The Key with Inside Higher Ed

In this episode, we’re bringing you a conversation between Inside Higher Ed’s senior editor for special content Colleen Flaherty and Stephanie Moore, an associate professor in organization, information and learning sciences, at the University of New Mexico, from the Digital Universities event in Salt Lake City earlier this year. A leading researcher in online learning, Moore addresses what she sees is a false binary between in-person learning and online learning, arguing that more modalities meets more diverse student needs and keeps colleges nimble. She also talks about where belonging fits into to online learning and what strategies educators can use to promote it. And drawing on Seneca and Quintilian she tells Flaherty why she thinks AI will be no more disruptive than any other communication technology that’s come before it.

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion. An estimated one in five college students has dependents, and research shows that parenting students are more likely to experience basic needs insecurity in their pursuit of a degree. A 2024 survey by Trellis Strategies found that 6 percent of student parents self-identified as unhoused and 17 percent indicated some level of housing insecurity since they started college, or during the 12 months leading up to the survey. A recent brief from New America and Princeton Eviction Lab  tied the threat of eviction to negative student outcomes; student parents who face eviction are 23 percent less likely to complete a bachelor’s degree compared to their housing secure peers, and more likely to have lower quality of life, including higher mortality rates and lower earnings years later. In the most recent episode of Voices of Student Success, Edward Conroy, senior policy manager at New America, and Nick Graetz, assistant professor at the University of Minnesota, discuss their research and how universities can better support parenting students experiencing housing insecurity. Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader, this episode is sponsored by KI. Read a transcript of the podcast here.

Katherine Knott, News Editor at Inside Higher Ed, dives into the shifts in federal higher education policy following the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill. She discusses staffing challenges at the education department and the implications for institutions like the University of Virginia amid federal pressures. The conversation also highlights new funding reforms, including changes to student loans and the significance of stronger FAFSA applicant rates. With exciting predictions for future legislative battles, it's a crucial update on the evolving landscape of higher education.

This series of Voices of Student Success focuses on adult learners in higher education, the various challenges they face and successful support mechanisms to aid their retention and completion.   Research shows that adults often enter college with a goal in mind, such as a career pivot, further education in their current industry or completion of a degree they previously started,. But returning to the classroom can be challenging, particularly for first-generation students or those who haven’t been in school for a while.  In 2024, Wichita State University launched a college bridge program, the Adult Learner Community and Connections Program, to ease the transition for adult and online learners. The program, part of the university’s “Shocker Pre-Season” series, offers them eight modules of self-paced, online content designed to assist them in their first term at the university.   In the most recent episode of Voices of Student Success, Brett Bruner, assistant vice president for student success and persistence at Wichita State, discusses adult learner pedagogy and the lessons learned in the program’s first year.   Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader, this episode is sponsored by KI.   Read a transcript of the podcast here. 

“Innovation” is one of those buzzwords that means everything and nothing. “Culture” is even harder to pin down. But in this episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, senior editor for special content Colleen Flaherty speaks with two people working hard to foster both on their campuses. In a panel discussion at the recent Digital Universities US event in Salt Lake City, Colleen spoke with Maricel Lawrence the innovation catalyst at Purdue Global and Kevin Yee special assistant to the provost for AI and director of the Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Central Florida about how bottom up leadership, empowering people to try new things and universal design thinking are helping to create a culture where innovation thrives.

Michael Logan, the Senior Director for Veteran and Military Affairs at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, shares insights on supporting military-affiliated students. He discusses the unique challenges these students face in higher education, including the impact of military culture on academic identity. Logan emphasizes the importance of community support, the role of military-affiliated staff in fostering empathy, and the need for tailored programs that help with transition and belonging in college.

In this conversation, Kevin McClure, a Professor at UNC Wilmington and expert in higher education workforce dynamics, discusses the current struggles facing the academic workforce. He highlights the effects of hiring freezes and funding cuts on staffing and recruitment, revealing a decreasing ability to attract new talent. McClure also dives into the vital role of shared governance in addressing these issues, suggesting that participatory practices could be key to revitalizing the sector. Plus, he shares insights on the emotional toll these challenges have on educators and students alike.

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes.  As climate disasters become more frequent and severe, more institutions are investing in programs to address environmental changes and prepare students to engage in green careers.  Clark University plans to launch its school of Climate, Environment and Society this fall, institutionalizing the university’s commitment to climate action and investing in interdisciplinary learning for students interested in the work of sustainability. Lou Leonard, the inaugural dean of the school of climate, environment and society, discusses the need for the school and how climate education can tackle climate anxiety in young people.   Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader. This episode is sponsored by Grammarly.   Read a transcript of the podcast here. 

Anxiety and depression are on the rise among college students driven, in part, by pressures to balance academics with personal, economic and family responsibilities. In this episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, two mental health leaders talk about how the current political climate and economic uncertainty are exacerbating the existing mental health challenges on campuses. Tara Harper, assistant vice president for student wellbeing and clinical operations at Lincoln University and Seli Fakorzi, director of mental health operations at TimelyCare, join IHE’s editor in chief Sara Custer to discuss what colleges are doing to address rising symptoms of anxiety and depression among students and how they’re keeping everyone safe and healthy during a time of great upheaval. Thank you to Timely Care for sponsoring this episode.   

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes.  A workshop series at George Mason University in Virginia helps build students’ practical knowledge and well-being by giving them life advice and skills, such as how to change a tire. The program was created by Ethan Carter, associate director of programs, well-being and assessment, and supported by graduate student assistant Dianna Phillips, who talk about the logistics of delivering the workshops and how they support student success.   Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader.  Read a transcript of the podcast here.