Insights & Research Hub

The 2024 Institute for Chief Academic Officers focused on building alliances, creating innovative academic pathways, and unlocking the potential of education for more students.

The 2025 Presidents Institute explored ways that presidents can effectively engage communities to transform upheaval into opportunity.

Highlights and Fast Facts from the 2025 Presidents Institute and the 2024 Institute for Chief Academic Officers

An online platform connecting you to companies and consultants dedicated to the independent higher education sector, free of charge.

CIC is pleased to announce the election of six members to the Board of Directors, and two existing directors named to new roles on the Executive Committee of the Board.

A new design will provide more interactive and user-friendly engagement with this valuable member resource, which CIC started offering as standard in CIC membership in 2004. These annual reports provide customized benchmarking of an institution’s performance based on various metrics, such as student enrollment and financial performance.

The $19,980,000 grant, the largest single gift in CIC’s history, builds upon the success of CIC’s development of its Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE).

Institutional Members of the Council of Independent Colleges are increasingly offering graduate programs. A decade ago, in 2013–14, only 45 percent were classified as Carnegie Masters or Doctoral. In 2023–24, 55 percent fall in these categories. To better understand how independent colleges build, support, and sustain graduate programs and students, CIC surveyed presidents and chief […]

CIC’s partner IPClear is offering qualified CIC member institutions with turnkey managed solutions to help modernize their network infrastructure fueling the ability to monetize their legacy IPv4 address blocks. With many institutions holding valuable, underutilized IPv4 assets, this partnership aims to streamline the process of reclaiming and transferring these assets, allowing institutions to raise substantial […]

CIC’s multiyear Legacies of American Slavery: Reckoning with the Past initiative culminated with a national conference on September 19–21, 2024, in Memphis, Tennessee. Three recorded sessions from the conference are now available for streaming: “The Unsteady Legacies of American Slavery” (featuring Pulitzer–prize winning historian David Blight and New York Times columnist Jamelle Bouie), “The Work […]

Academic Search released the first study to examine the competencies needed by college and university presidents in a post-pandemic world. Featuring seven key competencies, the study highlights necessary areas in which leaders need to be savvy, which will guide higher education executive leaders in preparing for the demands of the moment.

Find a list of new CIC members and name changes since February 2024.

With so many reports about the challenges of independent colleges, CIC would like to highlight a sampling of member institutions that shared with us that they are developing or launching new programs or majors. There is innovation in our sector and successes to celebrate, and we are pleased to pass on some great examples that were sent to us.

As part of CIC’s ongoing efforts to connect with members, groups of CIC employees visited the campuses of six member institutions that are close to Washington, DC, in Spring 2024, to learn more about the institutions’ history, programs, and students and staff.

In response to CIC member data and requests for more information about ongoing topics in the sector, CIC hosted multiple webinars since the previous Winter 2024 Independent newsletter publication.

CIC's Presidential Vocation and Institutional Mission program (V&M) is designed for senior leaders at CIC member schools to explore their potential vocational calling to serve as a college or university president, as well as examine what types of institutional missions they might best serve.

CIC’s Presidential Renewal program, now in its second year, is designed to support the personal revitalization of experienced member presidents at CIC institutions so they may continue to serve in the vital role of the college presidency. Read more about the 2024 Summer Seminar.

In August 2024, CIC hosted a Convening of Pioneering Presidents and Board Chairs. The convening brought together a representative group of presidents who are the “first” in their roles and was part of a multi-year project to review and expand CIC’s academic leadership programs with a focus on inclusive excellence.

The Executive Leadership Academy (ELA) and Senior Leadership Academy (SLA) are yearlong programs for experienced provosts and vice presidents who aspire to colleges presidencies and college and university leaders who aspire to cabinet-level positions, respectively. Read more about the summer events of these programs.

CIC’s annual Workshops for Department and Division Chairs cater to incoming, new, and experienced chairs of departments or divisions at CIC member institutions. Read more about the 23rd annual Workshops that took place in Spring 2024.

CIC announced the creation of the AI Ready network, a new initiative dedicated to preparing and supporting independent higher education institutions in the ever-evolving landscape of generative artificial intelligence. Read more about the programs and goals of AI Ready.

The community of CIC’s Belong network continues to thrive as programming dives deeper into the work of advancing topics of campus belonging, especially in challenging times. Read about upcoming opportunities for Belong members.

CIC’s Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education (NetVUE) is a nationwide network of over 300 colleges and universities formed to support and enrich the collegiate experience of undergraduate students as they explore and discern their many callings in life. Read more about recent highlights and upcoming opportunities.