Optimistic, yet cautious
4. “It’s a great position if you want to be at the intersection of institutional strategic planning and tactical execution, but it requires nerves of steel!”
5. “It will become even more challenging, but for strong professionals who care about students and the power of education, it will continue to be a rewarding profession.”
Managing expectations
6. “We need to balance the various demands of numbers, quality, quantity, and revenue from our presidents, provosts, and CFOs. It’s hard to dance well with all three people at the same time.”
7. “This is not for the faint of heart, but every tuition-driven institution is facing the same expectations. The trick is to balance them all.”
Related: Here’s how to boost enrollment with chatbots
8. “My institution understands the challenging environment in which we operate, and it is my responsibility to educate leadership about those challenges.”
9. “The expectations are unreasonable, but I engage the provost, president, CFO, deans, and others for understanding and support. We can’t carry the load on our own.”
Staying in the field
10. “I could no longer find opportunities at institutions where I could personally ‘buy into’ the mission, advocate with genuine enthusiasm, and deliver on expectations of the president and board.”
11. “This is an incredibly high-pressure role and I frequently feel under-supported … this sense of isolation coupled with pressure can lead to burnout.”
12. “In an era of declining high school graduation rates and increased demand upon full-time employees, the chief enrollment officer will be in a no-win situation.”
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