What are Catalog Cranes and Why Do Presidents Like Them?

Construction sites are loud and disruptive. Cranes are eyesores. Dust fills the air. Delays extend these inconveniences for longer than anticipated and those cranes become a fixture in the skyline.?

Despite these inconveniences, I recently heard a college president say he wants the crane to be the “unofficial mascot” of his campus.

The rationale is pretty straightforward. A crane might kick up dust, but that eyesore is a large, tangible example of progress. Whether it is a dorm, a new arts center or a new sports field, cranes show students and families that an institution is exciting, changing, and on the cutting-edge of innovation and education. One former VP of Enrollment told me that she would route all of her tours by new construction and “never apologized for the dust.”

One thing I find interesting about the tour comment is that most new construction does not impact the average student. A new lab will house expensive science equipment that select students will use. A new sports field might be played on by a few teams. And even the new dorm might only hold a few hundred students.

So why would you take a prospective basketball player planning to major in Business past the construction site for a new Arts Center? Because it represents innovation. It represents joining a community that is dynamic and evolving. One that will grow with you on your journey to graduation.

New Programs as Cranes in the Catalog

This might sound like a stretch, but I thought of the crane when discussing Rize’s new AI Literacy program with a college partner. The program equips students with the knowledge and skills needed to be great users of AI applications and systems. Rize has recommended that colleges consider adding AI Literacy as a concentration within specific majors (e.g. Business) as well as a general minor that any student can pursue.

The partner asked a fair question in response to this guidance: “Is an AI minor really going to move the needle? Do minors impact enrollment decisions?”

For what it’s worth, I think the answer for many students is yes. 82% of students say they expect their college to prepare them for the AI-enabled workforce while 75% of employers say they can’t find the talent they need across sales, engineering, HR and more. Giving students a career edge in their field is a real differentiator for a student interested in popular majors like business.

Nonetheless, even if you think the answer is no, I think focusing on the demand for the specific minor misses the bigger picture.

Like a crane sitting in the middle of campus for all tours to see, AI in your catalog says to incoming students - regardless of their major - that we are on it, relevant, and prepared to educate you for the ever-changing world you’re stepping into.

AI is one of the fastest-moving, attention-grabbing phenomena we’ve seen in recent history. A new academic program in AI tells students that your institution isn’t just watching history unfold, your institution is helping create the future.?

It’s AI today, but it will be programs like Climate Tech tomorrow. When the world changes, your institution changes with it. When the market and employers demand new skills, your students graduate prepared.?

The right positioning amplifies the impact beyond the subset of students who intend to pursue that minor. And the cranes never come down when you’re always innovating and optimizing your program offerings to align with student and labor market demand.

Catalog cranes create no dust, no noise and no traffic - why not build a flock?