Charting the Course: The Crucial Role of Presidential Focus in Student Success

College presidents have always faced significant demands on their time and attention. However, these pressures have intensified in the past five years with the impacts of COVID, increased weather-related crises, and heightened political polarization. Given the complexity of these challenges, it's no surprise that many college presidents find their roles increasingly taxing. Amidst these demands, how do effective leaders ensure their institutions are enacting strategic reforms that significantly enhance student outcomes?

The core answer lies in prioritization. According to Aspen's research on institutions achieving high, improving, and equitable levels of student success, the key is for presidents and their senior teams to focus on a few significant reforms. This approach contrasts with the less effective strategy of attempting numerous small changes. As one successful president put it, what works is “a president with a priority and a plan.”

Focusing on three to five key reforms is crucial because faculty, staff, and administrators are less likely to embrace change without clear reasons. By setting a limited number of priorities, college leaders can better communicate the need for change and rally support from all stakeholders. They can repeatedly present the same data and narratives to build a compelling case for change and secure buy-in from their communities.

This strategy is exemplified by Milton C. Moreland, president of Centre College, who has consistently highlighted the importance of expanded socioeconomic diversity on his Kentucky campus. His efforts, part of the American Talent Initiative, led to Centre being recognized as a “high-flyer” by ATI because of its growth in Pell-eligible students (close to a quarter of Centre’s students are Pell-eligible). These results show how maintaining a clear focus can lead to substantial improvements collegewide.

Prioritizing a few reforms also helps unify decentralized institutions. A structure of shared governance, faculty and program independence, and multiple missions often makes it challenging to implement broad, scaled reforms across a college or university. However, major changes—such as improving graduation rates, ensuring community college students earn bachelor's degrees, increasing diversity, and closing equity gaps—require contributions from all college divisions. By maintaining a few essential priorities, leaders can foster a sense of connection and clarity about how individual actions contribute to overarching goals. This unified approach is one reason why applications to Aspen Presidential Fellowships remain strong, as presidents recognize the value of dedicated time to prioritize their efforts.

Increasingly, effective student outcome reforms extend beyond individual colleges. The rise of dual enrollment, the growing importance of transfer students amid declining enrollments, and new opportunities for work-based learning due to labor shortages highlight the need for external partnerships. Building these partnerships with K-12 institutions, transfer partners, and employers demands significant time and effort. Prioritizing a few key reforms enables leaders to focus resources on transformative efforts rather than isolated pilot programs, facilitating the partnerships needed to improve outcomes for all students. Aspen's research into transfer processes and the Aspen/AASCU Transfer Intensive program underscore the importance of this approach.

In our July 2024 newsletter we highlighted examples of how college presidents have successfully prioritized reforms aligned with College 3.0—a framework advocating for broad access, high graduation rates, and post-graduation success. We hope these stories inspire you and encourage participation in the growing movement of “presidents with a priority and a plan” dedicated to advancing College 3.0 principles.

A version of this blog first appeared in our July newsletter. Stay up to date and Subscribe to College 3.0, our monthly newsletter focused on higher education reforms.