Association of Chief Academic Officers

Season 2 of EdUp Provost begins next week! My first three guests of 2025 are AI expert Jules White (Vanderbilt University), the writer and critic William Deresiewicz, and leadership coach and author Karen Blakeley. We will discuss the role of AI for academic leaders, the ideological divide in our nation and higher education, and how to lead with love. EdUp Provost is the podcast of the Association of Chief Academic Officers in association with The EdUp Experience. Don't miss these thought-provoking conversations!

Thank you to Gregor Thuswaldner for contributing to this week's ACAO Blog, "Breaking Down Silos: How Academic and Student Affairs Can Work Together for Student Success"! His submission can be accessed by visiting the ACAO Blog Quick Link at www.acao.org.

🎉 Happy New Year from all of us at the Association of Chief Academic Officers! 🎉 As we welcome 2025, we celebrate the achievements of the past year and look forward to another year of collaboration, innovation, and growth in higher education. Here’s to supporting one another in leading transformative change and advancing academic excellence in our institutions. Wishing you a year filled with inspiration, success, and connection! #happynewyear2025 #higheredleadership #acaocommunity

That's a wrap on Season 1 of EdUP Provost! I had the privilege of having 35 incredible conversations with visionary academic leaders across the country exploring the cutting edge of higher education. Here's a quick preview of Season 2: Jules White (Vanderbilt University) on "Building the AI-Ready University;" Pamela Eddy (William & Mary) on "Equity in Community Colleges and Beyond;" William Deresiewicz on "Bridging Ideological Divides in Higher Education;" Derek Bruff (University of Virginia) on "The Future of Educational Technology;" Aaron Olson on "Leading with Strategic Thinking in Higher Education;" Karen Blakeley on "Leading with Love in Higher Education;" Mike Moss, CAE (Society for College and University Planning (SCUP)) on "The Role of the Provost in Strategic Planning;" and Jorge Burmicky, Ph.D. (Howard University) and Kevin R. McClure (University of North Carolina Wilmington) on "The Competencies Provosts Need." Happy Holidays! EdUp Provost will be back as of January 6, 2025. Association of Chief Academic Officers The EdUp Experience

Thank you to Dr. Louis Primavera, Associate Provost for Special Projects at Touro University for this week's blog post, "Always Consider the Possibility That You Could Be Wrong". It can be read at https://lnkd.in/eGSBwpa5. #provost #cao #chiefacademicofficer #higheredleadership

🎙️ How Can Centers for Teaching and Learning Revolutionize Higher Education? The latest episode of EdUp Provost is here, and it's a must-listen for anyone passionate about teaching excellence and student success! Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner hosts Brown University's Dr. Mary Wright, a leading expert in educational development, to explore the transformative role of Centers for Teaching and Learning (CTLs) in higher education. This episode dives into critical questions like: 🌟 How do CTLs drive faculty and student success while navigating institutional priorities? 🌟 What role does AI play in shaping the future of teaching methodologies? 🌟 How can interdisciplinary collaboration and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strengthen teaching excellence? Key takeaways include: 🔑 Teaching is a continuous professional journey requiring constant innovation. 🔑 Faculty resistance is real—but CTLs are equipped to foster engagement and change. 🔑 Aligning teaching practices with institutional priorities enhances impact and resilience. 🔑 Investing in teaching centers leads to better learning outcomes and institutional success. Dr. Wright offers fresh insights into incentivizing effective teaching, integrating active learning strategies, and empowering change agents in education. If you care about the evolving landscape of teaching and learning, this episode is for you! 🎧 Tune in now: https://lnkd.in/e2TxHQdv #HigherEducation #TeachingExcellence #EdUpProvost #StudentSuccess #CTLs #AIinEducation #AcademicLeadership #EdUp

How Can Business Practices Enhance Higher Education? What happens when academic leaders adopt a business mindset to address today’s challenges? Could seeing students as co-producers reshape the future of learning? In the latest EdUp Provost episode, host Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner sits down with Dr. Erica Eckert and Dr. Mark Kretovics, authors of a transformative guide to applying business practices in higher education. Together, they delve into how academic institutions can navigate shifting demographics, enrollment challenges, and cultural resistance while staying true to their mission. 🎙️ Key takeaways include: 🔑 The student as co-producer model for fostering active engagement. 🔑 Why strategic planning must be agile and grounded in data. 🔑 Adapting to demographic shifts to attract non-traditional learners. 🔑 Faculty incentives as a tool to enhance retention and institutional success. 🔑 Finding harmony between tradition and business practices to ensure sustainability. This episode offers actionable insights for leaders striving to build resilient, mission-driven institutions in a rapidly changing world. 🎧 Listen now: https://lnkd.in/e2TxHQdv #HigherEducation #AcademicLeadership #BusinessInAcademia #StudentEngagement #EdUpProvost #StrategicPlanning #EdUp

🚀 New EdUp Provost Episode Alert! 🎧 Are you ready to revolutionize the way we think about innovation in higher education? In this exciting episode of EdUp Provost, Sr. Gregor Thuswaldner sits down with Perry Klebahn of The Stanford d.school, co-author of "Ideaflow: The Only Business Metric That Matters", to tackle one of the biggest challenges in academia: fostering creativity and innovation. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll discover: ✨ How provosts can overcome thinking traps to spark transformative ideas. ✨ The Ideaflow framework: Why generating LOTS of ideas is the key to success. ✨ Practical strategies for engaging students in course creation to boost relevance and excitement. ✨ Why risk-taking is critical for faculty and staff—and how leaders can encourage it. ✨ The role of AI in education: As a tool for augmentation, not replacement. ✨ The balance between tradition and innovation in academia. 🎙️ This episode dives deep into the future of academic leadership, the power of collaboration, and actionable steps to create a culture of experimentation that benefits students and educators alike. Don’t miss this thought-provoking conversation with Perry Klebahn—it’s packed with insights that every leader in higher education needs to hear. 🎧 Listen now and join the conversation: https://lnkd.in/e2TxHQdv #Innovation #HigherEdLeadership #EdUp #AcademicLeadership #IdeaFlow #EdUpProvost #highereducation

Thank you to Mary Kennard, Esq., Senior Consultant at Academic Search, for contributing to this week's blog, "Checklist for Third-Party Use of Institutional Facilities and Assets". Her post can be read at https://lnkd.in/ecEHRmh8.

📢 New Episode: EdUp Provost Podcast 🎧 In the latest episode, Dr. Catherine Denial, Bright Distinguished Professor of American History and Director of the Bright Institute at Knox College, joins Dr. Gregor Thuswaldner to discuss her groundbreaking work, "A Pedagogy of Kindness." This conversation examines how kindness can reshape academic environments, enhance student engagement, and create a stronger sense of belonging on campus. Key topics include: - How kindness differs from niceness—and why it matters - Practical ways provosts can foster a culture of kindness for students and faculty - Insights into policies that prioritize humanity without compromising accountability Dr. Denial’s inspiring perspectives challenge traditional norms and provide actionable strategies for making kindness a cornerstone of higher education leadership. This episode is essential for academic leaders who want to lead with empathy and transform their institutions into supportive and thriving communities. EdUp Provost is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify: https://lnkd.in/e2TxHQdv #HigherEducation #KindnessInLeadership #StudentEngagement #EdUp #AcademicLeadership #InclusiveTeaching