Podcasts about university innovation alliance

Today's disagreement is about college and its worth-it-ness. Does the traditional college model still make sense in today's economy? Should we embrace shorter-term skills-based alternatives? And how can institutions balance access, affordability, and workforce readiness in a rapidly changing world?Ryan Craig is a Managing Director at Achieve Partners and co-founder of Apprenticeships for America. Ryan is also the author of Apprentice Nation: How the "Earn and Learn" Alternative to Higher Education Will Create a Stronger and Fairer America.Dr. Bridget Burns is founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, a ‘multi-campus laboratory' for student success in higher education. Previously, Dr. Burns served as an American Council on Education Fellow at Arizona State University and a Senior Policy Advisor and Chief of Staff for the Oregon University System.Episode Notes02:00 - Bridget's Perspective04:15 - Ryan's Counterpoint06:12 - Defining 'Worth It': Beyond Economic ROI09:59 - The Role of Higher Education in Society15:19 - The Need for Accountability and Reform17:14 - The Apprenticeship Dilemma21:04 - College or Chipotle21:32 - The European Model vs. The American System22:59 - The Need for Adaptability and Social Skills25:05 - The Cost and Value of College Education26:17 - The Future of College and Employment33:28 - Steel ManThis episode was recorded live in San Diego at the annual ASU+GSV Summit. You can watch the live stream of it on YouTube. Questions or comments about this episode? Email us at podcast@thedisagreement.com or find us on X and Instagram @thedisagreementhq. Subscribe to our newsletter: https://thedisagreement.substack.com/

In this episode of the Innovating Together Podcast, host Bridget Burns spotlights one of the most inspiring leadership journeys in the University Innovation Alliance's history: Dr. Ryan Goodwin. A member of the UIA's inaugural Fellows cohort, Dr. Goodwin reflects on his evolution from a fresh post-grad working out of a closet office at UCF to now serving as Senior Assistant Vice President for Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff in UCF's largest division.Listeners will hear how the UIA Fellows Program laid the foundation for Dr. Goodwin's extraordinary career: shaping policy, leading advising reform, and helping UCF make student success its top strategic priority. His story illustrates the power of believing in people early, investing in collaboration, and the transformative impact of empowering others to lead. From pioneering one of the largest advising reforms in the country to cutting student-to-coach ratios in half and dramatically improving graduation rates, this conversation highlights how incremental, daily efforts can create breakthroughs.Key Takeaways:Great change comes from consistent small steps, not one-time innovations.Investing in early-career professionals unlocks scalable, long-term impact.UIA's Fellows Program is a powerful pipeline for future higher ed leaders.Cross-functional collaboration and bold risk-taking are essential to institutional transformation.Student success isn't a strategy, it's a culture.“Transformation isn't a single stroke of genius. It's the daily intentional efforts to drive forward, to innovate, and to uplift those around you.” — Dr. Ryan GoodwinLearn more about the UIA by visiting:WebsiteLinkedInTwitterYouTubeFacebookThis week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here.

Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, joins Dustin for a candid conversation about the urgent need for higher ed to take a proactive role in shaping the future workforce. From talent shortages to AI's impact on job readiness, Bridget shares why hope isn't a strategy—and what institutions must do to stay ahead. She challenges universities to work together, rethink traditional learning models, and create real-world solutions that benefit students and society.Guest Name: Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO at the University Innovation AllianceGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: As a trusted advisor to university presidents and policymakers, Dr. Bridget Burns is on a mission to transform the way institutions think about and take action on behalf of low-income, first generation, and students of color. She is the founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, a multi-campus laboratory for student success innovation that helps university leaders dramatically accelerate the implementation of scalable solutions to increase the number and diversity of college graduates. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/About The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too!Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.Attend the 2025 Engage Summit! The Engage Summit is the premier conference for forward-thinking leaders and practitioners dedicated to exploring the transformative power of AI in education. Explore the strategies and tools to step into the next generation of student engagement, supercharged by AI. You'll leave ready to deliver the most personalized digital engagement experience every step of the way.Register now to secure your spot in Charlotte, NC, on June 24-25, 2025! Early bird registration ends February 1st -- https://engage.element451.com/register

Dr. Bridget Burns founded the University Innovation Alliance as a means to bring diverse universities together around their common need for innovation. With a passion to focus on our human-center and to bridge the gap between education and those struggling with poverty, Dr. Burns shares with us the ways in which we can embrace innovation without harming the very people we hope to serve.

Dr. Bridget Burns founded the University Innovation Alliance as a means to bring diverse universities together around their common need for innovation. With a passion to focus on our human center and to bridge the gap between education and those struggling with poverty, Dr. Burns shares with us how we can embrace innovation without harming the very people we hope to serve.

Dustin is pleased to sit down with Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA). Bridget shares her journey of leading the UIA, focusing on scaling innovative ideas to improve student outcomes across universities. They discuss the challenges and triumphs of fostering innovation in higher education, the impact of institutional closures, and the importance of empathy and user-centered design in creating effective educational experiences.Guest Name: Dr. Bridget Burns, CEO at the University Innovation AllianceGuest Social: LinkedInGuest Bio: As a trusted advisor to university presidents and policymakers, Dr. Bridget Burns is on a mission to transform the way institutions think about and take action on behalf of low-income, first generation, and students of color. She is the founding CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, a multi-campus laboratory for student success innovation that helps university leaders dramatically accelerate the implementation of scalable solutions to increase the number and diversity of college graduates. - - - -Connect With Our Host:Dustin Ramsdellhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/dustinramsdell/https://twitter.com/HigherEd_GeekAbout The Enrollify Podcast Network:The Higher Ed Geek is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you'll like other Enrollify shows too! Some of our favorites include Generation AI and I Wanna Work There. Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.

Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here.

In this episode of the Innovating Together podcast, hosted by Bridget Burns from the University Innovation Alliance, we shared a panel from the ASU GSV Summit. The conversation explores the challenge of aligning the interests of students and institutions, drawing from experts across the field, including Patrick Methvin, Scott Pulsipher, Marjorie Hass, Michael Sorrell & Bridget Burns. The episode features insights from prominent educational leaders, discussing the alignment between student needs and institutional offerings, the shifting perceptions of higher education's value, and the innovative models that address these challenges. Join us for a compelling conversation that dives into how higher education institutions can better serve their students by being responsive, adaptive, and focused on both cognitive and non-cognitive needs. "We're not just addressing cognitive needs; we're solving acute financial barriers that significantly impact student success." What you will learn - Economic Mobility vs. Lifelong Learning Innovative Models in Higher Education Funding and Support for HBCUs Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

Though many of us may think of student success as graduating and finding a good job, our three guests today will share with us that it is much more than that. We think of universities as places where students learn:  They go to class, study, and do homework, and get a degree that supports future career success. But that creates a narrow definition of student success.  The MSU approach sees the student in a comprehensive way that goes well beyond the four corners of the classroom to think about the person and how that person flourishes as more than a student, but quite holistically as an active contributor both to the student's wellbeing and to the wellbeing of society. Amy Martin is assistant dean for student success strategy. Renata Opoczynski is assistant provost for undergraduate student success. And Erin Carter is chief of staff for Student Life and Engagement. They join Bill Beekman, vice president for strategic initiatives, for this conversation on student success initiatives at MSU. Conversation Highlights: (1:52) – The evolution of student success initiatives at MSU. The neighborhood concept and engagement centers are part of the beginning. What services are available in the centers?  (5:00) – What is the University Innovation Alliance? (8:53) - How does MSU define student success? The five areas of success are self-discovery of purpose; educational success; developing a sense of belonging; contributing to an empowered community; and developing wellbeing. (14:32) – What are some examples of projects in the five areas of student success? How often do students change majors?  The projects come in the three buckets of course reform, the curricular path to a student's desired career, and high-impact practices like study abroad and undergraduate research opportunities. “We're fortunate that our faculty are key partners in student success.” (32:42) – How does Student Life and Engagement see student success? The Inclusive Campus Initiative (ICI) and applying a restorative justice approach to conflict resolution are two examples. (37:16) – What were some pivotal moments in your education that sparked your interest in student success? Mentors and relationships played key roles. Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever your shows.

In this episode, Bridget Burns, CEO of the University Innovation Alliance, discusses the imperative to scale and innovate in higher education to improve access and outcomes for low-income and underrepresented students. She emphasizes the need for systemic change, the role of technology, and learning from failures to create a diverse and effective educational landscape. The conversation also touches on the potential of edtech companies to contribute to this transformation. "Higher education needs to shift and change. I'm of the mind that it should change, it can change, and we work on that all the time." What you will learn - Collaborative Efforts Innovation, Scale, and Diffusion The importance of scale in higher education Engaging with universities and accelerating learning with edtech Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

In today's episode, Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman preview the next season of weekly wisdom and review the interviews from the past season that they each found most compelling. They also discussed the challenges and opportunities facing higher education in this moment, particularly the elements that will challenge leadership in the chapter ahead. They emphasize the importance of leaders taking the initiative to shape the future of higher education, rather than being reactive to external pressures. They highlight the need for authenticity in leadership and reflect on some of the most valuable conversations from previous episodes. They also discuss the issue of turnover in leadership positions and the impact it has on innovation, while stressing the importance of leaders having a clear vision and the ability to inspire and bring people together.  "There's a level of candor and accessibility that is needed in this next chapter, like you and I see all the time, the skepticism about higher ed and the public,  skepticism about higher education by the public.?" - Bridget Burns What you will learn - ​​The defense versus offense analogy Reflection on past episodes and interesting conversations The pivot and potential constraint Turnover and transition challenges Learn more about Doug Lederman by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

In this week's episode of Weekly Wisdom, Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman announced that Virginia Commonwealth University has joined the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) as a new member. Bridget explained, “The University Innovation Alliance is a collection of institutions who are scaling innovation to eliminate their equity gaps and actually improve outcomes and produce more high-quality graduates across the country.”  Michael Rao, the President of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and VCU Health, a research and teaching institution and comprehensive healthcare system, was this week's guest. A few of the main topics discussed were the partnership between UIA and VCU, collaborative endeavors, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted VCU's role in the community. Doug began off the conversation by asking, “What attracted VCU to UIA?” and “What does your institution gain from this partnership?”  President Rao said, “We have a lot in common. We are motivated to make a difference. We are geared to research that matters to people.” He shared that he likes having regular contact with colleagues to learn from each other.  Bridget added that “VCU shares UIA's values.” She said, the UIA president is willing to talk about the hard stuff. President Rao continued to answer Doug's question by sharing that when he started as President of VCU the graduation rate was under 50% in terms of their 6-year graduation rate and now the graduation rate is around 70%.  He feels there is more that can be done to reach diverse populations. He thinks colleagues can learn from each other – and what works and doesn't work for different groups of people. “What we as presidents expect to gain from each other is sharing positive energy about what's possible.” Bridget asked President Rao to share examples of collaborative endeavors he has experienced. He shared that when he was on the NCAA board, he discovered, “it was worth every second I put into it because I got so much back.” He found chatting with other presidents in between board meetings about similar issues they were both dealing with and asked, “What do you think?”   He also said that when he was chair of the statewide council of presidents, along with the president of the University of Virginia, they were connecting two to three times a week via phone and eventually via video during COVID-19.  It helped to not be a “lonely island.”  “Putting people in the right place” is critical for a president, said XXX. Strategies are shaped by conversations with other presidents.  Doug asked, “How has VCU's role in the community shifted during the pandemic?”  President Rao responded, “a lot of the changes are focused on more inclusively engaging with people who have not been a part of what has been going on.”  He shared an example of how they switched their freshman convocation from an indoor event to an outdoor event with more than 4,000 people there.  Several students expressed appreciation for not canceling the in-person event and not being in front of a screen. There were also many students who asked, “Can you get more stuff online for us? We really like that option.”  He shared with the freshmen, “There is more information out there than there has ever been, but also more agenda's than there have ever been. You've got to develop your own sense and your own gut of what you believe in. What are your values? Decide whether what you are hearing matches that.”  He believes it's important that public universities be disciplined to be places where people can look to for the truth Learn more about President Rao by visiting: Website LinkedIn Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

As a third generation faculty member, President Taylor Randall has always been passionate about the University of Utah. President Randall served as a professor for over 10 years and Dean for over 12, before becoming the university's President last year. While making that transition, President Randall said he tried to assume that he didn't know as much as he thought he did, and focused on listening. This strategy enabled him to tap into the heart, soul, and values of the campus. President Randall says coming into the presidency on the tail end of Covid wasn't easy, but it taught him to communicate and empathize differently. It also reinforced the role of a leader in identifying and focusing the attention of the institution toward an optimistic future. President Randall was able to give staff and students the facts, while still keeping them moving towards the light. He says it's all about balancing optimism and transparency. President Randall was able to position the University of Utah for inclusion in the University Innovation Alliance. Through this partnership, the University of Utah will collaboratively work to increase student success and improve outcomes for graduates. President Randall believes we are at a point where we need to redefine what it means to be a public institution. We have to redefine our obligations to stakeholders; state, public, and most importantly, students.   President Randall's goal is for the student experience to be one that creates extreme passion and confidence among graduates. What You'll Learn: What it means to be a member of the University Innovation Alliance. What University of Utah students value. What Dean's need to understand about being President. How the transition from Covid has been.  Favorite Quote: “We're irrationally passionate about the University of Utah.” -Taylor Randall How to Connect with President Randall: Email LinkedIn Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

In this week's episode of Weekly Wisdom, Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman announced that Virginia Commonwealth University has joined the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) as a new member. Bridget explained, “The University Innovation Alliance is a collection of institutions who are scaling innovation to eliminate their equity gaps and actually improve outcomes and produce more high-quality graduates across the country.”  Michael Rao, the President of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and VCU Health, a research and teaching institution and comprehensive healthcare system, was this week's guest. A few of the main topics discussed were the partnership between UIA and VCU, collaborative endeavors, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted VCU's role in the community. Bridget asked President Rao to share examples of collaborative endeavors he has experienced. He shared that when he was on the NCAA board, he discovered, “it was worth every second I put into it because I got so much back.” He found chatting with other presidents in between board meetings about similar issues they were both dealing with and asked, “What do you think?”   He also said that when he was chair of the statewide council of presidents, along with the president of the University of Virginia, they were connecting two to three times a week via phone and eventually via video during COVID-19.  It helped to not be a “lonely island.”  “Putting people in the right place” is critical for a president, said XXX. Strategies are shaped by conversations with other presidents.  Bridget asked President Rao to expand about why it is helpful for presidents to team up. He shared an example, “One of my big jobs was to start a new medical school at the other institution from which I had come. I teamed up with a president who had started a new medical school. He was literally just a year or two ahead of me. I went and visited him and his team, and I came back with a very clear plan.” Several students expressed appreciation for not canceling the in-person event and not being in front of a screen. There were also many students who asked, “Can you get more stuff online for us? We really like that option.”  He shared with the freshmen, “There is more information out there than there has ever been, but also more agenda's than there have ever been. You've got to develop your own sense and your own gut of what you believe in. What are your values? Decide whether what you are hearing matches that.”  Learn more about President Rao by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter Learn more about the UIA by visiting: Website LinkedIn Twitter YouTube Facebook This week's episode is sponsored by Mainstay, a student retention and engagement tool where you can increase student and staff engagement with the only platform consistently proven to boost engagement, retention, and wellbeing. To learn more about Mainstay, click here. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/innovationalliance/message

Today marks the 100th episode of the Innovating Together podcast, and Bridget Burns is in the hot seat to discuss the show's success. While the University Innovation Alliance has been around for several years, Weekly Wisdom just kicked off around the time of Covid. Bridget says it was needed for a variety of reasons, one being the palpable sense of people looking for optimism and leadership. The UIA was also ready to expand and had identified institutions it wanted to include. They wanted a way to interview presidents without signaling who they were considering, and weekly wisdom presented an opportunity to hear about the values of a leader. She shared that she loves hearing from the audience and what types of questions they find most useful and what guests have had an impact on them. Leadership can be a very lonely job, especially in higher ed. The podcast aims to give people a sense that they are a part of something bigger, and that someone, somewhere, is dealing with the same things they are. Bridget has felt so fortunate to be able to meet so many leaders through this podcast. She has been inspired through all the lessons shared by her guests. Bridget shared that she has worked with over 40 college presidents and chancellors thus far, and observed a marked difference amongst them. To her, visionary leaders have a compelling vision, and an ability to get others enrolled in that vision. Her current work enables her to help university presidents see a shared, collective vision, and move in a common direction. She does this through genuine curiosity, empathy, and care. She takes the time to observe people in leadership roles, in order to really understand, to help them identify underlying challenges, and then to overcome those challenges. When asked about important advice, she offered that people should aim to be less interested in who gets credit for the work and more about getting the work done. She shared leadership advice that has been helpful to her from presidents and chancellors, including that taking care of yourself and your health is critical to being an effective leader, because you need energy to make difficult decisions. She suggested two books that were powerful in her journey: Leadership and Self Deception by the Arbinger Institute, and The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey. What You'll Learn: How negative examples can teach us just as much as positive ones. What it means to be a true leader. Why a president's tenure matter when it comes to innovation Favorite Quote: “The most presidential moments on the show have been the ones where people have shown their true heart.” -Bridget Burns --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Higher ed was never designed around students. But Dr. Bridget Burns is determined to disrupt that. In this episode of An Educated Guest, Todd Zipper, EVP and GM of Wiley University Services and Talent Development, welcomes Dr. Bridget Burns, Founder and CEO of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA). Together, they explore how empathy, design thinking, accessible data, trusting each other to fail, and the UIA's six policy areas have innovated scalable solutions for student success. Key Takeaways: • Why tools like predictive analytics and proactive advising are fundamental to diagnosing students' problems and providing immediate support • How chatbots can resolve students' issues and help staff be more effective • Why career services need to become part of every classroom experience • How $1000 grants have ensured students graduate on time • How creating the social safety to fail is key to innovation Guest Bio Dr. Bridget Burns is the founder and CEO of University Innovation Alliance, a multi-campus laboratory for student success innovation that helps university leaders implement scalable solutions to increase the number and diversity of college graduates. In 2020, Bridget was recognized by Diverse Issues as one of "35 Leading Women in Higher Education" and named one of the “16 Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly magazine. In addition, her work has been highlighted in national outlets like The New York Times, Fast Company, and 60 Minutes. She was also featured in the documentary “Unlikely." Bridget received her bachelor's degree in Political Science and master's degree in Public Policy from Oregon State University and her Doctorate in Higher Education, Leadership & Policy from Vanderbilt University.

Nickie alluded to and celebrates the works of: Patricia Hill Collins, Adrienne Marie Brown, and Gloria Anzaldua.  She urges you to check out Sonya Renee Taylor and The Ohm Center. Also Mona Chalabi,  Evergreen Data, University Innovation Alliance, and Harvard's Strategic Data Project.  Step Up on the web. On Insta: @stepupwomensnetwork. On TikTok: @stepupwomensnetwork Nickie's Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/nickie-acero-1427768 This episode is brought to you by our friends at Cookies and Carnitas who urge you to check out Mango Pickle. Dig our explorations of working lives? Please show your support at Patreon.Listen to the songs I composed and recorded about my conversations with artists on Season 7.Get in touch on Insta, Twitter, Facebook, or at podcastforaliving [at] gmail. Please hit that follow button and share the pod with your people.As always, special thanks to Liv Hunt for logo design.  Our theme song is Nile's Blues by Kevin MacLeod, licensed under Creative Commons by an Attribution 4.0 License. Be kind and stay healthy. Thank you for listening.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Today's guest is Michael Sorrell, who is the president of Paul Quinn College. President Sorrell is one of the 10 most innovative college presidents in the country and one of the world's top 50 leaders. How is He Holding Up, and What is Keeping Him Positive? President Sorrell stays positive because of the gratitude for the amount of family time he gets to have; the sight of his family sharing his office and going in-and-out of it makes him happy. Part of his career involves being a crisis manager, so he feels like he is at an advantage and could plan to send students home on time. What Kind of Leadership Principle is Serving Him? President Sorrell`s leadership principle is on the base of love, and he is more concerned about the wellbeing of his staff and students. He has created a safe space in staff meetings to encourage staff members to open up to boost their productivity. How Does He Separate and Manage the Day's Work, Today's Chaos, and Plans? President Sorrell said the best course of action is to be honest about being overwhelmed because nobody has ever lived through a pandemic. Accepting his vulnerability and acting to minimize regrets, being cautious, and analyzing the situation carefully. How is He Still Optimistic About the Future of His School? President Sorrell shares his story about how his school was at a rough patch when he took over, and they came out and kept going irrespective of the sad odds. He likened the experience of Paul Quinn at that point to the current pandemic and said the difficulties would provide room for growth. Sorrell quotes lessons from his faith, saying, “without the test, you will never get a testimony” and says this is the time to be resilient as leaders to raise resilient students. He advises: if you pray, pray, then get up and believe in the inevitability of your success. Is there any book he has read in the past that is helpful now? He said there is a need for a message of hope, and focusing on other people helps him. He is reading Just Mercy by Stevenson, On Duties, and Building an International University. Family time, exercising, and a positive mindset have kept him going so far. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University since 2002 and a recognized leader in higher education innovation. How is He Holding Up and Does he have any Advice for Other Presidents? President Crow notes that neither he nor his staff have worked this hard but are working to give their best. He states that holding up is a function of working in the speed of the current fashion, driving as hard as you can, picking up the pace of innovation, advancing new ideas, and trying to adjust to recent encounters. The Analogy of Leadership as Sailing President Crow explains a sailing analogy that portrays all the people in academia as sailors at sea, experiencing varying wave conditions. President Crow said a time like this is like 30-40-foot waves as opposed to the regular, stable seas because of many challenges that are occurring at the same time. He said the key is maintaining seaworthiness while being prepared for damages that come with the storm and adapting, adjusting, and preparing to make alterations to move forward regardless of the tides. How Does He Stay Focused on Leadership as Opposed to Surrounding Changes? According to President Crow, staying focused on the outcome which is maintaining an environment for learners to learn and advance is vital, because education is essential to the country's success. Being able to focus on what you can control in whatever the changing circumstance is the principal notion. How Does He Deal With Plans That Are on hold? President Crow said you have to deal with a back and forth between planning and adjusting because planning is useless when the battle begins. They have tried to implement alternative plans, carry out projects, and add dimensionality in implementing visions. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

“Transformation” is a buzzword in today's world, and it's easy to talk about why it's necessary. But how do you actually do the hard work of bringing about change within a college or university? This week's episode of The Key features highlights from a panel session at this month's SXSWedu conference in Austin, Tex. The discussion, heavy on practical advice for leading change within and across institutions, includes Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College; Michelle Weise, vice chancellor for strategy and innovation at the National University System; and Bridget Burns, executive director of the University Innovation Alliance. Inside Higher Ed's editor and host of The Key, Doug Lederman, moderated the discussion. This episode is sponsored by Pearson Inclusive Access. 

In this week's episode of Weekly Wisdom, Bridget Burns and Doug Lederman announced that Virginia Commonwealth University has joined the University Innovation Alliance (UIA) as a new member. Bridget explained, “The University Innovation Alliance is a collection of institutions who are scaling innovation to eliminate their equity gaps and actually improve outcomes and produce more high-quality graduates across the country.” Michael Rao, the President of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and VCU Health, a research and teaching institution and comprehensive healthcare system, was this week's guest. A few of the main topics discussed were the partnership between UIA and VCU, collaborative endeavors, and how the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted VCU's role in the community. Doug began off the conversation by asking, “What attracted VCU to UIA?” and “What does your institution gain from this partnership?” President Rao said, “We have a lot in common. We are motivated to make a difference. We are geared to research that matters to people.” He shared that he likes having regular contact with colleagues to learn from each other. Bridget added that “VCU shares UIA's values.” She said, the UIA president is willing to talk about the hard stuff. President Rao continued to answer Doug's question by sharing that when he started as President of VCU the graduation rate was under 50% in terms of their 6-year graduation rate and now the graduation rate is around 70%. He feels there is more that can be done to reach diverse populations. He thinks colleagues can learn from each other -- and what works and doesn't work for different groups of people. “What we as presidents expect to gain from each other is sharing positive energy about what's possible.” Bridget asked President Rao to share examples of collaborative endeavors he has experienced. He shared that when he was on the NCAA board, he discovered, “it was worth every second I put into it because I got so much back.” He found chatting with other presidents in between board meetings about similar issues they were both dealing with and asked, “What do you think?” He also said that when he was chair of the statewide council of presidents, along with the president of the University of Virginia, they were connecting two to three times a week via phone and eventually via video during COVID-19. It helped to not be a “lonely island.” “Putting people in the right place” is critical for a president, said President Rao. Strategies are shaped by conversations with other presidents. Bridget asked President Rao to expand about why it is helpful for presidents to team up. He shared an example, “One of my big jobs was to start a new medical school at the other institution from which I had come. I teamed up with a president who had started a new medical school. He was literally just a year or two ahead of me. I went and visited him and his team, and I came back with a very clear plan.” Doug asked, “How has VCU's role in the community shifted during the pandemic?” President Rao responded, “a lot of the changes are focused on more inclusively engaging with people who have not been a part of what has been going on.” He shared an example of how they switched their freshman convocation from an indoor event to an outdoor event with more than 4,000 people there. Several students expressed appreciation for not canceling the in-person event and not being in front of a screen. There were also many students who asked, “Can you get more stuff online for us? We really like that option.” He shared with the freshmen, “There is more information out there than there has ever been, but also more agenda's than there have ever been. You've got to develop your own sense and your own gut of what you believe in. What are your values? Decide whether what you are hearing matches that.” --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

MSU Strategic Plan 2030 identifies goals within six key themes: student success, staff and faculty success, discovery, creativity, and innovation for excellence and global impact, sustainable health, stewardship and sustainability, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.On this edition of MSU Today, we'll be focusing on the student success theme of the plan with its executive sponsors: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff and Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore. Michigan State University President Samuel L. Stanley Jr., M.D. says MSU student success is central to everything we're doing at MSU.“It's no accident that student success was the first pillar of our strategic plan, and it's really central to everything we're doing at Michigan State University,” says Stanley. “It touches on everything we do. I think what's exciting about what we're trying to do in this pillar and this area of emphasis is really bring to even further fruition a change in attitude and accomplishment that is taking place at Michigan State.“We believe that every student we admit to Michigan State is capable and should graduate from Michigan State University. They're capable of doing that. When they finish, we're going to continue to support them in having rewarding careers during their lifetime. We're going to help everyone who comes here graduate because we believe they can.“We're not going to stop at graduation. We're going to continue to be an advocate for them and support them as they continue in their careers and their lives. People have been talking about this before I came, but I really see this as an opportunity for us as an institution to really make this happen. We're going to talk a lot today with Provost Woodruff and Vennie Gore about graduation rates. That's one of the most important measures of success. We're supporting students' mental health and supporting them in every way, shape, and form. It's a holistic approach to see them succeed at Michigan State University. And I couldn't be more excited about that.”Gore says the goal is for every student MSU admits to learn, grow, and thrive.“Our goal is to have every student that we admit learn, grow, and thrive here at Michigan State and make sure they have the opportunity to have access to world class education through our faculty,” Gore says. “And we want them to have access to co-curricular and extracurricular activities, which helps them to grow and develop as people and become lifelong Spartans. That's what we mean when we talk about student success for the whole person.“I meet alumni who have been here in the '50s and the '60s and the '70s and they look back on their educational experiences very fondly. They talk about what they achieved here at Michigan State and how it's helped them in their career and their life. That's what we want for everyone. Because I think when parents send their sons or daughters here, they want them to have that kind of enriched experience so that when they leave here, they can go out in the world and do the things that they hope to do.”“Boy, Vennie, you're spot on,” Woodruff says. “I really echo a lot of what you said. I do agree. I think the student success that we measure at MSU is unique, and it's really the measure of our institution's ability to provide the kind of environment and inclusive, equitable curriculum and environment that really enables every student to learn, thrive, persist, graduate, and succeed after graduation. Each one of those is student success.“The way we really look at it is to be very holistic and to understand that student success is not necessarily a measure of the academic achievement of an individual or the student collectively, but rather really thinking about how well the institution supports its students, which I think is a very MSU way of looking at student success. It really allows us to identify places where there are hurdles.“We don't want a single soul at this institution to stub their toe as they're running down the track towards the world that is awaiting them with open arms with all the problems and the opportunities that exist. This notion of student success really is something that I think I'm really proud of. Vennie, as you said, I think it's something that parents see as really the opportunity for their child or grandchild or niece or nephew or friend to really succeed.”What are some of the ways MSU is excelling in this area now?“Go Green Go 15 is the credit momentum campaign,” continues Woodruff. “And what that really represents is the fact that one of the things that was identified at MSU is that students needed to maintain steady momentum in order to graduate in a timely way. If you graduate in a timely way, it allows you to get to that next destination more quickly and with less financial burden.“That really illustrates the way MSU is able to look at student success with these data informed efforts and allow us to then modulate the institution towards the students' success. Another one that I know that we've done is to really redesign the math course curriculum. We're working on general education and other gateway courses. “Part of that really lives out in the Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative, something that I think, Vennie, you and others really brought to this institution as a way of blending together intellectual and social in the ways in which you learn in a dynamic interface between people and the living setting and the formal learning environment and that we learn from each other. The newest thing we did during my time here is really My Spartan Story. It was started before I arrived, but it's that interactive platform that allows us to capture all these experiences. If in fact we believe that student success is part of this continuum of their experiences at the institution, how can we collate and capture all of that work to allow them to use that as they move beyond this institution? Student success is not of a moment in time. It is of that student's lifelong outcomes of being at a place like MSU.”“One of the other things about being on a residential campus this large for our 50,000 students here on campus, our graduate professional students in Grand Rapids or in Flint or Detroit or up in the U.P. is finding that sense of belonging,” Gore continues. “When I find that sort of sense of belonging in a community, it helps me find my colleagues. My grandmother used to say you are your friends. I didn't really know what that meant, Russ. But I think what it really means is that if I'm a person here who's interested in the sciences and I become part of Lyman Briggs and I meet other students who have similar interests, that enriches my whole experience while I'm here. And that sense of belonging is critically important for everyone because I think what we're learning even in this period of the pandemic is that isolation is bad for students. Being social and having a sense of connection and having that support is critical. Belonging is another thing we are working toward because that helps with students persisting in school.”Recently the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services was merged with the Division of Student Affairs and Services to form the Division of Student Life and Engagement. How is this connected to the strategic plan and how will it support student success?“In many ways, the two divisions have worked side by side together because we are both here for students,” continues Gore. “Residential and Hospitality Services was really focused on the campus experience. Student Affairs and Services had a broader mission of not just our on-campus students, but our off-campus students, fraternity and sorority life, our visitors, and our veterans who are here.“Bringing the two units together allows us to have greater collaboration as we work across the campus. We know that we're not in isolation. Working with the Provost Office and the colleges also allows for us to have the holistic experience. One of the things that I've been really pleased with as the two divisions have come together is I think everybody recognizes the importance of collaboration and to working across our own boundaries. And that's critical for where we are and how we serve this campus community.”“Well, again, I think Vennie's hit it on the head,” says Woodruff. “If we go back to the strategic plan and how engineering the institution best enables the success of every student, it is to invert the traditional definition of student success. Instead of centering on the students' assumed capacity or willingness to earn degrees, the strategic plan really defines student success as the measure of the institution's capacity or willingness to support every student.“When Vennie and I sat down and talked about the living-learning environments, the Neighborhoods, we thought that was really brilliant. But then what we did in addition is to say, ‘Well, what happens when students live and learn for additional time within this setting? Do they succeed?' Yes, they succeed even better. They succeed in the outcomes, which is getting to their goals academically.“What that really contemplates as we think about the structure of the institution is the opportunity to more flexibly enable those institutional changes that support our objectives. Really that's where the Division of Residential and Hospitality Services and the Division of Student Affairs represented two groups that work together. But by coming together, we synergize in a way that we can better enable the student outcomes.“I think institutions that are confident can make big changes, and it can then lead to extraordinary outcomes. We'll be measuring this. We'll be looking back, Vennie, in 2030 together from some vantage point and be able to say students today are better because of what we did institutionally back in 2020 and 2021. That's the exciting thing about MSU. It's a place that's not ossified in a particular way of working, rather it's aspirational for what our students really need.“And then we as leaders implement. I'm really excited about what this is going to do for our student success over time.”“If you think about the ethos at Michigan State, for an institution of our size and as decentralized as it may feel, there is a very low barrier to collaboration,” Gore says. “It's not just between the student life and engagement and provost offices. You see it in the colleges, and you see faculty members and researchers working across disciplines to expand scholarship or advance knowledge to solve big problems. That has been something that I think we have. It's just part of our DNA that we're able to do that. In other institutions I worked at, I would say that wasn't necessarily the case.”With respect to the strategic plan, where do you see this focus on student success leading in the future?“When we look at it in 2030, we would like to have eliminated the opportunity gaps,” Gore continues. “When we talk about the opportunity gaps, there are some subgroups of our community that aren't graduating at the level that we wish for or their parents wish for. It isn't about whether they have the academic ability. There are some non-cognitive things that come into play that make that a difficult hurdle for some students.“Mark Largent (associate provost for undergraduate education and dean of undergraduate studies) is fond to say that if we get a student to their junior year, that we're graduating them at the rate of Ivy League schools, 90 to 94 percent. It's that first and second year that is critical for us. And that's why the second year live-on (on-campus living requirement) was really important because it provides that sense of stability for students so they can get to the junior year. They're in their program, and then they can graduate. We hope in 2030 that we have students who are graduating at a high rate across all demographics. That would be the big change that we'd like to see.”“Absolutely,” adds Woodruff. “Some of the ways we're engineering the environment for student success is in part the merger that we just talked about, but it's also in the way we're using data across a vast network of institutions. We have our institutional data, but also through the University Innovation Alliance, we're able to scale our knowledge node in ways that allow us to gather information and be able to test our hypotheses and be able to then work towards more equitable educational outcomes in some cases that perhaps we couldn't see entirely but that can be revealed through these large networks.“That's something that I think allows this university itself to be a learning institution. I always say I never learn anything from talking to myself. If we simply look inward, we will never actually be able to enable the success that we wish to achieve. That University Innovation Alliance is something that I'm really excited about.“I want to go back to the Neighborhood concept. It was an MSU concept in 2010, and we really began to think about the ways in which we offer opportunities for learning environments in a holistic way. And by having this in a place that students can access easily, it creates that opportunity for the student to casually learn and formally learn in the places and spaces where they are.“Our goal is to eliminate the achievement gaps that we see today, and we've made steady strides. In as much as this institution continues to be thoughtful and intellectual partners in the institutional sense of trying to understand institutional barriers, I'm convinced our students can get there. At some level, our students are running a race. If there's a high hurdle, what we need to do is add that little pole vault so they can get over it. As we go, we hope to learn how to remove barriers and take those high hurdles to low and then eventually have an even playing field. Everyone who comes in races at the same level, and that I think is going to allow everyone to learn, thrive, graduate, and then succeed.”What are the primary goals in this area of student success?“Again, we want to get to an 86 percent five-year graduation rate. That's our goal,” Gore says. “We've been very successful in incrementally moving that up over the last eight years. We want students to have a holistic experience. When they leave here, we want them to not only be good scholars but also have an appreciation for the arts, have good health and wellness, and be good citizens. They're global citizens so they understand the impact of the world. That's what student success looks like to me and that's what we would like to have.”“I agree with that,” says Woodruff. “Our objective is to make this place more accessible and attractive to a wider variety of students. Strengthening our ability to tell our story and really increasing the success of students who are here begins to tell that story. And that's from our undergraduate to our graduate students and to our professional students. Broadening the diversity of the student body provides a way in which our students become a learning community for each other.“That's an important part of what we're driving toward - increasing the number and diversity of learners across campus. We're widening the ways in which students can learn. And of course, part of that has been developed through the pandemic, but we're doing it in a really intentional way to understand the pedagogical ways in which students learn best. Instead of asking students to change, we ask how we can change. That's one of the objectives of the institution.“And we really must make sure that along the way, we're creating a climate that the students can see that they are part of that climate, that there is a give and a get, that it's not just that I come, but that I am a part of, that I am the climate, and I am the institution. If we think about each other and that we are all part of this, we create an MSU that really will thrive and create the best success metrics for every student that comes.”What are some of the biggest challenges to reaching our goals for student success?“Some of our biggest challenges are going to be the time and people part,” says Gore. “The reason why I say this, Russ, is I think everyone in the country has been talking about the Great Resignation. Having good talent in the institution is important to us. It's not a challenge of will, and it's not a challenge of political will. It's just a challenge of making sure that we're staffed at the point where we can provide the experience for our students. I'm an optimist who believes that as we come out of the pandemic, we will start to see ourselves as an employer of choice. This is a place where people want to be. We have a forward thinking plan. Folks can see themselves in this plan and they want to be a part of it. While the talent is a challenge, it's not an overwhelming challenge for me.”“I think that's right,” adds Woodruff. “Our limited resource is ourselves. We might think that's monetary, but I think that the limitation to MSU will only be in the way we think about how this institution grows and evolves and how we become part of that evolution. That's going to take time and trust and coordination. It's going to take each of us seeing each other as part of the solution and believing that a change in the organization isn't a reflection on me or what I do but really a reflection on what the institution needs to do going forward.“Being adaptable through change management, particularly in the current moment, is something that requires an enormous amount of trust. What we've seen across this period in the last several years is that people have started to lose trust in the institutions that once you didn't even think about. I saw a poll recently that trust in pediatricians is at an all-time low. What that says is that we have at a societal level pressure on each one of us as part of organizations and MSU as an institution. How do we build that willingness to give each other the latitude to work in an environment that is changing but is still going to be here for the next hundred years? The value of higher education has been questioned, but there is no other way in society where we have changed more lives, not only by those who go through our institution, but by those who stay. Our student success is linked to our faculty success.“We have to continue to enable each of us to give each other a little benefit of the doubt while we go through the moment and believe that each of us wants the best for each other. I think once we begin to bring that trust back to every circumstance, we're going to reach our goal of a great university and great student success.”What are some of the things that position MSU to be a leader in student success?“It's in our DNA,” says Gore. “When I graduated from graduate school in 1982 from Indiana, there were four institutions that were on the forefront of living-learning: Michigan State, Vermont, UC Davis, and UW Stevens Point. They had a history of residential colleges and what they meant for large public Research 1 institutions and that integration and that set level of collaboration. We've had this long history over the years.“One of the other things too is that we haven't rested on history. If you were to go back and look over time, you could see the evolution of what that meant on our campus. When we started the Neighborhood concept back in 2009 as a pilot at Hubbard Residence Hall, we intuitively knew that it was going to be messy. The pilot would be very different than what the product would be. And that has been true. What that says is that the people who are attracted to this work are thoughtful and innovative, and they don't necessarily think that we have all the answers. We're going to try some things. Some of those things will work and some won't. The things that don't work we'll forget about, and we'll keep going without feeling we failed. I think that's the big thing. MSU is okay with trying something. And if it doesn't work out, it's all right and we move on to the next thing. It's that messiness that you have to be an organization like Michigan State to be okay with.”“I echo that,” Woodruff continues. “We're experimentalists. When you're actually doing hypothesis-based thinking, you actually are not always right. In fact, I always say we're a batter, not a pitcher. A pitcher has to be right. Most of the time, a batter only has to put the ball in play about a quarter of the time. I really think that you've hit it on the head.“We're really enabling a series of increasingly coordinated and very deliberative and thoughtful approaches across the entire enterprise. There's a saying I have that we have provostial partnerships across the entire institution. We are all provostial in the ecumenical sense of the way the provost is part of the opening and the enabling of everyone towards their academic goals. We're really being very thoughtful.“That includes the merger of RHS and Student Affairs in a way that is an increase in coordination and deliberation that is going to, we believe, enable student success. We're also focusing on the strengths and skill sets of existing leaders and making sure we all see how we can be part of this momentum and then leveraging that talent that exists and trying to maximize the output that we have in ways that really have no silos. We have this egalitarian way of working.“That itself is part of perhaps some of the experimental ways in which Vennie was just talking. But also I think it's just because leaders in this space understand what our goals are, and they really are towards student success and academic excellence. And relative to that, I think our faculty and academic staff from across the university are really engaged with our staff in all the ways that this institution's goals ask them to be. The strategic plan emphasis on student success really helps shine a light on all this work that is happening. That's part of our DNA. That's part of the experimentalist in us to achieve the goals on behalf of those in whose interests we serve.”“I like the baseball analogy,” says Gore. “A Major League player gets paid multimillion dollar to have a batting average of 300, which is getting a hit three out of 10 times. If we were in that genre, we're probably batting 700. Seven out 10 times we get it right. Those three other times, we swing and miss. That happens in life and that's okay. But we're going to try something. If something doesn't work, it's okay. We're going to move on. We're going to do some other things. We have the flexible latitude to do that.”“We' trust each other,” says Woodruff. “Even if I fail, I know I'm going to be picked up. But if we lack coordination, he's going to call me. These are ways in which we develop leadership together with the strategic objectives of the institution and our great faculty and students to holistically come together and have that great batting average.”Vennie, earlier you mentioned the goal of an 86 percent graduation rate. What are some of the ways we will measure the success of the student success initiative?“We keep score, using the baseball analogy,” Gore says. “At the end of the game, you want to know whether you won or lost. Graduation is one of the ways you keep score. Retention is another way that you keep score. How many of our students are staying from their freshman to sophomore to junior years? What are those retention rates? Are we seeing changes in subgroups? It's like calling balls and strikes in a baseball game. That's sort of how we look at it. The data analytics are something that we really began moving forward and understanding what the important things are. I like to think of this in three strategic questions: Are you doing the right things? Do you have the capacity to do the right things? And can you do the right things right the first time? And that's all about execution. You can analytically look at all those different things to be able to say that you're being successful.”“Right. I agree,” Woodruff adds. “That 86 percent graduation rate is one piece of this. I also want to look at placement rates for where the students go after getting an undergraduate degree or graduate degree. And that's the going to be important as well as a metric of success. We're working to reduce probation rates, too. We'll be measuring that this year, and that's going to be an important metric for us on the pathway. We want to see that sense of belonging and the climate assessments continue to improve. One of the things in the merger that Vennie's really focused on across all our affinity and identity groups is to make sure that sense of belonging is there and that folks know that this is not top-down. This is all of us. If you're here, you're a part of creating the culture that exists.“Looking for someone else to create culture is not the same as creating the culture we all wish to be a part of. That's the message that Vennie's been giving, and it's been really a winning and wonderful way of thinking in a really renewed way about the institution. We want to have impactful opportunities for the students for internships and externships and laboratory environments and making sure students know that's an option for them early in their careers. That's an important part of this.“We've seen a bit of a decline in the use of student services during this current context. We want to make sure that use of the services that we have created is increasing. I think another one is that student debt upon graduation has been decreased and part of that is the credit momentum. That is to say that we expect you to be here for a period with deep learning and then to graduate. That will be in the student's best interest as they move along.“Part of that is creating an inclusive, equitable curriculum and an environment that enables their academic and social and overall wellness and financial support. That leads back to the student's ability to learn, thrive, persist, graduate, and succeed. All of that's really part of what that last set of metrics really enables.”“We all have a role in student success no matter what your role is at the institution,” says Gore. “Whether you're a faculty member or a staff member who is serving food or you're a TA, we all have a role. At least through the pandemic, what we have heard from our undergraduate students is that college is more than just going to class. It's the whole experience.“And that impact that we all have on the individual student, no matter what our role is, is significant. Some of the most significant relationships have come through advising and mentoring and saying hello and being there for their well-being and knowing that there's someone in your corner to support you. That's student success. This is the collective responsibility of all of us as members of our community.”“Really well said, Vennie,” says Woodruff. “The strategic plan is really such an asset to have for an institution that, through the COVID context, was able to continue to reach for what its aspirations should be. That's the leadership of our president and every person in a leadership role and everybody who participated in really thinking about what our aspirations are at a time when other institutions were really being grounded by the pandemic.“Out of that has come the opportunity to really change the institution on behalf of the students we serve. I'm so grateful to all my colleagues with whom we've all worked to have this strategic plan, and the opportunity to implement it is just so exciting. I just can't wait to see what happens next to all of the students who come through this institution at this particular time. It's really an exciting time and the world so desperately needs them.“Our students are carrying heavy buckets. No doubt about it. But we've told them that what we're doing is we're putting our hands next to them and we're going to help them carry it. We can't take it away. We wish we could, but we can't. We know that whatever they've learned, both within our academic halls as well as within our residential halls and within the halls of life and the changes that they've experienced, that those buckets have been filled. But we're going to help them with what comes next. We can't predict what their lives are going to be. But we know because of being part of this institution that they're ready for both the expected and the unexpected. That's the best that we can do on behalf of these students. I couldn't be more excited for the future that they will help create.”On this edition of MSU Today, we've been talking about the student success theme of MSU's Strategic Plan 2030, Empowering Excellence, Advancing Equity and Expanding Impact with the executive sponsors of the theme, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Teresa Woodruff and Senior Vice President for Student Life and Engagement Vennie Gore. Read and learn more about MSU Strategic Plan 2030 at strategicplan.msu.edu. MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on WKAR News/Talk and Sunday evenings at 8:00 on 760 WJR. Find, rate, and subscribe to “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.

Today on ‘Weekly Wisdom' Bridget Burns from University Innovation Alliance and Doug Lederman from Inside Higher Ed sit down with California Community College Chancellor, Eloy Oakley. Many educational leaders had to step up during 2020 because of the pandemic and all that it brought with it, and Chancellor Oakley is no different. He discusses the struggles of leading through not only a pandemic but an economic crisis, racial reckoning, and a crisis in democracy. Chancellor Oakley says resilience is vital in the evolution of leadership. As a leader that prefers running toward the problem and dealing with it face-to-face, Chancellor Oakley had to rely on his military experience to help him to keep moving forward. The most significant opportunity was making sure students didn't get left behind in this constant sprint with an ever-moving finish line. The Chancellor also discusses the enrollment decline they're seeing because of this pandemic, especially among disadvantaged students. Prior to 2020, there was significant momentum that is now slowing or reversing. Food and housing insecurity are at the top of many student's lists of concerns. Chancellor Oakley is proud of Governor Newson's work in securing emergency aid for the 2021-2022 budget, and hopes even more support will come from the Biden administration. Incidentally, there have been talks of Chancellor Oakley becoming the Secretary of Education under a Biden administration. The Chancellor shares that if he were to be placed in this position, his priority would be a student's basic needs. He wants to better serve adult students that have lost their jobs and say that community colleges are potentially the best place to reach these individuals. Beyond emergency aid, Chancellor Oakley would like to see major policy initiatives in the arena of democratizing college access, as we are in a time when a high school diploma is no longer enough to be successful in this economy. We need to see colleges move away from being selective to being inclusive. Secondly, Chancellor Oakley says student debt needs to be addressed as we have an entire generation of students being crushed by it. Chancellor Oakley touches on the California College Promise, which aims to help underprivileged students, and his hopes for all states to do something similar. To connect with Chancellor Oakley, find him on Twitter or email him at eoakley@cccc.edu. Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're speaking with the Educational Administrator for higher, adult, and lifelong education, Kristen Renn from Michigan State University. How Do You Introduce The Work That You Do? Kristen states that she studies college student learning, development, and identities. Further, she says she specifically looks at how students of color, LGBTQ students, and low-income students experience higher education. What Have You Found Surprising Because Of The Pandemic? Kristen shares that she grew up in higher ed and always noticed it was resistant to change. At the beginning of the pandemic, she recalls she and other staff received a text that the whole school was going virtual in 19 minutes. Kristen says that if you had told her a year ago that all these teachers could make the switch to online learning in days or weeks, she wouldn't have believed you. Kristen was floored by what higher ed could do but says it came at the expense of certain demographics. How Have Students Been Affected? Already being prone to more mental health issues, Kristen shares that the LGBTQ community has seen a further spike. However, she's seen some good come to the LGBTQ community as well, one example being the chosen name initiative. In an attempt to not out transgender students, students can identify their chosen name and pronouns to be addressed by. This is something Kristen would like to see implemented when students return to campus. What Can We Learn From The Pandemic? There have been positives from COVID-19 that Kristen hopes to continue with. One being compassion. In a time when students could see into their teachers homes, see their cat for example, there has been a bigger sense of connection. Kristen hopes we can bring that more personal touch to students even after they're back on campus. Also, Kristen points out that we need to understand that many students may have lost someone to COVID-19 and will need all the compassion they can get. What Do Administrators Get Wrong And What Are Successes? While we can attune ourselves to more overt transgressions, it's harder to see how everyday things affect students. We can find these areas of opportunity through a campus climate audit. Kristen says we should be walking through processes, looking at forms, looking at programs and services, etc to look for signs of welcoming and inclusion. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Most Popular Episode of 2020 Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The eleventh guest is Mark P. Becker, president of Georgia State University since 2009. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Michele Siqueiros, President of the Campaign for College Opportunity, was interviewed for University Innovation Alliance on December 13, 2021. Co-host, Doug Lederman introduced the Campaign for College Opportunity as, “a non-profit based in California that does advocacy and research focused on ensuring more students can go to college and succeed through them.” The interview progressed from Siqueiros' personal story, to how the pandemic has impacted higher ed, and finally helpful advice. Being the daughter of immigrants, Siqueiros was the first in her family to go to college. As a low-income kid, she gave credit to school counselors, teachers, UCLA students who went to her high school and helped her fill out college applications, financial aid, affirmative action, and policies that helped her get into college and complete graduate school on a full-ride fellowship. She said, “it was a mix of what institutions were doing and the policies that were in place. I firmly believe that the policies we support, the way we set up student services, that's what helps make college a reality for those of us who aren't born into wealth and privilege.” Siqueiros has been with the Campaign since its founding in 2004 and has been leading the organization since 2008. She acknowledged, “the pandemic has been very difficult for all of us.” She sees the innovation and resourcefulness demonstrated in higher ed during the pandemic as transformative for underrepresented students. Michele gave an example of how flexibility and removal of hurdles in higher ed by providing laptops and higher broadband access for students without those resources was helpful for low-income students to be included in the System. She is hoping some of those innovations will stay in place by intentionally closing gaps that persist for Black and Latin students. Unfortunately, there has been a decline in graduation rates and college enrollment in community colleges of 20-30% since the COVID pandemic. When co-host Bridget Burns asked Siqueiros what she is most proud of, she said, “the elimination of placement into remedial courses at community colleges. Remedial courses are where college dreams go to die. That single policy change across the California Community College System has given incredible access to students and Black and Latino students.” Wrapping up the interview, Burns and Lederman asked her what advice she has received and what advice she gives to others. She mentioned how leaders and board members supported her and taught her, “it is only worth doing if it is hard and difficult.” Then she shared that letting go of staff members is hard and difficult, but humility and vulnerability helped her treat “everybody with the respect they deserve.” When talking to new leaders, she said, “I recommend they get comfortable not knowing everything” and that they don't have to do everything by themselves. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with the president of Virginia Commonwealth University, Dr. Michael Rao. He has been a president since age 28 from community colleges to research universities, with VCU being his fourth presidency. He was always interested in higher education, as he viewed it as a great enabler of the American dream, and he wanted to be a part of that. Dr. Rao says higher ed collectively isn't meeting student's needs. He has been impressed with the enormous leaps forward he sees students making. He sees kids from small towns whose parents didn't go to college doing things like curing disease or creating innovative solutions for housing problems. Dr. Rao says this is why it's so important to put in place a warm, welcoming pathway for everybody. The best colleges aren't necessarily colleges with the highest SAT scores. What ultimately matters is what you're doing after college. Dr. Rao remembers a conversation with two young men eight years ago. They asked if college could be less about sitting in a classroom, listening to a talking head, memorizing info, and then regurgitating it. They said they wanted to be more engaged with a sense of why they're learning what they're learning and how it will benefit society. When it comes to preparing for the demands of a university president, Dr. Rao says he likes to know what's coming a few days in advance. He says his daily routine consists of meditation and breathing time. He likes to create a space where nothing can get in, where he can just breathe and connect with his own soul, bringing himself closer to his values. Dr. Rao says there's a lot of things that can create stress if you let them. With a mission of transforming lives, Dr. Rao says leadership is about organizational movement. The best advice Dr. Rao says he's ever been given was by a university president, and that was to not let others control your emotions. He also remembers a late friend that encouraged him to delegate more, to focus on the future, and to focus on his unique value. Dr. Rao admits he used to try and do it all himself, but in her honor, he's tried to follow her advice more. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with University of California-Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox. In addition to being UCR Chancellor, Wilcox is one of the founders of University Innovation Alliance. He's been happy to announce that UIA schools have surpassed their founding degree goals, but he says there are other dynamics just as important as helping more students to achieve university success. He's been very proud of the simple visibility of the task, having universities come together for something other than athletics, and creating a cohort of people that are committed to a shared mission. Chancellor Wilcox says the UIA was an early example of a group of institutions coming together to attack a problem. UC campuses have made a very clear statement on reopening campuses this fall, while many other states and systems have not been as assertive. Despite strong leadership from the UC system, there are still worries. Chancellor Wilcox says the public health dynamics and nuanced advice from the CDC have caused concerns. He says the political overlay has also been divisive. With different expectations across different counties, there is confusion about the right approach to learning safely. Chancellor Wilcox says everyone wants normalcy, but we'll take semi-normal. He says he worries about shifts that could come up now. Earlier in the pandemic it was very black and white, things were one way, then they were another. Now there are more nuances and uncertainties to worry about. Chancellor Wilcox says when he first came to UCR, it was odd being a division one school without a football team. There were even talks of moving down a division or getting rid of athletics all together. Chancellor Wilcox says there is a lot that athletics brings to a university, and he doesn't think they should be done away with, but he does think we should look at a different way of managing them. We're all okay with ‘coach's rules' but if one professor had his own set of rules, we wouldn't stand for that. Something's gotta give. The best advice Chancellor Wilcox said he's received was from his wife, and that was to take a vacation, if for nothing more than the fact that other people watch him and if he doesn't take a vacation they might think they don't deserve one either. He says when people come to him for advice, he tells people to always look for the good listener. You'll never know everything and should always be seeking answers from others, like a good listener. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're joined by North Carolina A&T Chancellor Harold L. Martin. North Carolina A&T is the newest member to join the University Innovation Alliance, a leading national coalition of public research universities committed to increasing the number and diversity of college graduates. Chancellor Martin says we have to meet the challenge of providing students an excellent educational experience and the support they deserve. He's excited to connect with exceptional colleagues that he can share best practices with. It's a great way to ask the tough questions, collaborate, and come up with the best answers. Chancellor Martin says institutions working on their own will have a hard time achieving results for students. The UIA gives you strength and resources you wouldn't have otherwise. Together they're all focused on the same area of need, growing and increasing success in graduating students. Chancellor Martin says North Carolina A&T used to be very insular, often feeling like they had to protect their history, their mission, even their turf. However, they've found that in today's age, the demand for talented graduates requires collaboration. So Chancellor Martin is excited to unite with institutions that are committed to the same goals and objectives of increasing graduation rates for first generation, low income, and students of color. Our current presidential administration has deployed additional resources to historically black colleges that are increasing their visibility. Higher ed has received critical money to enhance infrastructure and invest in academic programs. Chancellor Martin says this administration is also elevating the conversation around the importance and value of science. Institutions will play a critical role in driving innovation in science research, and Chancellor Martin is excited to add value to this collaboration. A&T is committed to creating well-prepared graduates that will work on important issues like climate and infrastructure. When it comes to giving advice to future chancellors, Martin says that experience is invaluable. Chancellor Martin feels very fortunate to have had opportunities for advancement in his career. These opportunities allowed him to expand his leadership skills and experiences. It was experience that taught him to manage change and lead teams through change. He says he encourages prospective chancellors not to be so impatient, to take the time to gain experiences along the way. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with special guest UMBC President and newest member of the University Innovation Alliance. Freeman Hrabowski. The goal of the University Innovation Alliance is to help every student to achieve success. They aim to produce more graduates of color and more graduates across the socioeconomic spectrum. They do this through innovating together, scaling ideas that work, transparently sharing data, and holding down costs. In just six years they beat their ten-year goal and graduated 73,000 additional students. Alliance members are now graduating 36% more low-income students each year, and they are graduating 73% more students of color each year. President Hrabowski agrees that when universities collaborate, students win. He says he's been impressed by the synergy that builds as well as the inclusivity of different groups. During COVID-19 it was especially important to collaborate. President Hrabowski says it's nice to have a platform to see how universities around the country are handling things so that you can decide what the best practices are. We should always be learning from each other; President Hrabowski quotes, “success is never final”. President Hrabowski reflects on one of his proudest moments at UMBC and that's producing a student that was the first black woman to create a vaccine. It can be inspiring to others what a young, black woman from rural America can achieve. President Hrabowski says that UMBC is the largest producer of blacks that go on to get a PhD in any STEM area. UMBC prides itself on taking students from all backgrounds and creating excellence. President Hrabowski encourages anyone to check out UMBC.edu/rippleeffect to learn more about scholarship opportunities. Currently, President Hrabowski is working on writing a book with his colleagues. He says in it, they discuss how the pandemic is just part of a larger picture of challenges such as race and social justice. In a previous book that he collaborated on, The Empowered University, President Hrabowski says the very first sentence reads, “it's not about me, it's about us”. President Hrabowski spent many years leading up to his presidency learning from other leaders. He's learned to be honest with himself and says the group approach shaped who they are. Especially during these challenging times, leaders need to be more vulnerable while still being able to lead and lift others up. To lead a university, you have to be passionate about education. At the same time, President Hrabowski says you can live life seriously, but don't take it too seriously. an live life seriously, but don't take it too seriously. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

This is the one-year anniversary of Start The Week With Wisdom and to celebrate we have our original guest, ASU President Michael Crow, back in the hot seat. When we first spoke to President Crow last year about what it was like to lead, he used a metaphor equating leading to sailing. He talked about how you had to adjust for the different winds. After a year of gale force winds, President Crow says it's been a constant adaptation of the ship. He says his crew is always present and engaged and that his senior crew now meets every day. He noted the detailed accuracy we can have when we put our minds to it. Furthermore, he says the last year has also taught him to wait as long as possible to make a decision; understand as much as you can first. When asked about upending the establishment, President Crow says it's not about replacing, it's about adding to. He says we need more universities devoted to social outcomes as markers for success. We need more universities driven by technology that can meet students where they are. The technologies and opportunities we have been phenomenal, yet we're outperformed by other countries in education. President Crow says we need to embrace technology, to change our indicators of success, and to stop thinking we can do it by ourselves. When it comes to returning next fall, President Crow says he aims to use the constitution as an aspirational document. He says we need to be accountable for our objectives and that it's not all about the discussion but about the actual performance of the institution. Institutions tend to follow the rewards or incentives, but President Crow says we need to throw out the notion of operating as a public agency and embrace operating as a public enterprise. More enterprise behavior would give chancellors more meaning behind their titles. When asked what has surprised him most about the last year, President Crow says it's been the media searching for clicks and not doing a good job of keeping us informed but instead perpetuating fear. President Crow says there are good things out there too to report on, especially when it comes to students. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're meeting with the president of AASCU Millie Garcia. Millie has been the president of multiple institutions and now finds herself in a role of leading leaders with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). While at it's core AASCU is about the students, they work to help presidents and their teams to be as successful as possible. Millie says the pandemic has brought about a sense of urgency and clarity to what students need. Immediate concerns were helping staff and students to teach and learn online. Another big thing presidents were eager to learn is how to have the tough conversations, such as racial inequality. The crisis has brought people together, but Millie says we need to continue with the collaboration even after things return to normal. Luckily, Millie says she sees leaders eager to work together because they know it's the right thing. It shouldn't be about competition, it should be about collaboration to best serve your region. Millie has mentored many people that have gone on to become presidents, and she always recommends they learn how to handle a crisis because it's not about if a crisis will happen, it's when. When mentoring others Millie instills that collaboration is your biggest asset. She says you have to know your team, build trust, set goals together, and hold each other accountable. When a person can't work together with others, Millie says they get three strikes, and then they're out. Millie welcomes constructive criticism because she says you have to hear where you're not perfect in order to change and become better. Millie has read many leadership books over the years, but one of her favorites is on servant leadership. She reminds us that the job isn't about accolades, it's about serving people. She recommends any leadership books about how to have deep discussions. Furthermore, she says it's imperative that we learn how to have these discussions and engage the community. Millie welcomes anyone to email her at presg@aascu.org and she says if you're interested in a future as a president to check out their Millennium Leadership Institute and all their professional development programs. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Nashville State Community College President Shanna Jackson. She discusses a teaching experience that she had that caused her to understand the power of education. Many of the students were the first in their family to go to college and Shanna saw the hardships students were facing. Shanna says education is one of the strongest ladders and that she had to be a support. Shanna says her job is to prepare students to be successful whether that be going to a four-year college or entering the job market. When she became president of Nashville State Community College, Shanna says she had to remind herself to let people know when she was just thinking out loud. She says every word she said people were trying to do. You have to understand the strength of your words when you're in a leadership position. Shanna says it's also important to show people what you're looking for, you can't just assume that they know. She puts a strong emphasis on making sure her team understands each other. Being in an urban market, Shanna saw the issues students had with things like transportation, child care, and textbooks. She realized they didn't have a lot of support in place for students and the pandemic really highlighted that. Because of the pandemic aid they've been able to open food pantries and help with childcare and textbooks. It's something she says she plans to find a way to continue. The pandemic brought a new challenge of technology that we hadn't focused on before. Many people needed devices, Wi-Fi connections, and help to learn new programs. Shanna says they're working on identifying students' needs earlier. In terms of student success redesign, Shanna says you can look at indicators, but it can still be hard to have a clear sense. There's not one thing she looks for to know their work is making a difference. She does see that conversations are changing and people are working together in different ways. As they begin to focus on completion and the whole student life cycle, they're also looking ahead to post-completion and how to best serve students. Shanna tries to not just look at how far they have to go but to look at how far they've come. She says you have to celebrate the good and give yourself a break. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking to California's Senior Policy Adviser Dr. Lande Ajose. She works with the Governor of California to see what they can do to shape the higher education system in their state. Since she represents higher education as a whole she works hard to get colleges to view themselves as pieces of a puzzle. California is often known for its Master Plan for Higher Education. The problem with this plan is it doesn't include how to finance. California has recently created the Recovery With Equity Task Force to fill this role. Together with college leaders and government officials, they ask the tough questions. Dr. Ajose says they are currently thinking about things like capacity, innovation, and equity. At the start of the pandemic higher education was working more as a triage, but they still needed to plan for the future when we recover. The Equity Task Force met for six months and even included individuals from other states to get other perspectives. Together they discussed the questions they need to ask themselves to position students for ten or twenty years out. Some questions asked were what the appropriate role of technology is, and how do we think about basic needs and affordability? -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking to Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Ed Chancellor Daniel Greenstein. Chancellor Greenstein is feeling optimistic about where we are in the pandemic, and is proud of what Pennsylvania institutions have overcome and achieved despite everything happening this past year. When deciding about the kind of role he was interested in pursuing after leaving his post as the Director of Postsecondary Education for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Greenstein says he was looking for universities and systems that served large numbers of the students he's passionate about: low-income, first generation and students of color. Since arriving in Pennsylvania, Chancellor Greenstein says he and his team has spent a lot of time putting operational levers in place. The declining state investment by Pennsylvania has driven increases in tuition and negatively impacted affordability for Pennsylvanians. He raised the complex challenges the state is facing and voiced his appreciation for the faculty, staff, administrators, board members, and students banding together to identify the path forward. He shared that there was clear urgency to make some design changes given the current realities of the state, the system, and higher education trends. With a 21% decrease in student enrollment and a 62% increase in net average cost of attendance, Pennsylvania is facing significant pressure that will likely be experienced by other states very soon. Chancellor Greenstein says from a leadership standpoint you need to be ruthlessly transparent. By not acting we're sacrificing the future of the state and students. We can't afford to point fingers or look back, we need to keep looking forward. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Dr. Gaye Theresa Johnson from UCLA. Dr. Johnson has done meaningful work in the areas of racism, cultural history, and political economy. Dr. Johnson describes herself as a lifelong learner and a teacher in the broadest sense. As a community engaged scholar she's been part of movements for the new role of education in society. She said she's aware of the history of education in society and continues to be in conversation with those that have been there. Dr. Johnson says as a scholar of race and power, inequalities have always been an emergency. The unrest of the last year has been a manifestation of an ongoing crisis. This unrest isn't a surprise and beautiful things can come out of protests and movements. To do impactful work during these times, Dr. Johnson says you need to have perspective and grounding as well as knowing all the possibilities. Institutions can help by creating new language and delivering on promises made. Dr. Johnson says that the institution likes to get back to business as usual, so we have to take advantage of this window while we have it. To engage meaningfully you must maintain relationships with the people in the communities that are doing the visionary work. Dr. Johnson reaches out directly to the community and asks what they need. It can be something as simple as Hunger Action LA, a program that put together a 70-page guide for food and other resources. They've had students help by simply accompanying low vision seniors to the farmers market. When we're a part of a system that cares about the bottom line, what is your actual engagement? Dr. Johnson says you can't teach community engagement without being engaged yourself. Dr. Johnson touches on her work with spatial entitlement. She says if given the opportunity she would use a different word than entitlement as it ignores the land back movements. Dr. Johnson says over the past few decades we've been seeing more people of color in the pamphlets, but we're not actually represented the way it's portrayed on campus. She says if we're going to use people of color to show racial equity, we must provide an environment where we can strive. Resources for people of color or other marginalized individuals are established out of struggle and are not what they need to be. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Pomona College President Gabi Starr. She just received her second COVID-19 vaccine and feels like they're turning a corner with all the vaccines going out over campus. She looks forward to bringing people back to work and students back to campus. When COVID-19 hit President Starr was in the midst of hiring new members of her leadership team, and they had to get to know each other over Zoom. President Starr has found ways to utilize Zoom such as weekly check-ins with faculty, or taking time out of Zoom classes to really connect with students. President Starr says the pandemic has reminded her that you can't do everything, and she hopes to reinforce this idea. She tells students to pick and choose how you engage and that it's not healthy to try and do everything. We all need to keep our sense of self-regulation. She hopes to also continue all the outreach efforts that have been started under COVID-19, reminding us that programs should start where the students are. Schools shouldn't be in competition, President Starr says we should be collaborating to enhance curriculum and share resources. Each school has an individual strength, and we're all stronger when we bring them all together. President Starr reminds us again that we can't do everything on our own. There are plenty of students to go around, we should be more focused on how to best serve the students once they're here rather than competing for them. No matter how prepared you think you are to be a college president, you have no idea what you're getting into. President Starr says it's empowering to recognize that and to not take things personally. She says you have to remember that people see you as the institution. She would tell others to hire the best people for the job and then get out of their way and let them do it. Another piece of advice that President Starr would offer is to live like death is on your shoulder. Make decisions to the best of your ability, do the best that you can, and then realize that the outcome is not always up to you. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Berkeley City College President, Angelica Garcia. Angelica is just finishing up her first year in the president role, one that she took on during COVID-19. She says she's mostly been working from home, maybe visiting campus two dozen times, and can't wait to get back on campus fully. With 116 colleges, in 72 districts, the California college landscape is all about communities. Angelica says being part of a community is what fuels her, and she will remain relentlessly focused on what students need. During these trying times, Angelica says constant communication has been key. She says there's a level of urgency, and we can't let up in certain areas. Angelic explains that she likes to be briefed with all relevant information so that she can show up in the capacity that she needs to. If there's a crisis going on, Angelica wants to know who's being impacted and everything about them, as well as understanding who's mitigating the conversation. She asks colleagues to make it easy for her to know what they need from her. Then after the crisis is over she likes to have a post-op conversation to discuss what they did well and what they could have done better. Angelica's leadership style is to understand and uplift. To be prepared she likes to look at her calendar one to two weeks in advance, having one day a week that she makes sure to catch up on everything. She says it takes a village for her to show up the way the community needs her to and that she can't afford to not be informed. Angelica says a mentor once told her to make sure you're excellent at the job you have now. Whatever is currently in front of you, show up as your best. Angelica's mom keeps her humble by reminding her that it doesn't matter if you're a custodian of a college president, it takes everyone to run a college smoothly. Whether as a college president or in her personal life, Angelica says her role will always be to advance equity, racial justice, and to make sure anyone interested in higher education has access. Angelica says the advice she would give a new college president is to get an executive coach, figure out who your group of critical colleagues are, and be excellent at the job you have in front of you. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Dillard University President Walter M. Kimbrough. President Kimbrough is recognized for his research on African Americans in college and has written the book Follow The Leader: Lessons in Social Media Success From Higher Ed CEO's. President Kimbrough says they have been in some hybrid form all throughout the year and expect even more classes in person this next semester. In a survey they found that 85% of students preferred an in-person experience. President Kimbrough says they're trying to make the best of the situation and that he can see the light at the end of the tunnel. While the total number of applications is down, President Kimbrough says they're still on track to make class, with a high number of students committed to returning. He also predicts that the enrollment cycle will simply be delayed and more people will apply throughout the summer as they see things are starting to open back up. Known for his strong social media presence, President Kimbrough likes to connect as a real person that dares to show up as himself. He's aware that social media is a public place, and you can't take stuff personally. He says if anyone has an issue over social media it doesn't affect him, if they choose to reach out in person he's very accessible. One such time that President Kimbrough experienced backlash was when he sent out a letter encouraging more African Americans to be involved in research studies for the COVID-19 vaccine as they weren't being adequately represented. The backlash was strong but President Kimbrough held his ground. Before the pandemic there was some real headway being made on equity issues and Dr. Kimbrough is positive that momentum can be restored. With people concerned that enrollment is dropping, the real concern should be the rate at which African American enrollment is dropping. President Kimbrough says we need to create communities that are responsive to all students. We need to have intentional conversations and institutions that represent the student body. Present Kimbrough touches on Ohio State University recently saying that their retention issue with African American students is tied to little to no African American staff, so they plan to rectify that. If you'd like to learn more about President Kimbrough, he's available on all social media platforms as either @hiphopprez or @walterkimbrough. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

In this fantastic episode of The EdUp Experience, sponsored by Element 451, we talk with Dr. Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance. Helping low-income, first-generation, and students of color is not something universities have typically been good at. The University Alliance is focused on completion - who is completing and who is not. Higher education was never designed around students; the entire traditional infrastructure of colleges and universities was designed around faculty, which were the intellectual capital of the institution. UIA works to deconstruct and rebuild the operations around students and innovation to accomplish the goals of helping society - by helping the low-income, first-gen, and students of color. The pandemic has, however, hit students and faculty hard. It's time to innovate further, according to Bridget. For the past decade, Dr. Bridget Burns has advised university presidents, system chancellors, and state and federal policy leaders on strategies to expand access to higher education, address costs, and promote completion for students of all backgrounds. Named one of the “16 Most Innovative People in Higher Education” by Washington Monthly, she is the founding Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance (UIA). The UIA is the groundbreaking national consortium of public research universities igniting a movement through their collaborative work (innovate together, scaling “what works”, & broadly diffusing what they learn) to close their achievement gaps and improve outcomes for all students. The UIA was developed during Dr. Burns's tenure as an American Council on Education (ACE) Fellowship at Arizona State University. Check out our sponsor, Element 451, at this link: https://element451.com/edupexperience Thanks so much for tuning in. Join us again next time for another episode! Contact Us! Connect with the hosts - Elvin Freytes, Elizabeth Leiba, and Dr. Joe Sallustio ● If you want to get involved, leave us a comment or rate us! ● Join the EdUp community at The EdUp Experience! ● Follow us on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube Thanks for listening! We make education your business!

Today we talk to California State University Chancellor Dr. Joseph I. Castro. The former President of Cal State Fresno took on his new role just two months ago. Even as it can be an awkward time to make a transition because of Covid, Dr. Castro says it's been pretty smooth and that he feels very fortunate to serve at such a consequential time. With California State University being the nation's biggest four-year public university system, Dr. Castro loves to be doing things on such a scale that can make a huge difference not just in California but in the nation. With close to half a million students, Dr. Castro says CSU has the opportunity to make a change and transform the lives of people from all different backgrounds. He says that without higher ed so many students and families would have much fewer opportunities, and he looks forward to expanding those opportunities even further. To prepare for this transition, Dr. Castro has reflected on his own experiences, has done a lot of reading, and has conversed with a huge number of mentors. Surprisingly, Dr. Castro is the first Californian to serve as Chancellor at CSU and he's very aware of the uniqueness of his position. Dr. Castro says he learned from his grandparents to listen carefully before you speak or make big decisions, and this ability has served him well in his transition. As a chancellor, Dr. Castro says you often find yourself dealing with highly contested issues, but even if people don't agree with his decisions, they always know he listened thoughtfully before making them. As someone with a policy background, Dr. Castro has enjoyed working with legislators and the governor. He says he's also been getting to know CSU's trustees better and appreciates the opportunity to serve in a new way. One thing Dr. Castro is already proud of is their budget and the ability to have no tuition increases and no layoffs. He says he always tries to make decisions that will lower the stress level so that students can focus on learning and teachers can focus on teaching. Dr. Castro hopes to remain as flexible and transparent as possible going forward. He's impressed with student's resilience and says the potential impact they can have together is enormous. He encourages everyone to stay reasonable and to be optimistic. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're joined by Chancellor Elwood Robinson with Winston-Salem State. With students back on campus, Elwood says his institution is doing great amidst this pandemic. They're learning a lot and are glad to meet the various challenges. Elwood has always tried to lead from the heart and has found that approach has served him well during these trying times. He can't say enough about his staff and the true leadership that has risen during this pandemic. All involved have learned they could push themselves into spaces they didn't realize they could. Elwood thinks they'll be more successful in the long run because of the challenges they've had to overcome. For instance, he says before, it would have taken them 3-5 years to get a substantial online program going, but they've been able to rise up and make that a reality in less than a year. Another success was in raising $27.1 million during a pandemic when their goal was only for $11 million. Elwood says his staff has been extremely productive, and he has a greater appreciation for them. Elwood believes that the work of the institution is about equity, yet only about 10% of students get the best possible experience. Five years ago, he found himself asking what would happen if we could give every student that experience. He says it's about creating spaces where everyone's voice can be heard. Institutions need authentic spaces where everyone feels like they belong, are valuable, and are important. Elwood has a goal that by 2025 not only will every student get a diploma, but every student will be able to create their own job. When in a crisis, we tend to focus only on managing the crisis and aren't thinking about the future. Elwood hoped to combat this by putting together a team to focus on what the future will look like. Further, he's created a show called Future Focus Now that even had Dr. Fauci as a guest. Thinking about the future, Elwood has taken a strong stance on the importance of the Covid vaccine, which he hopes will reduce skepticism. Looking to the future, Elwood hopes everyone can stay laser-focused on diversion, equity, and inclusion. He thinks institutions should look at things student by student and aim to leave no one out. He continues to be hopeful that everyone will have access to the best possible college experience. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with President Brian Noland from East Tennessee State University . Brian was previously the Chancellor of West Virginia Higher Education Policy Division, giving him a unique perspective. Brian says TSU is doing optimistically well, hoping for a somewhat normal return in the Fall. He says no one was prepared for the intensity of the pandemic issue or the weight of daily decisions. As power has shifted to the individual university, they've been working on rewriting all policies, having been aggressive on social distancing and moving things online. He said on their worst day they had 50 students on quarantine, compared to 1000 at other institutions with less control. As an advocate for innovation across the state, Brian says it was a great honor to serve on the cabinet and lead policy change. As President of TSU, Brian wasn't prepared to be the face of the community but says it's an extremely humbling opportunity. With 75% of regional healthcare providers having graduated from TSU, the regional universities impact is driving economic force. From a policy perspective, Brian says challenges are as pronounced as ever. They're having to work hard on adjusting their portfolio of aid. With a lot of talk around loan forgiveness, Brian says the best way to look at student loan debt is to ensure it doesn't happen. As a tuition dependent university, 70 cents on the dollar to run the institution comes from non-state sources. With a need in the area for engineers and nurses, TSU is saving resources by partnering with other colleges in the area. There is some fear that competition for students can be a deterrent to collaboration. Brian suggests schools focus on the region, not on the campus, as he says we'll get further faster by working together. Cross institutional collaboration is more important than ever in the time of COVID-19. Brian says for inspiration during these trying times he's turned to many great books including How Colleges Work by Robert Birnbaum, The Soul of America by Jon Meacham, and Promise Land by Barack Obama. As we begin 2021, Brian says the college's focus is on celebrating successes. It's a time to refocus on what they've been able to accomplish and to remind themselves of the beauty of hope. As we continue to battle a pandemic, Brian will focus on hope and transformation. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today on Start The Week With Wisdom, Bridget and Paul are speaking with Oregon State University President F. King Alexander. Having been President of Murray State University, Cal State Long Beach, and Louisiana State University, Mr. Alexander has a broad perspective on higher education. As an advocate for vulnerable students, Mr. Alexander has seen the pandemic bring unique challenges. Luckily he says they're doing okay enrollment-wise, where a lot of universities are down, they are staying flat. However, because of the pandemic, the door has been shut on new international students coming in. They're down approximately 96% from China, 94% from India, and 85% from Germany and Brazil. Mr. Alexander reminds us that 1/3 of Silicon Valley was built by international students, and their absence now will be felt for decades to come. More and more, society is turning to Universities for help during this pandemic, and Mr. Alexander says they need the funds in order to help those most vulnerable during this pandemic. He says the C.A.R.E. Act helped some, but they need more. Looking back to 2009-2011, roughly 120 billion dollars in 3 stimulus packages went to higher ed, and we need to see that kind of help again. Mr. Alexander says it's been difficult moving into a new leadership role in the middle of a pandemic, but he thinks they'll get through with greater trust. Anything can be an opportunity, and this is one to enhance trust in what we can achieve together. Mr. Alexander believes that if all the information is on the table, 9/10 educated people will come to the same conclusions. So, it's about working together, sharing information, and leveraging each other's strengths. As difficult as it's been to lead during a crisis, some good has come that Mr. Alexander hopes to remain. The faculty has been very flexible and is using new technologies to reach more people than ever. Having taken very public positions on controversial topics, Mr. Alexander hopes to see more leaders on the front lines working to bring about change. One issue is keeping state legislators engaged as they've slowly been stepping away and federalized the state responsibility. This has directly resulted in the percentage of people with college degrees going down. The age group of 55-64 were rated #1 in percentage with degrees, with now the 25-34 age group being ranked #16. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org.-- --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today on Start The Week With Wisdom, we're talking to Paul Quinn College President Michael Sorrell. Having spoken to Mr. Sorrell last Spring, we're checking in to see what has gone right and what has gone wrong during the course of this pandemic. Mr. Sorrell says that no matter how well prepared anyone thought they were, no one was fully ready to understand the emotional toll of leading in a pandemic. Mr. Sorrell doesn't know that the pandemic has necessarily made him a stronger leader, but it's made him a more honest leader. He stressed being candid with staff about being exhausted and at your wit's end. It gave others permission to be human in a season that may just be about getting through. Having the strength to sustain a high level of performance for an extended amount of time comes down to why are you here? If you're just here to check a box, you won't have as strong a drive as someone that is there for a cause, for something bigger than themselves. Mr. Sorrell says we don't have the luxury of not performing for underprivileged students, and it should be an honor to serve. Last semester 90% of Paul Quinn students were working 40+ hours a week in addition to their studies. Among that 90%, only 42% came back this semester. Mr. Sorrell says it has nothing to do with no longer being interested or not capable, it's simply not sustainable with everything going on. One thing Mr. Sorrell thinks is important is to not give students a false sense of hope, don't make promises you can't keep. He refers to the book ‘From Good To Great' about General Stockdale that was a POW, and how he persevered. Other prisoners were holding on to hope for release by a specific time, and each time that date came and went, it cost them emotionally. The emotional toll affected their health and led to death. General Stockdale never questioned that he would be free at some point, but he also was realistic about his lack of control over when. Much like this pandemic, having false hope for an end will just defeat you each time that finish line moves. We need to hold on to the fact that it will in fact end at some point, but we have no control over when. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're talking with Dr. Sara Goldrick Rab from Temple University and the Hope Center. Dr. Rab wears a lot of hats but describes herself as a scientist that works on the problems of why people start college and don't finish. She has her focus on what happens when people are challenged with paying for school and life while in school. Hunger On College Campus Food insecurity is when you don't have stable and regular access to food, and it's something that is widespread among college students. Many students are skipping meals or going without food for a day or more. Most won't admit to this struggle and would much sooner just get used to it than to admit it. Lack of nutrients affects you in many ways such as cognitive function and energy—all things a college student needs to get through their day. Housing Insecurity A lot of people will assume college kids just don't manage their money correctly, but that's not it. Students' budgets are stretched tight. Another issue is housing insecurity, when you are constantly at risk of losing your housing. Often it comes down to rent or food and utilities. Dr. Rab says not a lot of people can even agree on what it means to be homeless. She says that couch-surfing or shuffling from place to place is homelessness, even though you have shelter. Students staying with unsafe individuals has become an issue relating to this type of homelessness. What is #realcollege? Dr. Rab explains that she was doing research ten years ago and just trying to share data on food insecurity but was receiving a lot of pushbacks. People were in denial, but Dr. Rab knew it was actually happening. So, as a fan of the Real World from MTV she quoted, “we got to stop being polite and start getting real”. Thus was born #realcollege as a way to show what college was really like. What Can We Do? Dr Rab points to a book called Sweet Charity by Janet Poppendieck and says food pantries don't help. When someone needs food, what they're really in need of is money for food. Dr. Rab says that what's most needed is an effective emergency aid program. It needs to be readily available at any time to anyone and based only on need. Go to www.hope4college.com for research, resources and guides. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're speaking with Dr. Richard Reddick from the University of Texas at Austin. As a first-generation college student, Dr. Reddick says his job is equal parts teaching, researching, and serving. Dr. Reddick explains the idea of cultural taxation, which is the invisible labor done by folks of color to support diversity missions at universities. Whether you're helping as a translator, serving on a diversity committee, or mentoring and advising, these people are not compensated or recognized for their work. At a time of uprisings and conversations on race, students of color are tasked with justifying or making sense of things that are served up with a lack of empathy. We're still not having productive conversations globally, most of it takes place in classrooms or over Zoom meetings and can be emotionally taxing for students. Oftentimes, students are like adjunct faculty members in college universities without compensation. All the cultural work being done, all the benefits for students of color, are being born on students' shoulders. How can they be compensated for this work? Is there any leverage we can give them for their time and efforts? Dr. Reddick says we need to recognize the work we're asking these students to do. They do so much for us, what are we doing to acknowledge or credit this vital work? In recognition of racial injustices, we create task forces and groups, and then we put folks of color in the position to do the work for their own injustices. Often it takes a person of color, that has been wronged to say let's start again and begin to bridge that divide. That doesn't mean white faculty and students don't need to step up; it's everybody's work. It may be necessary that people of color lead, but white folks need to be strong allies. Equity and inclusion work can be risky as your public-facing and often learning as you go. Mistakes are bound to be made, but Dr. Reddick says we need to lean into this discomfort and continue to engage. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today we're speaking with the Educational Administrator for higher, adult, and lifelong education, Kristen Renn from Michigan State University. How Do You Introduce The Work That You Do? Kristen states that she studies college student learning, development, and identities. Further, she says she specifically looks at how students of color, LGBTQ students, and low-income students experience higher education. What Have You Found Surprising Because Of The Pandemic? Kristen shares that she grew up in higher ed and always noticed it was resistant to change. At the beginning of the pandemic, she recalls she and other staff received a text that the whole school was going virtual in 19 minutes. Kristen says that if you had told her a year ago that all these teachers could make the switch to online learning in days or weeks, she wouldn't have believed you. Kristen was floored by what higher ed could do but says it came at the expense of certain demographics. How Have Students Been Affected? Already being prone to more mental health issues, Kristen shares that the LGBTQ community has seen a further spike. However, she's seen some good come to the LGBTQ community as well, one example being the chosen name initiative. In an attempt to not out transgender students, students can identify their chosen name and pronouns to be addressed by. This is something Kristen would like to see implemented when students return to campus. What Can We Learn From The Pandemic? There have been positives from Covid that Kristen hopes to continue with. One being compassion. In a time when students could see into their teachers homes, see their cat for example, there has been a bigger sense of connection. Kristen hopes we can bring that more personal touch to students even after they're back on campus. Also, Kristen points out that we need to understand that many students may have lost someone to Covid and will need all the compassion they can get. What Do Administrators Get Wrong And What Are Successes? While we can attune ourselves to more overt transgressions, it's harder to see how everyday things affect students. We can find these areas of opportunity through a campus climate audit. Kristen says we should be walking through processes, looking at forms, looking at programs and services, etc to look for signs of welcoming and inclusion. -- Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today on “Scholarship 2 Practice”, Co-hosts Dr. Derrick Tillman-Kelly and Dr. Bridget Burns are joined by professor and anthropologist Dr. Constance ILoh. Together they tackle the significant issues concerning inclusion, school choice, and the culture of higher education. Dr. ILoh seeks to uplift the under-served and under-supported that are not represented in today's education landscape. Dr. ILoh claims that a lot of students aren't captured in the conception of the 21st-century student. Today's college-goer is a lot different from in the past and doesn't fit the stereotypical profile of most college choice frameworks. It's no longer just the high school grad with the world at their fingertips. We see people from all backgrounds, all income levels, of all colors, and of all ages pursuing higher education. Still, we don't see them all represented or supported equally. Using what she calls the lLoh Model of College-Going Decisions and Trajectories, we're led to look at three essential components: information, time, and opportunity. These three items are often all that determine college-going decisions and the trajectory a student will find themselves on. The quality, quantity, and types of information readily available can vary significantly between prospective students. A high school senior has access to a plethora of information via a guidance counselor, but where would an older adult access the same information. In dealing with time we need to understand not only where we are currently as a society, which we've seen in the last year can change drastically in a short amount of time, but also where a prospective student is in their life; possibly a 40-year-old single parent as opposed to the student fresh out of high school. When it comes to opportunity, we need to understand not only the real but also the perceived idea of what is available to an individual; what their surroundings and circumstances led them to believe is possible for them and what really is possible. There is no longer a 'typical' college experience and colleges need to understand this. Dr. ILoh hopes that colleges can reframe how they look at prospective students to ensure everyone can truly have that college ‘choice'. Higher education is a big commitment, and many students need to be recognized and recruited. For more information on Dr. ILoh or her Model of college-going Decisions and Trajectories, visit www.constanceiloh.com. Dr. ILoh can also be found on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Today on ‘Weekly Wisdom' Bridget Burns from University Innovation Alliance and Doug Lederman from Inside Higher Ed sit down with California community college chancellor Eloy Oakley. Many educational leaders had to step up during 2020 because of the pandemic and all that it brought with it, and Chancellor Oakley is no different. He discusses the struggles of leading through not only a pandemic but an economic crisis, racial reckoning, and a crisis in democracy. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Together with her co-host Madeline St. Amour, Bridget Burns invites the Chancellor of the University of Colorado, Denver Michelle Marks. Chancellor Marks discusses how to live, exist, and lead and give a sense of positivity to everyone while during a pandemic. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of University Innovation Alliance, is inviting presidents and chancellors of universities to share how they handle the challenges they encounter through a real-time conversation. Today's guest is Dr. Frank J. Dooley, who is the current Chancellor of Purdue University Global. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Doug Lederman, the editor, and co-founder of Inside Higher Ed accompanies Bridget Burns in today's episode of Weekly Wisdom. They interview Dr. Chris Howard, the president of Robert Morris University in Pennsylvania. He also served as the 24th president of the Hampden-Sydney College. In this episode, they discuss leadership in the time of a crisis. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of University Innovation Alliance, partners up with Paul Fain, the Contributing Editor of Inside Higher Ed, to interview city college presidents. For today's episode, the guest is Dr. Kim Hunter Reed, the Commissioner for Higher Education in Louisiana, and former Executive Director at Colorado Higher Ed and Deputy Undersecretary at the US Department of Education. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain of Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 21rst installment of Weekly Wisdom, the team had a conversation with UCF President Alexander Cartwright about being a leader and leading during these challenging times. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

As college students around the country wrap up a tumultuous semester, debates about whether colleges should be in-person or remote rage on. About a month ago, https://www.aei.org/profile/nathaniel-n-malkus/ (Nat Malkus) hosted an https://www.aei.org/events/should-college-students-be-back-on-campus/ (AEI web event )centered on this issue. Panelists included https://chrismarsicano.com/ (Christopher Marsicano), assistant professor at Davidson College; https://theuia.org/team/bridget-burns (Bridget Burns) of the University Innovation Alliance; https://www.shu.edu/profiles/robertkelchen.cfm (Robert Kelchen) of Seton Hall University; and https://www.wssu.edu/profiles/robinsonel/index.html (Elwood Robinson) of Winston-Salem State University. You can catch the panel discussion on this episode of The Report Card or watch the web event in its entirety at https://www.aei.org/events/should-college-students-be-back-on-campus/ (AEI.org).

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain of Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 20th installment of Weekly Wisdom, the team had a conversation with the University of California, Riverside chancellor, Kim Wilcox, who has led the institution since 2013. They discussed how a chancellor understands what it's like to navigate these challenging times as they gather some insight, perspective, and inspiration. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Rick Seltzer of Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 19th installment of Weekly Wisdom, the team had a conversation with the president of Trinity Washington University, Patricia McGuire. Follow along in this episode for tips on leading amid the pandemic engulfing the world. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Madeline St. Amour, a reporter at Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 18th installment of Weekly Wisdom, the team had an inspiring conversation with president and CEO Keith Curry, who has led Compton college since 2017. California Governor Gavin Newsom recently tapped him to serve on the California higher education recovery with the equity task force. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visitwww.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain from Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 17th installment of Weekly Wisdom, the team had a short inspiring conversation with Eloy Oakley the Chancellor of California Community Colleges. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Madeline St. Amour from Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. For the 16th installment of Weekly Wisdom, Bridget Burns, Executive Director of University Innovation Alliance and Madeline St. Amour from Inside Higher Ed, had a short, inspiring conversation with the Lorain County Community College President Marcia Ballinger. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. “ Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain from Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Today's guest is the University of Houston President Renu Khator. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain from Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Today's guest is the president of Everett Community College, Daria J. Willis. President Willis has been leading Everett since last year, but also served as the provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Onondaga Community College. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain from Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Today's guests are Michael Sorrell and Ben Nelson. Michael Sorrell is the president of Paul Quinn College, and Ben Nelson is the CEO and founder of Minerva Schools. "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Rick Seltzer, the project editor at Inside Higher Ed are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. Today's guest is The President of the University of Washington Ana Mari Cauce, who has been at the institution since 1986 and president since 2015, is the guest in today's conversation. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of University Innovation Alliance, invites presidents and chancellors of universities to discuss real-time challenges and the resolutions to such problems. Today's guest is Dr. Timothy Renick, Executive Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success of Georgia State University. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The eleventh guest is Mark P. Becker, president of Georgia State University since 2009. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

UIA Executive Director Bridget Burns, EdD joins Travis Smith on the Higher Ed Athletics podcast. The University Innovation Alliance is a group of 11 universities, all of which are NCAA D1 institutions, that focus on tackling big problems in higher education. Dr. Burns introduces the UIA and talks about their work streams and mapping techniques. Burns, who used to serve as a Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor in the Oregon University System, talks about what it takes to be a great behind-the-scenes executive for college presidents. Next, Smith asks what most college presidents think of big-time college football and men's basketball and how it fits into modern higher education. Burns ends the episode with a detailed explanation of what college presidents are dealing with during the coronavirus pandemic. The University Innovation Alliance members include: Oregon State, UC Riverside, Arizona State, Texas, Kansas, Iowa State, Purdue, Michigan State, Ohio State, Georgia State and Central Florida. Visit www.theuia.org to learn more about the UIA and why athletic conferences might be an opportunity to be innovative in solving big problems, too.

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The tenth guest is Chancellor Harold L. Martin from North Carolina, Agricultural and Technical State University. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The ninth guest is University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Freeman A. Hrabowski, III. Together, they discussed his leadership, overcoming the challenges of this moment, and what is giving him hope. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Paul Fain, Contributing Editor of Inside Higher Ed, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The eighth guest is Ruth Watkins, president of The University of Utah. In a time of profound, rapid change, Ruth Watkins shares that it is an incredible privilege to do work that matters. She adds that it is time to address white privilege and to take action to change racism. -- "Sponsored in partnership with Inside Higher Ed. " Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The sixth guest is Dr. Shirley Collado, the president of Ithaca College since 2017, and a trustee of Vanderbilt University. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The seventh guest is Angel Cabrera, president of Georgia Institute of Technology. Angel Cabrera has been running institutions for the past 15 years. This coming September 2020, will be his first year with Georgia Institute of Technology as its president. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The fifth guest is the president of Oregon State University, Ed Ray. He has been the president since 2003; previously, he was provost at Ohio State University, and he is one of the founders of the University Innovation Alliance. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The fourth guest is Michael Drake, President of The Ohio State University and former Chancellor of the University of California, Irvine. He is a popular and well-loved personality who continues to inspire colleagues, students, and followers. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The third guest is Wendy Wintersteen, the first female president of Iowa State University and the former endowed dean of Iowa State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The second guest is Michael Sorrell, who is the president of Paul Quinn College. Sorrell is one of the 10 most innovative college presidents in the country and one of the world's top 50 leaders. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Bridget Burns, Executive Director of the University Innovation Alliance, and Jeff Selingo, author, columnist, and special advisor at Arizona State University, are inviting insight and experiences from presidents and chancellors of universities navigating the challenge in real-time. The first guest is Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University since 2002, and a recognized leader in higher education innovation. -- "This episode was sponsored in part by Next and the Academy for Innovation in Higher Education". Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Welcome to innovating together, a podcast produced by the University Innovation Alliance. This is a podcast for busy people in higher education who are looking for the “aha moments” that can propel their work forward. Innovating Together curates the best insights, research, and experts. To connect with us further, visit www.theuia.org. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/innovationalliance/message

Hello and welcome to the GSV Ventures Podcast, where we will be discussing the age of digital learning that has been kickstarted by the 1.6B learners forced online by the Coronavirus pandemic. As the world transitions from B.C. (Before Coronavirus) to A.D. (After Disease), an enormous catalyst has accelerated the opportunity of the future to today. Join industry leaders, educators, government officials, entrepreneurs, and investors as we explore the A.D. world. This episode is hosted by Bridget Burns, Executive Director, University Innovation Alliance. Our guests today include:Marni Baker Stein, Provost & Chief Academic Officer, Western Governors UniversityArne Duncan, Former U.S. Secretary of EducationSal Khan, Founder & CEO, Khan AcademyPaul LeBlanc, President, Southern New Hampshire UniversityTed Mitchell, President, American Council on EducationThis episode of the GSV podcast is brought to you by the 2020 ASU GSV Summit, September 29th through October 1st at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California. The ASU GSV Summit wishes to thank our sponsor partners, including Strada Education Network, Kaplan, and Chegg. Please visit www.asugsvsummit.com for more information.

Mark Milliron sits down with Bridget Burns, Executive Director for University Innovation Alliance (UIA), to share how UIA is working with institutions on challenges they face as they are navigating through large-scale transformation. She also walks us through how institutions can illuminate new opportunities that will support their goals while also eliminating gaps on campuses for next level growth.

Jeff and Michael sat down with Bridget Burns, the executive director of the University Innovation Alliance, who discussed how collaboration between higher ed institutions has helped solve some problems facing colleges and universities.

This episode was recorded at SXSWEDU. A BIG THANKS to edvinca and Class Central for sponsoring this episode.  What's in this episode? This week’s podcast features a recording from this year’s SXSWEDU where I interviewed general all-round duracell bunny Bridget Burns of the University Innovation Alliance. Bridget spoke to me about how University’s can focus on better student experience, value, and access through better collaboration and less walled garden approaches. If you’re familiar with JISC in the UK, you may be reminded of some similar methodologies, though I’d love to hear your thoughts as usual! So get tweeting, emailing, or send in a VM for inclusion.  People Sophie Bailey is the Founder and Presenter of The Edtech Podcast | Twitter: @podcastedtech Bridget Burns, Executive Director for University Innovation Alliance | Website | Twitter | LinkedIn If you enjoy listening in and you’d like to support The Edtech Podcast why not check out our Patreon, contact us about sponsoring an episode, or buy a ticket to The Edtech Podcast Festival in September?  Show Notes and References   Checkout https://theedtechpodcast.com/edtechpodcast for the full show notes  Tell us your story We'd love to hear your thoughts. Record a quick free voicemail via speakpipe for inclusion in the next episode. Or you can post your thoughts or follow-on links via twitter @podcastedtech or via The Edtech Podcast Facebook page or Instagram.

Dr Bridget Burns – Executive Director, University Innovation Alliance Dr Bridget Burns shares insights on what it takes to build Higher Education systems at scale and what the sector should focus on to better shape macro policy. We learn about the University Innovation Alliance, how the organisation has improved outcomes for all learners, and much more. Watch it here: https://www.360ed.tv/show/move-faster-together-or-go-slow-alone/

Dr Bridget Burns – Executive Director, University Innovation Alliance Dr Bridget Burns shares insights on what it takes to build Higher Education systems at scale and what the sector should focus on to better shape macro policy. We learn about the University Innovation Alliance, how the organisation has improved outcomes for all learners, and much more. Watch it here: https://www.360ed.tv/show/move-faster-together-or-go-slow-alone/  

Even when it isn’t football or basketball season, colleges can be competitive with each other; they compete for grants, students, faculty and top administrators. But does competition cost higher education opportunities to improve student outcomes? Instead of competing, the University Innovation Alliance’s members—eleven of the largest public research universities—are embracing a spirit of data-sharing and cooperation to increase access and success. UIA Executive Director Bridget Burns joins Higher Ed Now to share inspiring stories of schools like Purdue, Arizona State University, and Georgia State. Through innovation and approaches that challenge the conventional wisdom on student success, these universities have become national models for student success and fiscal responsibility. ACTA has recognized UIA as a “blueprint for reform” in its newest guide for trustees, Bold Leadership, Real Reform 2.0, university leaders will learn how to incubate ideas that will benefit the institution and the students it serves.

Dan Greenstein discusses how the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s postsecondary initiatives have changed, lessons learned, and the challenges of scaling up. Bridget Burns of the University Innovation Alliance and Deborah Santiago of Excelencia in Education compare data-driven interventions and innovative initiatives that promote equity and excellence.

Bridget Burns sees plenty of "superheroes"—26-year-old Silicon Valley types with good intentions, yet little understanding, for how to change higher education. Burns is executive director of the University Innovation Alliance, a coalition of 11 public research universities focused on making quality college degrees accessible to a diverse body of students. The UIA serves 400,000 students, more than a quarter of whom receive Pell grants. In this recording from an EdSurge Meetup, Burns shares what she wishes product developers understood about the challenges higher-ed institutions face.