Radical Cooperation

American higher education has long equated quality with exclusivity, treating the number of students an institution rejects as a measure of its worth. That logic puts enormous pressure on the colleges that open their doors widest, and it frames struggling institutions as inevitable casualties of a shrinking market. But what if access and excellence were never actually in conflict? In this episode...

Higher education measures success in grades, credits, and completion rates. What those metrics rarely capture is what gets in the way: a broken-down car, a missed bus, a laptop the student doesn't own, or twenty dollars that the family can't spare. For a significant share of students, the difference between persisting and stopping out has nothing to do with academic ability and everything to do wi...

Higher education is often framed as a competition for students, rankings, and resources. But as financial pressures grow and the challenges facing colleges become more complex, some institutions are exploring a different path — one built on partnership rather than isolation. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Thomas Evans, President of the University of th...

The disconnect between higher education and the workforce is widely acknowledged but rarely addressed at the institutional level. Most universities respond by adding internships, expanding career services, or launching new programs. Few are built on the premise that half of what students need to learn cannot be taught in a classroom. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz spe...

Radical cooperation is the key to building stronger, more resilient institutions—and in this episode, you’ll learn exactly how it works. Radical cooperation isn’t just a concept; it’s a practical framework made up of seven elements that can transform how teams collaborate and succeed. If you’ve ever wondered why some organizations thrive together while others struggle, this conversation reveals th...

What is radical cooperation, and why is it becoming a powerful solution in higher education?  In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Horowitz and Associate Director of Communications for The Community Solution Education System, Stephanie Bihr, explore the core concept at the heart of his book, The Community Solution: The Power of Radical Cooperation in Higher Education and why it offers a new...

Higher education leadership is under more pressure than ever—and in this episode, we explore how media narratives are shaping public trust in the sector. Today’s leaders must navigate misinformation, political scrutiny, and financial instability while still delivering meaningful outcomes for students. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, host Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Sara Custer, Edi...

Athletics often sit at the center of campus identity, yet decisions about sports programs are rarely examined through the same strategic lens as academics, enrollment, or finance. As costs rise and the landscape shifts, leaders face increasingly complex choices about whether athletics strengthen institutional health or quietly strain it. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz...

Risk in higher education rarely announces itself. It accumulates gradually through delayed decisions, familiar assumptions, and governance processes that struggle to keep pace with changing conditions. By the time a crisis becomes visible, leaders often discover that their range of options is far narrower than they expected. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with...

In The Community Solution , Dr. Michael Horowitz presents a bold vision for higher education, showing how colleges can break down silos, collaborate effectively, and build resilient, student-centered institutions. Drawing on his experience leading a six-college system, Horowitz illustrates how radical cooperation and thoughtful design can transform institutions—and the students they serve. This ep...

Higher education is competing for attention in a more crowded, fragmented landscape than ever before. As enrollment pressure rises and traditional advantages fade, institutions face a critical leadership question: how do you grow without losing focus, credibility, or mission? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Brook Shepard, Founder and CEO of Mason Interactiv...

Alumni relationships are often treated as transactional, a newsletter, a donation ask, a quiet fade after graduation. But as higher education faces enrollment pressure, rising costs, and shifting expectations, the deeper question is how institutions build alumni relationships that are genuinely sustaining and long-term.  In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Elle...

Technological change is accelerating faster than most institutions can adapt. As artificial intelligence reshapes work, learning, and leadership, higher education faces a deeper question: what human skills truly endure when information becomes instant and automation becomes ubiquitous? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Rishi Jaitly, Founder and Professor at t...

Distinctiveness in higher education isn’t created by accident. It takes clarity, discipline, and the willingness to make strategic choices, especially as colleges face shrinking enrollments, rising costs, and pressure to prove their value. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Mary Marcy, Ph. D., President Emerita of Dominican University of California, and Lucie...

Higher education is entering a new era of digital responsibility. As campuses adopt AI tools, expand online learning, and rely on data to improve the student experience, the pressure to protect that information has never been greater. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Jeanne Eicks, Rick Merrick, and Pegah Parsi about how universities can build a culture of pr...

Higher education is under financial pressure like never before. Rising costs, shrinking enrollments, and tuition-dependent models are forcing leaders to make hard choices about what to cut and what to protect. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Jennifer Gantz, Chief Financial Officer of the Community Solution Education System, about how strategic investment, n...

Shrinking enrollments and financial strain are pressuring colleges nationwide, but survival isn’t about cutting to the bone. It’s about rethinking how institutions scale, collaborate, and innovate. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Jeremy Moreland, president of Saybrook University, about how bold leadership and radical cooperation can transform higher edu...

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the workforce, but most colleges and universities are still figuring out what it means for teaching, learning, and leadership. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz is joined by Dale Pike, Associate Provost for Technology-enhanced Learning at Virginia Tech, to unpack what AI literacy really requires in higher education, and why faculty re...

Bold ideas alone don’t drive change in higher education. They need structure, support, and shared commitment to take root.  In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Nadege Dady, Dean of Student Affairs at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, Harlem Campus about what it takes to lead boldly within complex systems. From expanding student access to healthcare car...

What does it mean for a university to truly be of the community and not just in it? Dive into this transformative conversation about civic engagement and how higher education can shape a better future for all. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, host Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Matthew Nehmer, president of The Colleges of Law, to explore how universities can foster civic engagement...

Online education has become essential, but the bar keeps rising. Today’s students expect flexibility, relevance, and connection. Can small colleges lead the next chapter of online learning? In this roundtable episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz is joined by three bold leaders from The Community Solution Education System: Dr. Cherron Hoppes, Chief Academic Officer; Dr. Sean Nufer,...

How can higher education better prepare students for lives—and careers—that work? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz is joined by Elizabeth Erickson, Executive Director of Higher Expectations for Racine County, to explore how colleges, employers, and communities can co-design education systems that lead to real opportunity. Drawing on her experience in Racine County and a...

What’s stopping higher education from reaching its full potential? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Beronda Montgomery—biologist, author of Lessons from Plants, and former Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean at Grinnell College—to unpack why silos persist in colleges and universities, and how those divisions hold institutions back from true i...

What drives true collaboration in complex organizations? Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Edward Bergmark, Chair of The Community Solution Board of Trustees and founder of Optum at UnitedHealth Group, and Victoria Dolan, Trustee for The Community Solution and former CFO of Revlon, to explore the psychology behind Radical Cooperation. Dr. Bergmark shares how his experience in both corporate...

Most institutions try to do too much—and end up making less impact. But what if the key to success is narrowing your focus instead of expanding it? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Dr. Breeda McGrath , President of Pacific Oaks College & Children’s School, to discuss the power of niche superpowers in higher education. They explore how institutions can...