Reducing Friction in Higher Ed
The big picture: Higher education was built for a different era. Today’s students expect the same simplicity they find everywhere else—but too often, they get roadblocks instead. Why it matters: When institutions cling to outdated processes, students lose time, money,...
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Recent Stories
Workforce Pell Panel
The big picture: Rosemary Lahasky, Vice President of U.S. Government Relations at Pearson, and Mary Jane (MJ) Michalak, Vice President of Government Relations at Ivy Tech Community College, discussed the new Workforce Pell expansion—an historic change allowing Pell...
October Executive Director Update
The big picture Presidents Forum members convene in Boston on Oct. 23–24 for in-person, strategic discussions on AI and institutional strategy, upcoming Negotiated Rulemaking, national enrollment and funding trends, and Executive Branch priorities for 2025. Why it...
U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce Roundtable
Why it matters: At a House Education & Workforce Committee roundtable in Utah, Chair Tim Walberg and Higher Education Subcommittee Chair Burgess Owens framed Utah’s collaboration culture as a national model for aligning tax policy, school choice, and workforce...
Academic Integrity in the Age of AI
Why it matters: AI is reshaping higher ed. Leaders are grappling with how to harness innovation while protecting academic integrity. Key points: Balance, not tradeoffs: Academic integrity and innovation aren’t opposites — they must be integrated into education and...
Affordability, Access, and Accountability in Higher Education
Why it matters: Affordability is the central barrier to equitable access in higher ed. David Andrews (UMass Global) and Eloy Ortiz Oakley (College Futures Foundation) unpack what’s broken—and what needs to change. The big picture: More than tuition: Real costs include...
September Update
The big picture: The Presidents Forum has advanced regulatory engagement while preparing for its upcoming Boston meeting and shifting focus to education funding outcomes. Driving the news: The Forum submitted comments on the Negotiated Rulemaking process and submitted...
How BYU-Pathway Worldwide Is Making Education Affordable Globally
Why it matters: BYU-Pathway Worldwide has reduced degree costs to as little as $300 in Africa, making higher education accessible to 80,000+ students globally, with 40% in Africa. The big picture: Traditional higher education models aren't serving adult learners who...
Extending Faculty Reach with AI
Why it matters: Rajen Sheth, CEO of Kyron Learning and former Google leader, sees AI as a way to authentically extend faculty capabilities and make higher education more accessible to underserved populations. Key insights: Faculty concerns addressed: While AI adoption...
Janet Spriggs: Access, Success, and Student-Centered Leadership
Why it matters Forsyth Tech President Janet Spriggs brings a unique perspective to higher education leadership: she started as a community college student herself. That experience shapes her belief that access, student success, and economic mobility must remain at the...
2025 NSTC Symposium to Convene Leaders in AI and Semiconductors
Registration is now open for the 2025 National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) Symposium, taking place September 15-16 in Austin, TX. This event represents a significant opportunity for academic leaders to engage with the latest semiconductor industry...
Matching Aptitude to Opportunity
The big picture: Many working learners land in programs that don’t fit and stop out, sometimes multiple times. Why it matters: Aligning education with natural aptitudes boosts persistence, completion, and job readiness while filling talent gaps in tech, manufacturing,...
Rio Salado College: Building a Culture of Student Success
Why it matters: Rio Salado College has pioneered innovative student support services that leverage technology while maintaining a human-centered approach. Key insights: Technology + human touch: Rio Salado combines AI-powered tools with personal advisors to create a...
New Higher Education Regulations Take Shape
Why it matters: The Department of Education is launching two negotiated rulemaking committees to implement significant changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), affecting federal student loans and higher education access. The RISE Committee Focus: Federal...
Rethinking Higher Ed for the Automation Age
What’s happening: Higher ed is at a breaking point and stuck in a system built for another era. Why it matters: Gordon Freedman says institutions can’t just layer AI onto legacy models. To serve learners and meet workforce needs, we need new infrastructure:...
July 2025 CHIPS Update
The CHIPS and Science Act continues to drive significant progress in the U.S. semiconductor industry. Here are the latest developments: Natcast Opens NSTC EUV Accelerator at NY CREATES' Albany NanoTech Complex In a major milestone for U.S. semiconductor innovation,...
Futures Thinking: AI, Workforce Development, and HigherEd Convergence— Redefining the Learning Experience
By Dr. Kate Smith, President, Rio Salado College “Collaboration between educators, employers, and policymakers is crucial to shape AI strategies that bridge the education-workforce divide and ensure ethical and effective use of AI. AI is a powerful tool that can...
How SAN Supports Online Education
Why it matters: The State Authorization Network (SAN) helps nearly 1,000 institutions navigate complex interstate regulatory requirements for online education, ensuring student consumer protections and educational access. Key insights: SAN provides analysis, training,...
WCET: Future of EdTech
Big thing: AI will be a "game changer" for higher education, enabling highly personalized support throughout the student lifecycle while potentially reducing costs. Why it matters: The current disconnect between the cost and price of distance education prevents...
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