THE CHANGE LEADER

Category: Change Management

Changing Higher Ed podcast 321 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Michael Avaltroni | Building Fairleigh Dickinson’s Lifelong Learning Ecosystem Across Five Generations

How Fairleigh Dickinson Is Building an Ecosystem of Lifelong Learning Across Five Generations:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 321 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Michael Avaltroni

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Michael Avaltroni, President of Fairleigh Dickinson University and the first FDU graduate to hold the presidency. The conversation centers on FDU’s redefinition of the university around lifelong learning, built on a four-P framework of programs, people, partnerships, and place. Avaltroni shares how the institution won roughly 88 percent faculty endorsement of a significant slate of program discontinuations, how it is reimagining its campuses as intergenerational “impact cities,” and why he believes higher education’s best-case future is a subscription-based model for life in which a student becomes a member and never leaves.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Faculty Buy-In: How FDU earned roughly 88 percent faculty endorsement of program discontinuations through a data-driven, shared governance

July 21, 2026 July 20, 2026
Changing Higher Ed podcast 316 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Justin Beck - Administrative AI in Higher Ed- Finding the Friction Draining Enrollment, Retention, and Donor Revenue

Administrative AI in Higher Ed: Finding the Friction Draining Enrollment, Retention, and Donor Revenue:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 316 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Justin Beck

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Justin Beck, CEO of Gravyty, an AI-driven engagement platform working across higher education enrollment and advancement. The discussion focuses on where administrative AI is producing measurable financial gains at institutions including Empire State University, Florida Southwestern State College, and Boise State University, and what good governance and implementation actually look like in practice.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Retention Math: How a 4% retention lift can compound into multi-million-dollar revenue protection at a mid-size institution.

✓ Enrollment Speed: How Florida Southwestern resolved 90% of admissions inquiries on first contact and cut time to class registration in half.

✓ Advancement Gains: How Boise State drove an 87% increase in donor volume, and how AI is

June 16, 2026 June 29, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 315-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Leslie Kennedy- Inside CSU’s ChatGPT Edu Rollout Across 22 Universities

What Higher Ed Leaders Can Learn from CSU’s ChatGPT Edu Rollout:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 315 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Leslie Kennedy

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Leslie Kennedy, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Technology Services at the California State University Office of the Chancellor. The discussion centers on how the CSU rolled out ChatGPT Edu to all 22 campuses in 18 months and what the Ahead of the Curve survey, with 94,060 responses across students, faculty, and staff, reveals about generative AI implementation at scale in higher education.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Implementation Sequence: How CSU rolled out ChatGPT Edu across 22 universities in 18 months and what other institutions can replicate.

✓ Faculty Engagement Data: The numbers that push back against the dominant “faculty resistance” narrative in higher education.

✓ The Cheating Question: What 80% of students

June 9, 2026 June 29, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 314-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Karen Panetta - AI Will Scale Your Institution's Existing Bias: A Procurement and Oversight Framework for Higher Ed

AI Will Scale Your Institution’s Existing Bias: A Procurement and Oversight Framework for Higher Ed:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 314 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Karen Panetta

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Karen Panetta, Dean of Graduate Education for the School of Engineering at Tufts University, co-inventor of the first digital twin, and an IEEE Fellow. The discussion centers around a practical AI procurement and governance framework for higher education, examining the questions presidents and boards should ask vendors before signing any AI contract and revealing why most products in front of higher ed buyers cannot answer them.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Procurement Framework: The four questions every higher ed leader should ask before signing an AI contract.

✓ Bias at Scale: Why AI does not eliminate human bias and instead removes the accountability that used to make it correctable.

✓ Ground Truth Reality:

June 2, 2026 June 29, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 312-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Nikki Barua-Human-First Transformation: Closing Higher Education’s AI Readiness Gap

Human-First Transformation: Closing Higher Education’s AI Readiness Gap:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 312 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Nikki Barua

Higher education is facing an AI readiness gap that cannot be solved with another pilot, committee, or professional development module. Students are already using AI at scale, employers are changing what they expect from graduates, and institutions that move too slowly risk preparing students for a labor market that no longer exists.

In this week’s episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Nikki Barua, serial entrepreneur and founder of FlipWork, about why AI requires human-first transformation, not technology-first implementation.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Why AI readiness is a leadership issue, not an IT project.

✓ How traditional change management breaks down when technology evolves week by week.

✓ Why student AI use is outpacing institutional governance and guidance.

✓ How failed AI

May 19, 2026 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 308-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Mike Toguchi - Higher Ed Technology Change Management and Digital Transformation

Higher Education Change Management for Technology Projects and Digital Transformation:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 308 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Mike Toguchi

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Mike Toguchi, Chief Strategy Officer at Orchestrate, a division of Tectonic, a digital transformation firm that has worked with universities, nonprofits, and foundations including Stanford and UC Davis. The discussion examines why technology projects in higher education succeed or fail based on leadership behavior rather than tooling, and why change management must be treated as a planning discipline rather than a rollout activity if institutions want adoption to hold across faculty, staff, and academic units.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Trust as Infrastructure: Why faculty are trust adverse, not tech adverse, and what that distinction means for project design.

✓ Change Management Placement: Why change management belongs at the front of the project lifecycle,

April 21, 2026 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 306-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Andy Vaughn- 2026 Title IV Changes and How Higher Education Can Adapt to the OBBBA.jpg

2026 Title IV Changes and How Higher Education Can Adapt to the OBBBA:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 306 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Andy Vaughn

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Andy Vaughn, President and CEO of Alliant International University and one of three higher education representatives on the 2025 Negotiated Rulemaking RISE Committee, about how the 2026 Title IV changes and broader federal legislation are reshaping higher education—and what institutional leaders need to understand as those changes take hold.

This discussion moves beyond policy explanation and focuses on institutional response. It examines what these changes mean for graduate education, student access, accreditation constraints, cost structures, and the pace of institutional decision-making. Vaughn also outlines how Alliant is responding through Project Evolve, a multi-part strategy focused on funding access, differentiation, growth, and long-term sustainability.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Federal Reality: Why the 2026

April 7, 2026 August 7, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 305-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Andy Vaughn- Inside Neg Reg- What Higher Education Leaders Should Do Before July 2026

Inside Neg Reg: What Higher Education Leaders Should Do Before July 2026:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 305 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Andy Vaughn

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Andy Vaughn, President and CEO of Alliant University and one of three higher education representatives on the 2025 Negotiated Rulemaking RISE Committee. Their discussion examines what the latest Neg Reg signals about Title IV loan limit changes, why accreditation reform is next, and what higher education leaders need to do now to prepare for the July 1, 2026 changes.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Neg Reg Insight: Why this round of negotiated rulemaking is different from prior cycles and why institutions should not assume they can wait it out.

✓ Federal Change Reality: How the One Big Beautiful Bill changed the operating landscape for higher education in ways that are harder to

March 31, 2026 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 303-Dr. Drumm McNaughton and France Hoang - When AI Handles the Task, Higher Education Has to Build Human Judgment

When AI Handles the Task, Higher Education Has to Build Human Judgment:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 303 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest France Hoang

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with France Hoang, Founder and CEO of BoodleBox, a secure collaborative AI platform for education and work. Their conversation centers on what colleges and universities need to do now that AI can generate summaries, papers, and plausible answers on demand, and why the real issue is no longer access to AI, but whether higher education will redesign learning to build judgment, critical thinking, and real-world decision-making.

The conversation also explores why human expertise still matters, how AI is changing the apprenticeship path for graduates, and what institutional leaders should understand about implementation, advising, and classroom use.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Human-First AI: Why higher education should be human first, not AI first,

March 17, 2026 June 27, 2026
Cover Image: Changing Higher Ed Podcast 297 Closing the Change Gap: Agile Change Management for Today’s Higher Education Leaders -Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Christine Janssen

Closing the Change Gap: Agile Change Management for Today’s Higher Education Leaders:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 297 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Christine Janssen

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Christine Janssen, founder and CEO of Edstutia, an award-winning immersive learning platform leveraging virtual reality and AI for adult learning. Dr. Janssen, a former clinical associate professor and director of entrepreneurship at Fordham University, brings an entrepreneurial perspective to higher education’s most pressing challenge: how to manage change in an environment where the rate of external disruption far exceeds most institutions’ capacity to adapt. Dr.s McNaughton and Janssen’s discussion explores why traditional change management models need updating, how AI resistance is counterproductive, and why institutions must choose between leading disruption or being displaced by it.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Change Management Evolution: Why Kotter’s model needs agile development principles for today’s volatile

February 3, 2026 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed podcast episode 261- When DEI Is Off the Table: How Higher Ed Leaders Can Still Drive Institutional Change with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Susan Sturm of Columbia Law

When DEI Is Off the Table: How Higher Ed Leaders Can Still Drive Institutional Change:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 261 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Susan Sturm

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Columbia Law professor Susan Sturm, author of What Might Be: Confronting Racism to Transform Our Institutions, about how higher ed leaders can continue to drive institutional change in an era when DEI is increasingly politicized and under attack.

Sturm shares how institutions can move from reactive DEI programming to long-term, systems-level strategies that build trust, support full participation, and align with institutional mission. She explains how discomfort and conflict—when handled with care—can spark cultural transformation, and why leaders must learn to navigate paradox, not avoid it.

What you’ll gain from this episode:

✓ Why many DEI initiatives fail to create lasting change

✓ How “organizational catalysts” can drive scalable transformation

✓ What higher ed leaders can do to

May 27, 2025 June 27, 2026
Confronting the Storm: Resistance to Change and Current Attacks on Higher Education-Changing Higher Ed podcast 259 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Brian Rosenberg

Confronting the Storm: Resistance to Change and Current Attacks on Higher Education:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 259 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Brian Rosenberg

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Brian Rosenberg, former president of Macalister College (2003-2020), visiting professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education, and author of “Whatever It Is, I’m Against It: Resistance to Change in Higher Education.” The conversation examines why higher education institutions face increasing external attacks, how their resistance to change has made them vulnerable, and what institutional leaders can do to navigate these challenging times while managing internal resistance to necessary transformation.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Attack Analysis: Understanding the political and economic factors driving current attacks on higher education.

✓ Trust Insights: Why public confidence has declined across political lines and what institutions can do about it.

✓ Governance Guidance: How board-president relationships determine

May 13, 2025 June 27, 2026
Illustration showing effective change management in higher education with icons representing holistic thinking, strategic alignment, and stakeholder engagement in front of a university building.

Effective Change Management in Higher Education:

A Holistic Framework for Institutional Transformation — Addressing the Change Management Realities, Barriers, and Breakthroughs

Most change initiatives in higher education fail—not because of poor vision, but because implementation breaks down. In this new article, Dr. Drumm McNaughton outlines what works, what doesn’t, and how presidents and boards can lead more effectively through the complexity of college and university transformation.

The article covers:

✓ Why 80% of change efforts fall short

✓ The three pillars of effective change management

✓ How to spot misalignment between strategy and operations

✓ What makes an implementation team effective

✓ Leadership traits that support real transformation

✓ Practical examples of how institutions moved past resistance

For higher ed leaders navigating change, this offers a clear, experience-based framework grounded in what actually works.

May 2, 2025 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed podcast 257-Higher Education Strategic Planning That Drives Growth and Faculty Buy-In-Changing Higher Ed podcast 257 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Andrew Hsu

Higher Education Strategic Planning That Drives Growth and Faculty Buy-In:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 257 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and Dr. Andrew Hsu

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Andrew T. Hsu, President of the College of Charleston, about how holistic strategic planning and stakeholder engagement helped drive enrollment growth, academic expansion, and the college’s transition toward national university status. Drawing on lessons from both industry and higher education, Dr. Hsu shares practical insights into building shared vision, navigating faculty governance, and sustaining momentum for institutional change.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Strategic Planning in Action: How a collaborative planning process shaped the College of Charleston’s growth and transformation.

✓ Faculty Engagement: Why early and meaningful stakeholder involvement is critical for successful strategic initiatives.

✓ Governance Lessons: How bypassing shared governance processes can stall or derail change — and how to correct

April 29, 2025 June 27, 2026
Change in Higher Education-Changing Higher Ed podcast 254 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest R. Todd Benson: Using Faculty Satisfaction Data for Strategic

Using Faculty Satisfaction Data for Strategic Change in Higher Education:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 254 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. R. Todd Benson

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Todd Benson, Executive Director of COACHE (Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education), about how institutions can use faculty satisfaction data to guide institutional decision-making, improve retention, and strengthen shared governance. The conversation highlights how faculty survey results can become tools for strategic planning, trust-building, and leadership alignment—when used intentionally.

You’ll also hear how institutions like Georgia State and UT Arlington are translating faculty feedback into measurable outcomes that support both faculty needs and institutional goals.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Strategic Use of Data: How to move beyond reporting and start using faculty data to shape institutional priorities.

✓ Retention Drivers: What COACHE’s national retention study reveals about time allocation, trust, and support.

April 8, 2025 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed podcast 245 - The Glass Cliff in Higher Education: Challenges Faced by Women University Presidents with guest Dr. Lori Varlotta

The Glass Cliff in Higher Education—Challenges Faced by Women University Presidents:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 245 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Dr. Lori Varlotta

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Drumm speaks welcomes Dr. Lori Varlotta, former president of Hiram College and California Lutheran University and current Distinguished Professor of Higher Education Leadership at Cal Lutheran back to the show. The discussion explores her current research on the “glass cliff” phenomenon in higher education, where women presidents are often appointed during times of institutional crisis. Dr. Varlotta shares insights from her 40-year career and current research interviews with women presidents, revealing strategies for board support, presidential success, and effective institutional turnaround.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Glass Cliff Understanding: Learn how to recognize and prevent situations where new leaders are set up for potential failure during institutional crises.

✓ Board Development: Essential strategies for integrated board and presidential evaluations

February 4, 2025 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Podcast 227- Strategies to Improve Student Retention Rates and Lower Acquisition Costs- with guest Carey Dukes

Strategies to Improve Student Retention Rates and Lower Acquisition Costs:

Changing Higher Education podcast 227 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guests Carey Dukes

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Drumm welcomes Carey Dukes, Assistant Professor of Management at North Greenville University, to discuss innovative strategies for improving student retention and college readiness.

Podcast Overview:

✓ Insights into the current state of student retention in higher education and the concept of “Academic Armageddon” for first-year students.

✓ Strategies for implementing a pre-college readiness course to better prepare students for academic success.

✓ Practical advice on addressing the six key variables of student readiness and implementing proactive preparation programs.

✓ Vision for long-term benefits of improved student preparation beyond the first year.

✓ Guidance for university leaders on analyzing retention rates, assessing financial impacts, and evaluating existing programs.

This episode provides valuable ideas for presidents, board members, and administrators committed to improving student retention,

October 1, 2024 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Podcast 220 - AI Integration in Higher Ed Curriculums-How Kogod Did it in Six Months with host Drumm Mcnaughton and guests David Marchick and Angela Virtu

AI Integration in Higher Ed Curriculums: How Kogod Did it in Six Months:

Changing Higher Ed Podcast 220 with Host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guests David Marchick and Angela Virtu

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton welcomes Dean David Marchick and Angela Virtu from American University’s Kogod School of Business to discuss their ambitious initiative to integrate AI across the entire curriculum in just six months.

Podcast Overview:

• Insights into Kogod’s strategy for rapidly developing and implementing AI-integrated courses across all business disciplines.

• Discussion of the two-tiered approach: “Artisan” courses with light AI integration and “SAGE” courses with in-depth AI focus.

• Exploration of challenges faced during implementation and innovative solutions developed.

• Examples of how AI is being applied in various business fields, from finance to marketing.

• Vision for the future of AI in business education and its impact on graduate employability.

This episode provides valuable lessons for higher education leaders seeking

August 13, 2024 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 210-Transformative Change Models in Higher Education-Part 2 with guests F. Joseph Merlino and Deborah Pomeroy

Transformative Change Models in Higher Education – Part 2:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 210 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guests F. Joseph Merlino and Deborah Pomeroy

In Part 2 of this series, we dive deeper into the strategies and approaches for driving transformative change in higher education, focusing on preparing teachers for the 21st century. You’ll gain valuable insights and real-world examples drawn from extensive research and practical experiences.

Topics we cover include:

– Understanding change theory and the process of change in relation to higher ed, recognizing that transformative change takes time, requires support and acceptance of mistakes as part of the learning process.

– The importance of aligning change initiatives with the institution’s core identity, mission, and legacy, as exemplified by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

– The important role of service learning in transforming teacher preparation programs, enhancing both pedagogy and research through rich, reciprocal relationships between universities and high

June 4, 2024 December 11, 2025
Changing Higher Ed 209 - Four Quandaries Facing Higher Ed Presidents - Transforming Teacher Preparation for the 21st Century with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guests F. Joseph Merlino and Deborah Pomeroy

Four Quandaries Facing Higher Ed Presidents – Part 1:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 209 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guests F. Joseph Merlino and Deborah Pomeroy

In this two-part series, Drumm dives into the complex challenges faced by university presidents and higher education leaders in driving transformative change. Our guests F. Joseph Merlino and Deborah Pomeroy share their insights and experiences, shedding light on the four primary quandaries that leaders must navigate to ensure successful transformational teacher preparation programs for their institutions.

Key takeaways:

– The tension between mission and revenue, and how to balance the historic purpose of education with the growing demand for job readiness.

– Strategies for fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and integration, breaking down silos to drive innovation and problem-solving.

– Approaches for addressing college access and equity while maintaining academic excellence in the face of shifting demographics and student preparedness.

– Insights into managing the financial challenges of admitting out-of-state students while

May 28, 2024 December 11, 2025

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