Astro Bug

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - AstroBug -- Edu Alliance Group announced today the formation of the Center for College Partnerships and Alliances, a new division dedicated to helping higher education institutions explore and implement college partnerships, mergers, and strategic alliances designed to strengthen sustainability and mission alignment. The Center will be led by newly appointed partners Dr. Chet Haskell and Dr. Barry Ryan, two distinguished higher education leaders with deep experience in governance, accreditation, and institutional transformation. They bring a wealth of expertise in guiding colleges and universities through complex transitions while preserving mission integrity and academic excellence.

"Our goal is to help college leaders and boards move from awareness to action with clarity, confidence, and compassion," said Dr. Haskell. "Partnerships and alliances can preserve institutional identity while creating new opportunities for students and communities."

"Edu Alliance has long supported institutions navigating change," added Dean Hoke, Co-Founder and Managing Partner. "With the launch of the Center, we're expanding our ability to help presidents and boards design solutions that are both visionary and pragmatic."

About the Leadership

Dr. Chester (Chet) Haskell recently completed six and a half years as Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and University Provost at Antioch University, where he played key roles in integrating the institution academically and structurally, as well as in creating the Coalition for the Common Good with Otterbein University, where he was Vice President for Graduate Programs. He previously held senior positions at Harvard University—including Associate Dean of the Kennedy School of Government—and later served as Dean of the College at Simmons College (Boston). Dr. Haskell went on to serve as President of both the Monterey Institute of International Studies (now part of Middlebury College) and Cogswell Polytechnical College, leading both institutions through successful mergers. He holds DPA and MPA degrees from the University of Southern California, an MA from the University of Virginia, and an AB cum laude from Harvard University.

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Dr. Barry Ryan has served as President of five universities and as Provost and Chief of Staff at three others, spanning state, private nonprofit, and private for-profit institutions. A Supreme Court Fellow in the chambers of Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist, Dr. Ryan is a member of several federal and state bars and has held two terms as Commissioner for WASC (WSCUC). He has led institutions through mergers, acquisitions, and affiliations that preserved academic quality, expanded access, and strengthened long-term viability. His leadership is characterized by transparency, shared governance, and a deep commitment to stakeholder engagement. Dr. Ryan earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, his J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Dipl.GB in international business from the University of Oxford.

As part of the launch, Edu Alliance will host a free national webinar on December 3, 2025, at 1 PM Eastern time titled "Navigating Higher Education's Existential Challenges: From Partnerships and Mergers to Reinvention."

The session will feature a distinguished panel of experts discussing practical strategies for independent colleges and universities.
Panelists include

• Dr. Chet Haskell and Dr. Barry Ryan Co-Directors of Edu Alliance's Center for College Partnerships and Alliances;
• A.J. Prager, Managing Director at Hilltop Securities, specializing in Higher Education Mergers & Acquisitions and Strategic Partnerships;
• Stephanie Gold, Partner and Head of the Higher Education Practice at Hogan Lovells.

The program will be moderated by Dean Hoke and Kent Barnds, co-hosts of Small College America.

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Learn more and register at: https://admissions.augustana.edu/register/?id=838202a3-c7a7-4ce0-8dc1-11c7979fe27c