April Newsletter: Higher Education's Middle Managers

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Higher Education News

Energy for College Does Not Always Equal Student Success

According to Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce's After Everything report, 72% of U.S. jobs will require postsecondary education or training by 2031.

However, as seen below, one notable shift is fewer jobs accepting "some college, no degree." According to the National Student Clearinghouse, 36.8 million Americans fell into that category as of July 2024.

A recent article published by Bill DeBaun in Inside HigherEd illustrates that high school students' demand for college is still high and even on the rise. And as we look to the future, the question is clear:

How can our institutions meet this demand and ensure that students who choose to enroll end up graduating?

Test your Knowledge

The United States celebrates Arbor Day this year on Friday, April 25th! Harvard was the first university to build its own arboretum. Famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted designed Harvard's Arnold Arboretum. Olmsted would go on to assist with planning dozens of college campuses, many with arboretums.

Which of the following did he not design?

A) Stanford University

B) The University of Chicago

C) Vassar College

D) Cornell University

Look at the end of this newsletter for the answer!

Other Higher Education Updates

1. College sports, particularly in Division I, continues to change, this time from a courtroom. U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California Judge Claudia Wilken continues to hear three cases - most notably

House v NCAA - to decide whether or not college athletes will begin to take a share of revenue directly from universities. Essentially, the amateurism model that has ruled college sports for over a century will nearly cease to exist at the Division I level. These settlements will also pay the last nine years of college athletes in damages from loss of potential revenue under the banning of NIL, which could total almost $20 Billion. Outside of the Power 4, how does this impact your campus? One notable change would be the removal of scholarships and introducing Roster Limits, varying by sport. For institutions that carry more than the limit or cannot afford to give scholarships to the entire roster, this could mean cuts or forcing students to transfer, creating even more confusion for athletic departments. Lastly, if approved, these settlements could drastically increase the disparity between the Power 4 and the rest of College Athletics.

2. The recent tariffs enacted by the federal government will significantly impact all areas of Higher education. Many colleges should start preparing for two notable areas: the rising supply chain cost they could feel in their dining hall and the cost of equipment.

For food, the cost of delivering these products and the labor will increase in the supply chain. Further, imported food that cannot be obtained anywhere in the US, like coffee, will become more expensive. Institutions should proactively address these challenges by engaging with local suppliers to explore cost-minimization strategies, including locally sourcing and altering recipes. These alternatives can also help the local community and are often healthier, as they have at Bowdoin.

For equipment, taxes on tools, microscopes, glassware, and computer chips will affect institutions. Institutions are already facing caps on their indirect expenses and cuts to research grants, especially from NIH. Increases in core and everyday equipment further compound the issue. One important note is the supply chain impacts. Even for products made in the US, many use parts of packaging from international suppliers.

Why Supporting Middle Managers Matters

Who They Are, Why Supporting Them Matters, and How To Best Support Them

Middle managers are often referred to as the glue that binds strategy with operation, bringing together the senior leadership with the student-facing workers who carry out most of the day-to-day operations. The staff and faculty members in these roles are under unique and complex pressures with little control or oversight. In response to these challenges, renowned institutions like Harvard Law School, UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, and professional organizations such as HERS have created courses to explore these roles. Additionally, a growing number of books and articles have been published to help leaders manage these roles effectively.

Who Are They:

Middle managers link cabinet-level leadership and the front line, often in student-facing roles, and frequently navigate the expectations of both their direct reports and the leadership team. Depending on the size of your institution, middle managers within Higher Education look vastly different. For medium and larger campuses, they are often assistant department heads, associate deans, and leaders of committees. For smaller campuses, middle managers are the deans and department chairs, working to balance the day-to-day with a strategic agenda they have contributed to but did not build themselves.

Why Supporting These Roles Matter:

Aside from the fact that they are members of our community, middle managers should be supported to navigate these roles for several reasons:

Increasing Turnover of Senior Leadership Adds Ambiguity: Mounting pressures from Boards and Governments to achieve success and shorter runaways to accomplish goals have caused the average Presidential Tenure to drop from 8.5 years in 2006 to 5.9 years in 2023. When this transition happens, the campus is forced to shift gears and adjust course in countless ways. This lack of leadership consistency and culture shift puts pressure on all leaders across campus, especially middle managers, to alter course and pick up the slack. This can lead to high rates of burnout and fatigue , stunting the growth of the next generation of campus leaders.

The Middle Manager Squeeze is Growing: Middle managers are forced to be reactive instead of proactive because they often get caught trying to implement new policy changes while simultaneously fielding complaints or addressing headaches from those changes. One central policy currently adding to this squeeze is hiring freezes. When hiring freezes happen, middle managers often pick up the slack of work not being done from positions left unfilled, all while maintaining morale for their teams in hopes no one else leaves, which compounds the issue. Specific departments, such as Student Affairs, face significant challenges during these freezes, as many aspects of their roles must be carried out despite reduced staff. This has led to nearly 35% of student affairs leaders questioning whether they will remain in the field over the next five years.

These Roles are the Bridges to Complex Skill Development (and Culture Building). For many middle managers, it is their first professional experience leading a team. It is the shift from learning the technical aspect of the job to skills needed to be a great manager, like mentorship, cultural competency, and social skills. Harvard Business School Professor Thomas DeLong says that being a manager is like being an orchestra leader, having to keep the trains running on time while connecting vastly different people and responsibilities – building a culture. Oftentimes, it is more art than skill.

How to Best Support Them:

Teach Middle Managers Balance: Organizations that perceive middle managers as strategic leaders rather than mere task overseers are more likely to succeed. This perspective results in empowered middle managers actively contributing to innovation and change. Institutions must provide middle managers with the training and autonomy they need to fully unlock this potential. This includes support in balancing administrative tasks with broader leadership responsibilities and access to professional development in areas like change management. When middle managers are trusted to make decisions and take risks, creativity and problem-solving flourish at the front lines. Encouraging this type of leadership—rooted in trust, flexibility, and collaboration—can transform a stagnant structure into a dynamic learning organization.

Build Systems Developing Leaders Internally: One of the simplest ways to support middle managers is by collaborating with them on strategy and policy decisions so they feel ownership over them. Invite them to cabinet meetings or leadership retreats so they can better understand senior leadership roles. Follow up with recurring dialogues to discuss their takeaways, perspectives, and opinions. Consider emulating Cornell or MIT Faculty Fellows Programs if your campus is big enough. If you do not have the resources, support them in seeking professional development through professional organizations, such as ACE, AAHHE, and NACUBO.

Conduct Regular Reviews of Your Organization to Ensure There are Paths for Career Advancement: One of the leading reasons staff leave institutions—particularly in higher education—is a lack of clarity around how to grow. As organizational structures tighten, opportunities for advancement become more complex, and high-potential managers begin to look elsewhere. Instead of ignoring this reality, meet it head-on. Regularly check in to understand their aspirations by asking what skills they want to develop and working together to chart a growth plan. Sometimes, that plan will keep them at your institution - other times, it may prepare them for an opportunity elsewhere. Either way, you’ll build trust, show respect, and strengthen your campus’ reputation as one that invests in people—not just positions. And when the time comes for someone to take the next step—whether within your institution or beyond—be an active partner in that transition. If they did get promoted internally, empower them to lead the handoff by asking them to revise and refine their old job description and involve them in the hiring process to fill their old position. For faculty or staff who leave, having exit interviews and asking questions to address these issues will also assist your campus.

Jim Collins reminds us that at the end of the day, the people on your bus matter much more than the seat they are in. If you have a great internal community member, whether they are a leader already or showing great promise, doing whatever you can to set them up for success is what matters most to your institutional culture. Investing in good people is always the correct move. First Who, Then What

The Stevens Strategy Synopses

Meet Our Consultants

Starting this month, we would like to highlight our consultants and their expertise with a short introduction and a Q&A! Next up, we have a very special consultant: our firm's President, Dr. John Stevens!

John A. Stevens, Ed.D.

For over four decades, John A. Stevens has been a respected leader in higher education, guiding institutions through the complex process of strategic change. As Founder and President of Stevens Strategy, LLC, John leads a full-service consulting firm dedicated to helping colleges, universities, and schools navigate the evolving landscape of higher education. His expertise spans strategic planning, governance, financial and organizational planning, executive search, and more—particularly for small to mid-sized institutions.

John’s consulting experience is vast, having advised nearly 150 independent and public institutions, from large research universities to small liberal arts colleges. Before founding Stevens Strategy in 2000, he spent 17 years at another leading higher education consulting firm, where he served as Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and head of its Strategy Consulting Practice.

His career has also included key administrative roles at several educational institutions and public agencies, including Vice President for Administration at the Rhode Island School of Design, Assistant to the President at Boston University, and Assistant to the Chancellor of the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education. He has held leadership positions on numerous boards, including serving as Chair of the Board of Trustees and interim president (pro bono) at New England College and Vice Chair of the Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts.

Today, John remains actively involved in the broader education and nonprofit community. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Maltz Jupiter Theatre and mentors aspiring education leaders through the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and both an Ed.M. and Ed.D. from Harvard University.

With a deep commitment to student success and institutional sustainability, John brings a wealth of insight, experience, and heart to every project.

Q&A with John:

What’s one ability you think every leader in higher education should master?

"In today's world of Higher Education, leaders at our institutions, in particular Presidents, need to have strong financial skills and the ability to make collaborative, complex changes at the institution. Adding or reducing programs, departments, and positions is one the hardest decisions for any institution, and the leaders responsible for these changes need to be able to make the correct decision and then communicate to the community why the changes are necessary."

What is one thing you wish leaders of institutions knew?

"It's not just authority that gets people to do what a leader thinks they need to do. It's charisma, strong communication skills, and kindness combined with strength and a mission-centered vision that help institutions move forward in difficult times."

One piece of advice for a mid-career professional?

"Get as much experience across the different sectors of an institution. Work with your president or supervisor to have them use you to solve problems across the institution. So you're helping the president and the institution while also learning in detail how the different aspects of the institution operate. It will come in handy in your future as you grow and take on broader responsibility."

You can connect with John via LinkedIn. To learn more about how John and the rest of our experts can assist your institution, contact us below!

Stevens Strategy

603-863-4704

info@stevensstrategy.com

Grantham, NH 03753

Get In Touch

Quiz Answer: B) The University of Chicago

Frederick Law Olmstead designed over 50 college campuses, including Stanford, Vassar, and Cornell. All three campuses still feature their Olmseatd-designed internationally recognized Arboreta.

Henry Ives Cobb designed the University of Chicago. Cobb was hired by school founder John D. Rockefeller himself and modeled the campus after Oxford and Cambridge.

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