EdUp Provost

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Mark Kretovics discusses the dynamics of power and leadership within higher education, particularly focusing on the role of provosts. He explores the unique challenges provosts face regarding their perceived and actual power, the importance of building relationships, and the various leadership styles that can be effective in f...

In this conversation, EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner sits down with Mike Moss, president of the Society for College and University Planning (SCUP), to discuss the evolving role of provosts in higher education, emphasizing the importance of integrated strategic planning. Moss highlights the need for collaboration across departments, effective stakeholder engagement, and the implementation...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Alain-Philippe Durand discusses the importance and relevance of humanities degrees in today's job market, emphasizing the skills they provide that are in high demand. He shares insights on the success of the College of Humanities at the University of Arizona, highlighting strategies for growth, the value of interdisciplinary c...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, higher education researchers Dr. Jorge Burmiky and Dr. Kevin McClure discuss the essential competencies for college presidents and provosts in higher education. They emphasize the importance of trust-building, effective communication, resilience, emotional intelligence, data acumen, and collaborative leadership. The discussion hig...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Karen Weaver delves into the transformative changes in college athletics, examining the evolving role of the NCAA, the effects of athlete transfers and NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities, and the integration of athletics with the broader academic environment. Dr. Weaver, a seasoned expert in athletics administration and...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Bob Sutton discusses his latest book, The Friction Project, co-authored with Huggy Rao. The book explores the concept of friction in organizations and how leaders can differentiate between good and bad friction. Sutton shares insights from his experiences at Stanford University and emphasizes the importance of leadership in re...

In this conversation with Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Pamela Eddy discusses her insights on equity-driven leadership in community colleges, the challenges faced by provosts, and the importance of data in driving equity initiatives. She emphasizes the need for transformative leadership, the role of communities of practice, and the significance of fostering partnerships to enhance student success. D...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Derek Bruff discusses the integration of technology in higher education, emphasizing the importance of aligning teaching goals with technology use. He shares insights on supporting faculty in adopting new technologies, balancing innovation with traditional educational values, and the role of AI in teaching. Dr. Bruff also high...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, leadership expert and author Aaron K. Olson discusses the importance of strategic leadership in higher education, emphasizing adaptive strategic thinking, systems thinking, and the balance between shared governance and innovation. He highlights the need for provosts to navigate pitfalls in strategic change and the role of directiv...

In this episode, EdUp Provost hosts Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner and Dr. Karen Blakely discuss the concept of leading with love, particularly in the context of academia. Dr. Blakeley explores the challenges leaders face, including fear and ego, and emphasizes the importance of self-love and emotional intelligence in effective leadership. She also highlights the need for cultural change within organizati...

In this episode of EdUp Provost, host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner engages in a thought-provoking conversation with award-winning essayist and critic Dr. William Deresiewicz. He discusses the growing disconnect between academia and public sentiment and explores the challenges of ideological polarization on college campuses. He critiques the current state of the humanities and the progressive ideological...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Mary Wright discusses the significance of Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) in higher education, their impact on faculty and student success, and the challenges they face, including faculty resistance and the integration of new technologies like AI. She emphasizes the need for continuous professional development in teaching,...

This conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner explores the essential business practices in higher education, focusing on the roles of provosts, the concept of students as co-producers, the impact of rankings, and the importance of strategic planning and fundraising. Dr. Erica Eckert and Dr. Mark Kretovics discuss their book, which serves as a guide for administrators, emphasizing...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Perry Klebahn of Stanford University’s renowned d.school and co-author of “Ideaflow: The Only Business Metric that Matters,” discusses the challenges of fostering innovation in higher education, particularly for provosts. He emphasizes the importance of overcoming thinking traps, utilizing the ideaflow framework to generate numero...

In this episode of EdUp Provost, Dr. Cate Denial discusses her new book A Pedagogy of Kindness and the importance of fostering kindness in academic settings. She shares her experiences with unkind teaching practices and emphasizes the need for a culture of kindness that supports both students and faculty. The conversation explores the distinction between kindness and niceness, the challenges of im...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Michael Lamb discusses the significance of character formation in leadership and education. He emphasizes that character is essential for building trust and relationships, which are fundamental to effective leadership. Dr. Lamb outlines the importance of integrating character education into academic institutions, highlighting...

In this conversation, EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner sits down with Wendy Fischman and Dr. Howard E. Gardner to discuss the current state of higher education, emphasizing the need for a clear mission and purpose in colleges. They explore the disconnect between student expectations and institutional goals, the importance of fostering intellectual curiosity, and the role of provosts in bri...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswalder, Dr. Leo M. Lambert, President Emeritus of Elon University, discusses his transformative leadership journey at Elon, focusing on the importance of institutional culture, strategic planning, and academic rigor. He shares insights on embedding experiential learning, engaging faculty, and aligning campus development with student experi...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Paula Krebs, Executive Director of the Modern Language Association, discusses the current state of the humanities in American higher education, emphasizing the growth and importance of language programs despite declining majors. She outlines strategies for strengthening these programs, including changing how majors are counted...

In this conversation, EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner and Dr. Eboo Patel discuss the critical role of pluralism in higher education, emphasizing its importance in fostering a diverse and inclusive academic environment. Dr. Patel outlines the various dimensions of pluralism, including identity, value, and agonistic pluralism, and argues for the necessity of humility in intellectual discour...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Clifton Conrad and Dr. Todd Lundberg discuss their book “Learning with Others: Collaboration as a Pathway to College Student Success” and the importance of collaborative learning in higher education. They explore the inspiration behind their work, the role of provosts in fostering collaborative environments, and the barriers t...

In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Terry Brown, Vice President for Academic Innovation and Transformation at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) discusses the role of provosts in addressing the challenges faced by state colleges and universities. She highlights the importance of academic innovation, student success, and the need...

In this conversation, Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner and Dr. James Shulman, VP and COO of the American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) and author of the book "The Synthetic University" (Princeton UP) discuss the pressing challenges facing higher education, particularly the financial pressures and the need for collaboration among institutions. Dr. Shulman emphasizes the importance of provosts in addres...

The Provost and Student Affairs: A Conversation with Amelia Parnell In this conversation with EdUp Provost host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner, Dr. Amelia Parnell, president of NASPA, discusses the evolving landscape of student affairs in higher education. She emphasizes the importance of collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs, the need to address the diverse and holistic needs of stud...