THE CHANGE LEADER

Tag: AI in Higher Education

Motivated Students Still Drop Out - Using AI Behavioral Signals to Intervene Before Disengagement Becomes Attrition | Changing Higher Ed Podcast 319 with Raz Dar

Motivated Students Still Drop Out: Using AI Behavioral Signals to Intervene Before Disengagement Becomes Attrition:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 319 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Raz Dar

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Raz Dar, CEO of Elvee, whose work with U.S. colleges centers on reading behavioral data for early signals of student disengagement. The discussion draws on Elvee’s survey of 1,050 U.S. college students, which found that 86% start college highly motivated, yet 42% came close to dropping out at some point and only 17% of struggling students ever request help. The conversation reframes attrition as a detection failure rather than a motivation deficit.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Detection Timing: Why grades and attendance flag struggling students only after many are already halfway out the door, and how behavioral signals like study time, login frequency, and forum participation surface risk before exam period.

✓ The

July 7, 2026 July 6, 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
Cover image - Changing Higher Ed podcast 277 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Marc Huffman |How AI Dashboards Can Strengthen Higher Education Board Governance

How AI Dashboards Can Strengthen Higher Education Board Governance:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 277 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Marc Huffman

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed®, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Marc Huffman, CEO of OnBoard and eSCRIBE, about how AI dashboards are transforming higher education board governance. Their discussion examines how boards can use AI-enabled platforms to support trustees, improve preparation, and keep institutional strategy front and center.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Streamlined Board Preparation: How AI consolidates materials and highlights the most urgent information.

✓ Continuous Strategy Tracking: Ways dashboards connect agendas, minutes, and performance data to monitor long-term goals.

✓ Trustee Engagement Support: Tools that help members review past decisions, follow progress, and stay ready for discussion.

✓ Board Secretary Efficiency: How automation surfaces pending action items and frees staff to focus on supporting the chair.

✓ Secure and Ethical Governance:

September 16, 2025 July 27, 2026
Using AI for Higher Ed Board Governance: Improving the Trustee Experience While Protecting Fiduciary Responsibilities: Exploring practical applications, security concerns, and the fundamental role of human oversight

Using AI for Higher Ed Board Governance: Improving the Trustee Experience While Protecting Fiduciary Responsibilities:

Exploring practical applications, security concerns, and the fundamental role of human oversight

In this latest blog post, Dr. Drumm McNaughton examines the practical applications of artificial intelligence in higher education board governance, exploring both the opportunities and implementation considerations that trustees need to consider when evaluating AI tools for their institutions.

The article addresses the growing matrix of board oversight responsibilities and how AI can help manage information overload while maintaining strategic focus, drawing from real-world examples and current industry developments.

What you’ll gain from reading this article:

✓ Information Processing: Solutions for board material overload

✓ Strategic Monitoring: Tracking institutional alignment effectively

✓ Board Composition: Supporting nominating committee decisions

✓ Security Considerations: Privacy concerns with cloud platforms

✓ Vendor Evaluation: Key questions for technology providers

✓ Private Systems: Institutional solutions for enhanced control

✓ Implementation Strategy: Considerations for different institutions

✓

July 10, 2025 July 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast episode 167 featuring Drumm McNaughton and Ashish Fernando - Using AI in Higher Education Enrollment to Improve Fit, Speed, and Student Satisfaction

Using AI in Higher Education Enrollment to Improve Fit, Speed, and Student Satisfaction:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 267 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Ashish Fernando

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Ashish Fernando, founder and CEO of EDMO and iSchoolConnect, about how institutions are using AI to redesign admissions and enrollment processes. Drawing on examples from Western Governors University, Franklin University, and others, they discuss how AI helps improve student fit, speed up decision-making, and support staff without replacing them.

What you’ll gain from listening to this podcast:

✓ Enrollment Redesign: Why fixing admissions workflows must come before automation.

✓ Strategic Use of AI: How institutions are using real-time decision engines and chatbots to reduce lag and melt.

✓ Human + Tech: Balancing automation with counseling and personal support.

✓ Real-World Examples: Implementation insights from WGU, Franklin, NYU, and National University.

✓ Institutional Fit: How AI can help prioritize

July 8, 2025 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 Podcast 218 - Using Technology to Upgrade Higher Ed Branding and Marketing - with host Drumm McNaughton and guest Nuno Fernandes

Using Technology to Upgrade Higher Ed Branding and Marketing:

Changing Higher Ed podcast 218 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Nuno Fernandes

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed, Dr. Drumm McNaughton welcomes Nuno Fernandes, President of American Public University System (APUS), to discuss how institutions can leverage technology to revolutionize their branding and marketing strategies in higher education.

Podcast Overview:

• Insights into the challenges facing higher education institutions in adapting to today’s digital world and shifting power dynamics from institutions to students.

• Strategies for differentiation in higher education, including unique digital experiences, personalized learning journeys, and innovative use of technology.

• Discussion of APUS’s rebranding effort centered around being “Digital by Nature, Human by Design,” showcasing how institutions can position themselves at the forefront of the digital revolution in education.

• Exploration of AI and advanced technologies in higher education marketing, including 24/7 student support, personalized marketing campaigns, and

July 30, 2024 June 27, 2026
Changing Higher Ed Podcast 189 The State of EdTech- OPMs - Risk Planning and Generative AI | with Drumm McNaughton and Phill Hill

The State of EdTech: OPMs, Risk Planning, and Generative AI:

Changing Higher Ed Podcast 189 with host Dr. Drumm McNaughton and guest Phill Hill

In this episode of Changing Higher Ed podcast, listeners will gain an overview of how technology is reshaping the EdTech arena and the potential risks of the current state of OPMs. Dr. Drumm McNaughton discusses contemporary EdTech trends and predictions with Phil Hill, publisher of Phil on EdTech Blog and partner at MindWires LLC. They explore topics ranging from the recent changes in the OPM market due to enrollment, regulations, and cost of money, the potential transformations brought about by generative AI in higher education, to how universities can navigate the existential changes impacting the industry, underscoring the importance for institutions to develop effective risk management strategies. Technology’s Role in Enabling Enrollment Growth Franklin University exemplifies how technology can be leveraged to enhance enrollment and streamline educational processes. The university

January 9, 2024 June 27, 2026

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