Higher Ed Now

By American Council of Trustees and Alumni

What's Higher Ed Now about?

Higher Ed Now is a production of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni. It is a podcast concerning issues and policy in America's higher education system.

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Margarita Mooney: The Endur...

02.16.2021

Margarita Mooney, Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, explores the value and vitality of liberal arts learning in conversation with ACTA's Nathaniel Urban and President Michael Poliakoff.

Higher Ed Now episodes:

02.16.2021 Margarita Mooney: The Enduring Value of Liberal Arts Education Margarita Mooney, Associate Professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and founder and executive director of Scala Foundation, explores the value and vitality of liberal arts learning in conversation with ACTA's Nathaniel Urban and President Michael Poliakoff.
01.15.2021 The Transformative Power of Braver Angels College Debates Braver Angels has teamed with ACTA to launch civil debates for students across the nation. College leaders applaud the program's depolarizing, transformative effects on students as they learn to engage respectfully around divisive social and political issues. Program leader Doug ...
12.08.2020 Michael Moritz and OSU: A Cautionary Tale for College Donors Emily Koons Jae, who leads ACTA’s Fund for Academic Renewal (FAR) initiative, has been keeping close tabs on the controversy around a $30 million gift to Ohio State University by the late Michael Moritz. In this episode, Emily explores this ...
11.03.2020 Baylor Panel Highlights "Civic Engagement for All" On Constitution Day, ACTA co-sponsored Civic Engagement for All – a virtual event with the Office of Engaged Learning at Baylor University. Moderated by Professor David Corey, the director of Baylor in Washington, a panel of prominent Baylor alumni and ...
09.18.2020 Jeremy Wayne Tate: Unpacking the Classical Learning Test Jeremy Wayne Tate founded Classic Learning Initiatives in 2015 to provide high school students with alternative standardized tests that are rooted in tradition as well as modern technologies. Drawing on great works across a variety of disciplines, the Classical Learning ...
09.01.2020 Abigail Thompson: The University's New "Loyalty Oath" Abigail Thompson, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics at the University of California-Davis, drew national attention in December 2019 with her Wall Street Journal op-ed titled “The University’s New Loyalty Oath.” She argues that the University’s use of diversity statements in hiring ...
08.17.2020 Sally Jenkins: College Sports Pushed to the Brink For acclaimed sports journalist Sally Jenkins of The Washington Post, the Covid-19 pandemic has blown the lid off excessive spending in college athletics and brought higher education to a reckoning point. She sat down with ACTA's Doug Sprei and Armand ...
08.07.2020 Joanne Florino: Honoring Donor Intent in Higher Ed Drawing on over thirty years of experience in philanthropy, Joanne Florino has authored the new the guidebook, "Protecting Your Legacy: A Wise Giver’s Guide to Honoring and Preserving Donor Intent." She sits down with Emily Koons Jae, the director of ...
07.30.2020 John Katzman: Innovative Learning in the Age of COVID-19 John Katzman's trajectory as a groundbreaking educational entrepreneur has included founding The Princeton Review, the online learning company 2U and, most recently, The Noodle Companies, where he serves as CEO. For many years he has been dedicated to making the ...
07.20.2020 Christopher Loss: A Deep Dive into In Loco Parentis In loco parentis is the theory that colleges can, and ought to, act “in the place of a parent” with regard to their students. How has this philosophy guided the formation of the modern university, and how has the concept ...
07.08.2020 Peter Alcock: Rewriting the Future for Pine Manor College Pine Manor College, a small liberal arts school in Massachusetts, has responded to the intense financial and operational pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic in a unique way: by partnering with nearby Boston College to become the Pine Manor Institute for ...
07.02.2020 Stephen Trachtenberg on Policing and Race, and What College Leaders Can Do Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of the George Washington University, rejoins the podcast to explore higher education's response to the current national crisis around instances of police brutality and the protests against systemic racism. ACTA's president, Michael Poliakoff, kicks off ...
06.25.2020 Hank Brown: College Leadership at a Turning Point ACTA's Michael Poliakoff speaks with former U.S. Senator, Representative, and college president emeritus Hank Brown about immediate steps that colleges and universities must take in meeting the financial and operational crisis they are facing from the COVID 19 pandemic.
06.18.2020 Stephen Trachtenberg: Institutional Shifts After the Pandemic ACTA's Michael Poliakoff talks with Stephen Joel Trachtenberg, President Emeritus of the George Washington University about the urgent financial ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic on colleges and universities, their prospects for re-opening, the challenges imposed by declining enrollment, and the ...
06.05.2020 Students Persevering Through the Pandemic: Part Two Today we continue the conversation with college students impacted by the wide-ranging effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss how they are adapting to the loss of their university environment, maintaining academic discipline and motivation as they deal with the ...
05.28.2020 Students Persevering Through the Pandemic: Part One How are college students coping with the wide-ranging effects of the Coronavirus pandemic? Our first episode features Daniel Acosta-Rivas, rising senior at American University, and Erez Binyamin, a recent graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology.
05.07.2020 John Ellis: The Breakdown of Higher Education ACTA's Michael Poliakoff explores the erosion of academic freedom in the academy with John M. Ellis, professor emeritus at University of California-Santa Cruz, and the author of The Breakdown of Higher Education: How It Happened, the Damage It Does, and ...
04.14.2020 Jonathan Zimmerman: Historical Perspectives on COVID-19 How do the challenges that COVID-19 presents compare to other times of crisis in higher education? What forces have been brewing under the surface of the academy to make this such a difficult time for college campuses to cope with ...
04.07.2020 Brandon Busteed: Crucial Conversations Amidst the Pandemic Crisis As the COVID-19 pandemic expands, higher ed leaders, faculty and students are being forced to adapt in real time and rethink the future. Kaplan University Partners president Brandon Busteed joins ACTA's Michael Poliakoff for a wide-ranging discussion about the crucial ...
03.23.2020 Lee Bessette: "Pandemic Pedagogy" and Online Learning Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing professors and instructors to move toward delivering courses online -- almost overnight. How are faculty, institutions, and students reckoning with this sudden shift? Lee Bessette, Ph.D., Learning Design Specialist at Georgetown University, explores what goes ...
02.02.2020 Amelia Arria: A Researcher's Lens on College Drinking and Drug Use One of the nation's leading researchers in the field of drug and alcohol abuse, Dr. Amelia Arria is respected by higher ed leaders and policy makers alike. A key driver of the influential Maryland Collaborative, she helps trustees and administrators ...
01.14.2020 Robert DuPont: "Denormalizing" Drug and Alcohol Use on Campus Robert L. DuPont, MD, one of the nation's leading voices on drug and alcohol use, joins our podcast for a passionate discussion on recovery, prevention, and what college leaders need to know to save students' lives and help them succeed. ...
01.02.2020 Evan Gerstmann: Unpacking the President's Executive Order on Campus Anti-Semitism Do colleges treat anti-Semitism differently from sexism and racism? Evan Gerstmann, professor of political science at Loyola Marymount University, phoned in to talk with ACTA president Michael Poliakoff about his recent Forbes articles that explore this topic.
12.13.2019 John Hillen & Ryan Pemberton: Engaged Citizenship and the Liberal Arts Tradition In a conversation recorded on Veteran's Day, Michael Poliakoff explores the modern influence of the liberal arts tradition with two of its most dedicated proponents, John Hillen and Ryan Pemberton from Hampden-Sydney College -- an institution with roots linked to ...
12.05.2019 George LaNoue: Silenced Stages on the American Campus Professor George LaNoue brings a lifetime of teaching college students about the First Amendment, educational policy, Constitutional law, civil rights, and more. He visited ACTA to spotlight his new book, "Silenced Stages: The Loss of Academic Freedom and Campus Policy ...
11.14.2019 Rick Hess: The National Challenge of Civic Education "What can educators, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and activists do to create a higher ed ecosystem that's as rich and diverse and intellectually curious as we want our nation to be?" Frederick M. Hess, resident scholar and Director of Education Policy Studies ...
10.08.2019 Abigail & John: American History Profoundly Portrayed in a Children's Book The loving partnership of Abigail and John Adams played a remarkable role in shaping America's founding and history. ACTA joins the Grateful American Foundation and the Supreme Court Historical Society to celebrate the release of a new children's book exploring ...
09.22.2019 CollegePoint: A Launchpad for Student Success Funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies, the innovative CollegePoint program is giving thousands of high-achieving, low- and moderate-income high school students the individualized support they need to navigate the college application and financial aid process. We sat down with Jenny Sharfstein Kane ...
09.03.2019 Phil Magness and Jason Brennan: Cracks in Higher Ed's Ivory Tower ACTA's Erik Gross serves up a conversation with Jason Brennan and Phil Magness, the authors of "Cracks In the Ivory Tower: The Moral Mess of Higher Education." Their microeconomic approach to analyzing the adversities plaguing today's colleges and universities lays ...
08.22.2019 Kyler Gray: A Student's Impact on Higher Ed Governance Kyler Gray, a rising senior at the University of Central Florida, is an emerging higher education leader. On top of full time studies, he serves as the president of the UCF student body, CEO of the Student Government Association, and ...
08.08.2019 April Lawson: Leading Better Angels Debates to Depolarize America April Lawson is a guiding light and director of debates at Better Angels, a remarkable national organization that has surged into the spotlight by effectively teaching citizens to combat polarization and restore civil dialogue across America. April's leadership informs Better ...
08.02.2019 Meaningful Professions, Meaningful Lives: Dr. Fred Beuttler and the Liberal Arts Is there really a disjunct between the world of the practical and the world of the liberal arts? Dr. Fred Beuttler, guiding light of the Graham School of Continuing Liberal and Professional Studies of the University of Chicago, certainly doesn't ...
07.26.2019 Wallace Hall: College Admissions Scandal Whistleblower Back in 2011, Wallace Hall was sounding alarms about admissions wrongdoings at the University of Texas System, where he served as Regent. His activism drew blistering criticism and brought him to the brink of impeachment -- until 2015, when an ...
07.24.2019 Wallace Hall: College Admissions Scandal Hero Back in 2011, Wallace Hall was sounding alarms about admissions wrongdoings at the University of Texas System, where he served as Regent. His activism drew blistering criticism and brought him to the brink of impeachment -- until 2015, when an ...
07.01.2019 David Corey: Reinvigorating Liberal Education David Corey, Professor of Political Science at Baylor University, drives a dialogue with ACTA's Michael Poliakoff and Erik Gross about the vital qualities of liberal education, the lessons offered by the classics, and how to teach and model rational discourse ...
06.20.2019 Manu Meel: Students Bridging the Political Divide Manu Meel, a rising senior at the University of California Berkeley who serves as the CEO for Bridges USA, discusses how students can reform our political culture by bringing constructive discourse back to our college campuses.
06.05.2019 Academic Freedom Under Attack: A Conversation with Amy Wax Even after enduring intense criticism and professional censure for airing her controversial views in public, University of Pennsylvania Law School Professor Amy Wax remains as engaging , outspoken, and unapologetic as ever. Whether you agree or disagree with her viewpoints, ...
05.09.2019 Kai Fox: Igniting Change on Campus With Students for Free Expression Kai Fox, a junior at American University who serves as CEO for Students for Free Expression, outlines his group's mission to build a student-led community to foster a culture of free speech and viewpoint diversity on college campuses across the ...
04.15.2019 Samuel Abrams and Paul Levy: Academic Freedom Under Attack When Professor Samuel Abrams of Sarah Lawrence College wrote an opinion piece for The New York Times, he didn't expect a stunning backlash from students, faculty and administrators. The episode has become one of the hottest touchpoints in the national ...
02.21.2019 Sean Decatur, Kenyon College President Sean Decatur, President of Kenyon College, sat down for a skype interview to talk about the virtues and benefits of a liberal arts education, and how his experience as a scientist influences his approach to leading a liberal arts institution.
02.11.2019 Robert Kelchen: Exploring Higher Ed Accountability Seton Hall University Professor Robert Kelchen explores higher ed accountability, and explains how accreditation practices, private-sector interests, and internal requirements have become so important to institutional success and survival.
01.16.2019 Jonathan Zimmerman: Liberating the Liberal Arts Jonathan Zimmerman, professor of History of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Case for Contention: Teaching Controversial Issues in American Schools, joins ACTA’s Erik Gross to discuss the decline of civic education, the history and purpose ...
12.18.2018 Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bruce Cole Bruce Cole is often remembered for his outstanding leadership of the National Endowment for the Humanities. He was a visionary scholar and educator who brought light into the humanities and arts. Our podcast features three higher education leaders who knew ...
12.04.2018 What Will They Learn? Preparing Students for the 21st Century Marketplace What Will They Learn, ACTA’s flagship initiative, takes a penetrating look at over 1,100 colleges and universities, grading how effective they are in delivering a liberal arts education that equips students for the global marketplace and civic life. Listen in ...
11.09.2018 Michael Horn: Accreditation on the Edge The vastly complex accreditation system in higher education is a gateway to more than $120 billion in annual federal student aid -- and it is urgently in need of overhaul. Listen in as Michael Horn, co-founder and fellow at the ...
08.10.2018 David Blankenhorn: Depolarizing America with Better Angels ACTA is proudly partnering with Better Angels, a depolarization initiative that has grown explosively and drawn wide media attention since its launch shortly after the 2016 election. We sat down with founder David Blankenhorn to explore how Better Angels brings ...
06.27.2018 Dr. Fred Beuttler: Historian and Liberal Arts Champion Listen in on an inspiring conversation with Dr. Fred Beuttler, Associate Dean and guiding light behind the University of Chicago’s Graham School—where working professionals and students of all ages come to foster the life of the mind, explore great literature, ...
06.05.2018 Getting Philanthropic Returns What do philanthropists and investors have in common? More than you’d think. A new generation of “venture philanthropists” are looking for real results when it comes to supporting higher education. To consider both sides of the investor/philanthropist mindset, Mark Grovic ...
06.05.2018 Hanna Holborn Gray: Architect of UChicago's Liberal Arts Legacy Listen in on a remarkable conversation with Hanna Gray, the acclaimed former president of the University of Chicago, and one of the nation’s most respected academic leaders. Speaking with ACTA’s Michael Poliakoff and Karen Hyman, Mrs. Gray shares her incisive ...
03.06.2018 Alt-truth: New and Old Threats to Intellectual Freedom It isn't a question of if intellectual freedom is under threat, but how it is under threat. Long-time free speech advocate and author Jonathan Rauch discusses this generation's battle for intellectual diversity & academic freedom. From unsettled science to social ...

Older episodes

Higher Ed Now

What's Higher Ed Now about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Higher Ed Now episodes:

Margarita Mooney: The Enduring Value of Liberal Arts Education

The Transformative Power of Braver Angels College Debates

Michael Moritz and OSU: A Cautionary Tale for College Donors

Baylor Panel Highlights "Civic Engagement for All"

Jeremy Wayne Tate: Unpacking the Classical Learning Test

Abigail Thompson: The University's New "Loyalty Oath"

Sally Jenkins: College Sports Pushed to the Brink

Joanne Florino: Honoring Donor Intent in Higher Ed

John Katzman: Innovative Learning in the Age of COVID-19

Christopher Loss: A Deep Dive into In Loco Parentis

Peter Alcock: Rewriting the Future for Pine Manor College

Stephen Trachtenberg on Policing and Race, and What College Leaders Can Do

Hank Brown: College Leadership at a Turning Point

Stephen Trachtenberg: Institutional Shifts After the Pandemic

Students Persevering Through the Pandemic: Part Two

Students Persevering Through the Pandemic: Part One

John Ellis: The Breakdown of Higher Education

Jonathan Zimmerman: Historical Perspectives on COVID-19

Brandon Busteed: Crucial Conversations Amidst the Pandemic Crisis

Lee Bessette: "Pandemic Pedagogy" and Online Learning Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis

Amelia Arria: A Researcher's Lens on College Drinking and Drug Use

Robert DuPont: "Denormalizing" Drug and Alcohol Use on Campus

Evan Gerstmann: Unpacking the President's Executive Order on Campus Anti-Semitism

John Hillen & Ryan Pemberton: Engaged Citizenship and the Liberal Arts Tradition

George LaNoue: Silenced Stages on the American Campus

Rick Hess: The National Challenge of Civic Education

Abigail & John: American History Profoundly Portrayed in a Children's Book

CollegePoint: A Launchpad for Student Success

Phil Magness and Jason Brennan: Cracks in Higher Ed's Ivory Tower

Kyler Gray: A Student's Impact on Higher Ed Governance

April Lawson: Leading Better Angels Debates to Depolarize America

Meaningful Professions, Meaningful Lives: Dr. Fred Beuttler and the Liberal Arts

Wallace Hall: College Admissions Scandal Whistleblower

Wallace Hall: College Admissions Scandal Hero

David Corey: Reinvigorating Liberal Education

Manu Meel: Students Bridging the Political Divide

Academic Freedom Under Attack: A Conversation with Amy Wax

Kai Fox: Igniting Change on Campus With Students for Free Expression

Samuel Abrams and Paul Levy: Academic Freedom Under Attack

Sean Decatur, Kenyon College President

Robert Kelchen: Exploring Higher Ed Accountability

Jonathan Zimmerman: Liberating the Liberal Arts

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Bruce Cole

What Will They Learn? Preparing Students for the 21st Century Marketplace

Michael Horn: Accreditation on the Edge

David Blankenhorn: Depolarizing America with Better Angels

Dr. Fred Beuttler: Historian and Liberal Arts Champion

Getting Philanthropic Returns

Hanna Holborn Gray: Architect of UChicago's Liberal Arts Legacy

Alt-truth: New and Old Threats to Intellectual Freedom

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