SACSCOC Holds 120th Annual Meeting in Houston

For more than 25 years, Emmanuel Gonsalves has been helping colleges and universities carry out strategic plans that enhance their overall performance. An involved professional, Emmanuel Gonsalves maintains memberships in several organizations, including the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which works to improve educational quality throughout the southern United States.

SACSCOC recently held its 120th Annual Meeting December 5-8, 2015, at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. The four-day event explored the theme “New Energy for Higher Education” through five educational tracks and a series of sessions on a range of topics, including strategic planning, accreditation, and online learning.

In addition to learning activities, the meeting featured networking events, musical performances, and the Educational Excellence Expo, where attendees had the opportunity to browse the latest products and services in higher education. With the 2015 event behind them, SACSCOC members and leaders are already looking ahead to the 2016 Annual Meeting, which will be held December 3-6 in Atlanta.                            

Universities Must Adopt Business Thinking to Execute Turnarounds

An experienced higher education professional, Emmanuel Gonsalves has held leadership positions at Bethune-Cookman University; the College of Science, Technology, and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago; and Medgar Evers College. Noted for acting as a change agent in these roles, Emmanuel Gonsalves has expertise in applying corporate turnaround principles in higher education. As institutions across the nation face drops in enrollment coupled with the need to raise funds for key capital projects, many institutions must execute financial and operational turnarounds to ensure their survival.

Achieving a successful turnaround requires a balance between business thinking and regard for the educational mission of the institution. Depending on their specific needs and pressures, institutions may need strategies for boosting enrollment, increased discipline in their marketing or admissions functions, or reductions in overhead costs. Institutions may also need to realign or modernize their curriculum to increase appeal among prospective students.

Today's universities must simultaneously cater to the needs of both young, technology-savvy students and older, career-focused students. Institutions must also adapt to meet the demands of a fast-paced, globalized environment, while receiving less direct funding. As these and other pressures escalate, university leadership must respond by adopting a business-like approach to operational management while maintaining focus on their core academic mission.

Public Private Partnerships Can Help Universities Meet Core Objectives

An educational leader with more than 25 years of experience, Emmanuel Gonsalves has held strategic roles at several institutions of higher learning, including serving as vice president for finance and strategy at Florida's Bethune-Cookman University. Through these roles, Emmanuel Gonsalves has developed strong professional interest in public private partnerships (P3) in education. Since universities are facing increasing financial pressures, the P3 model has gained traction as institutions strive to meet their strategic goals.

A P3 is a project in which public and private sector entities cooperate to execute a project that serves defined public needs. Since the 1980s private sector firms have developed an increasing number of services and programs that specifically align with the aims of higher education institutions. Private entities may become involved in many aspects of campus operation and student life, such as managing enrollment, operating online courses, or administering dining services. In certain scenarios, P3 arrangements can allow institutions to reallocate their internal resources and outsource certain non-core tasks to a private firm with focused areas of expertise.

Hallmarks of successful P3 arrangements include open communication between both parties and clear delineation of responsibilities and expected outcomes. With a P3 model, public and private participants must strive to understand the goals of the other party. While each entity's goals may be different, there should be a defined framework for measuring progress and ensuring participants track to desired objectives.