The University Business Podcast

University Business

A forum for higher education leaders

  1. Sep 23

    Beyond the Hype: Building Scalable Microcredential Programs That Deliver Results

    Microcredentials are having a moment in higher education.  Microcredentials offer institutions new opportunities to attract learners, address workforce demands, and diversify revenue streams. But realizing that promise can be difficult when programs are managed through disconnected systems, manual processes, and payment workflows designed for traditional degree programs. This fragmentation can increase administrative burden and make it difficult for finance professionals to determine how much revenue microcredentials are actually generating. So the question remains: Does the microcredential hype hold up once these programs are actually deployed?  During our discussion, we’ll tackle this question by exploring why operational efficiency is a critical but often overlooked factor in microcredential success. We’ll discuss how a unified payments ecosystem can help institutions streamline processes, improve the learner experience, and transform microcredentials into a scalable, sustainable driver of institutional growth.  Key Takeaways  Meeting the moment: Understand why microcredentials have become a popular strategy for attracting new learners and building financial resiliency for your institution.  Name the roadblocks: Identify common operational and financial challenges that can limit the success of microcredential programs.  Discover solutions: Explore the benefits of a unified payments ecosystem for managing microcredential programs.  Connect the dots: Leave with a deeper understanding of how to create a foundation for a successful program across campus  This podcast is sponsored by TouchNet. Go to TouchNet.com for more info.

  2. Aug 25

    Ep. 23: Joe Sallustio sees a new type of president emerging

    After more than 240 conversations with sitting college presidents, this higher ed podcast star has identified the leadership traits that separate institutions embracing change from those struggling to keep pace.

  3. Jun 26

    Ep. 22: Why Workforce Pell is valuable for every college mission

    Workforce Pell's launch on July 1 is only the beginning. Here's why Kentucky is urging every college type to align academic offerings with career readiness.

  4. May 6

    The Impending Federal Student Loan Drought - Can Institutional Loans Provide Relief?

    In the wake of major shifts in Title IV borrowing limits, higher education institutions face an urgent imperative: rethinking how graduate and professional students finance their education. With the removal of Grad Plus loans, the federal "shock absorbers" that once bridged the gap between federal aid and the cost of attendance are disappearing. This timely podcast episode explores the impending "student loan drought" and the emerging necessity for institutions to build robust, mission-aligned institutional loan programs. Our guest, Lori Harton, explains why financing is no longer just a back-office financial aid issue—it is a critical enrollment strategy that will determine which institutions preserve access and maintain enrollment stability over the next decade. What You’ll Learn – The Institutional Lending Strategy: The Policy Shift: Understanding the new caps on graduate, professional, and Parent PLUS loans and why the federal landscape is becoming more restrictive. The "Canyon" Gap: How to analyze your institution’s specific funding gaps, especially in high-cost professional pathways like medicine and law. Breaking Misconceptions: Debunking the myth that institutional loans are inherently reckless, and recognizing why they require a collaborative approach across enrollment, finance, and compliance. Strategic Design: How to price loans based on mission rather than margin, and how to wrap support services around the debt to ensure student success. Borrower Experience: Positioning financing as a tool for success rather than a penalty, and leveraging technology to manage the full life cycle of a loan. When federal options fall short, institutions cannot afford to be reactive. The risk is no longer just about making loans—the risk is doing nothing and acting surprised when enrollment softens. From risk management to personalized student support, this episode provides a roadmap for turning a financial challenge into an institutional strength. Podcast Guest Lori Hartung Regional Executive ECSI For more information on navigating these changes in student financial services, visit https://home.ecsi.net/solutions/servicingselect

  5. Apr 17

    Ep. 21: Reframing quality in a changing credential economy

    The growth of micro‑credentials, short‑term certificates and alternative learning pathways has created new options for students and new pressures for institutions.

  6. Apr 1

    Ep. 20: Why completion is not enough for community colleges

    One Million Degrees CEO Aarti Dhupelia explains why community colleges must invest more in helping students transition into careers to deliver real economic mobility.

  7. Feb 6

    Ep. 19: Leading the liberal arts in the age of AI

    With guest Gregor Thuswaldner, provost of La Roche University (Penn.).

  8. 11/21/2025

    Ep. 18: Reintroducing diversity in 2026

    Paullette Granberry Russell, president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, joins the podcast to discuss what it takes to recapture the narrative around DEI initiatives—and perhaps even appeal to members who’ve historically denounced it.

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About

A forum for higher education leaders

Information

  • Creator
    University Business
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    31
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    The University Business Podcast