April Update

April Update

by | Apr 3, 2026 | Innovation, Video, Working Learners

April Update

Why it matters

Today’s students are balancing work, family, and career change. Higher education and public policy need to reflect that reality.

What we’ve been doing

Over the past month, Presidents Forum members have continued advancing work across innovation, workforce alignment, and student-centered system design.

In Washington

Last week, Forum leadership met with the Department of Education and Congress to reinforce a clear message: if we are serious about student success, policy must create space for innovation rather than constrain it.

What’s next

In April, we’re building on that momentum with a focus on the learner-first workforce: how learning connects more directly to opportunity, and how institutions, employers, and policy can align around that goal.

Bottom line

The opportunity ahead is not just to respond to change, but to shape a better system for learners. That is the work we will keep pushing forward in the months ahead.

Rebuilding The Adult Learner Ecosystem

Rebuilding The Adult Learner Ecosystem

by | Mar 13, 2026 | Innovation, Video, Working Learners

Rebuilding The Adult Learner Ecosystem

Why it matters

43 million Americans have some college but no credential. This gap threatens economic mobility and workforce growth.

The challenge

Most colleges were designed for a different student, but today’s typical learner is older, working, and balancing family responsibilities.

The system problem

Students struggle with:

  • Transportation
  • Childcare
  • Food insecurity
  • Work schedules

The Dallas College model

Dallas College built an “adult learner ecosystem” to address those barriers.

Students receive:

  • Textbooks included in tuition
  • Free public transit passes
  • On-campus food banks and clothing closets
  • Childcare through the Bezos Academy partnership
  • Partnerships with healthcare and mental health providers

Bottom line

Closing the completion gap requires redesigning higher education around the realities of adult learners.

Modernizing Support for Military Learners

Modernizing Support for Military Learners

by | Mar 2, 2026 | Policy, Video

Modernizing Support for Military Learners

Why it matters

Military tuition assistance has been capped at $250 per credit for over 20 years.

Tuition has nearly doubled.

The impact

  • Fewer institutions can honor the rate

  • Military learners have fewer choices

  • Out-of-pocket costs increase

The reciprocity risk

Service members move and deploy frequently.

Stable reciprocity allows them to stop out and return without losing progress.

If reciprocity weakens, access weakens.

Bottom line

Modernizing tuition assistance is about access, recruitment, and national security.

Education is not just a benefit. It is infrastructure.

The Power of Student Leadership

The Power of Student Leadership

by | Feb 26, 2026 | Outcomes and Accountability, Video

The Power of Student Leadership

Why it matters

Student voice is not symbolic. It shapes policy, funding, and institutional priorities in real time.

The story

Josiah Rodriguez, a first-generation college student at San Antonio College, enrolled the same day as his mother, who returned to earn her GED through Alamo Colleges’ adult education program.

Today, he serves as the first student trustee in the Texas system, representing more than 88,000 students across Alamo Colleges.

The impact

As student trustee, he:

  • Serves as a liaison between students and the board
  • Brings student concerns directly into trustee meetings
  • Advocates for wraparound services that support persistence
  • Helped support a fundraiser that raised $140,000 for GED programs

What makes this different

Alamo Colleges invests in systems that remove barriers:

  • Free GED programs
  • Food pantries and grab-and-go meals
  • Childcare support
  • Counseling services
  • Community-based training centers

These services help students stay enrolled, protect Pell eligibility, and complete credentials.

Bottom line

Student-centered leadership is not theoretical. When institutions invite students into governance, the result is stronger policy, stronger support systems, and stronger outcomes.

Amplifying Faculty With AI

Amplifying Faculty With AI

by | Feb 17, 2026 | Innovation, Video

Amplifying Faculty With AI

Why it matters:

Many institutions are using AI to improve efficiency, automate grading, and reduce administrative workload. That is only part of the opportunity.

The big picture:

Rajen Sheth, CEO of Kyron Learning, argues that the real value of AI lies in amplifying faculty expertise and improving student outcomes. AI should extend instruction, not sit alongside it or replace it.

What stands out:

  • AI can personalize instruction at scale while aligning with a faculty member’s teaching style.
  • When faculty control how AI supports their courses, students receive clearer guidance and better feedback.
  • Institutions like Western Governors University and Miami Dade College are seeing stronger engagement when AI supplements instruction.

What’s next:

As AI becomes foundational across industries, institutions must prepare students for a workforce where adaptability and AI literacy are core competencies.

Bottom line:

AI in higher education is not about replacing instructors. It is about extending their reach, personalizing learning, and improving outcomes at scale.

What IPEDS Fall 2024 Data Says About Enrollment and Online Learning

What IPEDS Fall 2024 Data Says About Enrollment and Online Learning

by | Jan 27, 2026 | Outcomes and Accountability, Video

What IPEDS Fall 2024 Data Says About Enrollment and Online Learning

Why it matters:

IPEDS is the most reliable national snapshot of higher education enrollment. Unlike survey-based estimates, it is reported by institutions tied to Title IV, consistent over time, and detailed enough to analyze market structure and trends.

The big picture:

Phil Hill says the Fall 2024 IPEDS release confirms modest enrollment growth, but at a lower rate than earlier estimates suggested. It also reinforces that distance education is no longer a side channel, it is a core part of how higher education operates in the US.

What stands out:

  • Total enrollment growth looks positive, but smaller than earlier survey estimates (2.7% vs. 4.4%).
  • A meaningful share of community college growth appears tied to dual enrollment, which changes the story behind the increase.
  • Distance education remains elevated above pre-COVID trends and is now deeply embedded in the system.

Bottom line:

IPEDS confirms that online education is durable and structurally important. The next strategic advantage comes from understanding which market you are actually in, and building for learner value in an increasingly competitive environment.