Like in any large organization, appointed leadership within Christian higher education can result in temporary havoc among faculty and staff, negatively affecting the working culture and climate. One reason for arriving at this state of havoc is the fact that leadership can often be chosen based on personality. Even when this is true, followers get used to the personality traits of those in charge and learn how to negotiate idiosyncrasies and tendencies. However, when a leadership style is incompatible with the department, or when poor judgement and bad decisions surface, faculty might enter ..read more

When and how should Christian universities address evil in current events? Events since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 have taught us that we live in an age of moral and political confusion in academia. Administrators at elite universities do not know whether or how to offer moral clarity and wisdom about current events, such as the intentional targeting and butchering of civilians. Unfortunately, the general practice of public statements has largely been reactive versus proactive. Universities tend to react in one of two ways. On one hand, if the event fits an undefined ..read more

When and how should Christian university faculty and administrators go after the one student who is falling behind? ​   I stood in the student-led chapel service singing along with a worship song that proclaimed, “Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending reckless love of God. Oh, it chases me down, fights till I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine.” Though drawing on the familiar imagery of the Parable of the Lost Sheep (Matthew 18:10-14; Luke 15:4-7), the words of the song struck me differently as I considered the 93 (not quite a full flock of 99!) first-year students I was teaching and the one ..read more

A study of emergency remote teaching (ERT) during COVID lockdowns reveals key best practices for preparing deans, faculty, and students for effective online learning. This is a case study on how academic leaders at one higher education institution navigated 2020 to 2022 when the Covid-19 pandemic kept the education process in virtual mode. Internationally, the academic literature was replete with reports on the inadequacy of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) and the need for higher education institutions to adopt practices which represented planned online education. In fact, many academicians ..read more

JOHN CURTIS, PH.D. Professor of Donor-Driven Fundraising, Board Development, Strategic Planning, and Change Mgmt. with 25 years of nonprofit consulting experience. MAR 12, 2024 Donor-Driven, Major Gifts Fundraising WITHOUT Development Staff Most schools understand the need to transform their approach to fundraising but few know how, especially when they have NO fundraising staff. This workshop will show you how to use an innovative, donor-driven approach that is based on the donor’s philanthropic goals, family tradition or Christian faith. This approach is not about what the school wants ..read more

Alumni boards and staffing at a small college can begin with volunteers. In Part 5, we looked at ways to stay connected with alumni and communicate with volunteers. In this part, we’ll brainstorm ideas for funding the leadership of those volunteers. Small schools often begin their alumni offices with volunteer leadership, such as an alumni board. While saving on labor costs is important to a small school, volunteer leaders can normally give only a limited amount of time and effort. They will also probably not be reading books and developing expertise in alumni relations. Therefore, I belie ..read more

Christian college trustees may not know they are responsible for helping to achieve their school’s fundraising goals. Many trustees are not aware of the full extent of their fundraising responsibilities. Approving the budget is not only a fiscal decision but also a fundraising decision! Ultimately, trustees are accountable for achieving your institution’s funding goals. So, if you could write the perfect fundraising job description for the essential fundraising responsibilities of your trustees, what would you include? Consider these seven key responsibilities: 1. Pray Honestly, you do ..read more

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, provides the regulatory framework for institutions of higher education to provide federal assistance to their students. The Act was set up to be reauthorized every five years and over the years has been extended. But the last reauthorization of the HEA took place in 2008, which has been living on extensions and new regulations that were never put into statutes. Because of this, institutions are bombarded with numerous new regulations yearly. We have had three different versions of “Borrower Defense to Repayment Program” (some on hold due to litig ..read more

A Christian college dean is charged with shepherding his or her faculty: morally, socially, intellectually, and emotionally.   When Dr. Joshua Reichard, president of Omega Graduate School invited me into the role of Academic Dean, he challenged me with a significant metaphor as I stepped into it. He asked that I “shepherd the faculty.” Coming from the background of pastoral leadership and chaplaincy, this sounded like a natural fit for me. However, I discovered in the academic literature regarding the Academic Dean’s role, very little attention has been given to this operative metaphor ..read more

Explore the many ideas for sustainable Christian college fundraising. As leaders of small Christian colleges seek to fulfill their educational and spiritual calling, they must also navigate the ever-changing landscape of fundraising. This article explores innovative, successful, and sustainable fundraising methods tailored to the needs and values of Christian institutions, emphasizing the importance of long-term sustainability in building enduring impact. Emphasizing Stewardship and Faithful Giving At the heart of sustainable fundraising for Christian institutions lies the principle of stew ..read more