My Take: Why Professional Organizations Matter More for Small Higher Ed Institutions

In higher education technology, scale often dictates influence. Large universities tend to dominate conversations with vendors, shape product roadmaps, and define what a standard campus experience looks like. Their size gives them leverage. Their budgets give them access. Their staffing gives them specialization.

But that narrative overlooks a critical truth about our industry.

Small institutions are not the exception. They are the majority.

According to national data, there are nearly 4,000 degree-granting colleges and universities in the United States. Even more telling, as many as 80 percent of institutions enroll fewer than 5,000 students. That means the typical college or university in this country is not a flagship state school or a massive research institution. It is a smaller campus, often serving a local or regional population, frequently operating with limited resources and lean teams.

And yet, despite representing the majority, these institutions often lack a proportional voice.

Smaller schools face a unique set of challenges. Teams are small. Budgets are tight. Roles are broad. In many cases, one or two people are responsible for everything from classroom technology and lecture capture to live event production, system design, and user support. There is little room for specialization, and even less time to engage with manufacturers, attend industry events, or influence the direction of the tools we rely on every day.

This creates a gap. Not just in resources, but in representation.

That is where professional organizations like HETMA step in and fundamentally change the landscape.

Being part of an organization like HETMA provides something that smaller institutions often lack: access.

Access to people. Access to ideas. Access to influence.

One of the most impactful ways this happens is through advisory councils. These sessions are not sales pitches. They are conversations. They bring together higher ed professionals and industry partners in a way that allows for honest dialogue about what is working, what is not, and what needs to change. For someone at a smaller institution, this is an opportunity that might not otherwise exist.

Without organizations like HETMA, many small schools would never have direct input into product development or vendor strategy. With it, they are sitting at the same table as larger institutions, contributing equally to the conversation.

That matters.

Because the needs of a 1,500-student institution are not the same as those of a 40,000-student university. The staffing model is different. The support structure is different. The margin for error is smaller. Solutions that work at scale do not always translate down, and without representation, those nuances can be lost.

Advisory councils help bridge that gap.

Programs like the HETMA Approved Program extend that value even further. For smaller institutions that may not have the ability to test every product, evaluate every platform, or dedicate resources to large-scale pilots, having a trusted framework becomes essential. It provides confidence in decision-making and helps ensure that investments are aligned with real-world higher ed needs, not just marketing promises.

This is especially important when every dollar matters.

But the value of professional organizations is not just in structured programs. It is also in the community.

Events, whether virtual or in person, create spaces where professionals from similar environments can connect. And for small schools, this is where the real impact often happens. Because when you are a team of two or three people supporting an entire campus, your peer network becomes an extension of your department.

You learn from others who are solving the same problems with similar constraints. You share ideas that are practical, not theoretical. You gain insight into what works in environments that look like yours.

That kind of collaboration is difficult to replicate anywhere else.

And it is needed now more than ever.

While small colleges enroll a smaller percentage of total students compared to large universities, they play an outsized role in their communities. Many serve rural populations, first-generation students, and underrepresented groups. They are often economic anchors in their regions and critical access points to higher education.

Yet despite that impact, their operational challenges continue to grow. Enrollment pressures, budget constraints, and increasing expectations around technology have made it more difficult to keep pace.

That is why having a voice is so important.

Speaking personally, coming from a smaller institution, being involved in HETMA has been one of the most impactful experiences of my professional career. It has given me a platform to share perspectives that might otherwise go unheard. It has allowed me to advocate not just for my institution, but for others like it. And it has directly influenced the way we approach technology on our campus.

From conversations with manufacturers to collaboration with peers, the benefits have been tangible.

More importantly, it has changed the way I see my role in this industry.

Instead of feeling like a small voice in a large space, I feel like part of a collective that is shaping the future of higher education technology. And that is a direct result of being involved in a professional organization that values input from institutions of all sizes.

It is also why I firmly believe that while all members can gain value from organizations like HETMA, the impact is even greater for smaller schools.

Large institutions often already have influence built into their scale. They have dedicated teams, established vendor relationships, and the ability to pilot and test solutions internally. Smaller institutions do not always have those advantages.

Professional organizations help level that playing field.

They amplify voices that might otherwise go unheard. They create opportunities that might not otherwise exist. And they provide a network of support that extends far beyond any single campus.

In an industry where decisions are often driven by scale, being part of a collective ensures that smaller institutions are not just represented, but heard.

Because the reality is this: the future of higher education is not defined solely by its largest institutions. It is shaped by the collective experiences of all of them.

And when more than half of those institutions are small, their voice is not just important.

It is essential.