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 Education Group.Publications MentionedShould College Get Harder?Joshua Rothman in The New YorkerStudent Loan Debt Is Strangling Gen XOyin Adedoyin in The Wall Street JournalCharlie Javice sentenced to 7 years in prison for $175M fraudABC NewsAnthology Declares Bankruptcy, Blackboard to Remain as the Core,Phil Hill, in OnEdTechChapters0:00 - Intro2:23 - What Jeff Is Hearing On His Book Tour for ‘Dream School’4:25 - Should College Get Harder Because of AI?7:27 - Why Different Kinds of Colleges Will Be Impacted Differently10:48 - Startup Universities Are Emerging With an AI Focus14:25 - Redesigning the College Experience Around Activities and Personal Development17:39 - Will a New Kind of Expertise Be Required On Campuses?19:20 - Will Employers Trust Degrees In the AI Era?24:40 - Sponsor Break25:35 - How Student Loan Debt Is Impacting Gen X28:22 - A Republican Effort to Question Consultants That Help Set College Prices30:15 - Charlie Javice Sentenced In Fraud Case31:44 - Anthology, Owner of Blackboard LMS, Goes Bankrupt34:00 - Some Trade Schools Exempted From New Federal Rules35:00 - Making Changes at Colleges StickConnect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
--------
39:43
--------
39:43
Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger
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 GroupPublications Mentioned:“Two North Carolina universities announced a merger. Why some alumni are pushing back,” in USA Today. “A Midwest Merger: How Two Ohio Colleges Are Coming Together,” from Future U, season 8.Chapters3:42 - Why Mergers and Acquisitions Are Increasingly Important In HIgher Ed6:15 - What Led Gannon University to Look for a Merger?9:30 - What Gannon University Hoped For in a Partner13:01 - How Gannon University Found Ursuline College16:21 - What’s Stopping More Colleges From Seeking Mergers?21:36 - Learning From Other Mergers That Failed23:04 - What Should Change to Help More Mergers Happen?27:02 - Sponsor Break29:00 - How to Change the Perception of M&A in Higher Ed35:46 - Finding the Right Leadership38:30 - What is the Trump Administration’s Stance on Making College Mergers Easier?41:08 - Lightning RoundConnect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
--------
44:20
--------
44:20
Reporters Roundtable: How Trump Is Shaking Up Higher Ed
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 episode made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Chapters0:00 - Introducing the Reporters in the Roundtable4:10 - How the Trump Administration Picks Which Colleges to Target?8:36 - A Shift from Ivies to SEC Schools11:01 - How the Campus Mood Is Different at Mizzou Than at Harvard13:05 - What’s New With International Students on Campus14:55 - Will International Education Decline Globally?17:17 - The Impact of International Student Decline on Colleges’ Bottom Lines19:07 - How Much Has International Enrollment Declined?20:55 - Will International Students Fear Returning Home for the Summer?22:24 - Sponsor Break22:36 - Lessons from the Santa Ono Bid to Lead University of Florida26:50 - Divide Between Red State and Blue State Universities29:25 - Will Trump Changes to Higher Ed Stick?35:38 - Predicting How the Supreme Court Will Rule on Harvard Case37:13 - Lightning RoundPublications Mentioned:"Universities in Red States and Heartland May Be Winners as Ivy League Contends with Trump Onslaught," by Hilary Burns in The Boston Globe“Trump Administration’s Cuts to Harvard Funding Are Unconstitutional, Judge Rules,” by Doug Belkin in The Wall Street Journal"Even as Classes Begin, Some Foreign Students Are Still in Visa Limbo,” by Karin Fischer in The Chronicle of Higher Education.Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
--------
40:28
--------
40:28
Redefining the ‘Dream School’
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 really fits the budget, and other factors that are specific to each student. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Relevant Links:Jeff Selingo’s new book, Dream SchoolChapters0:00 - Intro2:06 - Why write this book?3:23 - The ‘New Dream School’ List11:28 - When Mismatched Schools Cause Dropouts14:26 - Sponsor Break16:51 - The Importance of Making Trade-offs18:44 - Understanding What’s Motivating Choice19:35 - How AI is Impacting Jobs and Causing Uncertainty About College20:56 - What Should Colleges Do?23:23 - Giving Families ‘Social Proof’ of a Broader Group of College25:29 - The Doom Loop of College Finances27:56 - How Future U Shaped the Book29:14 - How Jeff Gets the Word Out on His BookConnect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedInConnect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
--------
32:14
--------
32:14
No Relaxing Summer for Higher Ed
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 pushing for action on AI. And they unveil a new ‘speed round’ segment. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Publications Mentioned:The Elite University Presidents Who Despise One Another: Inside the civil war between the Ivy League and the South in The AtlanticGreat Expectations, Fragile Foundations in On EdTech Chapters1:36 - Our Summer Recap4:09 - Behind the Scenes of Jeff’s Book Launch8:10 - Meet the Future U Production Team12:18 - Columbia University Settlement21:00 - Trump’s Executive Order on Admissions30:00 - What College Business Officers Are Talking About34:15 - One Big Beautiful Bill’s Impact39:30 - New ‘Lightning Round’ Segment Connect with Michael Horn:Sign Up for the The Future of Education NewsletterWebsiteLinkedInX (Twitter)Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo:Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for YouSign Up for the Next NewsletterWebsiteX (Twitter)ThreadsLinkedIn Connect with Future U:TwitterYouTubeThreadsInstagramFacebookLinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag!Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
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.
Listen to Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed, The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app
New Zealand