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PODCAST

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

Jeff Selingo, Michael Horn

Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn discuss what’s next for higher education and talk with the newsmakers you want to hear from most. Find the latest news and insights into the current trends in higher ed on the Future U. Podcast.

education news commentary

All Episodes

00:46:17

Higher Ed 101: Tenure Explained

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2026/03/03

Tenure is a defining feature of U.S. higher education, but these days the practice is in decline and under attack by critics. On this episode, Jeff and Michael talk with Jacques Berlinerblau, a Georgetown University professor who has written extensively about the tenure system, for an explainer on its colorful origins as well as a look at the dramatic changes that seem to be coming. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:50 - The Colorful History of

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00:42:47

Will a Flood of Credentials Threaten the Four-Year...

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2026/02/17

Colleges and other providers have flooded the market with non-degree credentials in the past decade. But a recent analysis shows that only one in three credentials bring meaningful returns for graduates. Jeff and Michael talk with Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, who is working to provide data to consumers and policymakers about the ROI of non-degree credentials. Given many of the returns of credentials come to those with traditional degrees already, the future of the degree

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00:58:31

Inside the Role of College Trustees During Turbulent...

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2026/02/04

College trustees consider more than just the monetary policies of universities. And former Brown University trustee Lauren Zalaznick is out with a new book that aims to humanize these often secretive roles with letters of reflection by Brown board members going back more than 100 years, some of them during other turbulent times in U.S. history. She brings the sensibility from her career as a television executive, when she led the Bravo network as it created The Real Housewives franchise and hits

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00:42:20

Is Grade Inflation Deflating Trust in Schools?

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2026/01/20

To kick off 2026, Jeff and Michael weigh in on some key higher ed issues making headlines these days, starting with a deep dive into grade inflation at the nation’s colleges. A range of sources show that more students are getting A’s even as they are spending less time on schoolwork and deep reading. Meanwhile, AI is raising questions about the validity of college assessments when students can offload their work to chatbots. How can colleges respond? Other issues discussed include whether colleges

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00:49:56

Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2026/01/06

Co-op programs are trending these days, with many colleges looking to offer students on-the-job experiences while taking classes. Jeff and Michael talk with Robert McMahan, president of Kettering University, which has a long-running co-op program for all students. He argues that more colleges could incorporate and scale the approach. But there are obstacles, both cultural and logistical. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Chapters0:00 - Intro1:44 - An Unusual History of

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01:00:40

Resist or Reform? Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Speaks Out

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/12/16

Should colleges actively resist the Trump administration or find ways to engage and compromise? Vanderbilt University’s chancellor, Daniel Diermeier, has emerged as a leading example of engagement — facing a mix of cheers and jeers in the academy. Jeff and Michael talked with Diermeier about why he thinks higher education needs to change, and his ambitions to grow his institution’s prestige and research impact. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Relevant Links:“Live

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00:45:02

Takeaways from 2025 and Predictions for Next Year

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/12/09

As the year comes to a close, Jeff and Michael step back to review some themes from recent episodes. They home in on how to build innovative campus cultures, and how colleges can respond to AI. And they look ahead, offering predictions for higher ed for 2026. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group, Adobe, and Butler University.Relevant Links“A Looming Crisis: New Analysis Shows Dozens of Well-Known Colleges Are Near Financial Trouble,” Michael Horn and Steven Shulman"The

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00:48:42

Rerun: Visiting Bowie State University: HBCUs,...

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/11/25

On the latest stop of Future U.'s campus tour, hosts Michael Horn and Jeff Selingo visit Bowie State University to speak with President Aminta Breaux, as well as faculty and administrators at the Maryland institution about increased enrollment at HBCUs, partnerships with employers, and student engagement. With support from Salesforce.org.

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00:52:40

Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/11/18

When Marymount Manhattan College’s board of trustees decided last year to merge with Northeastern University, becoming a part of that Boston-based university’s global system, the vote was unanimous. As Jeff and Michael continue their ongoing exploration (some might say obsession) with mergers and acquisitions in higher ed, they talk to one of Marymount Manhattan’s trustees, Abby Fiorella, on this episode to get a board member’s perspective on how mergers can be strategic wins for smaller

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00:54:44

Preparing Students for an AI-Infused Workforce

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/11/11

In this special episode recorded live at Adobe’s EduMAX conference, Jeff and Michael explore practical ways to harness AI in higher education to prepare students to be more effective creators. They were joined by a panel of industry and academic experts including Jennifer Sparrow, New York University’s chief academic technology officer; Simon Koh, who has led early career recruiting at Raymond James and KPMG, among other organizations; and Allison Salisbury, founder and CEO of Humanist Venture

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00:54:53

How States Can Meet the Moment In Higher Ed

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/11/04

In this time of uncertainty and pullback of federal support for higher education, is it time for states to step up and play a greater leadership role in helping colleges better serve students? And if so, how? Jeff and Michael debate those questions on this episode. To set the stage, they talk with Ruth Watkins, president of postsecondary education for Strada Education Foundation and a former college president, about Strada’s new State Opportunity Index. A key theme: the state level may be the ideal

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00:55:53

Visiting Butler: Sparking a Culture of Innovation

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/10/30

On the latest stop of Future U.'s campus tour, Michael and Jeff visit Butler University to talk with Butler president Jim Danko and other campus leaders. They explore how, out of a mix of excitement about serving students and fear of potential competitive threats on the horizon, the university built a culture and infrastructure to encourage innovation.Relevant LinksButler University’s Transformation Lab website.Chapters0:00 - Why We Wanted to Visit Butler University3:46 - What Butler’s President

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00:57:59

The Impact of AI on Student Motivation

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/10/21

How can AI be adopted in a way that turns more students into “explorers” rather than “passengers” in their learning? This week we bring you a conversation with the co-author of a book on student disengagement in school, Rebecca Winthrop, who is also researching the impact of AI on education. The episode is by one of Future U’s producers, Jeff Young, from his new podcast, Learning Curve.Chapters0:00 - Intro 4:19 - When the ‘Student Disengagement Crisis’ Started7:25 - A Framework for Describing Levels

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00:39:43

How AI Could Reshape Higher Ed

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/10/14

Parents and prospective students want to know how colleges are responding to the rise of generative AI — and to other recent developments like federal budget cuts to research. On this episode, Jeff and Michael share what they’re both hearing as they visit campuses around the country this fall. And they offer their analysis of what AI could mean for higher education, and whether the time is ripe for new entrants to enter the college landscape. This episode is made with support from Ascendium

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00:44:20

Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/10/07

Mergers and acquisitions are usually seen as bad things in higher ed. But there’s a growing sense that many colleges could benefit by teaming up, especially as the fiscal cliff means fewer potential students. Jeff and Michael continue to dive into their fascination with M&A by talking to Walter Iwanenko Jr, the president of Gannon University in Erie, Pa., about how and why the institution sought a merger with Ursuline College near Cleveland. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education

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00:40:28

Reporters Roundtable: How Trump Is Shaking Up Higher Ed

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/09/23

We’re bringing back a favorite format to go behind the headlines with top beat reporters covering colleges. Our latest roundtable focuses on how the Trump administration’s many executive orders, research grant cancellations, and crackdowns on international students are changing the higher ed landscape in the U.S. and globally. Jeff and Michael are joined by reporters from The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, and The Chronicle of Higher Education to hear their insights and analysis. This

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00:32:14

Redefining the ‘Dream School’

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/09/09

In this era of uncertainty, many parents view highly-selective colleges as the best bet for their student’s futures. In his new book just out this month, Future U co-host Jeff Selingo challenges that assumption. For this episode, Jeff moves from the host chair to being a guest to share highlights from the book, ‘Dream School.’ He talks about going beyond which college’s name looks most impressive as a bumper sticker on the family car to focusing on the quality of a college’s teaching, whether it

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00:46:56

No Relaxing Summer for Higher Ed

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/09/02

This summer brought no rest for college leaders. With the Trump Administration’s continuing push to reshape the college world, plus lots of announcements in Artificial Intelligence, there are many higher ed headlines to recap. So Jeff and Michael kick off season 9 with their take on the most important developments of the past couple of months. That includes Columbia University’s unprecedented settlement with the federal government, a new executive order on college admissions, and college trustees

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00:51:30

Rerun: Reclassifying Higher Ed: Will the New Carnegie...

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/08/27

Jeff and Michael are joined by Mushtaq Gunja, Executive Director of the Carnegie Classification Systems and Senior Vice President at ACE, to unpack the sweeping changes to the Carnegie Classifications. They explore how the new system aims to better group institutions, highlight student access and earnings, and shift incentives across funding, accountability, and rankings. The conversation dives into the implications for colleges chasing R1 status, the normative power of classifications, and whether

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00:48:04

Rerun: Learning from the Swiss Apprenticeship Model

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed ·

2025/08/19

The U.S. has a lot to learn when it comes to systematizing apprenticeship. Thankfully, there are successful international models, like Switzerland’s, that we can study. Katie Caves, the Director at Switzerland’s Center on the Economics and Management of Education and Training Systems, joins the podcast to discuss the Swiss model and what can be gleaned from it. They discuss its permeability between academic and vocational tracks, proving its value to employers, the prestige of Swiss apprenticeships,

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224 results

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