Publications
Publications
- October 2023
- HBS Case Collection
Lasell University in 2023: Securing the Future
By: John Jong-Hyun Kim and Mary C. Sauer
Abstract
In a groundbreaking move on September 20, 2022, Lasell University's President, Michael B. Alexander, announced an extraordinary 33% reduction in tuition, room, board, and fees, signaling a pivotal shift in higher education. Situated in an affluent Boston suburb, Lasell, a venerable 170-year institution, is taking a bold step to enhance transparency and affordability in response to the perennial escalation of college costs. This historic decision aims to recalibrate the value proposition of a college degree, attracting a more diverse student body, and challenging the prevailing narrative of spiraling tuition rates nationwide. The impact of this unprecedented policy shift is not confined to Lasell alone but reverberates through the broader landscape of American higher education, prompting a critical reassessment of the cost and value dynamics of pursuing a college education.
Keywords
Higher Education; Cost; Valuation; Competitive Advantage; Education Industry; United States; Massachusetts
Citation
Kim, John Jong-Hyun, and Mary C. Sauer. "Lasell University in 2023: Securing the Future." Harvard Business School Case 324-049, October 2023.