Letter from the Editor: March 17, 2026

If you work in enrollment, March Madness can feel like more than just a basketball reference. Preparing a bracket can feel like planning course schedules or managing space: you study the patterns, make your best calls based on available data or stats, lock your picks in, and leave room for the unexpected. At this point in the semester, that “lock-in” mindset probably feels familiar. Even the word “bracket,” which has a variety of origins related to “architecture,” points to something familiar in our work: a structure for grouping possibilities, supporting decisions, and making sense of what comes next. So, in the spirit of a busy and unpredictable season and semester, if you’re an NCAA enthusiast or scheduler, your brackets can open the door to a little networking. It could be one fun way to break the ice with colleagues before the Annual Meeting—and by the time we arrive in New Orleans, you may already have a few shared wins, losses, and stories to compare.