In this episode, we speak with Dr. Lynn Pasquerella who, since 2016, has served as the president of the Association of American Colleges & Universities. As a philosopher whose career has combined teaching and scholarship with local and global engagement, Lynn has continuously demonstrated a deep and abiding commitment to ensuring that all students have access to excellence in liberal education, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

In our conversation, Lynn shares how her experience as a first generation college student, then faculty member, provost and eventually college president has shaped her world view and her thinking about higher education and the challenges and opportunities ahead for all of us. For more information about Lynn's background, see here: https://www.aacu.org/president/lynn-pasquerella

In this mini episode, we speak with CaseStudy Co. Founder and Managing Director, James W. Quinn about the value of the case study consulting approach for addressing some of our institution's most perplexing issues.  James also shares key takeaways from his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking in Higher Ed webinar series on a topic where he has particular expertise: Strategic Partnerships, Alliances, and Acquisitions: How do Leaders Decide?  

The webinar is scheduled for June 16 at 12:00 - 1:00 pm (ET).  For more information and to register: https://www.baypath.edu/events-calendar/details/strategic-partnerships-alliances-and-acquisitions-how-do-leaders-decide/2021-06-16/

How would you lead your college if you knew that you had to close it?  In this episode, we speak with someone who did just that.  Less than one year into her job as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Wheelock College, Churchill found herself in the midst of an institutional life or death decision process.  In their recently released book, When Colleges Close, Churchill and Wheelock's president, Dr. David Chard, tell the remarkable success story of Wheelock's merger with Boston University and its closure as a standalone institution.  In our conversation, Mary shares how Wheelock's Board determined early that it needed to plan for a future in which it would no longer be viable as well as lessons learned from the process that will be valuable for all higher ed leaders who are in the midst of crisis or transition.

Churchill currently serves as the Chief of Policy and Planning for Boston Mayor Kim Janey.  Before joining the administration in 2021, she was Associate Dean of Community Engagement at Boston University where she represented the college at the Boston Public Schools Equity Roundtable convenings.   Prior to her time at Boston University, she served as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wheelock College. Additionally, she has held leadership roles in universities and colleges in New England for over thirty years. These include positions at Salem State University, Northeastern University, Bentley College, and Emmanuel College.  For more information about Churchill's background, see here: https://www.bu.edu/wheelock/profile/mary-churchill/

Dr. Dennis Littky is co-founder and co-director of The Met School, co-founder of Big Picture Learning and founder and President of College Unbound. He is nationally known for his game changing and extensive work in secondary education in urban, suburban, and rural settings, spanning over 40 years and now in higher education. His work as an educator has been featured in a movie, A Town Torn Apart, as well as a book, Doc: The Story of Dennis Littky and His Fight for a Better School.  He is an author and the recipient of many awards and honors, and is the recipient of two earned doctoral degrees in psychology and education from the University of Michigan.  Described as a ‘radical educator’, as ‘someone who works up against the edge of convention and out of the box’, and as ‘someone who has changed the conversation in this country about education’, Littky has dedicated his life to making education possible for all.  For more information: https://www.bigpicture.org/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=584289&type=u&pREC_ID=915338

In this week’s episode, I sit down with the distinguished academic and inspiring thought leader, Dr. Susan Campbell Baldridge. Serving most recently as executive VP and Provost at Middlebury College in Vermont, Susan is the co-author of a book that has received enormous attention by higher ed leaders and observers around the country. In the book—The College Stress Test: Tracking Institutional Futures Across a Crowded Marketplace—Susan and her co-authors suggest that at least 10% of colleges and universities nationwide are at severe risk of not making it.

In our conversation, Susan shares her insights about the research which grounds the authors’ observations as well as her recommendations for what college leaders can do right now to de-stress and ensure a sustainable future for their institutions.

In this mini episode, Gray Associates Founder and CEO, Bob Atkins shares some of the highlights he will be covering in his upcoming Leading Edge Thinking free webinar:The Post Pandemic Curriculum: Using Market and Economic Data to Shape a Future--Focused Academic Program. To register for the webinar which will be held on May 26th at 12 pm - 1 pm (EST), see here.

Registration link:  https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8345372832311725326

TBD

In this week’s episode, I sit down with three-time college president, Dr. David Horner. Currently serving as president of The American College in Greece (ACG), David is a serial higher education innovator. Over the course of his career, he has strengthened and transformed three uniquely distinct institutions. In our conversation, David shares his insights about the process he has followed to determine the appropriate strategic direction and to find the opportunities that have contributed to enhanced viability at each institution. You will not want to miss out on this conversation and to hear David’s thoughts about what it takes to maintain an innovative mindset in this increasingly challenging and complex environment.

In this week’s episode, we catch up with Laurie Pulido, CEO of Ease Learning. We spoke with Laurie on the front end of the pandemic, and she shared many valuable observations about how colleges and universities were pivoting their learning delivery. This interview resonated deeply with our listeners--it was the most highly listened to episode during season 1. Given the continuing rapid pace of change and uncertainty about campus plans for the fall, we circled back to Laurie to get her take on the current status of learning delivery. You will not want to miss out on this conversation to hear her latest thoughts about where things now stand with online learning and what colleges and universities need to do to stay ahead of the curve.