Shared Governance and Punctuated Equilibrium in Higher Education: The Case for Student Recruitment, Retention, and Graduation

No longer can higher education institutions rely on passive approaches to recruiting students, retaining those students through graduation, and reaping the benefits of alumni support. Each institution must aggressively engage in marketing and customer relationship management techniques to maintain an adequate student body and sufficient alumni support. The ever quickening pace of societal and technological change creates intense competitive pressure for quality students, which in turn requires unprecedented attention to the business of recruiting and retention. These and other challenges have led to the "punctuated equilibrium" in higher education. For higher education institutions to survive and thrive during this paradigm shift, they must practice and embrace the principles of shared governance.