather than just focusing on gateway courses or credit...