“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness.” So begins A Tale of Two Cities. So it seems to be in higher education today. Federal subsidies have helped us weather the pandemic storm so far. Some states have stepped up their support. Yet, enrollments continued the decade-long overall downward trend. Those are the worst of times: dropping residential undergraduate enrollment, dropping revenue due to reduced tuition funds, decreasing full-time permanent faculty and the primary traditional clientele is looking for a higher return on investment through alternative entry to careers. Yet the best of times is also here. A huge growth in the certificate and certification market is upon us.
