Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

On this episode of the Future U. Campus Tour, Michael and Jeff sit down with leaders from Western Governors University to learn about innovations around the university, with special attention paid to those at WGU’s fast-growing School of Education. They discuss the expansion of work-based learning with President Pulsipher and Provost Hills McBeth, examine the drivers of the Ed. School’s growth with Dean Ludwig Johnson, and hear from a WGU student (and 4th grade teacher), Madelyn Hurst, on how the college’s competency-based approach is shaping her teaching. This episode is made with the support of Western Governors University.Chapters0:00 - Intro03:26 - The History and Students of Western Governors University09:48 - Drivers of WGU’s Growing Programs16:36 - Expanding Apprenticeship-Based Degrees20:52 - The Future of the Degree in Skills-Based World24:10 - How AI Will Change the Work and Learning Landscape29:47 - The Current State of K-12 Education33:07 - How WGU has Evolved to Meet Changing Needs of Schools36:17 - Taking the Long View38:25 - The Downstream Effects of Competency Based Teacher Education42:47 - The Growth of WGU’S School of Education45:05 - How Apprenticeship is Transforming Teacher Education47:35 - Closing Thoughts

On this episode, Michael and Jeff riff through a range of topics. Among them: how no constituency is actually in favor of cost cutting on college campuses; whether consultants can play any productive role in higher ed; and how Disney’s succession drama holds many lessons for boards of trustees at colleges and universities. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Philanthropy and the Gates Foundation. Chapters0:00 - Introduction3:37 - Lessons for Higher Ed from Disney Succession Drama08:12 -  Boards of Trustees and College Rankings13:57 - Cutting into the Cost of College19:18 - Consultants in Higher Ed23:51 - Professional Networks Built On-Campus31:30 - The Leaky K-12 to College Pipeline

The impact of college athletics is felt throughout institutions, but too often sports are considered separate from the rest of higher ed. On this episode, Michael and Jeff connect the dots between recent changes to college athletics and the campus-wide ripple effects they could have. They are joined by Matt Brown, author of the college sports newsletter, Extra Points, to chat NIL (Name, Image, Likeness), the transfer portal, and the implications of the student-athlete employment case. This episode is made with support from the Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Links We ShareExtra Points Newsletter by Matt BrownChapters(0:00) - Introduction(05:59) - Why College Athletics Impacts All of Higher Ed(08:16) - The NIL Case(16:06) - Will Student-Athletes Become University Employees?(18:36) - The General Manager Role in College Athletics(23:10) - The Transfer Portal(27:02) - The Implications for Lower Revenue Sports and Divisions(33:19) - Conference Realignment(35:51) - The Intersection of Politics and College Athletics(40:42) - The Interdependency of Colleges(47:20) - The Transfer Portal’s Impact on Student Success(52:45) - Potential Ripple Effects of Student-Athlete Employment Ruling

Much of the buzz around artificial intelligence centers on its potential to transform the college of tomorrow, but there are many schools making meaningful change with this technology today. On this episode, we go deep on the applications of AI from recruitment to instruction to supporting post-grad success. We sit down Lev Gonick, Chief Information Officer at Arizona State University, and Ashley Budd, Senior Marketing Director at Cornell University, to dig into the ways their colleges are leveraging the power of AI.  This episode is made with support from CollegeVine.Chapters0:00 - Intro01:19 - A Brief Recent History of AI05:05 - AI Partnerships at ASU08:29 - An Admonition on Privacy10:56 - Classroom and Administrative Applications of AI15:46 - Prioritizing Projects18:15 - ASU’s Approach to Tech Partnerships22:35 - AI in the Year Ahead25:50 - AI’s Impact on Research30:11 - Diversifying the Project Portfolio33:55 - AI and Stanford’s Conference Decision35:27 - AI’s Applications in Recruitment and Admissions44:06 - Standardizing the Transcript48:51 - The AI Arms Race54:20 - Transactional or Transformational?Links We MentionAI-powered educational experiences underway at ASU Four Singularities for Research by Ethan Mollick Reading Ease Calculator created by Todd Rogers and Jessica Lasky-Fink, authors of Writing for Busy Readers

On this episode, Jeff and Michael tackle the question everyone is asking: how will AI transform higher ed? For help in finding the answer, they turn to bestselling author and professor of computer science at Georgetown University, Cal Newport. They discuss AI’s academic and operational implications, its ethical and practical considerations, and the stages and timeline over which we can expect this technological transformation to unfold. This episode is made with support from CollegeVine.Links We Share“Bad Bets,” Lightcast“Good Jobs in Bad Times,” Future U Chapters(0:00) Intro(4:06) Contextualizing AI in Higher Ed History(7:03) Factors Delaying Implementation(8:50) How AI is Changing Knowledge Work(11:19) Should we Be Teaching about AI?(18:45) Educating Students on AI’s Ethical Implications(21:51) Differential Effects on Coding and Writing(23:46) How AI Could Impact Higher Ed Inside and Outside the Classroom(29:21) “The Development of AI That We’re Worried About”(33:12) Parallels with the Days of The Early Internet(40:56) AI’s Impacts on Writing(43:15) Adaptations Required to Integrate AI in Higher Ed

To kick off Season 8, Michael and Jeff break down the summer’s higher ed headlines. They discuss this year’s FAFSA rollout, recent campus protest fallout, leadership changes, college closures, online program management providers, the presidential election, and high school grading. This episode is made possible with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Gates Foundation. Key Moments0:00 - Intro03:49 - Jeff and Michael’s Summer Updates09:32 - This Year’s FAFSA Rollout10:25 - More Campus Protest Fallout13:07 - Florida A&M’s Gift Controversy17:28 - College Closures34:51 - Online Program Management Providers36:20 - The Presidential Election38:25 - High School GradingLinks We Mention"Varying Degrees 2024” Survey, New America“How High School Students Are Thinking About Higher Ed” Survey, Third Way

In this episode, Jeff and Michael dive into the complex world of dual enrollment, examining its rapid growth, potential benefits, and emerging challenges. They speak with John Fink, a senior research associate at the Community College Research Center, to understand the various dual enrollment arrangements, the students they serve, and the outcomes they achieve. The conversation also explores the financial incentives for districts and colleges, the concerns around course quality and rigor, and the implications for high school and college experiences. This episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Key Moments(0:00) - Intro(4:02) - Dual enrollment programs and their benefits(12:48) - Dual enrollment sustainability and transferability of credits(16:51) - Dual enrollment programs and their effectiveness in higher education(21:44) - Improving dual enrollment programs for underrepresented students(27:34) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on college readiness(33:21) - Dual enrollment courses' rigor and value(37:50) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on higher education

In this special episode, Jeff engages in a lively conversation with Tina Gridiron of ACT and Kennon Harrison of ETS about the future of skills-based hiring. The discussion, recorded live during the Horizons Summit powered by Jobs for the Future (JFF), revolved around how employers can better assess the skills job candidates have, how candidates can better understand what skills are needed for most jobs, and ultimately, the role of higher ed in this ecosystem.

Hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn are joined by Dr. Len Cassuto, an author and professor at Fordham University, and focus their conversation on the role of PhD students and what the challenges in that part of academia might mean for higher ed. They dive into the subjects that Len explores in his new book, The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education, such as the changes that should be made to better prepare PhD students for their careers, and how universities might be exploiting free labor from students under the guise of an academic apprenticeship. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Links MentionedThe New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate EducationKey Moments(0:00) - Intro(3:19) - The state of PhD programs and graduate education.(8:16) - Improving graduate education.(13:25) - Ph.D. education and career diversity.(19:03) - Graduate education and labor costs in higher education.(26:20) - Preparing PhDs for career diversity and addressing challenges in higher education.(38:33) - Redesigning PhD programs for a changing academic landscape.

In this rerun from episode 150, Jeff Selingo welcomes Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University, for a conversation on the unique position of smaller universities in higher education. They discuss some vital concerns facing smaller universities like Simmons, such as combining less popular liberal arts majors, combatting dropping college enrollment numbers, and embracing online education programs. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.Links MentionedStrategies for Digital TransformationKey Moments(0:00) - Intro(4:10) - Small college challenges and strategic planning(11:51) - Small college competitiveness and online education(19:58) - Leadership and collaboration in higher education(21:31) - Higher education leadership and decision-making(27:00) - Higher education data analysis and institutional growth(32:42) - Online education and revenue diversification at Simmons College