IngenioUs

With new student enrollment pressures on the rise, many college leaders are now looking at student retention as a critical means to ensure institutional health and viability not to mention student success.  Along with data-informed planning comes the need to build cross-campus partnerships with faculty, staff, students, and a wide span of college departments. Effective advising, the use of key technology tools to understand, monitor, and communicate with students, tailored support services, and adjusting retention strategies based on inputs must all come into play.  At our upcoming free Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education webinar, scheduled for June 13 at 12 noon (EST), participants will hear from nationally renowned enrollment expert Dr. Tim Culver about the latest best practices for building a strong retention effort.  

Webinar participants will have the opportunity to engage in discussion and Q&A to share their own experiences and ask questions about how to adjust, adapt, and apply cutting-edge strategies to their own institutions. All webinar registrants will receive a link to the recording following the webinar to share with colleagues. Listen to the companion recording with Dr. Lauren Way and Dr. Culver to hear key webinar highlights.

To register.

In this episode, we speak with Randy Bass, Vice President, Strategic Education Initiatives and Professor of English at Georgetown University, and Ashley Finley, Vice President for Research and Senior Advisor to the President at the American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) about the course they co-teach at Georgetown: University as a Design Problem. This course approaches the problem of learning and education through the lens of “the university” (taken to mean any institutional form of higher education) with two questions as fundamental organizing principles: Why is change so hard? What makes change possible? During our conversation, these seasoned educators share important insights about how these key questions and course concepts such as the 'wicked problems mindset' have relevance for all campus leaders and decision-makers. They stress the importance of leadership and the creation of intentional space for thinking forward and asking important questions such as 'What's next?' 'What's riskier or more adventuresome?' How can we suspend some of our rules?' How can we incentivize our people to step out and do different, not just do more?'

No matter how seasoned you may be, this time of year can unmoor even the most balanced academic leaders. From last-minute requests to unanticipated campus conflicts and schedules that leave little time to breathe or think, this time of year can test the mettle of even the toughest among us. Do you have a plan for self-care to ensure you emerge on the other side with your resilience intact? Check out Kristine Barnett's latest IngenioUs blog where she shares her top strategies for practicing self-care.

In this highly dynamic conversation, Bernard Bull shares his insights about everything from the importance of mission-informed innovation and understanding that innovation is not a one size fits all endeavor to building consensus and support for a new and creative effort, working through resistance to knowing when to move on, and what it takes to develop the mindset and capacity for educational innovation.

Dr. Bull is not new to educational innovation. He launched one of the earliest online high school programs in the 1990s, led many curricular innovations, studied and learned from over a hundred innovative learning organizations and products, and launched the first master's degree program built upon competency-based digital badges. Bull is the author of eight books including the highly popular ⁠Missional Moonshots: Insight and Inspiration for Educational⁠ Innovation (2016), he created the blog Etale, which eventually ranked as one of the top 50 education blogs on the Internet for almost a decade, created the Moonshot Edu Show podcast, served as CEO of Birdhouse Learning Labs, and has given well over 100 invited and keynote presentations throughout the United States and around the world.

Bull, a leader in Christian Lutheran higher education, assumed the presidency of Concordia University (NE) in 2020, after leading a turnaround effort as Goddard College (VT) president.

When Meredith Woo took over as the president of Sweet Briar College in 2017, the nonprofit Virginia women’s institution was seen as a troubled place. Alumnae had wrestled the college back from the brink of closure, but it still faced financial issues, resulting in a warning from its accreditor.  Understanding that there is no playbook for how to bring back a college from the brink of closure, Woo and her leadership team set out to create their own playbook. By leveraging Sweet Briar's historic missional strengths as a liberal arts women's college with a breathtakingly beautiful campus in Virginia, and with the extraordinary support of alumni and friends around the globe, the College has been revived and the recent projections for long-term viability are positive. During our conversation, Woo reflects on the experience of taking over a college in a catastrophic state. She shares her insights about finding opportunities for growth and innovation, what works, and why change always takes longer than you think it will.

In her latest IngenioUs blog article, Kristine Barnett asks us to consider what leadership attributes and approaches do we look for in building our teams. As Barnett's article makes clear, 'getting the right people on our bus' can be critically impactful for our own leadership effectiveness. She shares her top list for what she looks for when she hires and promotes to leadership roles and suggests good questions for us to consider in exploring our leadership expectations. Read here.

The challenges facing higher education are enormous. Some are known to us while others are not. For example, most higher ed leaders did not have the emergence of a global pandemic on their list of concerns even five years ago. And yet, a handful of futurists like David J. Staley did raise the possibility of a pandemic as something that higher education should be preparing for. What other significant trends are most likely to impact higher education and our own college and university campuses most immediately in the days ahead? Join us on April 26 for our monthly Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education webinar as Staley shares his latest insights and teaches us all how to see the future.

Register here, All registrants will receive access to the webinar following the live presentation.

More than four decades ago, the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology (MSPP) opened its doors to offer graduate education in psychology to students who wanted to make a real difference in their communities. Thanks to a postcard in the mail, MSPP was renamed William James College in 2015, after the father of modern, applied psychology and someone who embodied the roles of educator, innovator, advocate, and influencer—all roles that William James College students, faculty, and alumni embrace and embody today. Under the 20+ year leadership of Dr. Nicholas Covino, the College has grown from a single-department, financially troubled institution to one that now has multiple departments and offers specialty training and consultative services. During our conversation, Dr. Covino shares the school's turnaround story including his insights about leading during periods of change. An oft-quoted mental health advocate and spokesperson, Covino also offers valuable guidance for college and university leaders about how to respond to the burgeoning mental health crisis impacting scores of college students, faculty, and staff.

In a recent New York Times piece, the writer asks a critically important question: Colleges have been an important small-town lifeline--what happens when they shrink? In their hot-off-the-shelf new book, Knowledge Towns: Colleges and Universities as Talent Magnets, David J. Staley and Dominic D.J. Endicott suggest that this current scenario is an opportunity for such institutions to rethink and redefine their missions with their geographic place at the center. In Staley's most recent IngenioUs blog article, he describes what this might look like and offers that both the institution and the surrounding community have much to gain by partnering together to design a strategy for creative place-making.

We all make mistakes, every day, but do we take the time to reflect on what we might learn from those things that don't go as planned?  In this month's IngenioUs blog article, Kristine Barnett advises us to take a few moments to reflect on our most significant mistakes. How was it handled? What did you learn? What did you do as a result? What would you have done differently?  In many cases, what seems like a horrific mistake can serve as a bridge to a more positive outcome, if only we take the time to reflect and apply our learning going forward. Read more here.

We’ve heard about the Great Resignation, but have we focused enough attention and strategy on the Great Retention and Reorganization? For transformational leaders in the higher education landscape, the great resignation affords institutions with something that they have traditionally lacked, namely, churn. While too much churn, or turnover, may be a cause of concern, transformational leaders can position their organization to be prepared for churn by accepting resignations, reorganizing for a student-centered approach to business, and developing a retention strategy. In this mini episode, Leading Edge Thinking webinar keynote presenter, Dr. Laura De Veau previews some of the key insights she will share on this topic.  Use this link to register for the March 23rd free webinar.

Now in his fourth year as president of Western New England University in Western Massachusetts, Dr. Robert E. Johnson brings to the role unusually wide-ranging leadership experience and an infectious entrepreneurial spirit and mindset. During our conversation, President Johnson shares his vision for 'A New Traditional University,'  as well as his thoughts about what colleges need to do to remain relevant and financially viable in the years ahead.  He is particularly passionate about the value of an agile mindset.  According to Johnson, "While the traditional organizational structure starts with the 'how are we going to do this' and then backs into the 'what', the agile organization starts with the 'what;'  and when one starts with the 'what' the possibilities are only limited by our imaginations," says Johnson.  

In his latest IngenioUs blog article, David J. Staley offers that we are 'witnessing today a newly-emerging geopolitical reality that will doubtless define the future of the university in the United States.'  Citing William C. Kirby's latest book Empire of Ideas: Creating the Modern University from Germany to America to China (The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2022), Staley suggests that the recent trend of weakening, dismantling and disinvesting in American higher education, occurring precisely when other world powers are retooling and building their universities has potentially dire consequences for America's geostrategic power.

Christina Royal made headlines when she was appointed as the first female, queer person of color president of Holyoke Community College in 2017. Dedicated to improving the world around her, she’s widely known as an innovator, challenge seeker, and problem solver.  Under her leadership, the college has embarked on bold plans, new initiatives, and innovative policies to continue its legacy of affordable, quality education.  During our conversation, Christine talks about what her trailblazing role means for HCC students.  She also shares her insights about innovation and the importance of questioning everything including our deepest assumptions about who our institutions serve and why we exist.  

One of the most exciting and impactful opportunities available to colleges and universities now is the rapid rise of remote and online learning through Metaversities - higher education in the Metaverse.  Join us for our upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar on February 23rd at 12:00 noon ET to learn more about exactly what the Metaverse is and how college leaders are taking advantage of this technology to improve the educational experience for their students and faculty.   VictoryXR CEO, Steve Grubbs will lead a panel discussion with higher ed professionals who are using the Metaverse to enhance their students' educational experiences.  

In this IngenioUs mini episode, Steve Grubbs shares a sneak peak into the upcoming webinar including what attendees can expect to learn.  Register here for the webinar. 

In her latest IngenioUs blog post, Kristine Barnett shares her favorite nuggets of advice that she has received from trusted mentors and seasoned leaders over the course of her career.  What are your favorite bits of advice? What is the advice that you find yourself sharing most often?  If you are listening on Spotify, you can weigh in via the question box.

Renowned educator, author, and Internet of Things pioneer, Sanjay Sarma has been at the center of many of the most significant teaching and learning innovations during the past several years.  As the Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers professor of mechanical engineering at MIT, Sarma led the development of MIT Open Learning, serving as its first director, dean, and vice president (until 2021).   During our IngenioUs conversation, Sanjay shares his insights about where he thinks learning is headed, what learners and teachers can do to create the best conditions for what he calls 'effortful learning,' and what we can all learn from MIT's success in reframing problems to find innovative solutions.

Check out Sanjay's latest book, Grasp: The Science of Transforming How We Learn.

According to this week's guest, burnout, a mental health syndrome caused by chronic workplace stress, is endemic to higher education in a patriarchal, productivity-obsessed culture.  Author, coach, and seasoned academic Dr. Rebecca Pope-Ruark shares her own burnout experience, as well as what she's learned from collected stories of faculty in various roles and career stages, interviews with coaches and educational developers, and extensive secondary research to address and mitigate burnout. Pope-Ruark also shares her four pillars of burnout resilience: purpose, compassion, connection, and balance.   Pope-Ruark is the author of Unraveling Faculty Burnout: Pathways to Reckoning and Renewal (2022) and Agile Faculty: Practical Strategies for Managing Research, Service, and Teaching (2017).  She is also the host of the podcast The Agile Academic.

When Helen G. Drinan assumed the presidency at Simmons University in 2008, the school was on a downward spiral.  During her 12-year tenure, Simmons was transformed on just about every level resulting in a significant strengthening of the school's financial condition.  Recently, Drinan came out of retirement to lead a similar turnaround effort at Cabrini University (PA) where she serves as Interim President.  In our conversation, Drinan speaks candidly about what it takes to improve a college's financial performance and offers valuable guidance for other leaders on how best to navigate challenges and find and leverage opportunities.

Chances are, you’ve faced a campus crisis. In fact, it’s possible that some of you are dealing with one right now or have one brewing and just don’t know it. Whether classified as minor, major, or catastrophic, crises of all magnitudes are unavoidable for the higher ed leader.  In case of crisis, do you know who to call, and what steps to take on your campus?  In her latest IngenioUs Through the Provost's Window blog article, Kristine Barnett shares her own experience along with some advice for a proactive strategy that will serve you well when you face that inevitable crisis.  Read more here.  

To achieve your goals—to make your higher education institution sustainable even through calamities—you need to offer relevance to build relationships with people who will generate revenue for you. Your livelihood as an institution depends on your meaningful exchanges with a wide array of audiences—and individual constituents—every day. These exchanges are your tools to build relationships that, in turn, build sufficient trust that leads to transactions that build revenue.  In this episode, we get a sneak peek into our January 25 Leading Edge Thinking webinar.  Led by RHB professionals Rob Zinkan, EdD, Alex Williams, Erin Gore, and Ken Anselment, these seasoned practitioners will address how enrollment, marketing, and technology can come together for your institution to most effectively build these critical relationships.  To register and receive a follow-up link to the webinar, see here.

In his latest IngenioUs blog article,  David J. Staley   asks whether the pursuit of happiness might be considered "higher learning?"  Citing the work of economist, author, and academic Paul Anand, Staley wonders what might happen if we were to place human flourishing as the mission and purpose of a college education.  Citing the rise in the number of college students experiencing mental health challenges,  Staley makes a compelling case to consider a different and perhaps more enduring solution to a challenge that is on the minds of so many college and university leaders these days.  Read more here.

Twelve years after being accepted into the Kaplan Educational Foundation (KEF)’s highly selective Kaplan Leadership Program, first-generation college student Nolvia Delgado assumed the helm of the Foundation in May 2022 as its next leader: a living testament to the program’s mission of providing high-potential community college students with the opportunity to attend top four-year universities, and to become leaders in their professions and communities.  In our conversation with this inspiring leader, Novia shares strategies that colleges and universities can adopt to better support first gen and underserved students in completing their education.

For the College Transfer Guide mentioned during this episode, see here.

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The end of federal COVID relief funding is accelerating an already challenging operating reality for many colleges and universities.  Our IngenioUs conversations over the past three years with more than 100+ college and university leaders make clear that the challenges are real and that good leadership matters.  In her latest IngenioUs blog article,  IngenioUs host, Melissa Morriss-Olson shares important takeaways from these conversations, concluding that there are a handful of things that the best leaders do that can be especially consequential right now.   These practices can be adopted and harnessed by any leader who is looking to strengthen her institution’s readiness for the challenges ahead.  To read the full article, see here.

Morriss-Olson's forthcoming book, Leadership for the Here and Now, draws from the IngenioUs podcast conversations to provide a guide to best higher-ed leadership practices for challenging times.  Subscribe now to be notified about the book's publication and new IngenioUs content.

In his recently released book, Start, Stop, or Grow?: A Data-informed Approach To Academic Program Evaluation And Management, author, seasoned executive, and higher ed business consultant and innovator Bob Atkins offers a much-needed roadmap to help college leaders better manage their academic programs.  According to Atkins and the many professionals who reviewed his book, there is a lot wrong with the current approach to academic program evaluation and management.  For starters, the traditional approach often lacks data-informed decision-making tools and is mired in campus politics. In our conversation, Atkins unpacks his approach and shares the key questions that academic leaders need to ask about mission, markets, quality, and economics.  With analytics as a centerpiece, he suggests that the best approach respects faculty governance and seeks faculty buy-in.  For any leader concerned about falling enrollments and shifting markets, this episode is a must.

In their recent book, 'The Real World of College,' co-authors Wendy Fischman and Howard Gardner, both recognized authorities on education and learning, argue that higher education in the United States has lost sight of its primary purpose.  Drawing from in-depth interviews with more than 2,000 students, alumni, faculty, administrators, parents, trustees, and others representing ten widely variant institutions, their findings are surprising and important.  In our conversation, Fischman and Gardner discuss the findings and offer their recommendations for how every college can increase 'higher ed capital' which they suggest will better help students think well and broadly, express themselves clearly, explore new areas, and be open to possible transformations. To access the Project Zero resources mentioned during the interview, see here.

In her latest ingenious blog post, Columbia College (SC) Provost Kristine Barnett reminds us about the importance of really getting to know the institution's culture, especially when we are in a new role on a new campus.  As the renowned management consultant Peter Drucker was fond of saying, "Culture eats strategy for breakfast."   Even the most skilled leaders can get tripped up by misreading or misunderstanding the campus culture. What can a new leader do?  Check out her article here for valuable guidance on strengthening your culture IQ.  

In his latest IngenioUs blog article, historian, futurist, and CHELIP Faculty Fellow for Innovation, David J. Staley prompts us to consider the value of a liberal arts education.  Staley draws from two recent seminal studies, one by Richard A. Detweiler that analyzed the liberal arts-related educational experienced and the adult behaviors of 1,000 graduates and the other, by Wendy Fischman and Howard Gardner that surveyed and interviewed stakeholders from a variety of colleges and universities; importantly, both studies provide evidence for the impact and value of the college experience well beyond the rhetoric that links education and job preparation that is so in vogue today.  

As higher education struggles to recenter teaching and learning in the face of ongoing disruption and uncertainty, we could think of no one better to check in with than Edward Maloney and  Joshua Kim.  Often cited for their unique perspectives about online higher education, Maloney and Kim are the go-to experts for higher education learning and digital innovation. The co-authors of “Learning Innovation and The Future of Higher Education”  and "The Low-Density University: 15 Scenarios for Higher Education" join us for a wide ranging conversation about COVID's teaching and learning legacy, the current state of learning innovation, the future of teaching and learning, what they wish they could tell presidents about how to improve student learning and what new innovations they are most excited about.   ‍

Joshua Kim is the director of online learning programs and strategy at the Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning and a senior fellow at the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship at Georgetown University. Edward Maloney is a professor of English at Georgetown University, where he is the executive director of the Center for New Designs in Learning and Scholarship and the founding director of the graduate program in learning, design, and technology.

Kristine Barnett, Ed.D is a career-long educator and academic administrator who often has a unique perspective on all aspects of academic leadership. Dr. Barnett has cobbled together a career at a variety of institutions that have afforded her several different scenic vistas. For the most part, her leadership has been focused on small, private, liberal arts women’s (or former women’s) colleges. Barnett is new to her position as a Provost/VP of Academic Affairs at an independent liberal arts college in the southeast, affording her a new window and a new view.  This is the first blog in a new monthly series hosted by IngenioUs, an initiative of The Center for Higher Education Leadership and Innovative Practice at Bay Path University (CHELIP).

In her spare time, Dr. Barnett serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Bay Path University Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership program.

Read more here.

In this episode of an IngenioUs Mini, Bay Path University Professor of Higher Education, Dr. Lauren Way, speaks with two highly seasoned enrollment professionals about their upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education Webinar.  Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) Executive Vice President of Client Success, Andrea Gilbert and Vice President and Senior Consultant, Enrollment, Ken Huus share a sneak peak into their upcoming webinar during which they will share best practices when building a robust pipeline to engage students, grow/shape enrollment, and increase net revenue. Important takeaways include learning about  new approaches, innovative strategies, and why investing in your brand and engagement has never been more important!

To learn more join us on November 15, 2022 | 12 P.M.EST | Register Today

The current volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) external operating environment for nearly all colleges and universities combined with incredibly complicated organizational and human capital realities, demand a far different set of leadership skills, traits, and abilities than in the past.  In this episode, we speak with two seasoned higher ed leaders who have experienced the challenges firsthand.  In our conversation, Scott Wyatt and Wallace Pond share their insights about what's not working with the current models of leadership and offer a vision of leadership for the here and now.  

In his most recent IngenioUs blog post, historian, futurist, and CHELIP Faculty Fellow for Innovation, David J. Staley reviews two important books that shed light on the promise and peril of entrepreneurial activity within the academy.  His closing question is compelling:  "Does the university have the capacity—either deliberately or surreptitiously—to redesign itself as the generator of new epistemological forms?"  Read more here and let us know what you think.

In response to a frightening array of challenges facing public higher education nationally and acutely concentrated in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) undertook an innovative and bold redesign to fundamentally transform education and business models.  Launched in 2017, the multi-phase, System redesign focused on 3 goals: 1) advance student success; 2) leverage universities’ strengths as a system; and 3) enhance “systemness” through accountability and governance. In support of the effort, the Board of Governors established metrics-based expectations for each university’s financial stability, transparency, accountability, and sustainability. 

With two phases completed, early results are stunning.  In this first episode of Season 4, we sit down with PASSHE Chancellor Dr. Daniel Greenstein and PASSHE Board of Governors Chair Dr. Cynthia Shapira to learn the backstory for this unprecedented effort.  Dan and Cindy speak candidly about what it takes to pull off a change effort of this magnitude including the importance of having an effective governance and leadership team, data driven decision making, and an unwavering student-first commitment.  Early success markers include the integration of six Universities to create two new powerhouse regional Universities and a a historic state funding increase of $75 million (16 percent) to $552.5 million in the 2022-23 state budget.

In David J. Staley's new IngenioUs blog article, he suggests that this steady move toward uniformity is driven by  'FOLD: “fear of looking different” from every other college or university.'  And rather than protecting our institutions from the headwinds, Staley cautions that an increasingly standardized model may actually heighten our vulnerability to disruption.  Listen here to learn more.

It’s an easy assumption to make: improving access must necessarily degrade quality. Enhancing quality always costs more money, increasing the cost of education. These beliefs have been called the Iron Triangle of Higher Education.    However, a number of institutions have been demonstrating over recent years that institutional outcomes of quality, access, and even affordability can be improved simultaneously. In this IngenioUs mini, Bay Path University professor of higher education leadership, Dr. Lauren Way speaks with Dr. Stephen Ehrmann about his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education seminar on this very important topic.  Listen in to leanr more about what insights Dr. Ehrmann will be sharing in the webinar.

Dr. Stephen C. Ehrmann is an independent scholar and the author of Pursuing Quality, Access, and Affordability: A Field Guide to Improving Higher Education (Stylus). His book provides a practical, and long-view guide to implementing transformative educational change across an entire institution and ultimately, US higher education as a whole. Dr. Ehrmann is a former grant-maker, consultant, and vice provost for teaching and learning at George Washington University, and has served as Program Officer for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), and as Director of Educational Research and Assistance.

To register for this free event, scheduled for July 21, 2022 at 12:00 noon (ET) see here.

In this mini episode of IngenioUs, we speak with Bay Path University EdD Higher Education Leadership and Organizational Studies faculty, Dr. Kristine Barnett.  Listen in to hear Dr. Barnett's perspective about what makes the HELOS unique and what students can expect to experience in her classroom.

At the conclusion of every IngenioUs conversation, we ask our guests what’s on their radar right now?  What is top of mind?  What keeps them up at night?  As seasoned higher ed professionals and thought leaders, the responses suggest that higher education is indeed undergoing a sea wave of change.  Depending upon where one’s institution is situated, the impact clearly varies.  Even still, there are commonalities that emerged across nearly all of our Season 3 conversations.  In our final  episode for the year, our IngenioUs host, Dr. Melissa Morriss-Olson and Bay Path University EdD in Educational Leadership program coordinator and professor, Dr. Mela Dutka unpack these common themes, adding their own insights about this important moment, what lies ahead, and why it matters.

In this IngenioUs mini episode, we hear from RHB consultants and conveners of a recent, year-long ground breaking study about strategic planning practices in higher education, Dr. Aimee Hosemann and Dr. Rob Zinkan.  What are strategic plans for, and who are they for? What does it mean to be “strategic”? Amidst such rapid change, how relevant can a plan truly be? These are among the questions addressed in a yearlong study of 108 active college and university strategic plans. Researchers selected 16 strategic plans (of the 108) containing some of the most strategic tendencies and then interviewed presidents of those institutions. Based on the study’s findings and implications, Zinkan and Hosemann  will outline important leadership considerations to avoid the many pitfalls of strategic planning and ensure a process focused on strategy and outcomes.  To register for our June 9 Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education free webinar, see here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8558370233447293454

Having lived and worked within the diversity, equity, and inclusion space for several years, Dr. Amer F. Ahmed is not afraid to speak clearly and bluntly about what higher ed leaders and faculty need to know; especially if they want to create campus cultures where everyone can find a place to belong. As the Vice Provost for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the University of Vermont, Dr. Ahmed is a nationally recognized thought leader and DEI practitioner. He is skilled at leading university-wide strategic initiatives to build capacity and foster a culture of belonging. In our conversation, Dr. Ahmed gets real about what it takes to do just that and why he believes this work can make the difference for institutional survival.

See here for links to the resources discussed in this episode:

https://www.equipinclusive.com/

https://www.global-inclusion.com/

 In recent times, many higher ed observers have suggested that higher ed's business model is broken.  In this episode we speak with the co-authors of the 'hot-off-the-press' book, The College of the Future, which lays out a bold plan to 'fix the broken business model' for those institutions that are most vulnerable--America’s private, non-profit colleges. These colleges have long been a haven for students, an anchor for communities, and a cultural oasis in small towns and cities across America, but rising costs and falling enrollments have plunged many of these venerable institutions into debt. In the past decade, dozens have closed their doors for good, a devastating occurrence for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the communities surrounding the campuses. Even institutions that are thriving are faced with headwinds that necessitate strategic evolution.  

In our conversation with the book's co-authors, Jeffrey Docking, President of Adrian College, and Kevin Harrington, CEO of Rize Education make a compelling case for a collaborative model that allows colleges to quickly add enrollment-boosting majors, minors, certificates, and courses with significantly less cost and risk. Most importantly, this new model provides a path forward not only toward private colleges’ sheer survival, but to their achievement of enduring viability.  To learn more about joining RIZE,  contact Kevin at kharrington@rize.education or President Docking at jdocking@adrian.edu.

When UMass Global Chancellor Gary Brahm was studying biology as an undergraduate at California State, Northridge, a career in higher education was not on his radar. Life intervened and Brahm went on to pursue a remarkable career in higher education, culminating in his spearheading one of the nation's most innovative transactions on behalf of college-going working adults: the affiliation of Brandman University (where Brahm served as Founding Chancellor since 2007) with the UMass system to create UMass Global. At Brandman University, Brahm is credited with building a 'totally student centered' institutional culture and instituting innovative best in class practices for adult working students resulting in impressive student success outcomes by nearly every measure. In our conversation, Chancellor Brahm shares the back story behind this groundbreaking affiliation and unpacks the secret sauce for his institution's singular success in supporting working adult students.

Under Fry’s leadership, Drexel has set a national example for the execution of public-private partnerships, and become a powerful force for economic development in Greater Philadelphia. What’s the end game? According to Fry, he is driven by a deep and personal mission to spread the word about how anchor institutions can do a world of good for the places that are around them. In the end, Drexel’s commitment to inclusive growth is fundamentally about education.  To hear him tell it, the most important work happening at Drexel right now is the faculty-led initiatives bringing together teaching, research and civic engagement.  Sounds like a win-win all around.

Aging and longevity experts suggest that the notion of a 150 year life-span is closer than you think.  In fact, according to this week's guest, some have suggested that the first people to live this long have already been born.  How do we prepare today's college students for a future where the average working life potentially spans 100 plus years and has no beginning, middle, or end?  That is the focus of Dr. Michelle Weise's newest book, Long Life Learning: Preparing for Jobs that Don't Even Exist Yet.   In this episode, IngenioUs host, Melissa Morriss-Olson speaks with Dr. Weise about how our current education system is poorly equipped to educate workers for such a long journey and how we must design a new learner-centered ecosystem to meet the needs of a new generation of workers.   Contemplating a shift from the educational all-you-can-eat-buffet of college and university to an “as-you-need-it” approach to delivering education, Weise explains why and how worker education is overdue for momentous changes.  According to Weise, for colleges and universities willing to adopt a long life learning strategy, the benefits for students as well as for the workforce are substantial.

According to historian and futurist, David J. Staley, college and universities that are located in these 'Zoom town' regions have an unusually compelling and timely opportunity to pursue a strategy that could reap significant benefit for years to come.  In this episode, Staley gives us sneak peak into his upcoming free Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education webinar scheduled for April 13th at 1pm -n 2 pm (ET).

Dr. David Staley, Ph.D. is associate professor in the departments of History, Design and Educational Studies at the Ohio State University. He is an Honorary Faculty Fellow in Innovation at the Center for Higher Ed Leadership and Innovative Practice (CHELIP) at Bay Path University, and was recently named a Fellow at the Center for Science and the Imagination at Arizona State University.  He is host of the "Voices of Excellence in the Arts and Sciences" podcast. In addition to his written work, he has designed and curated both online and physical exhibitions and has published numerous visual compositions in digital media. From 2003-2008, Staley was the Executive Director of the American Association for History and Computing (AAHC).

Register here for the April 13th webinar: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/universities-as-talent-magnets/2022-04-13/

Looking for an opportunity to make a real difference?  Meet Dr. Diya Abdo, Guilford College (NC) English Professor and Founder, Director, and President of Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR), the nonprofit organization she started which has revolutionized refugee resettlement.  By leveraging the sizable resources of college and university systems to host newly arrived refugees at no cost, ECAR offers refugees the potential for a stronger, more dignified landing in the U.S.  A second-generation Palestinian refugee born and raised in Jordan, Professor Abdo understands well the challenges faced by those who have been displaced.  A recipient of the J.M. Kaplan Fund’s Innovation Prize (2021) for her groundbreaking work with ECAR,  Dr. Abdo believes that college communities are uniquely suited to help and that the potential benefit is vast--both for refugees and for the sponsoring institution.  "If just 10% of America’s universities hosted one family of average size, that would provide supportive integration to 20,000 refugees over a short few years—and forge a hopeful resettlement model grounded in the practice of radical hospitality," according to Dr. Abdo.   Want to learn more?  Contact ECAR here and start the conversation about how your campus might get involved.

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In his latest IngenioUs blog post, historian and futurist, David J. Staley proposes a new higher education model that validates the importance of the learning that happens outside the classroom.  Imagine "Side Hustle College." a place where a small number of academic classes is augmented by a rich array of experiential learning opportunities.  At "Side Hustle College" suggests Staley, students and faculty would work closely together on projects resulting in job readiness enhancing skills and experiences.   

Mark Scheinberg is undoubtedly one of New England's top educational entrepreneurs.  Scheinberg, who essentially built East Hartford Connecticut-based Goodwin University from scratch, has emerged as a leading voice on adult education and workforce development in his region.  He has made several big moves recently including the transition from Goodwin College to Goodwin University and his recent  $32 million purchase of the University of Bridgeport.  The University of Bridgeport acquisition gives Goodwin a substantial statewide footprint and opens up wide ranging opportunities for program expansion.

In this episode which is the second of a two-part conversation with Scheinberg, we learn more about the University of Bridgeport acquisition.  We also get Mark's take on what leaders need to stay focused on these days and why he so enjoys mentoring emerging entrepreneurs.

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In this IngenioUs Mini episode, Dr. Lauren Way interviews Ruffalo Noel Levitz Vice President Julie Bryant about student success essentials.  Despite performance-based funding pressures on the rise, data show that half of new college students will not graduate. And despite the knowledge that it's more cost-effective to retain students than to recruit them, many campuses still focus more resources on the latter. How are motivational assessments, satisfaction surveys, predictive analytics, and strategies for success best leveraged? 

As the featured presenter at our March 15th free Leading Edge Thinking virtual webinar, these are just a few of the many important questions that Julie will address.  Listen in to Dr. Way's interview for a sneak peak into the interview and for Julie's thoughts about the essential components your campus wants on its radar to improve net revenue through student success and completion rates.  Register here for the webinar.

When in 1982, 24-year-old budding entrepreneur Mark Scheinberg paid $30,000 for the little-known, for-profit business school Data Institute in Hartford, CT., little did anyone imagine how the story would play out. Over the ensuing 40 years, Scheinberg has led an extraordinary transformation.   A transformation signaled by a name change—first to Goodwin College and then Goodwin University, a change in legal status—to nonprofit, and, with the recent acquisition of the University of Bridgeport, a substantial expansion of the institution’s offerings and footprint.

Goodwin University has clearly come of age. In the first of a two-part episode, we get Mark’s take on the school’s remarkable evolution including the essential strategies and key decision points that help explain the success. We also get a window into the mindset of this uniquely savvy and strategic leader and entrepreneur who cares deeply about his community and his students.

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In this episode we speak with the very wise Joanne Soliday, higher education author, speaker, presidential advisor, and catalyst for change. With over 30 years’ experience on college and university campuses, Joanne transforms each environment she touches through her strategic vision and ability to speak truth. Following over twenty years in leadership positions at Elon University and West Virginia Wesleyan College, Joanne founded Credo, a higher education consulting firm dedicated to empowering small, independent colleges and universities to thrive. In her work at Credo, Joanne has partnered with over 250 private colleges and universities. This strategic work led to her to co-author two books for leaders in higher education. Her most recent book, “PIVOT: A Vision for the New University,” explicates a picture of possibility for the future of independent colleges and universities; it is the critical reimagining of how that education is shaped, providing a vision for the new university. Joanne’s first book, “Surviving to Thriving: A Planning Framework for Leaders of Private Colleges and Universities,” is a guide for independent college and university leaders, unpacking the nine critical elements of the Thriving Framework® through which institutional health can be both understood and improved. To learn more about Joanne's professional journey, see here.

Like it or not, things are changing in higher education. The need for revisioning around curricula, delivery modes, student support services, and technology became acute in response to the pandemic. Assessing and codifying those changes while continuing to imagine an ambiguous future requires change leadership to happen at all levels of the institution. Mid-level leaders find themselves particularly challenged as they must manage tensions up, down, and across the organizational chart. In this IngenioUs mini episode, we speak with Dr. Robyn Parker, newly appointed Vice President for Academic Affairs at Saybrook University about our upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education free webinar that she will be facilitating.  This webinar features conversations with higher education change leaders who have led from the middle and lived to tell about it! They’ll share insights about what worked, what didn’t, and why. We’ll leave you with a few frameworks and tools to use in your own change endeavors. In addition to Dr. Parker, presenters include Dr. Allison Gillespie, Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs at The University of Southern Mississippi, Dr. Jeffrey Ratliff-Crain, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Innovation at University of Minnesota-Rochester, and John Montana, Executive Director, Strategy & Innovation at Wake Forest University School of Business.  The webinar is scheduled for February 16th at 12:00 noon (ET).  Register here:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8181576390986985997

Bradley University President Stephen Standifird is not worried about the impending demographic cliff.  Instead, Standifird is laser focused on facilitating a rethink about how his University operates based on student needs and aspirations. In our conversation Dr. Standifird shares his conviction that it is not enough today for colleges and universities to merely be student concerned. At Bradley, they are taking it a step further, using the research-informed insights gleaned in a recent strategic planning process about what today's college-going students are looking for to redesign the system around them.  It's a subtle yet powerful distinction.

According to Arizona State University's president, Dr. Michael Crow, the current higher education context needs a different kind of leadership.  Crow calls for an intellectual leader, an intellectual architect and designer who can think and lead in new ways.  In this episode we speak with President Crow and his co-author of The Fifth Wave: The Evolution of American Higher Education, Dr. William Dabars about the remarkable transformation of ASU under Crow's leadership. Listen in to learn what strategies have been most impactful and what new innovations President Crow is particularly excited about.

It’s not every day — or every decade — that you hear of a new university starting up. For a nonprofit, it's not the most lucrative business venture, and the startup costs and regulatory hurdles are intense. But Caitlin O’R. B. Carter and Maren Rosenbach are determined to build a new kind of higher-education institution in the Seattle area. In this first episode of 2022, we speak with these bold founders of Wright University. Named after Carter’s late grandmother who was a lifelong educator, Carter and Rosenbach envision Wright University to be an inclusive four-year school focused on racial and social justice “by employing and educating those historically excluded by academia.” They are aiming to raise $500 million in capital to open a physical campus in the Seattle area and start enrolling students by fall of 2023.  Listen in to learn more about their compelling vision and what it takes to start a new university in the midst of a worldwide pandemic.

In this IngenioUs mini episode we speak with enrollment management expert Tim Fuller about what it takes to bring in the class during these anxious and uncertain times in higher education. Long time enrollment practitioner, owner and SVP at Credo and now founder of his own consulting firm, Fuller Higher Ed Solutions, Tim is our featured presenter at our January 19th, 2022 Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar.  In our brief conversation here, Tim shares a few high level take aways for what webinar attendees can expect to learn.  To register for the webinar:https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/753877266104900111

Tim founded Fuller Higher Ed Solutions in June of 2020 to focus even more of his time on enrollment health, strategic planning, and leadership counsel. A frequent conference and campus presenter, Tim underpins over 40 years of data trends and research with storytelling, wit, and campus examples to bring statistics to life and connect his audiences with the part they all play in an organization’s strategic enrollment health, plan for the future, and overall mission.

When Dr. Stephen Lehmkuhle became the chancellor of the brand-new University of Minnesota-Rochester campus, he had to start from scratch. There was no legacy mission, no physical campus, no academic programs, no athletic teams and so on.  Lehmkuhle quickly realized that his first and most important act was to confirm the central organizing purpose of the campus. In our conversation, Stephen shares what it takes to build a campus from scratch.  According to this seasoned educator, even for those who work on campuses with long histories and enduring missions, a renewed focus on campus purpose can inspire new and fresh ways of thinking about the many elements of campus operation and function that we take for granted.

Stephen Lemkuhle is the author of the recent book, Campus with Purpose: Building a Mission-Driven Campus, a book that tells the story of the creation of the University of Minnesota-Rochester where he served as inaugural Chancellor.

As Maryville University's 10th president (since 2007), Dr. Mark Lombardi has led an innovative revolution, earning national distinction, resulting in mind-bending enrollment growth and gains in student learning, success, and retention.  With enrollment reaching 11,000 and with 90+ campus-based, online, undergraduate and graduate degree programs and a 98% job placement rate (meaning students obtain a job in their chosen field or attend graduate school within six months of graduating), Maryville is clearly on a roll. What's the secret to Maryville's success?  Lombardi attributes several important 'pivot' points including the relentless and courageous pursuit of innovation, a revenue-driven business model, and a highly personalized approach to learning that is informed by learning theory, analytics and diagnostics, and life coaching.  And according to Lombardi, they are just getting started!  Nationally, President Lombardi is recognized as a thought leader in the higher education revolution and is also co-author of the recently released book Pivot: A Vision for the New University (2019).

In his latest IngenioUs blog article, David J. Staley, Ph.D. suggests that higher education leaders need to be thinking in more imaginative ways about what universities can be.  According to Staley, bringing change to the university means 'reforming the university as a new discipline or a new design practice.'  As usual, Staley's thinking is provocative and is informing how we think about educating the next generation of higher education leaders.  Listen here and let us know if you have examples of expansive university making models to share.

In this IngenioUs Mini episode, we hear from nationally renowned expert on college student recruitment, Jeff Kallay, co-founder of Render Experiences (now RNL+Render), the leading firm for campus visit experiences.  As a respected authority on the emerging “experience economy,” Jeff’s presentations on American generations with particular expertise on the current youth generation and their parents, help colleges and organizations understand generational differences and how to best connect with each unique peer group.

In this episode, Bay Path professor, Dr. Lauren Way talks with Jeff about his upcoming webinar in the Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed series, scheduled for December 13, 2021, 12-1 pm (EST).  To register click here.

Based on his latest best-selling book, Failure to Disrupt, it is clear that Justin Reich believes that a digital transformation is, at its core, a very human endeavor. In this week’s IngenioUs episode with the MIT professor, learning scientist and director of the MIT Teaching Systems Lab, Justin separates truth from hype and helps us understand what technology can—and can’t—do to transform learning. According to Reich, learning technologies―even those that are free to access―often provide the greatest benefit to affluent students and do little to combat growing inequality in education. Listen here for Justin’s clear, balanced and insightful take on the failure of technology in learning, what needs to be done to make a real impact, and the critical importance of education as community.

With two doctorates and an MBA, Dr. Mary Beth Cooper was clearly qualified to assume the presidency of Springfield College.  Now in her 9th year, President Cooper has instituted several new innovative partnerships and initiatives that have extended Springfield College's impact in the community and she has gained a reputation as a mission-driven and highly strategic, student-centric leader.  During our conversation we learn about her journey to the presidency, how she thinks about innovation, why she puts so much emphasis on building a strong and collaborative senior leadership team, and her thoughts about the future of the four-year degree. 

Is it time to reform higher education accreditation?  David Staley thinks so.  In his latest IngenioUs blog, he suggests it is time to design a new category of accreditation agency that can accommodate innovative and outside-the-box activities.  According to Staley: 'With an innovation accreditor guiding them and granting them permission, colleges and universities might be unleashed to tackle the unimaginative uniformity that afflicts so much of higher education.'  See here for his blog article.

In this episode, we speak with the pioneering scholar, poet, Dominican immigrant and remarkably inspiring higher education leader, Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis, who recently returned to her beloved Eugenio María de Hostos Community College of The City University of New York to serve as President.  A highly student-centric leader, Daisy's tenure as a faculty member, dean, provost and two-time president is marked by a series of bold and wise actions which have strengthened the learning environment and student experience.  During our conversation we learn about the influences that have shaped Daisy's approach to leadership, her love of poetry and the humanities, her belief in the goodness of others and what it is like to be on the receiving end of one of those unsolicited phone calls and gifts from the philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

In this week’s episode, we speak with educational entrepreneur and innovator of one of higher ed’s most revolutionary experiments, Shai Reshef. Shai is founder and president of The University of the People, the world’s first and only nonprofit, tuition-free, American accredited online university. Driven by a personal passion to provide higher ed access to qualified individuals regardless of geographic, financial or societal constraints, President Reshef has been recognized worldwide for his work including being named as one of Fast Company’s 100 Most creative People in Business. There is a great deal that we can learn from the University of the People’s ultra-low cost college degree model including how to structure a learning experience with what matters most at the core.

Transformational change leadership is all the buzz these days.  And yet, very few leaders have been trained or are skilled in how to actually pull it off.  In this episode, we speak with one of higher ed’s foremost experts on transformational change leadership, someone who has been in the trenches leading organizations through significant, successful change processes:Dr. Wallace Pond.  Having served for decades in multiple CEO, executive, and partnership roles, Wallace is both realistic and insightful about the need today for a new model of leadership.  During our conversation we discuss his recently released book, Leadership in the Real World: Hard Won Lessons from Twenty Years as a Chief Executive in Turbulent Times (2020), and he shares his insights about how leaders can increase their self-knowledge and why compassion and humility are so important today for effective leadership.   

Be sure to register for the upcoming Leading Edge in Higher Education webinar Game Changing Leadership in Times of Profound Change which will be presented by Dr. Pond.  The webinar is free and online and is scheduled for October 20th at 12 - 1 pm (EST).  To register: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/game-changing-leadership-in-times-of-profound-change/2021-10-20/

As a highly successful two-time college president, provost and award winning teacher, Dr. Marjorie Hass is very well informed about the challenges facing college and university leaders.  And yet, she is both hopeful and realistic about the future and what leaders need to know and do to navigate these dynamic times.  Recently elected as the first woman president of The Council of Independent Colleges and a philosopher by training, Dr. Hass is the author of a just released and widely acclaimed book, A Leadership Guide for Women in Higher Education (JHU Press, 2021).

In this kick-off episode for Season 3, we talk with Dr. Hass about her impressive professional journey and we are inspired by her insights about what it takes to lead in today's environment while retaining one's sense of self and find joy and purpose in the work.  

For a very long time now, higher education has trended toward growth.  Indeed, the emergence of a new class of organizational type, e.g., the mega university, reflects a business strategy that many institutions are emulating; a strategy rooted in a belief that one's survival in this increasingly competitive environment is best assured through increasing scale.  In this latest IngenioUs blog article, David Staley, Ph.D. suggests another way forward for smaller colleges and universities.  Citing a recent Chronicle of Higher Education article by Scott Carlson, Staley suggests that small colleges might ensure their future through a de-scaled strategy that offers an educational experience at human scale.  

Even while men still hold the majority of executive leadership positions in higher education, women represent more than half of administrators overall, according to a study from the College and University Professional Association for Human Resources (CUPA-HR). Women in higher education leadership bring unique and valuable skills and perspectives to bear on their approach to leading, something that is no doubt honed by navigating the competing demands of their gender and their occupation.  During the first two seasons of IngenioUs, we've been privileged to hear from several accomplished women higher ed leaders and we are pleased to share highlights of these conversations in this special summer episode.  The stories that these bold and wise women share are inspiring and provide encouragement for all women who aspire to higher ed leadership, now and in the future.  In order of appearance:  Dr. Elsa Nunez, Dr. Mary Dana Hinton, Dr. Carol Leary, Dr. Valerie Roberson, Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernanedez, Dr. Donna Carroll, Dr. Lenore Rodicio, and Sandra Doran, JD.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College in Dallas, Texas. Under Dr. Sorrell’s 13-year tenure as president, Paul Quinn has become a national movement for its efforts to remake higher education in order to serve the needs of under-resourced students and communities. Join us to learn more about President Sorrell’s unconventional pathway to the presidency and the highly inventive route that he and PQC have pursued to design a new kind of university for today’s students.  For more information about President Sorrell and this remarkable institution, see here: https://www.pqc.edu/about-the-president/

It seems like everyone is talking about innovation these days. Boards of trustees are looking for innovative leaders, and there is a sense of urgency around the need to think and act differently. And yet, what does it mean to innovate in this rapidly evolving and increasingly challenging context? What does it take to build and sustain an innovative culture? Where do innovative leaders get their best ideas? Why is it so difficult to innovate and institute lasting change in an academic organization? And what can leaders do? These are just some of the questions addressed by our panel of insightful thought leaders in this special summer episode. In order of appearance: Michael Sorrell, Nathan Grawe, Sandra Doran, Scott Wyatt, Alison Kadlec, Paul LeBlanc, Susan Campbell Baldridge, Brandon Busteed, Bryan Alexander, Lenore Rodicio, David Staley, Laurie Pulido, Gregory Fowler, and Lynn Pasquerella

The challenges facing nearly all of higher education in the years ahead are daunting.  From declining demographics and accelerating competition to increasing questioning about the value of a college education, the need for new innovative models has never been greater.  Going forward, institutional resilience will require that colleges and universities understand and leverage their unique value proposition in an increasingly crowded marketplace.  In this mini episode, Landmark College President and CEO, Dr. Peter Eden speaks with Dr. Lauren Way about what it means to carve out a distinctive niche and mission and why this matters today more than ever.  This episode is a preview to the Leading Edge Thinking virtual webinar that Dr. Eden is presenting on August 25th at 12 noon - 1:00 pm.  Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5098848149945482253

What is on your radar right now?  As you look the future, what keeps you awake at night?  At the end of each interview, we ask our guests to respond to these same questions, to tell us what is top of mind as they contemplate the post-pandemic future.  We are pleased to share a compilation of the wisdom and insights that these extraordinary thought leaders shared with us during Season 2.  In order of appearance:  Sandra Doran, President at Bay Path University; David Horner, President at The American College in Greece; Yves Solomon-Fernandez, President at Greenfield Community College; Donna Carroll, President at Dominican University (IL); Michael Sorrell, President at Paul Quinn College; Elsa Nunez, President at Eastern Connecticut State University; Paul LeBlanc, President at Southern New Hampshire University; Nathan Grawe, Professor of Economics at Carleton College, and Adrianna Kezar, Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Pulias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California.

Is tenure still viable?  Has the pandemic triggered an erosion of faculty governance?  What new models of leadership and governance do we need to consider for the years ahead?  These are just a few of the questions we discuss with higher ed's foremost expert on organizational change, governance and leadership, Dr. Adrianna Kezar.  As Dean's Professor of Leadership, Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education and Director of the Pullias Center for Higher Education at the University of Southern California, Kezar is a prolific author and researcher and is frequently quoted in the media about trends and changes in the higher ed landscape that need to be on our radar. 

Dr. Kezar shares many valuable tools and frameworks during our conversation.  These resources can be found here:

https://pullias.usc.edu/

https://www.acenet.edu/Research-Insights/Pages/Diversity-Inclusion/Equity-Minded-Leadership.aspx

We are very excited about this final episode of season 2 wherein we speak with a highly innovative and wise leader—Scott L. Wyatt—who serves as the 16th president of Southern Utah University.  You may have heard about Wyatt recently—he and his team have just launched the $9,000 bachelor’s degree. What many people don’t know is that this is one of a steady stream of innovations that Wyatt has led during his time at SUU. During our wide ranging conversation we talk about innovation, why it is so hard to innovate in higher ed and what he thinks we all need to be doing right now to remain relevant and competitive.  Wyatt is an American attorney, politician, two-time college president and a former member of the Utah State Legislature.  Effective August 15, 2021, President Wyatt will assume the new position of Senior Executive Director of Statewide Online Education within the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education, where he will run Utah’s new system-wide approach to online higher ed programming.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Lynn Pasquerella who, since 2016, has served as the president of the Association of American Colleges & Universities. As a philosopher whose career has combined teaching and scholarship with local and global engagement, Lynn has continuously demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to ensuring that all students have access to excellence in liberal education, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

In our conversation, Lynn shares how her experience as a first generation college student, then faculty member, provost and eventually college president has shaped her world view and her thinking about higher education and the challenges and opportunities ahead for all of us. For more information about Lynn's background, see here: https://www.aacu.org/president/lynn-pasquerella

In this mini episode, we speak with CaseStudy Co. Founder and Managing Director, James W. Quinn about the value of the case study consulting approach for addressing some of our institution's most perplexing issues.  James also shares key takeaways from his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar series on a topic where he has particular expertise: Strategic Partnerships, Alliances, and Acquisitions: How do Leaders Decide?  

The webinar is scheduled for June 16 at 12:00 - 1:00 pm (ET).  For more information and to register: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/strategic-partnerships-alliances-and-acquisitions-how-do-leaders-decide/2021-06-16/

How would you lead your college if you knew that you had to close it?  In this episode, we speak with someone who did just that.  Less than one year into her job as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Wheelock College, Churchill found herself in the midst of an institutional life or death decision process.  In their recently released book, When Colleges Close, Churchill and Wheelock's president, Dr. David Chard, tell the remarkable success story of Wheelock's merger with Boston University and its closure as a standalone institution.  In our conversation, Mary shares how Wheelock's Board determined early that it needed to plan for a future in which it would no longer be viable as well as lessons learned from the process that will be valuable for all higher ed leaders who are in the midst of crisis or transition.

Churchill currently serves as the Chief of Policy and Planning for Boston Mayor Kim Janey.  Before joining the administration in 2021, she was Associate Dean of Community Engagement at Boston University where she represented the college at the Boston Public Schools Equity Roundtable convenings.   Prior to her time at Boston University, she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wheelock College. Additionally, she has held leadership roles in universities and colleges in New England for over thirty years. These include positions at Salem State University, Northeastern University, Bentley College, and Emmanuel College.  For more information about Churchill's background, see here: https://www.bu.edu/wheelock/profile/mary-churchill/

Dr. Dennis Littky is co-founder and co-director of The Met School, co-founder of Big Picture Learning and founder and President of College Unbound. He is nationally known for his game changing and extensive work in secondary education in urban, suburban, and rural settings, spanning over 40 years and now in higher education. His work as an educator has been featured in a movie, A Town Torn Apart, as well as a book, Doc: The Story of Dennis Littky and His Fight for a Better School.  He is an author and the recipient of many awards and honors, and is the recipient of two earned doctoral degrees in psychology and education from the University of Michigan.  Described as a ‘radical educator’, as ‘someone who works up against the edge of convention and out of the box’, and as ‘someone who has changed the conversation in this country about education’, Littky has dedicated his life to making education possible for all.  For more information: https://www.bigpicture.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=584289&type=u&pREC_ID=915338

In this week’s episode, I sit down with the distinguished academic and inspiring thought leader, Dr. Susan Campbell Baldridge. Serving most recently as executive VP and Provost at Middlebury College in Vermont, Susan is the co-author of a book that has received enormous attention by higher ed leaders and observers around the country. In the book—The College Stress Test: Tracking Institutional Futures Across a Crowded Marketplace—Susan and her co-authors suggest that at least 10% of colleges and universities nationwide are at severe risk of not making it.

In our conversation, Susan shares her insights about the research which grounds the authors’ observations as well as her recommendations for what college leaders can do right now to de-stress and ensure a sustainable future for their institutions.

In this mini episode, Gray Associates Founder and CEO, Bob Atkins shares some of the highlights he will be covering in his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking free webinar:The Post Pandemic Curriculum: Using Market and Economic Data to Shape a Future--Focused Academic Program. To register for the webinar which will be held on May 26th at 12 pm - 1 pm (EST), see here.

Registration link:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8345372832311725326

In this week’s episode, I sit down with three-time college president, Dr. David Horner. Currently serving as president of The American College in Greece (ACG), David is a serial higher education innovator. Over the course of his career, he has strengthened and transformed three uniquely distinct institutions. In our conversation, David shares his insights about the process he has followed to determine the appropriate strategic direction and to find the opportunities that have contributed to enhanced viability at each institution. You will not want to miss out on this conversation and to hear David’s thoughts about what it takes to maintain an innovative mindset in this increasingly challenging and complex environment.

In this week’s episode, we catch up with Laurie Pulido, CEO of Ease Learning. We spoke with Laurie on the front end of the pandemic, and she shared many valuable observations about how colleges and universities were pivoting their learning delivery. This interview resonated deeply with our listeners--it was the most highly listened to episode during season 1. Given the continuing rapid pace of change and uncertainty about campus plans for the fall, we circled back to Laurie to get her take on the current status of learning delivery. You will not want to miss out on this conversation to hear her latest thoughts about where things now stand with online learning and what colleges and universities need to do to stay ahead of the curve.

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Paul LeBlanc, who is in his 18th year as president of Southern New Hampshire University. Under his leadership, SNHU has grown from 2,800 students to over 135,000 learners which makes it the largest nonprofit provider of online higher education in the country. While many people may know the story of SNHU’s growth, what is not as well-known is the unlikely career trajectory of its president. Listen in to learn about the influences that shaped Paul Leblanc’s journey to lead the country’s largest nonprofit university, as well as his thoughts about what’s next for higher ed.

For more information about Paul LeBlanc, see here: https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/leadership-and-history

Leadership in higher education is changing in the digital and social age. Building an effective presence in social media can help a leader carry out her role more effectively and powerfully.  In this latest IngenioUs Mini episode, Dr. Josie Ahlquist provides a brief introduction to 'purposeful digital leadership' along with real life examples for how how to apply a strategic values-based approach to social media. It’s all about authentic engagement, transparent storytelling, and building a genuine campus community.

To learn more about how to build and implement a digital engagement strategy that fits your life, your audience, and your purpose, register for Josie's upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Education free webinar, April 21st at 12 noon (ET).  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/48537253951150862

In this latest IngenioUs Mini episode, Dr. David Staley asks us to Imagine a university where each student—as a condition for graduation--majors in a Head subject (like economics or linguistics), a Hand subject (like advanced manufacturing, but also art or design) and a Heart subject (such as nursing or early-childhood education or social work, or just simply in the art of listening)?

According to Staley, the 21st century polymath—educated in this new-style university--would be that individual who can simultaneously think, make and care.  Isn't that the kind of human being our world needs more of--now and in the future?  For more information about David Staley, see here:https://history.osu.edu/people/staley.3

And to hear more of David Staley's thinking about the university of the future, listen to this full length episode: https://anchor.fm/chelip/episodes/Imagining-the-University-of-the-Future-with-Dr--David-J--Staley-ejiuu9

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr. Donna Carroll, who is in her 27th year as president of Dominican University, a comprehensive Catholic university of 3,200 students, located 10 miles west of Chicago. Dr. Carroll has presided over a period of tremendous and sustained growth at Dominican University—in size, quality, and complexity. Her presidential tenure reflects all of the essential ingredients for long-term leadership success, something that is a bit of a rarity for college and university presidents these days. Listen in to hear her story and her take on leadership during these increasingly turbulent times.  For more information about Dr. Carroll's remarkable legacy, see here: https://www.dom.edu/about-dominican/office-president/about

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Jay Lemons, president of the premier higher education search firm Academic Search and long serving college president. Jay and his team of search consultants are in the trenches, helping colleges and universities find the right leaders for their open positions. And they have a pretty good sense about what institutions are looking for right now when they set out to hire a dean, provost or president. Listen in to hear his wise counsel on how best to prepare yourself for a career change, how to navigate the search process including what things to avoid, and how to discern whether a presidency should be in your future.  See here for more information about Dr. Jay Lemons: https://academicsearch.org/our-team/entry/765/

Having grown up in an environment that explicitly denied her the opportunities afforded those in the center, Dr. Mary Dana Hinton defiantly created a model of leadership from the margins.  In our conversation, this bold and wise leader and president of Hollins University tells us why she still dwells by choice in marginal spaces and why she believes the work of inclusive leadership is a critically important priority for all higher ed leaders today.  For more information about President Hinton, see here: https://www.hollins.edu/who-we-are/our-president-leadership/

In this IngenioUs Mini Episode, Dr. Menah Pratt-Clarke, Virginia Tech's Vice President for Strategic Affairs and Inclusion and Diversity and Dr. Lauren Way, Bay Path University's Director of the MS in Higher Ed Administration discuss our upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar: Innovative and Authentic Solutions for Addressing Racial Injustice on Your Campus.  Dr. Pratt-Clarke is our featured presenter for this free, virtual presentation on March 23 at 12 noon (EST).  All registrants will receive a link to Dr. Pratt-Clarke's presentation.  To register: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/innovative-and-authentic-solutions-for-addressing-racial-injustice-on-your-campus/2021-03-23/

Earlier this year, the University of Florida announced a $70 million public-private artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA Corporation with the goal of ‘catapulting UF’s research strength to address some of the world’s most formidable challenges, including creating access to AI training and tools for underrepresented communities and building momentum for transforming the future of the workforce. In his capacity as Associate Provost, Dr. David Reed found himself squarely in the middle of this game changing initiative. In this week’s episode, we talk with Dr. Reed about how the partnership is going and hear why he and his colleagues are so enthusiastic about the power of AI to transform education.  To learn more about this groundbreaking initiative, see here: https://ai.ufl.edu/

To learn more about Dr.  David Reed: http://aa.ufl.edu/about-the-office/staff/dr-david-reed/

As president of Greenfield Community College in western Mass (her third presidency), Dr. Salomon-Fernandez is a recognized thought leader, writing and speaking on reinventing higher education, rural innovation, equity, and women’s leadership. Named recently by the Association of American Colleges and Universities and Cengage as one of thirteen college presidents nationwide to receive their Inclusion Scholarship, Yves Salomon-Fernández, Ph.D. is one of higher ed's brightest voices and someone we all need to be listening to. For more on Dr. Salomon-Fernandez's background, see here:  https://www.gcc.mass.edu/presidents-office/bio/

Ben Nelson’s passion for disrupting education was first sparked during his freshman year at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Flash forward several years and following on the heels of a highly successful entrepreneurial career including 10 years at Snapfish where he helped build the company from startup to the world’s largest personal publishing service, Ben brought his not-forgotten vision to life by founding the Minerva Project. Now ten years old, Minerva has become the disruptive force that Ben originally envisioned. In this episode of IngenioUs, you can hear my conversation with Ben including his take on the Minerva Story and why it has become such a powerful vehicle for reinventing higher education from scratch.  To learn more about Ben and Minerva, see here.

https://www.minerva.kgi.edu/people/ben-nelson/

In this special IngenioUs Mini episode, Dr. Lauren Way and Dr. Tim Culver discuss both the pre-enrollment and post-enrollment data and analytics which help to produce data-informed retention planning efforts.  While the data inform the plan, data are not enough. Participants will have a discussion of steps for retention planning and the necessary strategies to assist with the development of the student success and re-enrollment management plan.  To register for Dr. Culver's free upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar, see here.

Registration link:  https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/the-new-essentials-of-college-student-retention-planning/2021-02-24/

In this episode, we talk with Bryan Alexander.  As an award-winning, internationally known futurist, researcher, writer, speaker, consultant, and teacher who works in the field of higher education’s future, Bryan has his finger on the pulse of the trends that we all need to be paying attention to right now.  In this episode, Bryan shares key insights from his recent widely acclaimed book, Academia Next: The Futures of Higher Education, wherein he offers a fresh and provocative perspective on the emerging colleges and universities of today and tomorrow.

For more information about Bryan, see here.   https://bryanalexander.org/bio/

To sign up for Bryan's Future Trends Forum (FTF), see here. 

For more information about the Higher Education's Big Rethink project that Bryan discusses in this episode, see here. 

In this first episode of Season 2, we speak with seasoned academic leader, corporate senior executive, lawyer, innovator, battle-tested entrepreneur, and Bay Path University's new president, Sandra J. Doran J.D. about her experience in assuming a presidency in the midst of the pandemic.  You will be inspired by her vision and enthusiasm for higher ed's future as well as her passion for women's education. Her bio can be found here.

https://www.baypath.edu/about/leadership/president/biography/

In this ever-competitive higher education environment, those institutions that can effectively differentiate from the competition, generate new demand, and find new markets will have an advantage.  In his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar, MBA faculty, entrepreneur and business strategist, Dr. James Wilson III introduces us to Blue Ocean Strategy (BOS), a method and useful tools that college leaders can use to do just that.  This webinar will introduce a range of BOS tools, provide industry examples of BOS, explore value propositions in higher education, and explore questions about what changes will improve competitiveness and yield new value.  Listen here for a brief preview of the January 20, 2021 free webinar. To register for the webinar and to see Dr. Wilson's bio, see here.

In their upcoming free webinar in the Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar series, Chris Huizinga, Co-Owner and Strategy Director, and Andreya Veintimilla, Design Researcher and Strategist, of Desklight--a design firm specialized in learning--will introduce you to human-centered design (HCD) — a process that can help institutions to build more sustainable and comprehensive value for learners, faculty, and administrators in a post-COVID learning landscape. This webinar will briefly explore the history of HCD and show examples of how this collaborative process uncovers stakeholder insights, generates brave new strategies, and designs more valuable engagements for learning within complex systems.

Listen in to this brief interview with Chris for a preview of the webinar and to catch a glimpse of the passion that he and his colleagues at Desklight have for helping organizations connect their vision and value more meaningfully with their audiences.  

Register for this free webinar here: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/adapting-human-centered-design-hcd-to-shape-the-university-of-tomorrow/2020-11-17/