This Week In College Viability (TWICV) Special: Will a Federal Bailout Save Private Colleges?

This Week In College Viability (TWICV)

An important group of higher education leaders with a diverse set of experiences weigh in on the potential of a federal bailout of private colleges this Fall and the impact it would have on higher education.

The participants are Ricardo Azziz, Joe Sallustion, Sarah Holtan, and Brian Rosenberg. Bios are below.

Some of the questions addressed by the panel:

1. Is a federal bailout of colleges a viable solution?
2. What could be the potential long-term implications of federal bailout?
3. What is the best case scenario for the impact of the FAFSA Debacle? Worst case?
4. Is there a role for state governments to play in financially supporting private college?
5. Each participant commented on: "A bailout might create a moral hazard where colleges rely on the expectation of government support instead of managing finances responsibly."

Plus much more.

Dr. Ricardo Azziz: With over 25 years of leadership experience, Dr. Azziz serves as Principal, Strategic Partnerships in Higher Ed (SPH) Consulting Group, a firm specializing in advising and guiding institutions of higher education concerning opportunities for corporate restructuring, including mergers, consolidations, acquisitions, and corporate conversions.

Among numerous executive positions that he has held, he led the merger that resulted in Georgia Regents University (now Augusta University), serving as founding president, and previously served as president of Georgia Health Sciences University, leading the merger and alignment of various clinical entities to create the state’s only public academic health system (now Augusta University Health System). He has also served as senior executive within the State University of New York (SUNY) system administration and as member of the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges & Schools-Commission on Colleges (SACS-COC).

Among other venues, he has written for or his work has been cited by the Huffington Post, TIME magazine, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, the Atlanta Constitution, Forbes, US News & World Report (USNWR), The Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Education, the Atlanta Business Chronicle, University Business (UB) Magazine, and many others. Dr. Azziz is a prolific writer with more than 200 articles, blogs, and op-eds in the higher ed space (in addition to over 400 publications in the biomedical sciences).

He is co-author of ‘Mergers in Higher Education: A Proactive Strategy to a Better Future?’ published by the TIAA Institute (2017) and ‘Strategic Mergers in Higher Education’, published by Johns Hopkins University Press (2019). He also writes a regular column in Higher Ed Dive, ‘Merger Watch’. He is completing ‘Major Future-Oriented Institutional Restructuring in Higher Education: A Different Kind of Leadership’ for the TIAA Institute (pub. Spring 2023) and ‘How to Lead Big Scary Change’ for Johns Hopkins University Press (pub. summer 2024).

Dr. Azziz is on the faculties of the University at Albany, SUNY and the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and a fellow of the Rockefeller institute of Government, studying change management, mergers & consolidations, strategic planning, leadership development, and diversity, equity & inclusion in higher education. He is the founder of the non-profit Foundation for Research and Education Excellence (FREE Foundation), where he is also founder and director of the Center for Higher Education Mergers & Acquisitions (CHEMA).

Dr. Joe Sallustio: Are you looking for an expert in higher education with a unique blend of experience in on-ground and online administration? Well, you've found me! I'm Dr. Joe Sallustio, and I'm a leading voice in the industry with over two decades of experience in marketing, enrollment, finance, financial aid, student services, accreditation, and compliance.

My passion for education comes from my belief that it is the key to creating sustainable change in the world. It may surprise you to know that I actually hated school as a child, but I went on to earn a doctoral degree and dedicated my life to changing the lives of others through education. As co-founder and host of "The EdUp Experience," the nation's leading higher education podcast, I've had the pleasure of interviewing over 200 college and university presidents, providing insights into academic leadership and the future of higher education.

I'm a strategic and innovative leader who has worked with both non-profit and for-profit educational institutions, driving growth initiatives and financial operations. If you're interested in learning more about the future of higher education, check out my book, -

"Commencement: The Beginning of a New Era in Higher Education," which I co-authored with Kate Colbert and features contributions from Elvin Freytes - as featured in FORBES

I'm always excited to connect with others who share my passion for education and discuss how I can help your institution thrive in today's ever-evolving education landscape.

Dr. Sarah Holtan: +Experienced senior leader with a successful record of propelling business goals in academia and trades industries. At my core, I’m a builder and fixer.
+President & Founder of High-level Leadership, LLC, a thought engine designed to help academic leaders find solutions for the challenges facing higher ed. www.highlevelleadership.com.
+Serve as a trusted advisor to college and corporate Presidents.
+As a professor, I design and execute curriculum for 15 communication and business courses, including face-to-face, online and hybrid learning formats.
+Asking questions is my key tactic to achieve deep understanding and in turn, make sound judgments via discernment of complex issues.
+Currently serving on three boards for private companies in the trades. Certified in private board governance by the Private Directors Association in September 2021.
+I’m passionate about the training and development of others for positive impact in their professional lives, their organization, and the larger community. Developed training programs for senior and mid-level leaders on conflict resolution, maximizing meeting time, navigating career transitions, communicating for internal and external stakeholders, media training, connecting with others, and influencing at every level.
+Proficient in Microsoft Office, including Teams, zoom, and Adobe Creative Suite.

Dr. Brian Rosenberg: Brian Rosenberg is currently visiting professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. From 2003 until 2020, he served as the 16th President of Macalester College. He is the author of Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education, published in 2023 by Harvard Education Press. His articles on higher education appear regularly in The Chronicle of Higher Education and have also appeared in publications including The New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times. He serves as senior advisor and director at the African Leadership University and as a member of the board of the Teagle Foundation.

Rosenberg received his B.A. from Cornell University and his Ph.D. in English from Columbia University. Prior to arriving at Macalester, he served as dean of the faculty at Lawrence University and as professor and chair of the English Department at Allegheny College. He is the author of two books and many articles on Victorian literature.