Changing Higher Ed

AI can change how colleges and universities approach enrollment, making it faster, fairer, and more aligned with student success. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast , Dr. Drumm McNaughton talks with Ashish Fernando, founder and CEO of EDMO and iSchoolConnect , about how institutions can use artificial intelligence to improve admissions, automate routine tasks, and personalize support w...

Digital transformation in higher education often focuses on technology. But for Utah State University, the transformation has been about outcomes: improving retention, strengthening equity, and building scalable systems of support without overhauling infrastructure. In this episode of the  Changing Higher Ed®  podcast ,  Dr. Drumm McNaughton  speaks with  Rene Eborn, Associate Vice President of St...

How Cross-Sector Partnerships Help Adult Learners Return, Persist, and Complete Degrees With over 41 million adults in the U.S. holding some college credit but no degree, colleges and universities are under pressure to implement effective adult learner enrollment strategies. In this episode of the Changing Higher  Ed  podcast , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Malik Brown, President and CEO of Gra...

Higher education leaders are searching for better ways to engage students, improve retention, and close equity gaps—especially in the wake of COVID-related learning disruptions. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Justin Shaffer , Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies and Teaching Professor in Chemical and Biological Engineering at the Colora...

Shared services and consolidation strategies are helping struggling small colleges stabilize operations, reduce costs, and pursue sustainable growth—without compromising institutional identity or student outcomes. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast , host Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with  Jason Duggan, CEO of Thesis Elements , about how these approaches are being used to help small...

While higher education leaders often cite leadership development as a priority, few institutions treat it as a teachable, measurable skill. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® , host Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Scott Cowen about why leadership education should be integrated into the academic curriculum—and how institutions can implement it effectively. President Emeritus of Tulane Univ...

Higher education's approach to DEI is under fire—from political pressure, public skepticism, and internal fatigue. But abandoning DEI isn't the only option. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Columbia Law professor Susan Sturm about how higher ed institutions can continue to drive inclusive institutional change—without relying on traditional DEI frameworks th...

Higher education is facing a growing disconnect between traditional academic pathways and the needs of today's learners and employers. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Kathleen deLaski, founder of Education Design Lab and author of Who Needs College Anymore? , about how institutions can realign academic programs to better serve nontraditional stu...

Higher education faces increasing external pressures and diminishing public trust—creating an urgent need for institutional adaptation. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Brian Rosenberg , former president of Macalister College and author of "

Strategic affiliation in higher education offers an alternative path for institutional sustainability—one that maintains mission and autonomy while accessing shared infrastructure and support. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Matt Nehmer, President of The Colleges of Law, about his institution's affiliation with The Community Solution Educati...

Strategic planning in higher education isn't just about setting goals—it's about building the kind of stakeholder engagement and leadership alignment that can drive lasting institutional change. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Andrew T. Hsu , President of the College of Charleston, about how a collaborative planning process helped increase enro...

With state capital support on the decline and infrastructure aging out of usefulness, higher education leaders are under pressure to find new ways to fund capital projects—without compromising mission, control, or long-term sustainability. In this episode of  Changing Higher Ed® , Dr. Drumm McNaughton explores creative capital funding strategies institutions are using to meet urgent facility and h...

Public confidence in colleges and universities has dropped dramatically—only a third of Americans say they trust higher education. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton talks with Dr. Courtney Brown, Vice President of Strategic Impact and Planning at Lumina Foundation, about Gallup–Lumina's latest findings and what institutional leaders must do to address the affordability and workforce relevance...

Most institutions survey their faculty, but few turn that data into meaningful action. This episode explores how higher education leaders can use faculty satisfaction data to inform strategic planning , strengthen shared governance , retain talent, and lead institutional change . Dr. Drumm McNaughton is joined by Dr. R. Todd Benson , Executive Director of COACHE (Collaborative on Academic Careers...

As short-term credentials gain traction, higher ed leaders face a critical question: Are these programs truly cost-effective and accessible—or just shorter? In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Jinann Bitar, Director of Higher Ed Research and Data Analytics at Education Trust, about the cost-efficiency, accessibility, and policy implications of short-term credential programs. They dis...

Tom Netting, president of TEN Government Strategies and a trusted Washington insider, returns to provide a critical update on sweeping federal changes affecting higher education. In conversation with Drumm McNaughton, he breaks down the Trump administration's executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, a move that's already led to major staff reductions and the redistribution of resp...

Enrollment marketing strategy is no longer optional—it's essential for institutions looking to grow in a competitive, high-cost digital environment. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Max DesMarais, Director of Strategy at Vital, about how colleges and universities can use data, content strategy, and full-funnel marketing to improve student recruitment and ensure academic offerings...

80% of Champlain College graduates land jobs in their field of study—because the college designed its model to make students workforce ready. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Alex Hernandez, President of Champlain College, about how higher education institutions can build their innovation muscle to realign academic programs with workforce needs and improve graduate outcomes. Build...

There are 41.5 million Americans who left college without earning a degree—but many would return if given the right opportunity. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Alana Rose, Vice President of Academic Networks at InStride, about how workforce education and corporate partnerships can unlock a hidden enrollment market. The Workforce Education Advantage Employer-funded education prov...

Higher education institutions continue to struggle with student retention, career readiness, and underemployment among graduates. Traditional college advising models focus heavily on selecting a major, yet many students graduate with empty degrees that fail to translate into meaningful careers. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Scott Carlson and Dr. Ned Scot...

Justin Kollinger, Senior Risk Management Consultant at United Educators (UE), brings valuable perspective in helping colleges and universities develop strategic risk initiatives. As co-author of "Risk Management: An Accountability Guide for University and College Boards" and creator of UE's annual Top 10 Risks report, Kollinger works with institution leaders to develop strategic risk initiatives,...

New Federal ADA Regulation Deadlines Are Approaching – Is Your Institution Ready? Colleges and universities must now meet stricter ADA compliance requirements for websites and digital content or risk legal consequences, fines,  and loss of federal funding. With the Department of Justice's latest update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , institutions must ensure all web cont...

According to recent ACE presidential survey data, women now constitute 33% of university presidencies, yet a troubling pattern has emerged: these leaders are often appointed during times of institutional crisis, creating what researchers call "the glass cliff" phenomenon. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Dr. Lori Varlotta, former president of Hiram College and California Lutheran University...

Creating new colleges, new college programs, and growing enrollment is not an easy task in our current academic environment. Building enrollment for a brand-new academic program is one of higher education's toughest challenges. Yet, the University of Oklahoma's Polytechnic Institute (UOPI) successfully recruited its first class by flipping the traditional mindset. Instead of expecting students to...

According to the Consortium for Analysis of Student Success through International Education (CASSIE) , students who participate in study abroad programs are 6.2 percentage points more likely to graduate within four years and 3.8 percentage points more likely to graduate within six years compared to their non-study abroad peers. Additionally, these students tend to earn higher GPAs and accumulate m...