The business of higher education has been turned on its head. Still coping with the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, university and college leadership are being forced to reinvent how their institutions function going forward. Everything has to be examined including course curriculum, recruitment and enrollment strategies, technology implementation and training, and strategic partnerships with other institutions and associations.
Fierce Education is highlighting those higher education leaders that are rethinking their business models so we can spotlight their vision and help others through these challenging times.
Fierce Education Leader:
Vistasp M. Karbhari, former President; current Professor, Department of Civil Engineering; Professor, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Affiliation:
University of Texas, Arlington
Being a Fierce Education Leader:
Dr. Karbhari has been at the forefront of re-envisioning the future of higher education for more than a decade through his leadership in areas such as enhancing access and equity while increasing excellence, increasing integration between academic knowledge and talent development for the workforce and entrepreneurship.
He has enabled the use of digital/online and hybrid modalities of teaching and learning as a means of greater flexibility, access and equity. This is especially true for working adults and non-traditional students, pioneering the use of data analytics both for student success and for more effective business practices, and ensuring that institutions of higher education became anchors, drivers and catalysts for the socio-economic development of the communities served.
His work at the University of Texas Arlington led to the institution being classified as a Carnegie R1 institution as well as being designated a Hispanic Serving Institution—one of very few in the nation to have both designations. His focus on balancing teaching and research excellence resulted in UTA continuing its tradition of being an outstanding institution for learning while substantially increasing research expenditures and excellence leading to the faculty having 7 member of the National Academies and 19 fellows of the National Academy of Inventors, emphasizing the key role of leadership in research and innovation.
In addition, UTA under his leadership committed to becoming a leader in serving Veterans culminating in it being ranked #1 in the nation by Military Times. His focus on student success led to an almost 50% increase in degree attainment with the gap between URM students and the general population almost being completely closed, and UTA being ranked nationally for social mobility and the success of first generation students. Through his focus on ensuring access and student success UTA led Texas during his term as President for the number of Bachelors and Masters degrees awarded to African American students ranking #11 and #14 nationally, and ranked first in Texas and in the top 20 nationally for Masters degrees awarded to all minorities.
His commitment to creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all students led to the development of numerous programs and initiatives both at the University and in collaboration with high schools and community colleges including special data sharing agreements to create smoother pathways.
Dr, Karbhari is an advocate for increasing the number of under-represented faculty and he championed the establishment of a Women’s Faculty and Staff Network to empower women faculty and staff, and worked with faculty and staff to establish the Principles of Community for the campus followed by the Community that Cares initiative with a focus on mental wellness, sexual assault and relationship violence protection, and addressing food and housing insecurities. His "fierce" championing of students and his leadership in re-envisioning the role that higher education needs to play in the 21st century has made him a nationally recognized leader in this area and he was recently selected as a Fellow of Complete College America for his work in this area.