Jeff and Michael examine the complex world of community colleges and challenge traditional notions of success. Drawing from recent research by Strada Education Foundation, they explore the multifaceted roles these institutions play in students' lives and the importance of looking beyond degree completion rates to assess their true value. With insights from Strada’s Senior Vice President, Dave Clayton, this episode offers a fresh perspective on the value of community colleges and their vital role in empowering students personally and economically in the 21st century. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key Moments

00:00 Intro

02:44 Motivations for Enrolling in Community Colleges

04:42 The Role of Employers in Assessing Community Colleges

07:00 Measuring Success Beyond Getting a Better Job

10:21 Challenges in Fulfilling Career Motivations

19:14 Measuring Value Based on Students' Goals and Outcomes

21:08 The Need for a True Unit Record System in Higher Education

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In this thought-provoking episode of Future U., we sit down with Greg Lukianoff, president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and co-author of the bestselling book "The Coddling of the American Mind," as well as the new book, "The Canceling of the American Mind." Lukianoff shares his insights on the state of free speech on college campuses and examines the rise of cancel culture, the debate over the limits of free expression, and the potential double standards in how universities approach these issues. He argues that certain campus trends, such as "safetyism" and the suppression of viewpoint diversity, may be harming student mental health and resilience. He emphasizes the importance of open inquiry, intellectual diversity, and the ability to challenge prevailing orthodoxies as essential components of a thriving university education. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key Moments
(0:00) - Intro
(3:53) - Free speech issues in higher education, particularly anti-Semitism and double standards
(8:30) - Free speech and academic freedom in higher education
(14:21) - Limitations of free speech on campus viewpoint diversity, and campus violence
(17:41) - Mental Health and Technology
(24:17) - Free Speech Challenges in Higher Ed
(30:39) - Free speech impacts admissions

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In this episode, Jeff and Michael dive into the complex world of dual enrollment, examining its rapid growth, potential benefits, and emerging challenges. They speak with John Fink, a senior research associate at the Community College Research Center, to understand the various dual enrollment arrangements, the students they serve, and the outcomes they achieve. The conversation also explores the financial incentives for districts and colleges, the concerns around course quality and rigor, and the implications for high school and college experiences. This episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(4:02) - Dual enrollment programs and their benefits
(12:48) - Dual enrollment sustainability and transferability of credits
(16:51) - Dual enrollment programs and their effectiveness in higher education
(21:44) - Improving dual enrollment programs for underrepresented students
(27:34) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on college readiness
(33:21) - Dual enrollment courses' rigor and value
(37:50) - Dual enrollment courses and their impact on higher education

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More and more business leaders, policy makers, and educators are looking to apprenticeships to prepare the American workforce for in-demand careers. The US system leans on its community colleges to facilitate these programs, but they have not always been the most effective quarterbacks. 

On this episode, we hear from two innovators helping community colleges better play their lead role in growing apprenticeship in America. We spoke with Mitchell Harp, Dean of Apprenticeship Programs at Trident Technical College, about the keys to his school’s thriving program. We also sat down with Pierre Dubuc, CEO of OpenClassrooms, about how community colleges are leveraging his company’s expertise and online learning platform to level up their apprenticeship programs. This episode is sponsored by Ascendium Education Group.

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Michael and Jeff go deep on the revised FAFSA and the challenges encountered in its rollout. They sat down with Andrew LaCasse, who helped develop the simplified FAFSA in his former role as a senior education policy advisor on the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, to learn about the back-story behind the legislation and its underlying policy goals. They also spoke with John Marshall, President of Colorado Mesa University, about how they are supporting students through the delay and confusion caused by the FAFSA’s rocky rollout. The episode is sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key Moments

• (0:00) - Intro
• (1:29) - Simplifying the FAFSA and its impact on higher education
• (8:27) - Simplifying the FAFSA form and its impact on college affordability
• (14:25) - FAFSA changes and their impact on higher education
• (20:33) - How colleges are responding to the FAFSA delay
• (26:58) - College affordability and FAFSA changes

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Jeff and Michael dive into the higher ed acronyms that have been in the headlines these past few weeks: SAT/ACT, NLRB, and FAFSA. What's next for test-optional after announcements from Dartmouth and Yale; what does it mean that the Dartmouth men's basketball team is trying to unionize; and what will the impact be of the difficult FAFSA rollout. This episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.

Key Moments

(0:00) - Introduction
(3:21) - Test-optional admissions and its impact on students and institutions
(8:45) - AI in admissions
(13:45) - College athletes as employees and potential changes in college sports
(19:29) - Future of the NCAA
(22:58) - FAFSA delays and their impact on higher education
(28:03) - Higher education challenges
 

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Hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn are joined by Dr. Len Cassuto, an author and professor at Fordham University, and focus their conversation on the role of PhD students and what the challenges in that part of academia might mean for higher ed. They dive into the subjects that Len explores in his new book, The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education, such as the changes that should be made to better prepare PhD students for their careers, and how universities might be exploiting free labor from students under the guise of an academic apprenticeship. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.

Links Mentioned

The New PhD: How to Build a Better Graduate Education

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(3:19) - The state of PhD programs and graduate education.
(8:16) - Improving graduate education.
(13:25) - Ph.D. education and career diversity.
(19:03) - Graduate education and labor costs in higher education.
(26:20) - Preparing PhDs for career diversity and addressing challenges in higher education.
(38:33) - Redesigning PhD programs for a changing academic landscape.

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Last season, Jeff and Michael explored the reinstatement of the Pell Grant for incarcerated learners. The question now is what’s next for these learners and where can they actually get to use their federal funds? In this episode, Jeff and Michael look at the innovative College Unbound model with co-founder and president Adam Bush and Jose Rodriguez, the assistant vice president for community and belonging. College Unbound is an accredited college with a single degree and a model that allows learning to happen wherever it happens, in kitchens or even in prisons. The episode is sponsored by Ascendium Education Group.

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(1:15) - Innovative college model and accreditation
(5:34) - Prison education program and its impact on inmates' lives
(9:19) - Scaling a non-traditional college model
(12:02) - College Unbound's innovative approach to adult education
(19:31) - Higher education for incarcerated individuals

Links

College Unbound

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The Hechinger Report’s Jon Marcus and Chris Quintana of USA Today join hosts Jeff and Michael for a roundtable discussion to talk about recent headlines in higher ed. Jon discusses the impact of lower birth rates in Japan on university enrollment, while Chris dives into the current state of the Biden Administration’s student loan debt repayment plans. Other topics include efforts by universities to articulate the value of higher ed, the rollout of the simplified FAFSA, and culture wars on campus. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(2:47) - Declining college enrollment in Japan and US
(8:04) - Student loan forgiveness and career centers in higher education
(12:35) - College career preparation and job placement
(14:37) - FAFSA simplification, college affordability, and higher ed news
(20:25) - Higher education trends and challenges in the US
 

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How do you engage learners in the post-pandemic age? Hosts Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn are joined by Carrie Bartek, from Wake Technical Community College, and Randi Harris, from Portland State University, to ask some important questions: What has changed for students since the pandemic? And what needs to change moving forward to ensure students’ success? They consider the evolving landscape of higher education and the importance of addressing both the immediate and long-term needs of students to ensure their success in this new educational paradigm. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(4:18) - College enrollment decline and re-enrollment during COVID-19
(6:07) - Student success strategies during COVID-19 pandemic
(15:22) - Transforming higher education to meet students' changing needs
(18:47) - College enrollment trends and dual enrollment programs
(23:12) - Innovating and improving student success in higher education

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To kick off the new year, host Jeff Selingo welcomes Lynn Perry Wooten, President of Simmons University, for a conversation on the unique position of smaller universities in higher education. They discuss some vital concerns facing smaller universities like Simmons, such as combining less popular liberal arts majors, combatting dropping college enrollment numbers, and embracing online education programs. The episode is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Ascendium Education Group.

Links Mentioned

Strategies for Digital Transformation

Key Moments

(0:00) - Intro
(4:10) - Small college challenges and strategic planning
(11:51) - Small college competitiveness and online education
(19:58) - Leadership and collaboration in higher education
(21:31) - Higher education leadership and decision-making
(27:00) - Higher education data analysis and institutional growth
(32:42) - Online education and revenue diversification at Simmons College
 

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