What We Do

Our Services

AASCU Consulting tailors our services to meet your institution’s unique needs and priorities. Our experienced consultants serve college and university presidents, chancellors, and their executive teams with all aspects of management.

Board Development

Your institution’s board members offer valuable perspectives to navigate the challenges facing higher education.

To help boards, as well as university systems, foundations, councils, or commissions, operate most effectively, our services include:

  • Orientation and development, including performance assessments and self-assessments
  • Enhancing relationships between boards and presidents

LEADERSHIP ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

Even the most experienced leaders can benefit from professional development and coaching to enhance communication skills, improve performance, and boost confidence.

We provide:

  • Consultation for newly appointed and experienced presidents and senior executives
  • Performance reviews for presidents and senior executives based on 360-degree assessments and subsequent developmental strategies

    LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AND SUCCESSION MANAGEMENT

    Preparing for a leadership change can be bittersweet for any campus community. You’ll want a seamless transition that maintains a positive campus climate and identifies opportunities for continued growth and success.

    We offer consultation and facilitation services for university boards, systems, presidents and their teams to keep your institution moving forward.

    Our Six Phase Model for selecting, developing, evaluating, and retaining effective executive leadership includes:

    • Environmental and institutional scanning to set up a successful search
    • Search committee formulation, orientation, training and search process consultation
    • “Transition-in” consultation for governing boards, system executives, and presidents to ensure a successful start for newly appointed presidents and chancellors
    • Professional development consultation and facilitation for presidents, chancellors, and their teams
    • Performance reviews for presidents, chancellors, and senior executives
    • “Transition-out” consultation to ensure continuous effective institutional leadership as departing executives prepare their exit

        ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

        We provide comprehensive consulting and support to institutions experiencing enrollment and retention challenges.

        We can help you with:

        • Management and operational audits to review current organizational structures supporting enrollment efforts. These audits analyze current procedures, review data capture and reporting systems, categorize staff skills, and provide recommendations for possible re-engineering of the entire enrollment operation.
        • Procedure and data audits to analyze historical enrollment data to identify any issues with the inquiry, applicant, completion, and yield rates. This audit provides an analysis of current data systems used to capture, store, and retrieve enrollment and retention data.

            ACCREDITATION PLANNING AND FOLLOW-UP

            As former presidents and chancellors, our associates have experienced the rigorous accreditation process of self-review, evidence-gathering and documentation, and external evaluation. We can help ensure a thorough review to position your institution for success.

            Our accreditation services include:

            • Preparation and organization
            • Implementation of recommendations
            • Merging accreditation and strategic planning

                EXECUTIVE COACHING

                Even the most experienced leaders can benefit from professional development and coaching to enhance communication skills, improve performance, and boost confidence. We offer a seasoned individual from outside the institution with whom the president can have timely, useful, and confidential conversations outside of the regular governance structure

                We provide:

                • Meeting with the executive to (1) review the expectations and priorities; (2) to discuss the executive’s own perceptions of the job; and (3) to establish a plan for regular communication via email, Zoom/Skype, or phone.
                • “Fit” between the client and the coach is key. Both parties should feel they are entering into a trust relationship that will be characterized by candor and confidentiality.
                • In the course of their work together, the executive and coach will review any relevant materials pertaining to the state of the institution, assess the composition and “climate” of the executive’s team, and meet with colleagues, as needed.

                ORGANIZATION AND TEAM DEVELOPMENT

                Even the most experienced leaders can benefit from professional development and coaching to enhance communication skills, improve performance, and boost confidence.

                We provide:

                • Consultation for newly appointed and experienced presidents and senior executives
                • Performance reviews for presidents and senior executives based on 360-degree assessments and subsequent developmental strategies

                  FINANCIAL, ADMINISTRATIVE, AND FACILITIES EVALUATIONS

                  The financial landscape for universities has changed dramatically over the past decade and can change overnight as a result of legislative mandates and state budget appropriations.

                  We can help you to: 

                  • Address revenue shortfalls by developing and implementing strategies to reduce expenditures/increase revenues by evaluating academic and non-academic programs.
                  • Evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of financial and administrative processes and organizational structures.
                  • Establish a transparent and inclusive budget process linked to your school’s strategic plan.
                  • Evaluate your facility and space needs, then guide the development of a comprehensive campus plan.

                      SHARED GOVERNANCE

                      A successful presidency or chancellorship requires the fostering of a culture of shared governance which is one of higher education’s bedrock principles. Our consultants are well-versed in shared governance best practices and understand that every institution has its own shared governance DNA.

                      We can help you to:

                      • Inform governing board members of the essential nature of shared governance and how it works at your institution.
                      • Assess the shared governance climate at your institution and offer suggestions based on our experience and best practices.
                      • Align your shared governance and strategic planning activities.

                      ACADEMIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

                      Student success and degree completion is an important focus as you develop the best academic experience for your students. You want to prepare them for an economy and society that requires global literacy and to put them on the path to becoming engaged and responsible citizens.

                      We can help you with: 

                      • Program assessment, prioritization, and improvement aligned with institutional goals
                      • Professional development programs and services for provosts, vice presidents, deans, and department heads

                          EXTERNAL RELATIONS AND FUND DEVELOPMENT

                          Strong institutional ties with key stakeholders are critical: from faculty, staff, and students to alumni, parents, and government officials. We can help develop and strengthen those relationships to enhance fundraising, improve marketing strategies, and promote public support.

                          Our services include:

                          • Developing fundraising infrastructure, including annual giving, major donor and deferred giving, corporate and foundation support, and comprehensive campaigns
                          • Evaluating and improving your advancement organization, personnel, and programs
                          • Facilitating foundation and alumni board orientation, development, and assessment
                          • Professional development for alumni relations, communications, and governmental relations staff
                          • Assessing staff and program performance

                              We can help your institution.