Financial Pressures in Higher Ed Are Growing—AI Can Help, So Why Isn’t It?
Higher education institutions are grappling with mounting financial pressures—rising operational costs, shifting enrollment patterns, and increasing competition. These challenges are exacerbated by recent executive orders, creating additional uncertainty around funding, regulatory compliance, and workforce dynamics. Yet, when we recently surveyed institutions, one trend stood out: the majority have not yet implemented AI-driven solutions to tackle […]
“Waste, Fraud, and Abuse”: What Can Higher Education Learn From DOGE?
We’re in a chaotic time in higher education. Chaos has been common since 2020, but the last month is new. With presidential orders affecting federal funding from many angles, institutions are feeling unprecedented financial pressure at this scale and pace. The activities of DOGE, at the direction of Elon Musk, have brought that same chaos […]
Insights from Google Public Sector GenAI Live & Labs: AI’s Expanding Role in Higher Education
AI’s rapid evolution continues to reshape higher education, from research and instruction to workforce development and institutional operations. At the Google Public Sector GenAI Live & Labs event in New York City, industry leaders, university administrators, and government officials gathered to explore the latest AI innovations and their real-world impact. As higher education institutions seek […]
Navigating Accessibility Mandates: Insights for Higher Education Institutions
Accessibility in higher education is not just a legal obligation, it is a fundamental commitment to equity, ensuring that all students, regardless of ability, have the tools and opportunities to thrive. Last year, the Department of Justice issued a mandate requiring state and local entities, including public higher education institutions, to ensure that their mobile […]
Unlocking Strategic Potential: Redefining IT Resource Allocation
The Problem We’re Trying to Solve At the end of a long week a couple of years ago, while serving as CIO, I remember looking out from my office across our campus and thinking: “For all of the money the institution had spent on technology over the past 25 to 30 years, has it really […]
When Modernization Seems Out of Reach: Part Two
Modernization Strategy for Resource-Constrained Institutions: Part 2 In the first part of our series, we explored strategies that require minimal financial investment but can yield substantial improvements in efficiency and effectiveness. These include re-evaluating business processes, decustomizing legacy systems, and aligning with best practices and system native functionality. In case you missed it, you can […]
Is Higher Education Doing Enough to Prepare Students for an AI World?
If this week’s Stargate announcement of a $500 billion US AI infrastructure investment didn’t underscore this enough: we have entered the age of AI. Just in my own life this week, I conversed with ChatGPT on Azure AI architecture design for WaldoGPT and took a ride to a bar in a Waymo self-driving car. AI […]
When Modernization Seems Out of Reach: A Two-Part Modernization Strategy for Resource-Constrained Institutions
Part 1: Getting Started with Low or No-Cost Strategies In today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape, smaller institutions, typically under 2500 students, often find themselves at a crossroads. The need to modernize core administrative systems is undeniable, yet the perceived lack of resources—be it time, money, expertise, or cultural readiness—can be daunting. There is a reason […]
Enhancing Student Experiences Through Intuitive Digital Interfaces
During my time as a student on campus, I reflected on how technology can either elevate or hinder the quality of students’ daily experiences. Technology plays an integral role in students’ lives, from accessing assignments and lectures in learning management systems to reviewing dining hall and event calendars to communicating with professors and advisors via […]
How Can Institutions Build Agility and Resilience with Data and AI in 2025?
As we enter a new year, I’ve been reflecting on what higher education institutions need to thrive amidst ongoing challenges like enrollment shifts, financial pressures, and evolving student expectations. Agility and resilience continue to be essential for navigating the complexities of higher education as Dave Kieffer explained in a recent post. This year, data management and […]
