Épisodes

  • Is Grade Inflation Deflating Trust in Schools?

    Is Grade Inflation Deflating Trust in Schools?
    Jan 20 2026
    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 should change what they teach as employers embrace AI, what types of colleges employers recruit from these days, and recent data on where online learning is most prevalent. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Chapters0:00 - Introduction1:34 - Are Those 2026 Coming True?2:26 - Why Grade Inflation Is a Big Story Now4:55 - How the Grade Inflation Issue Has Changed Since Al Franken Joked About It in 20026:43 - Why Professors Shouldn’t Grade the Students They Teach8:38 - What If Mastery-Based Learning Upends Grading?10:43 - Encouraging Students to Focus More on Feedback Than on Grades12:16 - Has We Become an ‘Accomodations Nation’?13:09 - Colleges Are Returning to Admissions Tests15:01 - AI Could Help Admissions Officers Analyze Transcripts19:17 - Are Elite Colleges Back at the Top of the List for Company Recruiters?26:28 - Entry Into the Job Market Is Not Linear27:55 - Sponsor Break28:36 - What If AI Changes Nothing About What Students Need to Learn?35:23 - New Data On Who Offers Online-Only EducationRelevant Links:“Education Secretary Says She Wants to Shift Away From Higher Ed,” by Ryan Quinn in Inside Higher Ed.“UC San Diego Sees Students’ Math Skills Plummet,” by Emma Whitford in Inside Higher Ed.“High Grades are Presumably the Goal. So Why is Everyone Freaking Out?” by Michael Horn on Substack.“Colleges Have Struggled To Curb Grade Inflation. Can Harvard Beat the Odds?” in the Harvard Crimson.Sen. Al Franken’s 2002 Class Day speech at Harvard, from CSPAN.“Accommodation Nation,” by Rose Horowitch in The Atlantic."Elite Colleges Are Back at the Top of the List for Company Recruiters.” by Lindsay Ellis in The Wall Street Journal. “AI Changes Nothing About What Students Need to Learn,” by Rick Hess in Education Next.“Fall 2024 IPEDS Data: Profile of US Higher Ed Online Education,” by Phil Hill In OnEdtech.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.
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    42 min
  • Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?

    Why Don’t More Colleges Run Co-Op Programs?
    Jan 6 2026

    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.

    Chapters

    0:00 - Intro

    1:44 - An Unusual History of a Co-op Model

    3:28 - Kettering Presidents’ Path to University Leadership

    6:17 - Why Colleges Should Think of Employers as Their Customers

    11:23 - Why Colleges Can’t Learn Everything They Need On Campuses

    17:17 - How Kettering University’s Co-op Model Differs Than Others

    20:44 - Why Isn’t Kettering More Popular?

    24:44 - What Is Keeping More Universities From Doing Co-op Programs?

    29:30 - Sponsor Break

    31:05 - How More Colleges Can Move to a Co-op Model

    35:36 - Companies Don’t Have Enough Internships to Meet Demand

    39:08 - Could There Be ‘31 Flavors’ of Experiential Learning?

    41:50 - Will We See a Return of the Corporate University?

    45:52 - Lightning Round With Robert McMahan

    Links

    “Colleges Teach Learning, but They’re Not Learning How to Survive,” by Robert McMahan in Fortune.

    “Former Governor Dishes on Connecting Work and College,” past Future U episode.

    Connect with Michael Horn:

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    Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You

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    50 min
  • Resist or Reform? Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Speaks Out

    Resist or Reform? Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Speaks Out
    Dec 16 2025
    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 from Milken: One-on-One with Bill Ackman,” preview Future U episode.“Arizona State’s President Is Pulling Out All the Stops to Get on Trump’s Good Side,” in The New York Times.“The Elite-University Presidents Who Despise One Another,” in The Atlantic.“The (Not So) Quiet Schism Among Academic Leaders,” in The Chronicle of Higher Education.“College-Age Jews Are Heading South,” in The Atlantic. Chapters0:00 - Introduction2:07 - Why Vanderbilt’s Chancellor Stands Out in This Moment4:46 - Is Vanderbilt Trying to Beat the Ivies?7:23 - Why Vanderbilt Chose Dialogue With Trump Administration10:06 - Did Higher Ed Get Too Comfortable?11:12 - Are Higher Ed Institutions Up to the Challenge of Responding to Trump?15:22 - What Daniel Diermeier Sees As Most Needed Reform for Higher Ed17:40 - Will 'Resistance" by Colleges Hurt Federal Funding Broadly?21:48 - Could the U.S. Lose the Lead In Higher Ed?23:25 - Why Jewish Students are Flocking to Vanderbilt - 26:58 - A Plan for Expansion to Other Cities29:03 - Sponsor Break 29:43 - Is Trump the Symptom or Cause of Higher Ed’s Challenges?34:37 - A Rift Over How to Respond to Skepticism of College37:40 - How Could the Research Process Be Reformed?39:41 - The Fallout from October 7 Protests43:40 - The Challenge of Political Diversity on Campus49:37 - Can a New Group of Campuses Unseat the Ivy League?52:06 - The Role of College Athletics in Campus Prestige53:06 - A Regional Shift in Prominence57:55 - Lightning Round With Daniel Diermeier 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.
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    1 h et 1 min
  • Takeaways from 2025 and Predictions for Next Year

    Takeaways from 2025 and Predictions for Next Year
    Dec 9 2025

    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 Financially Sustainable University,"

    Jeff Denneen and Tom Dretler

    Chapters

    0:00 - Introduction

    4:22 - A Case for Massive Experimentation

    6:30 - Making Shared Governance an Asset

    10:00 - Building Innovation Into Campus Culture

    11:41 - Lessons From Silicon Valley

    13:17 - What Parents Are Asking About AI at Colleges

    14:54 - Importance of Experiential Learning

    18:40 - How Liberal Arts Can Be Taught Differently in the AI Age

    21:11 - Being Creative v. Being a Creator

    22:20 - Time for Colleges to Step Back and Strategize About AI

    28:00 - New Research Reveals Mid-Size Colleges Could At Financial Risk

    33:43 - Understanding the Details of New Student Loan Caps

    37:37 - Breaking Down the Latest Enrollment Numbers

    40:07 - Michael’s Predictions for 2026

    41:56 - Jeff’s Predictions for 2026

    Connect with Michael Horn:

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    Connect with Jeff Selingo:

    Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You

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    45 min
  • Rerun: Visiting Bowie State University: HBCUs, Employer Partnerships, and Student Engagement

    Rerun: Visiting Bowie State University: HBCUs, Employer Partnerships, and Student Engagement
    Nov 25 2025

    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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    49 min
  • Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee

    Navigating a Merger as a College Trustee
    Nov 18 2025
    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 institutions, as well as key to protecting their core missions. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.Relevant Links“God and Man at Yale,” by William F. Buckley."The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World," by Michael Smith,Mission statement of Arizona State UniversityMission statement of Southern New Hampshire University“Why a University Proactively Sought a Merger," our other episode this season about M&A in higher ed.Chapters0:00 - Why Do We Keep Talking About Mergers?3:50 - Introducing Our Guest, Abby Fiorella5:17 - How to Prepare a Board for a Merger9:19 - Deciding on Institutional Priorities12:44 - What Is Marymount Manhattan College Doing to Preserve Its Identity?17:17 - How Can a Board Come to Peace With a Merger?21:40 - How Can Boards Make Mergers Less Taboo?24:29 - Reframing Merging As an Opportunity27:01 - Closing Thoughts From a Trustee28:54 - Sponsor Break29:38 - What It Means for a Board to Be Responsible to a Mission36:21 - How Can Universities Put Mission Statements Into Practice?38:52 - Why College Mergers Require ‘Courage’39:21 - Making Time in Board Meetings for Strategic Planning44:56 - The Role of Communication Between Presidents and Boards in Considering Mergers47:59 - Why Most Boards Should Set Up Systems to Prepare for an Uncertain Future48:37 - Lightning Round With Abby FiorellaConnect 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.
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    53 min
  • Preparing Students for an AI-Infused Workforce

    Preparing Students for an AI-Infused Workforce
    Nov 11 2025

    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 Studio.

    Relevant Links:

    “AI Is Not Just Ending Entry-Level Jobs. It’s the End of the Career Ladder as We Know It,” CNBC“

    The Rise of AI Will Make Liberal Arts Degrees Popular Again. Here’s Why,” in Inc magazine.

    Chapters

    0:00 - Intro

    3:49 - What Is an AI-Ready Graduate?

    7:52 - How AI is Changing Early-Career Jobs

    11:00 - What Skills and Mindsets Do Students Need?

    14:31 - How Colleges Can Increase Experiential Education With Employers

    22:19 - What Colleges Do As Employers Pull Back on Internships

    28:37 - What is the Purpose of College in an AI World?

    34:14 - How the Signaling Power of College Could Change in the AI Era

    37:38 - How Students Are Using AI to Create

    41:25 - Will AI Bring Resurgence of Liberal Arts?

    45:50 - How Creativity is Important Even in the Finance Sector

    49:31 - Why AI is More Creative Than Humans

    51:40 - What Colleges Can Do in the Next 12 Months

    Connect with Michael Horn:

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    55 min
  • How States Can Meet the Moment In Higher Ed

    How States Can Meet the Moment In Higher Ed
    Nov 4 2025
    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 one to match educational offerings with available jobs, especially as AI reshapes so many industries. This episode is made with support from Strada Education Foundation.Chapters0:00 - Intro3:40 - How a New Report Measures State Higher Ed Efforts5:53 - Is This a Time for States to Lead?8:17 - How to Encourage Competition Among States10:12 - Which States Lead In Higher Ed ROI12:52 - Low Tuition Doesn’t Guarantee Good ROI15:39 - What Can Colleges Do If Job Prospects Are Low in a State?19:00 - Who Is the Audience for the State Opportunity Index?21:09 - How Can State Measure Return on Investing in Higher Ed?23:52 - What Can States Do in Higher Ed to Respond to AI?26:45 - Sponsor Break27:55 - Some Context for How States Interact With Federal Higher Ed Support29:40 - Why Jeff Thinks States and the Feds Aren’t ‘Rowing in the Same Direction’32:00 - Why Michael Sees More Alignment in State and Federal Efforts34:15 - Will States Step In to Support Research?37:07 - Are Some States Doing Better on Work-Based Learning?40:54 - Colleges Still Aren’t Comfortable in Their Role of Getting Students Jobs46:29 - New Leadership Opportunity In Human Capital in the AI Era48:18 - A Better Way to Measure State Investment51:56 - Lightning Round With Ruth WatkinsRelevant Links:2025 Strada State Opportunity IndexStrada Education Foundation 2025 Grapevine ReportState Higher Education Executive Officers AssociationConnect 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.
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    55 min