What happens if the merger doesn't materialize? Is there a Plan B? This is what I suggest, for anyone interested in this corporation's long-term survival.
(1) Learn from mistakes. Cultures of silence and cultures of deception (including self-deception) don't work over the long run. Transparency and accountability within the company must be part of the new company culture--beginning at the top.
(2) The #1 focus must be on all students and their long-term outcomes: skill attainment, skill transferability, long-term gainful employment, resilience. How all students (not just an anecdotal few) do over the long run is the ultimate test of performance.
(3) The organization must be transparent and accountable to prospective students, present students and former students, taxpayers, and communities. Using lobbyists and celebrities and hiring tokens does not make up for a company that is failing its students and failing its responsibility to use Title IV, GI Bill, and DOD funds wisely.
Maybe University of Phoenix is too far gone for this but maybe they can rise from the ashes. I'm looking forward to reading the responses.
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/apollo-group-sinking-ship-dahn-shaulis?trk=mp-author-card