Rethinking Success with Former Under Secretary James Kvaal

by Presidents Forum | Mar 18, 2025 | Innovation, Outcomes and Accountability

Rethinking Success with Former Under Secretary James Kvaal

The Big Picture

In a conversation between Former Under Secretary James Kvaal and UMass Global President David Andrews, key insights emerged about the evolving landscape of higher education and federal oversight.

Why it matters

The discussion highlights critical challenges in making higher education more accessible and adaptable to modern student needs, particularly for working adults and non-traditional students.

Key takeaways

Federal funding flexibility: Current “all or nothing” approach to federal aid needs reform, with potential for “sandbox” programs to test new approaches
Innovation barriers: Misunderstandings exist between education innovators and Department of Education staff, suggesting need for increased dialogue
Non-traditional students: Average students at institutions like UMass Global are in their mid-30s and working full-time, challenging traditional completion metrics

The bottom line

Success in higher education needs to be measured differently, accounting for diverse student populations and their unique journey paths, rather than traditional metrics like 4-year completion rates.

Thought Leadership

by Presidents Forum | Mar 17, 2025 | Policy, Video

Thought Leadership

The Bottom Line

The Presidents Forum has established itself as a hub for higher education thought leadership through:

Daily original content featuring presidents, policy leaders, and researchers
Direct platform for thought leaders to reach their target audience
Professional content development and distribution strategy

Why it matters:

The organization’s focused approach has led to measurable growth in social media engagement and website traffic, positioning it as a central voice in shaping higher education’s future.

A 20-Year Standstill Threatens Service Member Education

by Presidents Forum | Mar 13, 2025 | Underserved Communities

A 20-Year Standstill Threatens Service Member Education

Why It Matters

Military education benefits are becoming less effective, threatening both service member advancement and military recruitment.

The Big Picture

Active-duty service members face two major obstacles in pursuing higher education:

Tuition assistance has stagnated at $250 per credit since 2002, while average credit costs have risen to $477
Online students lose housing allowances, despite online learning often being their only option

The Bottom Line

Without updated education benefits, military recruitment could continue declining while service members struggle to access higher education.

Federal Reconciliation Process and Higher Education Priorities

by Presidents Forum | Mar 5, 2025 | Policy

The federal budget reconciliation process is a legislative procedure allowing Congress to modify spending, revenue, and debt limit laws through expedited means. This streamlined process is crucial because it requires only a simple majority in the Senate, with limited time for debate and amendments. For the Presidents Forum, reconciliation presents a valuable opportunity to advocate for key federal investment priorities, including Pell Grant reform, military tuition assistance, and expanded dual enrollment support. Our upcoming Washington, D.C., meetings will enable our Presidents to share vital insights with congressional members regarding these important funding priorities.

March CHIPS Update

by Presidents Forum | Mar 4, 2025 | Innovation

The landscape of semiconductor manufacturing in the United States continues to evolve rapidly, with significant developments that have far-reaching implications for workforce development and economic growth.

In a major development for U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is expected to announce a staggering $100 billion investment in the United States. This unprecedented commitment represents one of the largest foreign investments in U.S. manufacturing history and signals a transformative shift in the global semiconductor supply chain.

This investment builds upon TSMC’s existing projects in Arizona and potentially expands their footprint to additional states, creating a network of advanced manufacturing facilities across the country.

The scale of TSMC’s investment, combined with other CHIPS Act-driven expansions, creates an urgent need for a skilled workforce pipeline. Current projections indicate the semiconductor industry will need tens of thousands of new workers over the next decade, ranging from technicians to engineers to advanced researchers.

This workforce challenge presents both an opportunity and a responsibility for higher education institutions to develop targeted programs that align with industry needs.

Presidents Forum member institutions are at the forefront of addressing this workforce development challenge. Our collaborative approach to developing industry-aligned curricula and innovative training programs positions our network as a critical partner in the semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem.

As TSMC and other semiconductor manufacturers expand their U.S. operations, the Presidents Forum will continue to:

Facilitate knowledge sharing between member institutions and industry partners
Advocate for policies that support workforce development in high-tech manufacturing
Collaborate with the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence
Measure and communicate the impact of our collective efforts

We welcome continued dialogue with member institutions about how we can collectively address this unprecedented opportunity to reshape American manufacturing and create pathways to prosperity for students across the country.