Smart Strategies to Build the Higher Education Workforce in 2026
By Jacquelyn D. Elliott, Ed.D., President and COO, Blue Rock Human Capital · Updated September 29, 2026 The short answer: Colleges and universities build a stronger workforce in 2026 by developing and promoting the entry- and mid-level employees they already have. That means clear career paths, practical skills training (including AI), manageable workloads, succession plans […]
Net Tuition Revenue Is Changing the VPEM Mandate
For much of my career in higher education, retention has lived somewhere outside the enrollment management portfolio. Enrollment leaders recruited the class, admissions managed the funnel, financial aid helped shape the class, and everyone watched deposits and yield. Once those students arrived on campus, however, responsibility for keeping them often shifted to academic affairs, advising, […]
Student Belonging Starts with the Right Leadership Hire
Every fall, I watch new cohorts arrive at colleges and universities across the country, and every fall, I watch institutions greet them with the same instinct: build a new program. A belonging initiative. A first-year seminar. A peer mentor network. These are not bad ideas. But they are downstream of the real decision that determines […]
Executive Search for Athletic Directors: Why Higher Education Needs a New Search Strategy
Higher education has changed dramatically over the past decade. The role of the Athletic Director has changed with it. Institutions searching for an Athletic Director today are looking for more than an experienced athletics administrator. They need an executive who can contribute to enrollment, institutional strategy, financial stewardship, philanthropy, student success, and the university’s long-term […]
“The AI Algorithm Did It” Is Not a Legal Defense
Picture this. You’re the CHRO of an organization, checking email before your first meeting of the day, when a message with an alarming subject line from corporate counsel appears in your inbox. URGENT: Pending Employment Litigation A recently terminated employee is suing the company for wrongful termination and discrimination. The claim centers around your AI-enabled […]
Before You Launch Your Next Search: What Are Candidates Really Evaluating About Your Institution?
Over the past year, I’ve had the opportunity to speak with and formally interview more than 100 candidates (and my team has interviewed more than 1,000) across higher education in my role as Practice Leader for Higher Education at Blue Rock Human Capital. These exchanges have included cabinet-level executives, vice presidents, deans, and administrative and […]