Leadership in Higher Education During Times of Change

If there is anything I know for sure, leadership in higher education is more critical than ever. 

Colleges and universities are facing new challenges from every angle: shifting student demographics, digital learning transformations, evolving workforce needs, and a rising demand to prove the value of a college degree. 

These pressures mean that higher ed, and by extension higher ed marketing, can no longer rely on the same old strategies that may have worked in the past.

Despite being a risk-averse industry, today’s leaders need to be bold and rethink how they deliver on their mission. 

They must find ways to use technology wisely, not just to keep up but to create better learning experiences and stronger connections with students. 

As expectations around flexibility and hyper-personalization (think Disney-level customer  service) continue to grow, it’s up to leadership to ensure that programs and support systems meet those demands while staying true to the institution’s purpose.

Leadership in higher education today requires more than administration—it’s about guiding our institutions through fundamentally transformative times. 

The leaders who succeed are those who can blend tradition with innovation, keeping their mission strong while adapting to a world that looks very different than it did just a decade ago.

In this episode of The Higher Ed Marketer podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Dr. David Wright, President Emeritus of Indiana Wesleyan University, about these critical topics.

Throughout our conversation, we explored leadership in higher education amidst a constantly evolving technological landscape. 

I know you’ll get a lot out of the insights that Dr. Wright shared about the balance between embracing innovation and maintaining the mission-driven heart of education. 

The Early Days of Online Education at Indiana Wesleyan

Imagine launching an online course when it takes up to an hour to download a single photo, Zoom doesn’t exist, and most households do not have access to the Internet. 

Dr. Wright’s history with Indiana Wesleyan goes back to those pioneering days of online education. “There was no term for ‘online learning,’ no LMS, just the basic web. But we saw its potential to make education accessible to adults whose life commitments kept them from traditional college settings,” Wright recounts.

But David took a huge risk on the Internet when it was still in its infancy and looked like it would be a huge failure. In fact, it was for that reason he offered his first course to 12 students for free. If it didn’t work, at least it didn’t cost them anything more than their time!

This innovative spirit not only launched Indiana Wesleyan’s first online degree program but also set a standard for how institutions could reach nontraditional students globally.

We were so cutting edge at the time that the tools really weren’t there [to begin and launch an online course]. But we really were able to tap into first mover advantage by getting into it that early. 

In 1997, we launched our first degree program, an MBA online, accredited and everything. 

Now over 30,000 alumni from IWU have their degrees through that modality, and it accounted for a huge amount of revenue to the institution, of course. 

But more importantly, it gave access to people that couldn’t complete their degree because it didn’t fit with their professional and personal lives. This opened up a pathway for so many people literally around the world to get access to what we were offering. 

Good leadership in higher education will need to continue taking calculated risks like this.

If not, our institutions will begin to fade away into irrelevancy.

The reality is that technology is like the air. 

We can’t do the things we do anymore without it because it’s so embedded in every aspect of our lives, professionally and personally. 

For some of us that are older, that can be kind of daunting. However, it’s just the ground of our existence right now. 

And so if we aren’t able to use it in a way that is seamless and transparent to facilitate the interrelationships between the institution and the students and the staff, then we’re really behind the times.

And like the air, if you think you can ignore it or live without it, just hold your breath. You won’t last long!

That may be a crude analogy, but it is one of the most visceral illustrations as to why leadership in higher education cannot afford to ignore new technologies like generative AI. 

It’s time for bold, calculated, and patient action to learn and leverage new technologies in higher education.

Dr. Wright distilled all of his years of innovating in the tech space within higher education this way:

When we were thinking about online, we were thinking about the wrong thing. 

When we were thinking about how is that student learning, then we were thinking about the right thing. 

The technology is just a means. It is a mediating means for us to get access to and cultivate relationships with people.

Technology is going to shape us and provide better ways for us to interact with each other and to foster learning.

Technology doesn’t have to be a dystopian nightmare. It can be the way to better relationships that transform lives.

And it’s up to the leadership in higher education to decide those outcomes.

Challenges and Innovations in Higher Education

In his work across the Christian higher ed sector, Dr. Wright has observed several challenges facing institutions today. Among them:

1. Mission Clarity and Audience Focus: Strong institutions avoid “fuzzy” missions. They know exactly who they are and who their primary audiences are.
2. Sustainable Financial Practices: Institutions facing financial strain often rely on outdated processes and spend assets unsustainably, hoping for better days rather than making necessary changes. “Spending down endowments isn’t a long-term strategy,” he cautions.
3. Updated Systems and Processes: Wright highlights the inefficiencies that arise from using outdated admissions and enrollment processes, which frustrate prospective students and staff alike. “Pushing people to work harder within dysfunctional systems doesn’t work,” he says, stressing the need for universities to modernize these systems to meet today’s needs.
4. Humility in Leadership: Wright also speaks to the importance of leadership that is willing to say, “I don’t know everything.” Acknowledging blind spots and embracing continuous learning are key, especially in an era where the expertise required to succeed is broadening. “Use all the brains you can borrow,” he advises leaders, quoting a mentor.

The Leadership Imperative: Embracing Change and Fostering Innovation

Reflecting on leadership in higher education, Dr. Wright offers a powerful analogy from Canoeing the Mountains by Tod Bolsinger. 

Much like Lewis and Clark’s expedition, higher ed leaders today often find themselves in uncharted territory, facing “mountain ranges” they never expected. 

The challenge, he notes, is to adapt and find new ways to achieve the mission rather than falling back on old strategies.

“If we brought a canoe to the mountains, we just need to find a different way. What we do matters, and the future, while different, can be good.”

Practical Steps for Leaders Ready to Embrace Change

Dr. Wright’s advice for leaders feeling the need for change includes embracing both humility and boldness. 

First off, you have to identify your institution’s mission and audience, and be relentless in serving them. Then, you will be ready to ask the hard questions. 

• Why are we doing it this way? 
• Was there a reason at one time why it should have been done that way? 
• And does that reason still hold? 
• And if it doesn’t hold, why are we continuing to do this?
• Is this producing the results we want?
• If there wasn’t a reason for doing this in the first place, and we don’t like the results we’re getting, how could we do this better?

Without this kind of humility to ask these hard questions, “we fall into defending policies and practices from the past” rather than innovative solutions for the future. 

When asking these hard questions, Dr. Wright emphasized the importance of partnerships—both internal and external—that can catalyze transformation. 

For those facing particularly difficult transitions, he suggests reaching out to trusted advisors or consultants who can provide perspective and practical support.

“Leaders need to say, ‘I don’t know everything,’ and ask the right questions to those who do. It’s about accountability and a willingness to learn continuously.”

Final Thoughts

Dr. Wright’s wisdom and experience illuminate a path for higher ed institutions navigating today’s complex landscape. 

His reflections on mission-driven change, technological adaptation, and the importance of personal connections offer valuable guidance to those leading colleges and universities.

Listen to the full podcast to hear more about Dr. Wright’s insights on how to build resilient, mission-focused institutions that thrive amidst change!

Ready to Bring on a New Marketing Partner?

Putting these leadership lessons into practice can be difficult on your own. As Dr. Wright mentioned in our conversation, having internal and external partnerships with people you can trust is critical to be able to ask the hard questions, get the right answers, and make a plan for change.  

At Caylor Solutions, we can come alongside you and leverage our years of experience in the higher ed marketing space to help you achieve your enrollment, branding, or advancement goals. 

We offer an array of consulting services from Fractional CMO to retainers for ideation, assessment, and strategy.

Ready to bring on a new partner to help you navigate these challenging times? Contact us today. We would love to help!

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Featured image via indwes.edu