Enrollment marketing strategy is no longer optional—it’s essential for institutions looking to grow in a competitive, high-cost digital environment. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Max DesMarais, CEO of Vital, about how colleges and universities can use data, content strategy, and full-funnel marketing to improve student recruitment and ensure academic offerings align with demand. Building an Effective Enrollment Marketing Strategy Validate program demand before launch using re...
Mar 18, 2025•37 min•Ep. 251
80% of Champlain College graduates land jobs in their field of study—because the college designed its model to make students workforce ready. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Alex Hernandez, President of Champlain College, about how higher education institutions can build their innovation muscle to realign academic programs with workforce needs and improve graduate outcomes. Building the Innovation Muscle Strategic planning is treated as an annual, living process —not a static d...
Mar 11, 2025•40 min•Ep. 250
There are 41.5 million Americans who left college without earning a degree—but many would return if given the right opportunity. In this episode, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Alana Rose, Vice President of Academic Networks at InStride, about how workforce education and corporate partnerships can unlock a hidden enrollment market. The Workforce Education Advantage Employer-funded education provides debt-free learning opportunities for employees. Workforce development programs help companies u...
Mar 04, 2025•38 min•Ep. 249
Higher education institutions continue to struggle with student retention, career readiness, and underemployment among graduates. Traditional college advising models focus heavily on selecting a major, yet many students graduate with empty degrees that fail to translate into meaningful careers. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed® , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Scott Carlson and Dr. Ned Scott Laff, authors of Hacking College: Why the Major Really Doesn’t Matter and What Really Does , about...
Feb 25, 2025•42 min•Ep. 248
Justin Kollinger, Senior Risk Management Consultant at United Educators (UE), brings valuable perspective in helping colleges and universities develop strategic risk initiatives. As co-author of "Risk Management: An Accountability Guide for University and College Boards" and creator of UE's annual Top 10 Risks report, Kollinger works with institution leaders to develop strategic risk initiatives, prioritize risk management goals, and launch enterprise risk management programs. Higher Ed's Curren...
Feb 18, 2025•41 min•Ep. 247
New Federal ADA Regulation Deadlines Are Approaching – Is Your Institution Ready? Colleges and universities must now meet stricter ADA compliance requirements for websites and digital content or risk legal consequences, fines, and loss of federal funding. With the Department of Justice’s latest update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) , institutions must ensure all web content, mobile apps, and digital resources meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards. For many schools, t...
Feb 11, 2025•31 min•Ep. 246
According to recent ACE presidential survey data, women now constitute 33% of university presidencies, yet a troubling pattern has emerged: these leaders are often appointed during times of institutional crisis, creating what researchers call "the glass cliff" phenomenon. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Dr. Lori Varlotta, former president of Hiram College and California Lutheran University and current Distinguished Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Cal Lutheran, shares insights...
Feb 04, 2025•47 min•Ep. 245
Creating new colleges, new college programs, and growing enrollment is not an easy task in our current academic environment. Building enrollment for a brand-new academic program is one of higher education's toughest challenges. Yet, the University of Oklahoma's Polytechnic Institute (UOPI) successfully recruited its first class by flipping the traditional mindset. Instead of expecting students to be "college ready," they designed their programs to be "student ready." In this episode of Changing ...
Jan 28, 2025•35 min•Ep. 244
According to the Consortium for Analysis of Student Success through International Education (CASSIE) , students who participate in study abroad programs are 6.2 percentage points more likely to graduate within four years and 3.8 percentage points more likely to graduate within six years compared to their non-study abroad peers. Additionally, these students tend to earn higher GPAs and accumulate more credit hours upon graduation. This University System of Georgia infographic shows these outcomes...
Jan 21, 2025•37 min•Ep. 243
Higher Education Enrollment Decline 2024-2040: You Can’t Recruit Your Way Out of a Declining Market The enrollment cliff is no longer a distant threat—it’s here, and institutions must act decisively to adapt. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton hosts Bill Conley and Bob Massa of Enrollment Intelligence Now to explore the demographic shifts, financial realities, and strategic imperatives reshaping higher education. With over 80 years of combined experience from institution...
Jan 14, 2025•44 min•Ep. 242
Exploring Academic Censorship and Its Impact on Free Speech in Universities This episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast features Dr. Jeremy Young of PEN America, discussing the organization's efforts to combat censorship in higher education. PEN America's "Freedom to Learn" program actively opposes state legislative attempts to restrict academic freedom and free speech on college campuses. The interview highlights concerning trends like " educational gag orders ," " jawboning, " and DEI bans in ...
Jan 07, 2025•33 min•Ep. 241
In this 7th annual end-of-year episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton becomes the guest of our podcast as we welcome this year's guest host, Tom Netting, of TEN Government Strategies, to review McNaughton's higher ed predictions for 2024 and explore his higher education 2025 predictions. The discussion reveals how higher education fared over the polarizing election year and what to expect in the coming year. Review of 2024 Higher Ed Predictions and Outcomes Political En...
Dec 31, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Ep. 240
Consolidating Higher Education: The Community Solution Model This episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast features Dr. Michael Horowitz, Chancellor of The Community Solution Education System ( formerly TCS Education System ), who discusses using innovative models for higher education consolidation as an additional category in or alternative to traditional mergers or acquisitions . Horowitz highlights the system's unique approach, a collaborative model prioritizing resource optimization and ex...
Dec 24, 2024•35 min•Ep. 239
Higher Education Policy in the 119th Congress Part 2 of this podcast continues with Tom Netting, president of TEN Government Strategies and our Washington Update expert , examining ways in which the outcome of the 2024 US elections will transform higher education. Drawing from over three decades of policy expertise, Netting provides an insider’s perspective on the anticipated changes a Trump administration and the 119th Republican-controlled Congress could bring to higher education. Netting anal...
Dec 17, 2024•35 min•Ep. 238
Higher Education Expert Analysis of Anticipated Federal Policy Changes Under the Incoming Administration Part 1 of this two-part podcast welcomes back Tom Netting, president of TEN Government Strategies and our Washington Update expert, to examine how the 2024 US elections will transform higher education. Drawing from over three decades of policy expertise on The Hill, Netting provides an insider's perspective on the anticipated changes a Trump administration and Republican Congress could bring ...
Dec 10, 2024•29 min•Ep. 237
Faculty Diversity: A Business Case for Higher Education Success When the PhD Project launched in 1994, you could count the number of diverse students at major business school recruiting events on one hand. Today, after 30 years of systemic change, the initiative has graduated over 1,700 faculty members of color with an extraordinary 90% completion rate – nearly double the national average for doctoral programs. Even more remarkable, 97% of these graduates stay in academia. But here’s what makes ...
Dec 03, 2024•39 min•Ep. 236
The Declining Trend in Public Confidence Higher Education has a reputation crisis. Public confidence in higher education is declining dramatically. In 2015, a Gallup poll revealed that the vast majority of Americans expressed a great deal of confidence in higher education, with only 10% reporting little to no confidence. By 2024, public confidence shifted significantly: only about a third maintained a great deal of confidence, while a startling 33% now held little to no confidence. This mirrors ...
Nov 26, 2024•34 min•Ep. 235
Despite media narratives of declining confidence in higher education, new survey data reveals 80% of Americans view college costs - not value - as the primary barrier to enrollment. While only 36% think higher education is "fine how it is," bipartisan support remains strong, with a majority of both Democrats and Republicans favoring increased government funding for affordability. On this episode of Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Kevin Carey, Vice President for Educ...
Nov 19, 2024•35 min•Ep. 234
Innovation in Higher Education Accreditation: How NECHE Leads Change Gone are the days of counting library books and checking boxes. With average presidential tenure plummeting to less than five years and a wave of institutional mergers reshaping American higher education, understanding the evolution from prescriptive to nuanced accreditation has become paramount for institutional survival. In this podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton, in discussion with Dr. Lawrence "Larry" Schall, President of the Ne...
Nov 12, 2024•32 min•Ep. 233
In this podcast, host Dr. Drumm McNaughton welcomes guest James R. Johnsen, the former President of the University of Alaska System, who is now a Vice President of Executive Search for Greenwood Asher & Associates. Johnsen discusses his new book, " Public University Systems: Leveraging Scale in Higher Education ," which examines the importance of and challenges facing public university systems across the U.S. What higher ed leaders will gain from this podcast: Understanding Public University Sys...
Nov 05, 2024•37 min•Ep. 232
In this episode of Changing Higher Ed , Dr. Drumm McNaughton interviews Dr. Daniel Greenstein, former Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), to explore strategic efforts in guiding one of the largest transformations in U.S. higher education. Over his six-year tenure, Greenstein led PASSHE’s integration of six universities into two larger institutions, tackling financial challenges, increasing program diversity, and improving student outcomes—all while maintaini...
Oct 29, 2024•42 min•Ep. 231
This episode features host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Caitlin Runne-Janczy, Chief Academic Officer for Scientific Interactive, a company that provides hands-on and virtual science lab experiments to students. Drumm and Cait focus on the growing demand for online science lab courses, particularly in STEM fields. Cait discusses the results of a recent survey that found a significant increase in online lab enrollment and a corresponding decrease in on-campus enrollment. They also explore th...
Oct 22, 2024•29 min•Ep. 230
Innovative Accreditation: Transforming Higher Education Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy and Dr. Selena M. Grace, leaders at the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), join Dr. Drumm McNaughton in the second of this two-part podcast to discuss groundbreaking innovations in higher education accreditation. They explore accelerated degrees, competency-based education, and the evolving landscape of workforce development. Key Discussion Points Accelerated Bachelor's Degree Programs: NWCCU's ap...
Oct 15, 2024•33 min•Ep. 229
The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) is pioneering new approaches to higher education accreditation that emphasize student success, institutional innovation through collaboration, and continuous improvement. In a recent conversation, NWCCU President Sonny Ramaswamy and Executive Vice President Selena Grace shared insights into how the commission is transforming accreditation to help meet the challenges facing higher education. What Higher Ed Leaders Will Gain from Listen...
Oct 08, 2024•34 min•Ep. 228
Improving Student Retention: A Proactive Approach Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Carey Dukes, Assistant Professor of Management at North Greenville University, about innovative strategies to improve student retention and readiness for college. Key Discussion Points: The current state of student retention in higher education The concept of "Academic Armageddon" and its impact on first-year students A new model for improving student readiness before college begins The six variables of student re...
Oct 01, 2024•37 min•Ep. 227
The Real Cost of Chasing Numbers: Balancing Enrollment Pressures and Student Success Teege Mettille, a veteran with over 20 years in higher education enrollment, discusses the growing challenges faced by admissions counselors and the potential impact on student engagement. Drawing from his book "The Admission Counselor Malaise," Mettille shares insights on the evolving landscape of college admissions and offers strategies for maintaining a balance between institutional needs and student success....
Sep 24, 2024•33 min•Ep. 226
Navigating the Future of University Governance: Lessons from 250 Years of Experience Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Lauren Zalaznick, author of Letters from the Corporation of Brown University: Lives of Usefulness and Reputation , discuss the evolution and future of university governance. Drawing from over 250 years of trustee resignation letters at Brown University, they share invaluable insights on leadership, adaptability, and effective governance in higher education. Key Discussion Points Historic...
Sep 17, 2024•42 min•Ep. 225
div]:bg-bg-300 [&_pre]:-mr-4 md:[&_pre]:-mr-9"> div]:bg-bg-300 [&_pre]:-mr-4 md:[&_pre]:-mr-9"> _*]:min-w-0"> Navigating the Transfer Maze: Improving Community College Transfer Student Success Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Joshua Bay, an education reporter with The 74, dive deep into the critical challenges facing community college transfer students and explore innovative solutions to boost their success rates at four-year institutions. Key Discussion Points The Transfer Student Crisis: Alarming stat...
Sep 10, 2024•34 min•Ep. 224
In this Washington Update, Tom Netting, President of TEN Government Strategies, provides a comprehensive overview of recent regulatory changes and challenges facing higher education institutions. This update covers a wide range of topics, including FAFSA, Title IX, FSA, IDR, SAVE, NC-SARA, NACIQI, PPA, TRIO, Clery Act, Gainful Employment, Title IV, and Chevron Decision Impacts, and more. Key Discussion Points Regulatory Environment and Negotiated Rulemaking: Overview of the 2023-2024 federal Neg...
Sep 03, 2024•42 min•Ep. 223
Fostering Global Understanding: The Role of International Houses in Higher Education The rising trend in international student enrollment, currently at its fastest rate in over 40 years, underscores the critical need for fostering global understanding in higher education. International Houses (I-Houses) have emerged as a powerful model for creating inclusive and globally-minded campus communities, addressing the challenges of integrating international students and enriching the educational exper...
Aug 27, 2024•37 min•Ep. 222
