Breakfast will be provided for all Institute participants.
Breaking Barriers: Retention Solutions for Resource-Limited Campuses
Table 1
Let’s move beyond analysis paralysis together. This breakfast roundtable cuts through the noise with data-driven insights and real-world solutions. You’ll leave with insights and proven models from peer institutions facing similar challenges. Don’t let 2026 catch your institution unprepared—join the leaders who are actively shaping what thriving looks like in higher education.
Christa Currie, Vice Provost, Mount St. Joseph University (OH)
Centering Student Outcomes in Strategic Financial Practices
Table 2
How can higher education leaders place student success at the center of institutional financial decision making? This roundtable will introduce the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Student Success Hub, a free resource offering practical toolkits to enhance strategic finance practices. Join the conversation to learn how institutions are leveraging the Hub to drive equity-focused decisions, reimagine resource allocation, and implement meaningful, student-centered change.
Randy Roberson, Vice President of Leadership Development, NACUBO
Collaborative Committee Leadership Across Student Affairs and Academic Affairs
Table 3
This breakfast roundtable will gather colleagues from the student affairs and academic affairs divisions to discuss effective strategies for co-chairing and leading joint committees across campus. The conversation will focus on the benefits, common challenges, and best practices for collaborative leadership—whether for equity initiatives or other shared institutional goals. Participants will have a chance to share insights on fostering productive partnerships and aligning efforts across divisional lines.
Carey Adams, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Hanover College (IN)
Lindsay Faulstick, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students, Hanover College (IN)
Collaborative Strategies to Support Student Mental Health
Table 4
How are CIC colleges and universities addressing the growing mental health needs of students? This discussion will explore collaborative efforts among student affairs, faculty, and wellness professionals to develop a culture of care that supports student wellbeing and academic success. Participants will share efforts from their own institutions—such as faculty training, curricular approaches, and campuswide mental health initiatives—and discuss the challenges and opportunities of building collaborative, sustainable support systems.
Christina Schnyders, Provost, Malone University (OH)
Competing Priorities, Clear Decisions: Navigating AI, Enrollment, and Program Development
Table 5
The rules of higher education have fundamentally changed. While 87 percent of academic leaders know innovation is critical, most are paralyzed by competing priorities—unsure whether to invest first in AI, enrollment growth, or high-value program development. Institutions that hesitate risk more than declining enrollment and faculty turnover—they risk becoming irrelevant to the students they serve.
Jamie Glood, Business Development Director, Cengage
Steve Korb, Senior Business Development Director, Cengage
Course Share through a Collaborative Network (CIC-OCSC)
Table 6
Connect to learn more about course and program share opportunities within OCSC.
Rick Ostrander, Regional Vice President, Academic Partnerships at Acadeum
Joe Wilferth, Senior Enrollment Strategist, Online Course Sharing Consortium
Cross-Divisional Partnering to Strengthen Recruitment
Table 7
Many CIC colleges and universities are working to meet challenging enrollment targets through collaborative efforts. At Hampden-Sydney College, the academic affairs office is partnering with the admissions office through newly created academic division coordinator roles. This discussion will explore the coordinators’ recruitment responsibilities, early successes, and the challenges of cross-campus collaboration. Participants will share strategies and experiences from their own institutions.
Tim Diette, Provost and Dean of the Faculty, Hampden-Sydney College (VA)
Empathetic Leadership During Divisive Times
Table 8
Empathetic leadership is a transformative approach that prioritizes open dialogue; supports faculty, staff, and students from diverse backgrounds; and builds community trust and institutional resilience. How are chief officers working individually and collectively on CIC campuses to foster an inclusive environment in which all constituencies feel seen, heard, and valued? The facilitators will discuss their efforts to model empathetic leadership in navigating complex campus dynamics and will invite participants to share their own experiences and lessons learned.
Melissa Chastain, Provost, Spalding University (KY)
Debbie Tahmasebbi, Provost, Westminster University (UT)
Experiential Learning Models Leading to Student Success and Public Trust
Table 9
Experiential learning is a high impact practice that can improve student academic and career success and increase the confidence of students, parents, and external stakeholders in the value of higher education. What innovative models and practices are CIC institutions incorporating to meet current student and workforce demands? The facilitator will share the University of Indianapolis’s recent commitment to experiential learning for all students and efforts in Indiana to provide work-based opportunities for K–12 students. Participants are invited to discuss how experiential learning has been implemented on their campuses and with what results.
Chris Plouff, Provost and Executive Vice President, University of Indianapolis (IN)
High Impact Practical Strategies for Student Success and Retention
Table 10
Student success and retention remain top priorities for CIC institutions. How are chief officers and their teams ensuring cross-divisional coordination and developing policy frameworks that support persistence and retention outcomes? What are high impact practices that address student needs and are cost-effective and scalable, minimizing financial strain while creating margin in workflow for staff? Participants will share their experiences and exchange advice on challenges.
Jeannie Trudel, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Development, Greenville University (IL)
Mentoring Your Leadership Team
Table 11
How do chief officers create cohesion and shared vision among their leadership teams? How do they add value and invest in the people who report to them? How do they create a leadership brand for their institutions? Participants are invited to discuss these questions, share their experiences and best practices, and seek advice on the challenges associated with mentoring.
Abson Joseph, Vice President for Academic Services, Bethel University (IN)
Navigating the New Funding Landscape to Support Student Success Initiatives
Table 12
The funding landscape for higher education has undergone a shift in 2025, both at the federal level and among private foundations. This session will discuss the funding landscape with an analysis of the impacts to date, and anticipated opportunities in 2026 for supporting student success initiatives at CIC institutions. Now more than ever is the time to be plugged into intelligence on changes in extramural funding and recent approaches used by successful CIC colleges and universities.
Frank Boyd, Vice President, McAllister & Quinn
John McAllister, Managing Partner, McAllister & Quinn
Emily Wolf, Vice President, McAllister & Quinn
Prepare, Predict, Partner: Strategies That Drive Student-Athlete Achievement
Table 13
What are effective strategies to promote student-athlete achievement? The Wisconsin Lutheran College team will discuss how the use of the predictive analytic tool, Dropout Detective, and targeted programming has both fostered interdepartmental collaborations and contributed to measurable gains in the retention and persistence of the college’s student-athletes. Participants are invited to share and explore their own proactive strategies to support student-athletes and other specific student populations.
Jarrod Erbe, Provost, Wisconsin Lutheran College
Allison Phillips, Dean, College of Health and Natural Sciences, Wisconsin Lutheran College
Senior Leadership Transitions
Table 14
The careers of senior officers often involve transitions between institutions whose size, mission, location, and/or reputation are vastly different. Participants who have recently moved to new institutions are invited to discuss their experiences and the strategies that facilitated integration into their new campus communities and leadership roles.
Tarshia Stanley, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, St. Olaf College (MN)
Vocational Exploration and Student Success
Table 15
Many CIC colleges and universities have benefited from NetVUE funding to start or strengthen vocational exploration for their undergraduate students. What are best practices for ensuring vocation programs are mission-focused, innovative, and support student success? Participants will share their experiences and advice.
Joshua Young, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Divine Word College (IA)
Where Should Career Development Report?
Table 16
How do CIC colleges and universities determine where career initiatives should live? Are they student opportunities and therefore part of student affairs, or part of the curriculum and therefore part of academic affairs? What other areas of the institution might contribute to or lay claim to career efforts? Participants will discuss these structural questions, compare the pros and cons of the organizational structures they have in place, and share changes they are considering.
Christie Anglade, Vice President for Student Affairs, Emerson College (MA)
Alexandra Socarides, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Emerson College (MA)