On this episode of Trending in Education, Mike Palmer is joined by Elliot Felix, a returning guest, to discuss his new book, The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success. The book, releasing July 22nd, focuses on how higher education can become more agile, connected, and break down silos.

Elliot Felix shares his mission of student success, drawing on his experience consulting with over 120 colleges and universities to improve student experiences through transformations in physical spaces, support services, and technology systems. He explains that his new book aims to provide an evidence-based playbook for higher education professionals to collaborate better for student success.

Key Takeaways:

Addressing Disconnections in Higher Ed: Felix identifies five key disconnections the book addresses, including a lack of belonging among students (only 65% feel they belong), the disconnect between courses and careers, and the prevalence of siloed structures within institutions. He illustrates this with an example of a university having both a "writing lab" and a "writing center" performing similar functions due to historical and structural reasons.
The Connected College Vision: Felix envisions a future where colleges and universities are better connected, leading to students feeling a stronger connection to their institution, their coursework linking to careers, and increased collaboration both internally and with external partners like corporations and community groups.
Defining Student Success: The conversation delves into the multifaceted definition of student success, acknowledging that it can be viewed through metrics like retention and graduation rates, student engagement and belonging, or the individual student's perspective of success. Felix suggests common ground for student success includes students finding their community, their academic and career path, their place, and a sense of purpose.
Silo Busting Strategies: Felix highlights that silos are common in organizations, particularly in higher education, which is designed for durability. He attributes this to a lack of clear strategy beyond broad, anodyne statements, and legacy structures that simply have new functions "bolted on" rather than integrated. Tactics for breaking down silos include sharing data to create a common understanding of students.
Forward-Thinking Universities: Examples of innovative approaches include university-industry partnerships driving economic and workforce development, such as Carnegie Mellon's robotics innovation center and Rowan University's expansion into health and wellness and advanced manufacturing. Other examples include Imperial College London's enterprise lab, the University of South Florida's focus on entrepreneurship, and Arizona State's "Work Plus Learn" program.

Don't miss Elliot's new book, The Connected College: Leadership Strategies for Student Success, available July 22nd wherever you get your books.

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00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome

01:07 Elliot Felix's Background and Mission

02:26 The Connected College: Themes and Issues

06:28 Book Structure and Innovator Profiles

07:54 Defining Student Success

13:23 Silo Busting in Higher Education

17:14 AI and Future Trends in Higher Ed

20:36 The Importance of Combining Skills in Higher Education

21:06 Collaborative Spirit in Developing AI Policies

22:26 Navigating Political and Technological Disruptions

31:15 The Role of Higher Education in Economic Development

31:43 Innovative University-Industry Partnerships

33:08 Spotlighting Success Stories in Higher Education

35:49 Concluding Thoughts and Future Directions

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