Risk and Resilience in U.S. Higher Education Systems

Public higher education systems are facing a new era of structural risk that demands a different playbook. Based on a first-of-its-kind analysis of 91 U.S. public higher education systems, this session reveals why traditional indicators—including state funding levels and governance structures—no longer explain which systems thrive and which struggle. Instead, attendees will explore the underlying conditions driving institutional resilience and the critical importance of timely action. Led by Dan Greenstein, Chief of Industry Transformation at Ellucian and Chancellor Emeritus of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), this session introduces six distinct system archetypes that provide leaders with a practical framework for understanding their own organization's position and identifying the strategic responses most likely to improve long-term outcomes. This session moves beyond diagnosis to discussion, challenging participants to consider the data, visibility, and capabilities required to strengthen financial sustainability while improving student outcomes. Attendees will leave with new insights into how to identify emerging risks earlier, prioritize action before recovery windows close, and build the institutional capacity needed to navigate an increasingly complex higher education landscape.