Tracy M. Sweet, Chief Communications Officer, Phillips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, U.S., talks shop about her school’s approach for when and how it responds to world events.

Whether it be a crisis on campus or a volatile world event, communication officers are under pressure to respond. The stakes of these statements have never been higher. Hear from seasoned education communicators on best practices and strategies, and the need to take a deep breath and fully assess the situation at hand.

Major gift officers in university advancement voluntarily leave their positions for similar roles at other institutions at an alarmingly high rate—once every 18 months, on average. But workplace compassion can help retain fundraisers, according to research. Here’s how advancement leaders can create positive change to increase team members’ satisfaction and retain talented gift officers. 

Spurred by the pandemic, millions of people have quit or changed jobs in 2020 and 2021. How has the “Great Resignation” impacted higher education? It’s led many advancement professionals to consider work-life balance, workplace flexibility, pay, and stability. Now, institutions are realizing the pre-pandemic status quo needs a serious overhaul if they are going to stem the tide of people leaving the sector.

In too many organizations, advancement is lagging on diversity, equity, and inclusion when it should be leading—and leading proactively. To build inclusive cultures and achieve real success in DEI objectives, advancement teams have to move from awareness to assessment to understanding. It's action with accountability. In this book excerpt, Angelique Grant and Ronald J. Schiller share key steps for leaders to do that.

Healthy accountability is at the core of successful advancement enterprises, but establishing and nurturing a culture of positive accountability can be difficult. Leaders have to be willing to have difficult conversations and find a way to promote performance metrics that empowers employees, avoids micromanagement and leverages an institution’s strategic goals and mission. Team members need to feel like they can rely on their peers and have difficult, even vulnerable, conversations. And individuals must have a clear understanding of expectations and the confidence that all employees are being held to the same standard. 

Enthusiastic employees—no matter what their roles are in your institutions—are those who will be incredible brand ambassadors both at work and after hours. They are, essentially, unofficial admissions representatives and customer service agents, and you want to ensure they are informed, engaged, and positive.

With more and more universities embarking on record-breaking fundraising campaigns, grappling with stagnant enrollment, and defending their place amid seismic societal shifts, employees with institutional knowledge and deep-rooted relationships with faculty and staff are essential to communicating the values of an institution and connecting the public with stories that embody those values.
 

As a growing number of women lead America's HBCUs their presence is forcing conversations related to gender equality in academia.

High turnover? You may be moving too hastily through the hiring process. Here's the case for hiring slow, especially at the vice president level. An advancement VP's departure offers a chance to completely rethink the position's focus and qualifications. The institution should consider where it wants to be in three to five years—and what skill set the VP must have to accomplish the goals needed to get there. Taking the time to find the right person for the organization will fuel the process of building a diverse workforce and foster consistency in staff supporting the new hire.