Gray Associates CEO Robert Atkins to Speak on Data-Driven Program Portfolio Assessment in Higher Education at American Council on Education’s 100th Annual Meeting

Linda Osterlund, Vice Provost of Regis University, and Robert Atkins, CEO of Gray Associates, will deliver a presentation on Data and Methodology for Program Portfolio Assessment at the American Council on Education’s 100^th Annual Meeting, being held in Washington DC.   The session is scheduled for 1:15 – 1:45 p.m., Sunday, March 11.

Declining enrollment and rising costs threaten the long-term vitality of many colleges and universities.  Revitalizing the institution’s program portfolio is one of the few strategies that can drive growth while reducing cost.  Mr. Atkins will present an approach that draws on the best available data, systems, and processes an institution can use to decide which programs to Start, Stop, Sustain, or Grow.  In particular, he will introduce Gray’s Program Evaluation System (PES), which pulls together the market data needed to support program decisions.

PES provides the right data, but it is just part of a broader process.  Gray’s transparent approach includes a two-day program evaluation workshop in which institutional leaders collaborate on new programs to Start, Stop, Sustain, or Grow, while building consensus among faculty and administrators.

In addition, the PES approach helps institutions improve student outcomes by explicitly assessing the number of jobs available, wages, and required skills for graduates of each program.  It also aligns with accreditors’ demands for more frequent, data-driven program assessments.  Dozens of institutions in 2017, including Regis University, have used the process to reallocate funds and invest in existing and/or new programs to spur growth.