Building a new University and Law School from scratch was interesting. Throw in building a new city around it in a new state and with 50-50 equal partners – there was bound to be issues. Zoning, governmental, religious, messaging and marketing, concepting, fundraising, academic oversight – just to name a few. How do you manage such an undertaking while keeping both partners aligned?
Proven Solutions from Seasoned Professionals
These real-world examples showcase how our professionals have successfully tackled specific industry challenges.
— A highly successful but controversial university president has worn out his welcome after a series of highly publicized personal and professional gaffes. While his abilities as a fundraiser have led the university from obscurity to prominence as a valuable city college option, the Board has lost confidence and needs to part ways with him. How can the university maintain its newfound positive reputation and growth goals after a difficult parting with the current president and transition to new leadership?
— Financial issues are negatively impacting smaller colleges and universities nationwide. The enrollment cliff, rising costs and declining endowments are combining for a perfect storm of difficult financial management. One college has the compounding factor of poorly managed books by a former finance chief, leaving the Board and President on the hook to explain significant shortfalls. How can the Board and Administration face financial realities, implement cuts and make appropriate changes in governance while maintaining enrollment and confidence in the stability of the institution going forward?
— Facing the termination of its second university president in three years for inappropriate and abusive behavior toward staff, the Board of Trustees is at a crossroads. After navigating yet another expensive transition to move on from the current president, they have to make a better choice. The newly hired provost seems to be an obvious answer with a stellar pedigree and good initial impression after being on board only a few months. Once the decision is made, how can the Board effectively communicate why it will be different this time and that they found the right person even with an abbreviated search process?
— Facing insurmountable financial pressures from declining enrollment, rising costs and an aging infrastructure, a small regional college is being forced to close. How can the Board ensure a smooth transition for students, support departing faculty and meet its financial obligations to lenders with few remaining resources in place and litigation on the horizon?
— A disturbed student with a gun enters a small, rural town’s high school and opens fire, killing three students and injuring three others. It’s a story that has unfolded countless times in recent years. How do the shattered faculty, student body, parents and community come together during the incident and in its aftermath? What were the communications tools needed and how did communications play a role in effectively dealing with the incident in real time as well as the aftermath as criminal charges and lawsuits proceeded?
— The head of a prominent nonprofit providing fundraising support for a top-ranked public charter school network has been charged with solicitation of a prostitute and subsequently resigned. As founder and former CEO of the schools, this individual was a highly visible community leader, heavily engaged in fundraising, making the nonprofit and the schools it supports vulnerable to funding shortfalls as they do damage control and try to protect their reputation. How can the nonprofit maintain its funding sources, reassure parents of children in the schools and rebuild confidence in the nonprofit?