Michael HornThought leader creating a world where all individuals can build passions & fulfill their human potential. Author of the national bestseller Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career

Why Lazy Rivers Have Their Place On College Campuses—And Yet Still Might Just Be Lazy

Name: Why Lazy Rivers Have Their Place On College Campuses—And Yet Still Might Just Be Lazy
Uploaded: 2020-02-03T14:18:08+00:00
Duration: 1 min 47 s
Channel: Michael Horn
Description: In this monologue, Michael Horn reflects on his recent Forbes article about the role of lazy rivers on college campuses. He first defines a lazy river as…

3 Feb 2020 · 2 min

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1:47

In this monologue, Michael Horn reflects on his recent Forbes article about the role of lazy rivers on college campuses. He first defines a lazy river as a shallow, slow‑current water ride found in water parks and resorts, then questions whether such amenities are justified amid rising college costs. Citing research from the book Choosing College, co‑authored with Bob Mesta, Horn argues that despite public criticism, students actually desire upscale experiences—fancy dining halls, elaborate facilities, and amenities that make them feel part of an exclusive community. While these features can drive tuition inflation, Horn suggests the real challenge for institutions is to create lower‑cost “surprise and delight” experiences that satisfy student expectations without inflating the price tag. He frames the lazy river as a marketing tool that signals a premium campus experience, but urges colleges to find more affordable ways to achieve the same effect.

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So I think I shocked some friends recently when I wrote a piece for Forbes about why lazy rivers actually have their place on college campuses. Because me and a bunch of others love to often talk about the bloat at colleges and how it's driving cost up and do they really need students really need a lazy river to enjoy the experience? But a more fundamental question first came up, which was, what is a lazy river? And it turns out that it's a water ride found in water parks, hotels, resorts, and recreation centers. Usually pretty shallow, so you're not going to drown. Similar to a river in terms of its flow, there's a slow current, so you can hop on a raft and enjoy the experience. Now, what's interesting about it, outside of this picture of people enjoying it, is that at a time when college costs are ballooning, is this really the best use of expenditure by colleges? And the answer, actually, from our research in Choosing College that Bob Mesta and I did, is that yes, it might be. Because students, despite all that they're saying they actually want the fancy expenses experiences. They want the fancy dining halls. They want the elaborate experiences that make them feel like they're part of a special club. The challenge is this, because it is driving up costs, how many students can truly afford that experience? That's a different question. And so the real trick for colleges and universities ahead is can you come up with less expensive experiences that still surprise and delight individual students and attract them? They're basically your marketing to the campus, like the lazy river, but they cost a lot less. And so they won't break the bank as you serve these students with what they're trying to accomplish, which is really about getting into their best college and having that classic college experience in many cases. How to do that, that's tricky. But it's something we'll keep spotlighting here on this YouTube channel. Thanks so much.