Libsyn Directory

How University Leaders Can Transform Institutions with Program Realignment and Scalable Mental Health Services

Release Date: 08/05/2025

How AI Dashboards Can Strengthen Board Governance

Changing Higher Ed

AI dashboards offer higher education boards the opportunity to boost performance to improve their institutions. In this episode of the , speaks with , about how AI dashboards provide trustees with better insight into board work and support This conversation is especially relevant for presidents, trustees, and board professionals seeking to strengthen board readiness and make governance more data-informed. Topics Covered: How AI dashboards consolidate board materials and surface the most important information Methods for tracking progress against institutional strategy over multiple years...

International Student Recruiting in Higher Education—23 Touchpoints, Visa Barriers, and Retention Risks for Boards

Changing Higher Ed

Families are writing universities directly to ask if it’s safe to send their children to the United States. Institutions are also facing longer visa backlogs and growing competition from abroad. In this episode of the , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with , Dean for International Programs and Development at St. Martin’s University, about how leaders can strengthen international enrollment pipelines, improve retention, and protect graduate research capacity. Topics Covered: The 23-touchpoint recruitment model that keeps students and families engaged until they commit How graduate...

Enrollment Management Solutions in the Enrollment Cliff Era

Changing Higher Ed

This episode of focuses on enrollment management solutions presidents and boards can use to navigate the enrollment cliff. and of Enrollment Intelligence Now join to share practical guidance on setting realistic enrollment goals, aligning enrollment with finance, and . (Part one examined the challenges; this discussion turns to the solutions.) Topics Covered: Setting realistic enrollment goals using 3–5 years of funnel data Why inflated projections undermine trust with CFOs and boards Real-time dashboards and funnel monitoring for early intervention Mission-driven messaging and...

Beyond the Headlines: Reframing Enrollment Management in the Enrollment Cliff Era

Changing Higher Ed

Institutions face converging pressures that are reshaping enrollment management. Declining participation rates, tuition discounting that erodes net revenue, international enrollment volatility, and political mandates are forcing colleges to rethink how they attract and retain students. Enrollment management is no longer just admissions and aid — it has become a strategic system linking recruitment promises to student success and institutional stability. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with . They share how enrollment management has evolved...

Caltech’s Approach to Stronger Private Board Governance

Changing Higher Ed

Caltech’s board once had nearly 80 members; too many for focused discussion or quick decisions. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, talks with , about how the institution streamlined , strengthened committees, and made trustee reorientation mandatory. Light, who has held senior roles at Carnegie Mellon University and the Semester at Sea program, outlines how Caltech conducts trustee assessments, structures its executive committee, and uses an ongoing governance review to keep the board working at its best. Topics Covered: Governance changes prompted by the pandemic ...

How University Leaders Can Transform Institutions with Program Realignment and Scalable Mental Health Services

Changing Higher Ed

40% of California’s licensed doctoral psychologists come from one university that nearly failed a decade ago. Their turnaround didn’t come from diversifying programs or chasing enrollment—it came from making the hardest decision in higher ed: cutting what wasn’t excellent. In this episode of the , speaks with , President and CEO of Alliant International University, about how institutional leaders can drive by making tough calls, realigning programs, and embedding scalable mental health support into their core operations. Drawing from Alliant’s strategic shift, Vaughn explains why...

Helping First-Gen and Low SES Students Succeed: A Regional Model That Works

Changing Higher Ed

With first-generation and low SES students facing steep barriers to completion and career entry, Great Jobs KC has built a replicable model that starts in high school, continues through college, and delivers real workforce outcomes. In this episode of the , Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with about how regional collaboration, wraparound services, and employer partnerships are beyond graduation. Phalen outlines how Great Jobs KC collaborates with 24 higher education institutions, over 150 employer partners, and K–12 feeder systems to support students from high school through college...

Washington Update: July 2025 Reconciliation Bill’s Impact on Higher Ed

Changing Higher Ed

Higher education leaders are facing the most sweeping set of federal regulatory and funding changes in over a decade. In this Washington Update episode of the , Dr. Drumm McNaughton welcomes back frequent guest Tom Netting, president of TEN Government Strategies, to discuss the July 2025 budget reconciliation bill—federal legislation that significantly alters student loans, Pell Grants, institutional accountability, and the rules governing program eligibility. While not a formal reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the bill introduces statutory earnings-based accountability for...

Building a Connected College by Aligning Strategy and Services

Changing Higher Ed

Most colleges rely on more than 20 disconnected systems to support students, creating confusion, reducing engagement, and lowering graduation rates. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, speaks with is the founder of brightspot Strategy (acquired by in 2020) and the author of about how building integrated systems where strategy, services, and technology work together can improve student outcomes without increasing institutional complexity or cost. Felix, who has worked with more than 100 institutions including MIT, NYU, and the University of Virginia, draws on his...

Using AI to Fix Admissions and Enrollment Without Losing the Human Touch

Changing Higher Ed

AI can change how colleges and universities approach enrollment, making it faster, fairer, and more aligned with student success. In this episode of , Dr. Drumm McNaughton talks with , about how institutions can use artificial intelligence to improve admissions, automate routine tasks, and personalize support without losing the human touch. Drawing on real-world implementations at Western Governors University, Franklin University, and others, Fernando outlines how AI enables institutions to make faster admissions decisions, better assess student fit, and improve long-term outcomes. He also...

More Episodes

In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Andy Vaughn, President and CEO of Alliant International University, about how institutional leaders can drive university transformation by making tough calls, realigning programs, and embedding scalable mental health support into their core operations.

Drawing from Alliant’s strategic shift, Vaughn explains why program focus and transparent leadership are more effective than traditional diversification models. He shares how embedding mental health services into academic programs created both a market advantage and a support system for students, faculty, and staff.

Topics Covered:

Why eliminating underperforming programs can drive institutional transformation
How program realignment strengthens financial stability and market positioning
Embedding scalable mental health services into academic programs and operations
The leadership imperative: transparency, inclusion, and decisive action
Codifying organizational values to guide behavior and decision-making
Managing faculty-administration relations with professionalism and respect
Preparing for unprecedented policy and legislative changes impacting higher ed

Real-World Examples Discussed:

Alliant International University’s strategic focus on licensure-driven programs
The integration of Alliant Clinics, providing community mental health services
Leadership communication practices to maintain trust during operational changes
Partnering with psychology schools for scalable mental health service delivery

Three Key Takeaways for Leadership:

Codify and normalize institutional values so that decision-making and behaviors align across all levels.
Be transparent with stakeholders about challenges and solutions, fostering trust and shared ownership of outcomes.
Involve the entire institution—including part-time staff—in transformation efforts to ensure unified execution during critical periods.

This episode offers a practical framework for institutional leaders navigating transformation, operational challenges, and the rising demand for campus-wide mental health support.

Recommended For: Presidents, trustees, provosts, CFOs, student affairs leaders, and higher education executives focused on institutional sustainability and student success.

Read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/university-transformation-program-focus-scalable-mental-health/

#UniversityTransformation #HigherEdLeadership #MentalHealthSupport #ProgramRealignment #HigherEducationPodcast

TOPICS