EdUp Institutional Effectiveness

KP Powers

EdUp Institutional Effectiveness is a podcast for higher education leaders who want to understand what’s shaping institutional performance before it shows up in the numbers. Hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD, the show uses the Powers Index of College & University Performance™ to explore early signals of strength and strain across data, finance, governance, culture, and partnerships. Through conversations with practitioners, scholars, and select vendors, the podcast offers clear thinking, shared language, and practical insight to support better decisions and more effective leadership.

Episodes

  1. The Demonstration Gap: Don Rudawsky — Dynalytic Solutions

    May 25

    The Demonstration Gap: Don Rudawsky — Dynalytic Solutions

    Grounded in the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® and hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD. Dynalytic Solutions Founder and Principal Consultant Don Rudawsky spent more than a decade as a VP for Institutional Effectiveness at a large private nonprofit institution before turning his attention to a pressing question: why doesn't the public trust us? In this episode, Don draws on his research and forthcoming book on IE and the public trust crisis to argue that the problem isn't a lack of evidence — institutions have been collecting it for decades. The problem is a governance decision that hasn't been made: who is accountable for pointing that evidence outward, and what does it take to close what Don calls the demonstration gap. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS The demonstration gap is not a data problem — institutions already have the evidence of student learning. It is a governance problem: the decision to share it externally has not been made.Assessment data collected for accreditation is almost entirely closed-system. Students, employers, and the public rarely see what institutions know about learning outcomes — and that invisibility drives eroding public trust.Micro-credentials and comprehensive learner records only build trust when the transparency infrastructure is deliberate — employer communication, validity, and shared understanding of what the credential means.When institutional leaders aren't credible messengers to a distrustful public, institutions need to think creatively — alumni, community partners, and visible graduates whose outcomes are externally verifiable.Powers Index™ Signal in Focus Signal #2: Transparency — measures whether institutions communicate honestly and clearly with key stakeholders; Don's research illustrates how the transparency gap that undermines internal decision-making shows up externally as public distrust — institutions are not failing to collect evidence, they are failing to decide what to do with it.Key Resources KP on IE newsletterKristina 'KP' Powers, PhD — EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast hostInstitute for Effectiveness in Higher Education®Powers Index of College & University Performance™

    25 min
  2. Accreditation as Strategic Partnership: Christy England - Authentic Insights

    May 17

    Accreditation as Strategic Partnership: Christy England - Authentic Insights

    Grounded in the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® and hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD. Authentic Insights Founder and President Christy England has spent her career helping colleges and universities navigate accreditation, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness — and what she keeps finding is that institutions leave one of their most invested partners completely out of the conversation. In this episode, Christy draws on her chapter Accreditation and the Art of Collaboration in the forthcoming Priority Partners: Turning Vendor Spending into Mission Strength (IEHE, Summer 2026) to make the case that institutional accreditation is not a barrier to partnerships and that the accreditor relationship, when engaged early and honestly, becomes a strategic asset most institutions never fully use. For leaders who want a practitioner's view of what changes when you bring your accreditor in as a collaborator from the start and why "the only wrong answer is a dishonest answer". This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS The success of the institutional accreditor is tied directly to the success of their member institutions, which means they are invested in helping you navigate, not in saying no.Partners are an extension of the institution. That means the institution has an obligation to provide oversight and ensure that any partner is also in compliance, this isn't intrusion, it's shared accountability and good risk management.Early, honest communication with your institutional accreditor liaison is the single highest-leverage action an institution can take before pursuing an innovative partnership. Every member institution has a liaison. Transparency isn't just an internal discipline — it extends to external stakeholders including accreditors. Institutions that communicate proactively, concisely, and honestly consistently navigate accreditor relationships more effectively than those that wait, hide, or overwhelm.Powers Index™ Signals in Focus Signal #7: Regulatory — measures whether an institution understands, monitors, and responds effectively to its regulatory environment; in this conversation, Christy explains how accreditors function as agents of the Department of Education and why institutions that treat regulatory compliance as a partnership rather than a hurdle are consistently better positioned.Signal #2: Transparency — measures whether institutions communicate honestly and clearly with key stakeholders; Christy's core counsel — "the only wrong answer is a dishonest answer" — illustrates how transparency with accreditors directly determines the quality of guidance and support institutions receive in return.Key Resources KP on IE newsletter (free)Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD — EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast hostInstitute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on LinkedInPowers Index of College & University Performance™

    30 min
  3. When Strategy Needs a Partner: Jack Corby, Vice President of Stevens Strategy

    Apr 5

    When Strategy Needs a Partner: Jack Corby, Vice President of Stevens Strategy

    Grounded in the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® and hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD. Stevens Strategy Vice President Jack Corby has worked with over 165 partner institutions across 49 states — and what he keeps finding is that the best strategy in the world fails without the operational scaffolding to carry it. In this conversation, Jack zeroes in on Signal #5: Operational Quality and Signal #10: Partners, explaining how bandwidth constraints and institutional silos are the twin warning signs he sees most consistently in struggling institutions, and what it actually looks like when those conditions reverse. For leaders who want a practitioner's view of where strategic planning is heading — and why the question "what will you stop doing?" is the one most institutions aren't ready to answer — this episode is the one to queue. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS The best strategy fails if it can't live and breathe within the institution, operational quality isn't a back-office concern, it's the delivery mechanism for every strategic ambition.Bandwidth and silos are the two most visible signs of institutional strain: the rubber band only stretches so far, and if strategy isn't trickling from the cabinet to the first-year student, it isn't as strong as leadership thinks.The hardest question in strategic planning isn't "what will you do?" — it's "what will you stop doing?" Institutions that can answer that immediately are the ones moving from good to great.Partnership isn't just a vendor relationship, it's the feedback loop that improves operational quality over time. Institutions that partner well consistently outperform those trying to solve everything in-house.Signs of recovery are real and measurable: relief that work is connecting to a bigger picture, data starting to shift, and staff finally feeling like their contributions are moving the institution forward.Powers Index™ Signals in Focus Signal #5: Operational Quality — measures whether internal systems, workflows, and change management capacity are strong enough to actually implement strategy; in this conversation, Jack describes how bandwidth exhaustion and departmental silos signal operational quality breakdown well before it shows up in outcomes data.Signal #10: Partners — measures whether an institution's external relationships and consulting partnerships are adding strategic capacity; Jack illustrates how the right partners function as a force multiplier for institutions that have already acknowledged they can't — and shouldn't — solve everything alone.Get a Forward Edge Forward Edge newsletter (free)Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD — EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast hostInstitute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on LinkedInPowers Index of College & University Performance™

    27 min
  4. The Portfolio Has to Follow the Demographic Signal - Andy Shean - Chief Academic Officer, Los Angeles Pacific University

    Mar 29

    The Portfolio Has to Follow the Demographic Signal - Andy Shean - Chief Academic Officer, Los Angeles Pacific University

    Grounded in the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® and hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD. Andy Shean, Chief Academic Officer at Los Angeles Pacific University and IEHE Fellow, has spent more than a decade leading academic portfolio decisions through real demographic shifts — including his tenure as Chief Learning Officer at Penn Foster Group, where career-aligned programs served students already working in their fields and earning while learning. Shean breaks down the two-bucket portfolio optimization model he uses when entering a new institution: market viability on one side, cost to build and maintain on the other, weighted by strategic priority. He makes the case that the demographic data most institutions already have is not the problem — the problem is whether leadership has the range to act on it, hold the hard conversations, and bring people along while the portfolio changes. The conversation also surfaces where academic integrity is heading in the age of AI, and why Shean's answer starts with reimagining assessment rather than improving detection. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS The demographic signal has been visible for years; the gap is between institutions that have seen it and those that have reorganized around it.Portfolio optimization works in two data buckets: market viability and cost to build and maintain — weighted by strategic priority and reviewed on a rolling basis, not a five-year cycle.The working-learning-earning model — students already employed in their field, using tuition benefits, applying learning in real time — is a replicable template for career-aligned program design.Leadership art is what makes the science executable: candor and genuine care have to exist in the same conversation when a program is being taught out.Academic integrity in the age of AI is a curriculum design problem, not a detection problem — authentic assessment is the answer, not better proctoring software.Powers Index™ Signals in Focus Signal #9: Demographic Shifts — whether institutional program portfolios are actually aligned to where students are going, not where they used to come from.Signal #4: Executive Leadership — whether leadership has the capacity and courage to act on the demographic signal, hold the hard portfolio conversations, and bring people along through the transition.Get a Forward Edge: Forward Edge newsletter (free)Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD — EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast hostInstitute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on LinkedInPowers Index of College & University Performance™

    27 min
  5. When Multiple Answers Exist: Eric Spear – Precision Campus

    Mar 21

    When Multiple Answers Exist: Eric Spear – Precision Campus

    Grounded in the ⁠⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠™⁠, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education®⁠⁠⁠⁠ and hosted by ⁠⁠Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD⁠⁠. Eric Spear, founder of Precision Campus, explains why institutional trust breaks down when the same question produces multiple answers across campus. Drawing from two decades building data infrastructure for higher education, he identifies a persistent challenge: tools designed for enterprise business intelligence fail when applied to the unique demands of institutional effectiveness. Spear introduces a model where fluency follows frequency. When employees can use validated reports themselves, they develop confidence in institutional data without creating version control chaos or bypassing IE entirely. The conversation surfaces a quiet operational pattern: gatekeeping data often backfires, pushing end users to find workarounds that produce the very inconsistency IE teams work to prevent. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS When the same question produces multiple answers across campus, institutional trust erodes and decision making fractures.Fluency in data comes from frequency of use; employees gain confidence when they can manipulate validated reports themselves.Gatekeeping data leads to workarounds; making curated data accessible reduces inconsistent reporting.Generic business intelligence tools fail in higher education because they lack domain-specific logic for institutional data.Employee expertise across campus expands when validated data becomes approachable without requiring IE intervention for every request.⁠Powers Index™⁠⁠ Signals in Focus Signal #2: Transparency – Clear, accessible reporting builds trust; conflicting answers to the same question erode it.Signal #3: Employee Expertise – Institutional performance depends on campus-wide fluency with validated data, not just the technical capacity of the IE team.Get a Forward Edge: ⁠⁠Forward Edge⁠⁠ newsletter (free)⁠⁠Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD ⁠⁠- EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast hostInstitute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠⁠⁠™

    42 min
  6. Process Improvement & Operational Quality: Alex Aljets – Aljets Consulting

    Mar 15

    Process Improvement & Operational Quality: Alex Aljets – Aljets Consulting

    Grounded in the ⁠⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠™⁠, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education®⁠⁠⁠⁠ and hosted by ⁠⁠Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD⁠⁠. In this conversation, Process Improvement Strategist, Alex Aljets of Aljets Consulting, explores how institutional performance is often determined by something leaders rarely examine directly: operational processes. Drawing on her experience in advising, student affairs, and institutional consulting, Alex explains how everyday administrative workflows, from change-of-major approvals to new student onboarding, quietly shape the student experience. When processes are unclear or outdated, they create friction that slows progress for both students and staff. She shares a practical framework for improving processes in higher education: map the current process, analyze where breakdowns occur, and redesign the workflow. The conversation also challenges a common misconception about operational work. Improving processes doesn’t remove the human side of education, it removes unnecessary administrative barriers so faculty and staff can focus on guiding students and solving problems. From advising workflows to cross-campus collaboration, the episode highlights why operational quality is a core driver of institutional effectiveness. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS Institutional transformation requires cross-functional change teams with executive sponsorship, not isolated innovators.Operational processes quietly shape the student experience; when workflows are broken, students feel the friction immediately.Process improvement begins with three steps: mapping the current process, analyzing where breakdowns occur, and redesigning workflows.Repeated questions, workarounds, and escalations are signals that an institutional process is failing.Cross-functional collaboration during process mapping often reveals redundant steps and unnecessary work across departments.Improving operational processes frees faculty and staff to focus on human connection rather than administrative workarounds.⁠Powers Index™⁠⁠ Signals in Focus Signal #5: Operational Quality - Institutional performance depends on reliable, well-designed processes that allow students, faculty, and staff to move through the institution effectively.Get a Forward Edge: ⁠⁠Forward Edge⁠⁠ newsletter (free)⁠⁠Kristina ‘KP’ Powers, PhD ⁠⁠- EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast host Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠⁠⁠™

    30 min
  7. Learning Flows & the Demographic Ocean: Melanie Booth – Principal, Nectary Solutions

    Mar 8

    Learning Flows & the Demographic Ocean: Melanie Booth – Principal, Nectary Solutions

    Grounded in the ⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠™, this series examines the dynamic signals shaping institutional performance before they appear in the numbers. Supported by the ⁠⁠⁠Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education®⁠⁠⁠ and hosted by ⁠Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD⁠. In this conversation, Principal of Nectary Solutions, ⁠Melanie Booth⁠, explores how higher education is shifting from institutionally controlled learning toward what she describes as learning flows, dynamic systems where learners move in and out of education throughout their careers. Drawing on her work across accreditation, credential innovation, and work-integrated learning, Melanie challenges institutions to rethink how learning is recognized, structured, and connected to opportunity. She also reframes one of the most discussed pressures facing higher education. Rather than a “demographic cliff,” Melanie argues institutions are entering a demographic ocean, a much broader and more diverse population of learners engaging with education across a lifetime. This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building learning systems that translate expertise into opportunity. KEY INSIGHTS Higher education is moving from linear education pipelines to learning flows, where learners repeatedly move between education and work. The demographic cliff narrative obscures a larger demographic ocean of adult learners and lifelong education pathways. The 43 million Americans with some college and no credential signal a systemic design problem, not a learner failure. Institutional transformation requires cross-functional change teams with executive sponsorship, not isolated innovators.Powers Index™⁠ Signals in Focus Signal #8: Economic Conditions: Economic shifts increasingly shape the knowledge, skills, and capabilities learners must develop throughout their careers.Signal #9: Demographic Shifts: Future-ready institutions will design systems for lifelong learners rather than focusing primarily on traditional-age students.Signal #4: Executive Leadership: Leadership alignment and courageous decision-making determine whether institutions can redesign systems to support new learning models.Get a forward edge: ⁠Forward Edge⁠ newsletter (free)⁠Kristina ‘KP’ Powers, PhD ⁠- EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast host Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on ⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠Powers Index of College & University Performance⁠⁠™

    41 min
  8. Assessment as Strategy: Joe Levy - Associate Provost of Excelsior University

    Feb 23

    Assessment as Strategy: Joe Levy - Associate Provost of Excelsior University

    This episode is part of the Activating Expertise Through Leadership Signal Series, a structured exploration of how institutions convert internal capability into institutional performance. Grounded in the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, this series examines the dynamic between Employee Expertise (Signal #3) and Executive Leadership (Signal #4), and how alignment between the two determines whether knowledge becomes sustained institutional momentum. Supported by the ⁠⁠Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education®⁠⁠ and hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers. In this conversation, Associate Provost of Accreditation and Quality Improvement, Joe Levy at Excelsior University, explores how accreditation and assessment become strategic assets when leadership integrates evidence directly into decision architecture rather than treating it as episodic compliance. [More on Joe's thought leadership.] This series is designed for leaders, practitioners, and institutional partners committed to translating expertise into measurable institutional strength. KEY INSIGHTS Assessment becomes strategic when leadership embeds evidence into cabinet dialogue, governance structures, and performance conversations.Expertise without alignment generates reports; alignment converts expertise into institutional action.Political capital, trust, and visible sponsorship determine whether institutional effectiveness work shapes outcomes.Institutions that build structured reflection into leadership practice outperform those that approach accreditation as episodic reporting.Powers Index™ Signals in Focus Signal #3: Employee Expertise: Institutional capability resides in people and becomes an advantage when positioned as strategic capacity.Signal #4: Executive Leadership: Leadership alignment determines whether expertise influences culture, incentives, and long-term performance.This episode advances the Activating Expertise Through Leadership Signal Series, examining how colleges move from data accumulation to performance clarity. Get a forward edge: Forward Edge newsletter (free)Kristina ‘KP’ Powers, PhD - EdUp Institutional Effectiveness podcast host Institute for Effectiveness in Higher Education® on LinkedInPowers Index of College & University Performance⁠™

    48 min
  9. Terra Schehr - Schehr Strategies

    Feb 18

    Terra Schehr - Schehr Strategies

    How do colleges move from being data rich to truly information informed? In this episode of EdUp Institutional Effectiveness, Terra Schehr, founder of Schehr Strategies, shares her journey into institutional effectiveness and her approach to building real capacity inside colleges and universities. She explores why data governance, financial fluency, and professional development are essential—and why trust and executive alignment ultimately determine whether data drives decisions. Grounded in Signals #3 (Employee Expertise) and #4 (Executive Leadership) from the Powers Index of College & University Performance™, Terra makes the case that institutional effectiveness leaders must be strategic partners at the governance table, not just report generators. In conversation with host KP Powers, Terra offers practical insight for presidents, provosts, CFOs, trustees, and IE professionals committed to leading with clarity and purpose.

    36 min
  10. Audacity Nadler, Authentic Evaluation

    Feb 10

    Audacity Nadler, Authentic Evaluation

    Unlock the secret to transforming institutional effectiveness with creative, community-driven evaluation methods that not only gather impactful data but also foster trust and transparency. If you're tired of traditional, cumbersome assessments and want to make evaluation meaningful and fun—this episode is your game-changer. Audacity Nadler, founder of Authentic Evaluation, shares her journey from teaching data to high school students using artful, memorable techniques to revolutionize how organizations understand their impact. You'll discover how arts-based evaluation methods can seamlessly integrate into existing programs, capturing genuine insights without adding burden. Her innovative graffiti wall approach and culturally appropriate strategies show how to turn evaluation into an engaging, participatory process that participants actually value—and want to do. We break down the power of transparency and community involvement in evaluation, revealing how early stakeholder engagement and the principle of 'nothing about us without us' can unlock trust and drive meaningful change. Gain insights into how to identify and overcome common barriers—like data overload and fear of sharing imperfections—and learn practical steps to create a culture where honest, accessible data fuels decision-making. Plus, learn how the Powers Index of College and University Performance™  highlights the significance of Signal #2: Transparency, especially when fostering trust and collaborative problem-solving. Audacity's own story as a leader exemplifies how authentic, student-centered evaluation can lead to real transformation—whether in higher ed or community programs. Perfect for institutional leaders, evaluators, and anyone committed to making data work for people, this episode offers actionable strategies to upgrade your assessment approach, build trust across your community, and turn evaluation from a chore into an opportunity for growth. Don't miss out on the future of effective, engaging, and Authentic Evaluation.

    33 min
  11. What is Institutional Effectiveness?

    Feb 3

    What is Institutional Effectiveness?

    We say this phrase all the time in higher education, usually with a lot of confidence — and very little agreement on what it actually means. If you ask ten people what it means, you’ll hear things like assessment, accreditation, dashboards, reporting, or maybe an office somewhere on campus. And all of this is at least part of the story. Here’s how I think about Institutional Effectiveness— and the one this podcast is built around: Institutional effectiveness is the operating system that connects planning, budgeting, data, and decision-making — so leaders can anticipate challenges, allocate resources intentionally, and avoid governing by emergency. Let me unpack that using the The Powers Index of College & University Performance™.

    5 min

  12. Jan 16

    Welcome to EdUp Institutional Effectiveness

    Hi — I’m KP Powers, and this is EdUp Institutional Effectiveness. This podcast is for higher education leaders who want to understand what’s really shaping institutional performance — before it shows up in the numbers. Each episode uses the Powers IndexTM as a guiding lens toexplore the early signals of institutional strength and strain across finance, data, governance, culture, and partnerships. You’ll hear thoughtful conversations with practitioners, scholars, and select vendors from across the higher-ed ecosystem — focused on how decisions actually get made and where institutions get stuck. This podcast offers clear thinking, shared language, and practical insight to support better decisions and more effective leadership. If you’re looking for a calmer, more thoughtful way to understand institutional effectiveness, you’re in the right place.

    1 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

EdUp Institutional Effectiveness is a podcast for higher education leaders who want to understand what’s shaping institutional performance before it shows up in the numbers. Hosted by Kristina 'KP' Powers, PhD, the show uses the Powers Index of College & University Performance™ to explore early signals of strength and strain across data, finance, governance, culture, and partnerships. Through conversations with practitioners, scholars, and select vendors, the podcast offers clear thinking, shared language, and practical insight to support better decisions and more effective leadership.

Information