Changing Higher Ed

Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Michael Feldstein discuss the benefits of AI in Higher Ed, including tools to evaluate student paraphrasing, catch errors missed by faculty, and enhance course designs. They emphasize the importance of AI augmenting human workers, not replacing them, and highlight upcoming advancements in AI technology.

Institutional accreditation is in dire need of change, even though it provides institutions with more external recognition, improves the likelihood of gaining more resources, and boosts the respect of staff and faculty. And with an increasingly high number of professional accrediting bodies now touching and impacting many colleges and universities, now is the time for higher ed leaders to strive to support and understand how accreditation can improve overall to strengthen post-secondary education even more. In the second and final episode of this two-part series, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Ralph Wolff, the founder and former president of the Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Postsecondary Education, and former president of WASC, the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, on several issues. These include ·       What conversations should accreditors have with institutions, ·       Should accreditors focus on licensure, ·       What the Department of Education needs to hold accreditors accountable for, and why, ·       What analyses should accreditors perform and make more transparent, ·       Why accreditation should look at how effectively higher ed prepares graduates for licensed professions, ·       Where public members of commissions can play a more critical role in accreditation processes, and ·       The polarization of higher ed and boards. Podcast Highlights ·       Accreditation should lead conversations on the quality of adaptability, teamwork, the ability to work with new technology, and traversing multiple careers in one's lifetime. In addition, accreditation should pay more attention to licensing certification issues, performance, and employer satisfaction, and ensure students are prepared for more than one job by receiving repeated mentoring, internships, and counseling. ·       Accreditation should evaluate how adjunct faculty are deployed and how they are supported and trained when assessing student learning employability skills. ·       A traditional faculty senate model that is separate from and often antagonistic to the administration can be a barrier to change. The Chamber of Commerce is working on creating an alternative model to get employers to sidestep higher education. ·       Accreditors are not held accountable for internal effectiveness because the Higher Education Act doesn’t fully allow the Department of Education to make any substantial judgments on the efficacy of accreditors. However, accreditors are membership organizations, and the membership elects their Commission. Thus, accreditors should be held accountable by their Commission and their members. ·       None of the former regional accreditors have been able to maintain relationships with those associated with K-12 schools following the Department’s governance changes. ·       There’s a lack of transparency. For example, no compilation or analysis of institutions on probation exists. Higher ed needs more capacity and analysis of accreditors’ work so accreditors can learn from one another. ·       Public members of the commissions can play a much more critical role in identifying if accreditation deals effectively enough with essential policy issues such as the $1.7 trillion in student debt, rising costs, the attrition rate, and the inadequate preparation of so-called inadequate preparation for jobs. In addition, public members on all accrediting boards should know what the public demands on accreditation. ·       There likely won’t be room for the seven former regional accreditors in 15 or 20 years. Mergers will likely occur as a result.         → View the podcast transcript        About Our Podcast Guest    Ralph A. Wolff is the founder and former president of The Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Postsecondary Education, created in 2016 to ensure that graduates of academic and postsecondary programs have the requisite Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs) needed for the dynamically changing workforce. The QA Commons ran a national pilot and then worked with state higher education systems in Kentucky and Connecticut and individual institutions to improve employability outcomes. It also developed a successful faculty fellows program in Kentucky to build faculty advocates for connecting to workforce needs. Previously, Wolff served as president of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from 1996-2013. WASC served over 1 million students at over 175 institutions in California, Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, and numerous international locations. He was a leading voice for innovation in accreditation and focused on learning outcomes, equity, and transparency in creating a national leader in accreditation. He is a former member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), which reviews accrediting agencies for federal recognition, and is a founding member of the University Quality Assurance Institutional Board (UQAIB) in Dubai. He also is a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and a trustee of the World University Consortium. He has served on multiple university boards and consults widely on innovation, quality assurance, accreditation reform, and how new technology platforms can transform student outcomes. Wolff holds a JD degree with honors from George Washington University and a BA degree from Tufts University. He has recently moved to Sedona, AZ.   About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton, host and consultant to higher ed institutions. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’s Social Media Links ●      LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ ●      Twitter: @thechangeldr ●      Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #InstitutionalAccreditation #HigherEdAccreditation #AccreditationConsultant    

Now more than ever, accreditation is essential in higher education. An increasingly high number of professional accrediting bodies touch and impact colleges and universities to the point where accreditors have the potential to lead or even stifle change in higher ed. This is especially true given that accreditation is the gatekeeper for over $150 billion in federal financial aid. In the first of this two-part series, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Ralph Wolff, the founder and former president of the Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Postsecondary Education, and former president of WASC, the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, about how and why accreditors should help higher ed identify what is good enough for them and to improve their transparency of throughput, academic quality, and academic rigor. They also discuss accreditors’ stances on DEI, the politicization of critical race theory, and the professionalization of college sports. Podcast Highlights DEI is multi-dimensional, and the political elements of critical race theory are important to discuss, not just to legislate. Accreditors are addressing these issues, but they could be doing even more. Up until recently, the federal rule required that institutions publish an aggregate rate of outcomes after four and six years. Now they are producing programmatic data and grouping disciplines together. Accreditors are beginning to look more at outcomes. Still, they need to push higher ed to be more transparent with specific outcomes, such as the percentage of students who have graduated with particular majors and their salaries one, three, and five years later. The University of Texas System’s UT SEEK, Georgia State, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, and Third Way are pioneers in publishing the outcomes that students care about. Accreditation needs to get higher ed to take more responsibility for defining what is good enough for them, e.g., grade-point averages, competency-based learning, and retention and completion. During accreditation, outcomes between majors and two- and four-year programs, for example, should be separated. Higher ed needs to address its integrity issue with the special treatment that student-athletes generally receive. It also needs to clearly define what student-athlete learning outcomes should be and the effectiveness of the general education curriculum for student-athletes.   → Read the Podcast Transcript   Our Podcast Guest - Ralph A. Wolff   Ralph A. Wolff is the founder and former president of The Quality Assurance Commons for Higher and Postsecondary Education, created in 2016 to ensure that graduates of academic and postsecondary programs have the requisite Essential Employability Qualities (EEQs) needed for the dynamically changing workforce. The QA Commons ran a national pilot and then worked with state higher education systems in Kentucky and Connecticut and individual institutions to improve employability outcomes. It also developed a successful faculty fellows program in Kentucky to build faculty advocates for connecting to workforce needs. Previously, Wolff served as president of the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) from 1996-2013. WASC served over 1 million students at more than 175 institutions in California, Hawaii, the Pacific Islands, and numerous international locations. He was a leading voice for innovation in accreditation and focused on learning outcomes, equity, and transparency in creating a national leader in accreditation. He is a former member of the National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), which reviews accrediting agencies for federal recognition, and is a founding member of the University Quality Assurance Institutional Board (UQAIB) in Dubai. He also is a Fellow of the World Academy of Art and Science and a trustee of the World University Consortium. He has served on multiple university boards and consults widely on innovation, quality assurance, accreditation reform, and how new technology platforms can transform student outcomes. Wolff holds a JD degree with honors from George Washington University and a BA from Tufts University. He has recently moved to Sedona, AZ.   About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton, host, and consultant to higher ed institutions. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’s Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #HigherEducation  #HigherEdAccreditation #TheChangeLeader  

In today's multi-generational and borderless world, study abroad programs are critical for introducing students to the world outside their university and even their country. They make up an integral part of the curriculum and the student undergraduate experience, and generally, students look back with very fond memories of their time abroad on their colleagues with whom they experienced these trips. Unfortunately, despite all the “glamour shots” and publicity surrounding these trips, there is a dark side. You typically don’t hear about the deaths that occur because universities have not properly vetted the vendors for these programs. Or the risks that students can be exposed to because a low-cost vendor or the tour guide takes students on a dangerous mountain road because their previously scheduled train didn’t run on time. But these happen, and when they do, they expose both the students and the University to unnecessary risk. To learn more about study abroad programs, Dr. Drumm McNaughton spoke with Robyn Symon, producer of Emmy Award-winning documentaries and biopics on such notable celebrities as Robin Williams and Michael Jackon, Robyn has spent over 20 years documenting events in the lives of people, and her latest project, Trip of a Lifetime, focuses on the study abroad industry and how we can keep our students safe during these important programs. Podcast Highlights Inquire as to how your programs have been vetted for safety. Risk management is important, even with the study abroad programs. Do not assume that other countries have the same safety regulations that we do in the US. Don’t shortchange culture because there will always be resistance that could jeopardize it. Do not throw the baby out with the bathwater. These programs are very important for students’ education, growth, and maturity, but they need to be vetted properly from A-Z to ensure the safety of all participants and the liability to the University. Guest Bio   Robyn Symon is a two-time Emmy award-winning Writer/Producer/Director/Editor. Robyn joined PBS in 1991 after four years as a TV News Reporter in Texas. At PBS, Robyn produced documentaries, public affairs programs, and TV series, including “Florida!” which also ran for six seasons on The Travel Channel, the PBS Pledge Special, “Boleros: Unforgettable Love Song” featuring top Latin musical stars and the series “Voices of Vision,” hosted by NPR’s Scott Simon focusing on the work of non-profit organizations throughout the world. She has produced national TV specials on Robin Williams and Michael Jackson and an investigative program on the opioid epidemic. Robyn debuted in the indie film arena in 2007, producing, directing, and editing the feature documentary “Transformation: The Life & Legacy of Werner Erhard,” about the controversial pioneer of the self-help industry streaming on Netflix. Since then, Robyn has written, produced, and directed documentaries, including “Hedy & Yumi: Crossing the Bridge,” about a holocaust couple turned relationship experts, “Behind the Blue Veil,” a documentary film about the nomadic Tuaregs caught in the middle the War on Terror and “Do No Harm” about the silent epidemic of suicide and burnout among medical students and physicians. In addition to two Emmys, Robyn has been honored with numerous national awards for writing and producing, including 3 Telly awards, 2 NABJ awards, and honors by both the Associated Press and United Press International. Link to Transcript About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton is the host of Changing Higher Ed and a consultant to higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’s Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #RobynSymon #HigherEducation #StudyAbroadPrograms #ChangingHigherEd  

In this podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Steve Katsouros of Come to Believe Foundation and Network, which works with colleges and universities to replicate a successful DEI, enrollment, and graduation model. Dr. Katsouros was the founder of Arrupe College, a two-year institution that is part of Loyola University Chicago. Arrupe has an amazing track record for completion and having students graduate with little or no debt. Fifty percent (50%) of students complete their degree in two years/ nearly 70% in three years, and 90% of graduates incur no debt. More promising, more than 70% of students complete their Bachelor's degrees in five years or less. Compare this to the national average, where 13% of students in two-year colleges complete their Associate's degree in two years, and 13% of students who start at two-year colleges complete their Bachelor's degrees in six years. Steve discusses Arrupe's credit-bearing remedial classes, the rigorous application process, the Fellows Program that connects freshmen with sophomores in and outside of class, the roles of its graduate support coordinator, financial aid officer, and employer relations officer that help students succeed, and more. Arrupe's model can be applied to any 2- or 4-year institution. Podcast Highlights 50% of students at Arrupe College complete their degree in two years, 90% incur no debt and more than 70% complete their Bachelor's degrees in five years or less. Arrupe's model attracts first-generation, Pell-eligible, and undocumented students and helps them flourish in a post-secondary ed environment and beyond. Upon launching the model at Arrupe, over 50% of its donors had never given to its larger university, Loyola University Chicago, before. Most of these donors consisted of the many relationships that Arrupe made with local businesses through its model. One donor gave $100 million to Loyola University Chicago for all Pell and first-generation students from low-wealth backgrounds. For higher ed institutions that want to adopt Arrupe's model, Come to Believe helps university leaders perform a feasibility study to make sure they have bandwidth and consensus for the program and helps them prepare for presenting their proposals to their boards. The application season for the next cohort is open until the end of March. → View the podcast transcript More About Our Podcast Guest A member of the United States East Province of the Society of Jesus, Steve Katsouros, S.J., is the president and CEO of the Come to Believe Foundation and Network in New York City. Before Come to Believe, Fr. Katsouros served as the founding dean and executive director of Arrupe College at Loyola University Chicago. Arrupe is a two-year college that continues the Jesuit tradition of offering a rigorous liberal arts education to a diverse population, many of whom are the first in their family to pursue higher education. Fr. Katsouros served as Arrupe's academic and administrative leader from 2014 until 2020. In Paul Tough's study of higher education, The Most Important Years: How College Can Make or Break You (2019), the author observed Arrupe College "may be doing a more impressive job of keeping its students enrolled and on track for success than any other institution I visited." Prior to his assignment at Arrupe, Fr. Katsouros served as the director of the Institute for Catholic Educational Leadership (ICEL) and associate dean of the School of Education at the University of San Francisco. From 2002-2011, Fr. Katsouros was president of Loyola, a coed Jesuit high school on Manhattan's Upper East Side; during his years at Loyola, the endowment and annual giving tripled, capital gifts were raised to refurbish the physical plant, and faculty and staff salaries increased to market competitiveness. The success of Arrupe College and its students inspired Fr. Katsouros to lead Come to Believe, a network, and foundation created to replicate and scale the Arrupe model nationally. Based in Manhattan, with teams working in Chicago and New York, Come to Believe provides advisory services to universities with the capacity to launch and sustain successful two-year colleges for high-potential students from low-wealth backgrounds. Come to Believe guides university leaders through the process of implementation and launch of new colleges and provides research-based best practices and problem-solving techniques. Fr. Katsouros earned his doctorate from Columbia University Teachers College in organizational leadership; his research interests are leadership, governance, and institutional performance. He was ordained in 1998. Guest Links Come to Believe Network Steve Katsouros Bio Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago About Our Podcast Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton is the host of Changing Higher Ed Podcast and a consultant to higher ed institutions. To learn more about his services and other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm's website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader's Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #HigherEdEnrollment #CometoBelieve #HighEredPodcast

Higher education is currently forcing many adult learners to jump through hoops to complete their degrees. Although many of these nontraditional students can be successful, colleges and universities should still meet adult learners where they are, as higher ed faces dwindling enrollment and a workforce that is relying less on employees with four-year degrees.  Higher ed institutions can start the process of change themselves, but much of the work still requires support from Congress. To help understand how the gap between both entities can be bridged, Dr. Drumm McNaughton spoke with Julie Peller, who uses her past experience at the House of Representatives and Department of Education to serve as executive director of Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), which supports and advances policy changes to increase postsecondary access and success.  "As we go into the new Congress, in the new year, we are really focusing on this Widen the Path campaign. How can we bring partners together? How can we lift up voices of both learners, institutions, and community members who are doing this and bring that story to Washington so that we can make change?" - Julie Peller Podcast Highlights Identify who’s still on and off campus and why. Those who are no longer on campus most likely left for financial reasons, for example. Think about creating programs like the ones that President Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart of Amarillo College did to support students in the classroom and those who have dropped out. Many of these programs are only possible through policy changes, but in the meantime, higher ed can still create a more welcoming environment and ensure certain services are available. Forge connections and partnerships with preexisting community services. This involves sharing the data of low-income and eligible students to connect them with the right supportive services. Think about employees from employer partners as potential students. Institutions are encouraged to adopt credentials or certificates that facilitate lifelong learning for students who take breaks in their education. Not everyone wants an associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate degree. → Podcast Transcript PDF of "Widen the Path: Policy Changes to Increase Access to Higher Ed" About the Guest Julie Peller - Executive Director at Higher Learning Advocates  Julie Peller is Executive Director of Higher Learning Advocates (HLA), a bipartisan nonprofit organization whose mission is to shift federal policy to accelerate responsiveness to support the success of today’s postsecondary students. She brings a deep background in federal postsecondary education policy, federal budgeting, and professional management. Prior to joining HLA, Julie was Lumina Foundation’s first director of federal policy where she led the development and advancement of the foundation’s federal policy agenda and established the foundation’s Washington, DC office. Julie also brings significant federal legislative policy experience to HLA. She served as a senior policy advisor and the deputy staff director for the U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Education and Labor. On Capitol Hill, she was intimately involved with significant changes to the Higher Education Act, federal student aid programs, and other major higher education issues such as college cost reduction. Before working in Congress, Julie was a Presidential Management Fellow, where she served at the Department of Education as a budget analyst for a variety of K-12 programs. Julie received her master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and public policy from The George Washington University. She currently lives in Maryland with her husband and two young sons. About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton, host and consultant to higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’s Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #ChangingHigherEd #HigherEducation #WidenthePath  

Successfully reinventing a college or university into a truly innovative school after cutting a major portion of programs sounds near impossible, but the experiences at National Louis University (NLU), a four-campus private institution in Chicago, proves that presidents and other decision-makers can achieve the same without having to rebuild trust in faculty and staff.  NLU is also the poster child of a university that successfully shakes the status quo. It provides no-cost tuition and grant-covered programs, supports an unprecedented student-first culture that promotes continuous change and accessibility, and has adopted a data-informed mentality to facilitate equity. To learn more about NLU’s unique journey, Dr. Drumm McNaughton spoke with Nivine Megahed, Ph.D., National Louis University’s 11th president who has spent more than 20 years making higher education more accessible for students of all backgrounds. Podcast Highlights Stop accepting existing norms. It’s important to rethink the higher ed business model. Culture always trumps strategy. Don’t shortchange culture because there will always be resistance that could jeopardize it. Embrace data to inform decisions. You can read the show transcript here: https://changinghighered.com/include-all-stakeholders-for-successful-higher-ed-transformation   About Our Guest Dr. Megahed is the 11th president of National Louis University, bringing more than 20 years of experience in making higher education more accessible for students of all backgrounds to one of the Chicago area’s oldest and most innovative nonprofit universities. Her current strategic priorities at National Louis include creating the modern urban university focused on affordable, accessible, quality education that promotes student success, veterans’ education, new frontiers in digital education, and education across the lifespan. About the Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton, host and consultant to higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’s Social Media Links LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email: podcast@changinghighered.com Keywords: #changinghighered #thechangeleader #HigherEdTransformation

Dr. Drumm McNaughton interviews Dr. Lucie Lapovsky of Lapovsky Consulting about higher education finances, including how low enrollment is forcing smaller, non-elite colleges and universities to shift cost functionality, drop majors, consolidate, reset their tuition, price-match the competition, embrace online learning and micro-credentials and retain students. Podcast Highlights Operating online provides campuses with great economies of scale, such as increased amounts of sharing between different institutions. The low-cost college coalition Rise helps schools increase the number of available majors. Although most mergers benefit larger institutions, some acquisitions complement both schools, including smaller campuses, like when the specialized school Willamette University acquired the Portland College of Art and Design to strengthen its weak fine arts program. For a successful merger, presidents need to find a school that can offer some value to their institution by expanding their economies of scale. Merging can allow schools to eliminate costly programs since there will likely be an overlap in offerings. Resetting tuition can combat the false impression that higher ed is expensive since the average discount rate at private four-year schools is 54% to 55%. As a result, these institutions are offering financial aid at much lower levels. The University of Maine price matches the tuition of any other school in New England that a prospective student has been accepted into. Others offer prospective students admission to their institution before they even apply. More students believe online learning is reputable and fewer view living on campus as a requirement. There is also an increased demand for lifelong learning and early college options. Some schools are combating data that suggests that nearly 40% of students don’t graduate because of mental health issues by outsourcing services. But many of them choose not to get reimbursed since this could prevent students from seeking help. To read the full show summary, visit: https://changinghighered.com/navigating-higher-ed-economic-challenges-insights-for-presidents-of-higher-learning/ Resources Dr. Drumm McNaughton is a consultant for higher education institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/.   The Change Leader’s Social Media Links LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email:podcast@changinghighered.com   Keywords:#ChangingHigherEdPodcast #TheChangeLeader #HigherEdFinance

Podcast Summary Dr. Drumm McNaughton interviews CFO Tom Netting of TEN Government Strategies about the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan, the Omnibus Appropriations Bill, delays in upcoming regulations, and the effects that changes in Congress will have on higher education. Podcast Highlights Chief Justice Amy Coney Barrett reviewed and dismissed two of the six filed suits against Biden’s Student Debt Cancellation Plan Two other pieces of litigation will receive oral arguments from the Supreme Court by February 28, 2023 Presidents should encourage all current borrowers to ensure their student aid data is timely and accurate at studentaid.gov FSA departments announced that cohort default rates for fiscal year ’19 decreased for all institutions The Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations bill gives roughly $79.8 billion to education and includes a $500 increase in the maximum Federal Pell Grant The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) is pending publication until April 2023   To read the full show notes, visit https://changinghighered.com/washington-update-student-debt-omnibus-regulatory-changes Resources Dr. Drumm McNaughton is a consultant for higher ed institutions. To find out more about his services and read other thought leadership pieces, visit his firm’s website, https://changinghighered.com/. The Change Leader’sSocial Media Links LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdrumm/ Twitter: @thechangeldr Email:podcast@changinghighered.com #WashingtonUpdate #HigherEducation #HigherEdNews  

Dr. Drumm McNaughton, CEO and Higher Education Consultant at The Change Leader and Deb Maue, Senior Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing at Aurora University, discuss what has happened in 2022 and predict trends in higher education for 2023. Read the summary at https://changinghighered.com/2023-higher-education-predictions-2022-year-in-review