EdUp Provost

In this conversation with EdUp Provost Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Mary Wright discusses the significance of Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) in higher education, their impact on faculty and student success, and the challenges they face, including faculty resistance and the integration of new technologies like AI. She emphasizes the need for continuous professional development in teaching, the importance of aligning CTLs with institutional priorities, and the balance between teaching and research in academia. In this conversation, Wright and Thuswaldner discuss the evolving landscape of teaching excellence in higher education. They explore the importance of continuous professional learning, the need to rethink reward structures for teaching, and the role of Centers for Teaching and Learning in promoting interdisciplinary collaboration and diversity, equity, and inclusion. They also address the challenges faced by these centers in demonstrating their value and the necessity of supporting change agents within educational institutions. Takeaways • Assessment of CTLs should include participation and satisfaction. • Faculty engagement with CTLs is crucial for perceived value. • Teaching is a complex and continuous professional activity. • CTLs can help navigate resistance to new teaching methodologies. • AI integration in education requires nuanced approaches.

This conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner explores the essential business practices in higher education, focusing on the roles of provosts, the concept of students as co-producers, the impact of rankings, and the importance of strategic planning and fundraising. Dr. Erica Eckert and Dr. Mark Kretovics discuss their book, which serves as a guide for administrators, emphasizing the need for a comprehensive understanding of business concepts in academia. In this conversation, Drs. Eckert and Kretovics discuss the evolving landscape of higher education, focusing on the importance of engaging alumni for lifelong learning, addressing demographic shifts and enrollment challenges, and navigating cultural resistance within institutions. They emphasize the need for academic leaders to balance traditional educational values with necessary business practices to ensure sustainability. The discussion also highlights the significance of understanding faculty incentives and the role they play in student retention and institutional success. Takeaways • Provosts must transition from experts in their field to generalists. • Understanding budgeting and human resources is crucial for new administrators. • The student as a co-producer model emphasizes active engagement in learning. • Rankings can lead institutions to make detrimental decisions. • Strategic planning should be a dynamic, ongoing process.

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Perry Klebahn of Stanford University’s renowned d.school and co-author of “Ideaflow: The Only Business Metric that Matters,” discusses the challenges of fostering innovation in higher education, particularly for provosts. He emphasizes the importance of overcoming thinking traps, utilizing the ideaflow framework to generate numerous ideas and prototypes, and engaging students in the course creation process. Klebahn also addresses the need for academic leaders to encourage risk-taking among faculty and staff while adapting to the rise of AI in education. In this conversation, Perry Klebahn discusses the integration of AI in education, emphasizing its role as an augmentation tool rather than a replacement for human effort. He highlights the importance of collaboration among educators to foster innovation and improve student engagement. The discussion also touches on measuring ideaflow in academic settings, balancing tradition with innovation, and the essential leadership qualities needed for provosts to effectively lead in higher education. Takeaways • Innovation in higher education is often hindered by planning versus doing. • Provosts can encourage creative problem-solving by recognizing thinking traps. • The Idea Flow framework emphasizes generating many ideas to find successful outcomes. • Engaging students in course creation can lead to more relevant and exciting classes. • Creating a culture of experimentation can lead to significant improvements in academic settings. AI can help generate more ideas for problem-solving.

In this episode of EdUp Provost, Dr. Cate Denial discusses her book A Pedagogy of Kindness and the importance of fostering kindness in academic settings. She shares her experiences with unkind teaching practices and emphasizes the need for a culture of kindness that supports both students and faculty. The conversation explores the distinction between kindness and niceness, the challenges of implementing kindness in higher education, and practical strategies for provosts and academic leaders to create a more supportive and inclusive environment. Takeaways • Kindness can transform the educational enterprise. • Provosts can model kindness and implement kind policies. • Kindness is distinct from niceness; it has boundaries. • Teaching with kindness supports student success and engagement. • Kindness fosters a sense of belonging in academic settings.

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Michael Lamb discusses the significance of character formation in leadership and education. He emphasizes that character is essential for building trust and relationships, which are fundamental to effective leadership. Dr. Lamb outlines the importance of integrating character education into academic institutions, highlighting various strategies for fostering character development among students. He also addresses the unique needs of diverse student populations, including undergraduates, graduates, and adult learners, and shares insights on measuring the success of character education programs. In this conversation, Michael Lamb discusses the importance of character development in education and leadership. He emphasizes that character is not fixed and can be developed throughout life. Lamb shares strategies for academic leaders, particularly provosts, to cultivate their character and lead by example. He addresses the cynicism surrounding leadership and the need for integrity and authenticity. Looking ahead, he expresses optimism about the future of character formation in higher education, especially in light of recent initiatives and the evolving landscape of education. Takeaways • Leadership is fundamentally relational, requiring trust and integrity. • Character education promotes the flourishing of students. • Exemplars of character can inspire students' development. • The moral ecology of a university shapes students' character. • Character education can enhance academic integrity and success.

In this conversation, EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner sits down with Harvard University's Wendy Fischman and Dr. Howard E. Gardner to discuss the current state of higher education, emphasizing the need for a clear mission and purpose in colleges. They explore the disconnect between student expectations and institutional goals, the importance of fostering intellectual curiosity, and the role of provosts in bridging these gaps. The discussion also touches on the significance of liberal arts education, the challenges of a transactional mindset in education, and the necessity of integrating character and ethical learning into the academic experience. The conversation concludes with book recommendations that reflect the themes of morality and education. Takeaways • Higher education has lost its way and needs to refocus. • Students often view their college experience as transactional. • A clear mission is essential for educational institutions. • Intellectual curiosity should be central to the college experience. • Provosts play a crucial role in defining and communicating the mission

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswalder, Dr. Leo M. Lambert, President Emeritus of Elon University, discusses his transformative leadership journey at Elon, focusing on the importance of institutional culture, strategic planning, and academic rigor. He shares insights on embedding experiential learning, engaging faculty, and aligning campus development with student experiences. Dr. Lambert emphasizes the significance of trust and leadership in overcoming challenges and achieving institutional goals, concluding with a book recommendation that highlights the role of transformative leaders in higher education. Takeaways • Leadership is the stewardship of culture. • Institutional culture is crucial for transformational change. • Strategic planning requires patience and long-term vision. • Engaging faculty in the planning process builds trust. • Trust is built through consistent execution of plans.

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Paula Krebs, Executive Director of the Modern Language Association, discusses the current state of the humanities in American higher education, emphasizing the growth and importance of language programs despite declining majors. She outlines strategies for strengthening these programs, including changing how majors are counted and promoting the value of language and cultural competence. Dr. Krebs also addresses the financial challenges facing humanities programs and advocates for interdisciplinary approaches to enhance student engagement and career readiness. In this conversation, Paula Krebs and Gregor Thuswaldner discuss the importance of maintaining disciplinary integrity within higher education while also fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. They emphasize the need for humanities education to adapt to the changing job market and the importance of preparing students for diverse career paths. The role of organizations like the MLA in shaping the future of humanities education is also highlighted, focusing on the need for clear communication of the value of humanities skills to employers and the necessity of supporting graduate education. Takeaways • The humanities are growing and connecting with other fields. • Enrollments in humanities are steady, but majors are declining. • Changing how we count majors can help humanities programs. • Language proficiency is highly valued by employers. • Interdisciplinary collaboration can enhance humanities education.

In this conversation, EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner and Dr. Eboo Patel discuss the critical role of pluralism in higher education, emphasizing its importance in fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment. Dr. Patel outlines the various dimensions of pluralism, including identity, value, and agonistic pluralism, and argues for the necessity of humility in intellectual discourse. He also addresses the challenges of navigating controversial topics on campus, the need for effective crisis management, and the importance of integrating pluralism into the curriculum. Dr. Patel advocates for the establishment of pluralism centers within universities and highlights the essential skills needed for students to engage constructively with ideological and religious diversity. Takeaways • Pluralism should be the defining paradigm of a university. • Universities play a crucial role in fostering identity pluralism. • Intellectual humility is essential for effective pluralism. • Disagreement is inherent in a diverse democracy. • Constructive engagement is key to navigating campus controversies.

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Clifton Conrad and Dr. Todd Lundberg discuss their book “Learning with Others: Collaboration as a Pathway to College Student Success” and the importance of collaborative learning in higher education. They explore the inspiration behind their work, the role of provosts in fostering collaborative environments, and the barriers that institutions face in shifting from individual achievement to collaborative models. The discussion highlights the need for inclusivity, the importance of faculty development, and the necessity of engaging students in real-world problem-solving. Takeaways • Collaborative learning fosters a sense of community among students. • Provosts can lead the shift towards collaborative learning. • Creating spaces for dialogue is essential for collaboration. • Inclusivity in education is crucial for student success. • Real-world problem-solving enhances student engagement.