Next Practices

Civitas Learning
  • 5,0 (8)
  • Éducation
  • Toutes les 2 semaines

Next Practices welcomes higher education leaders to share their experiences and solutions for the challenges facing their students and institutions. Hosted by Katy Oliveira, the show delves into the use of data-driven strategies to address pressing questions and tackle issues in the constantly evolving landscape of higher education. Each episode provides practical advice and trends that can help leaders improve student outcomes and build financially sustainable institutions now and into the future. Next Practices is produced by Civitas Learning. Learn more at civitaslearning.com

  1. Signals: What Is Your AI Actually Acting On?

    24 juin ·  Bonus

    Signals: What Is Your AI Actually Acting On?

    Higher education is being flooded with AI pitches. Agents. Automation. Efficiency at scale. But the question most demos skip is the one that determines whether any of it works: what is the agent actually acting on? In this Signals audio edition, we explore why the gap between automation and outcomes isn't a product feature — it's an intelligence problem. Drawing on Lawrence Technological University's implementation experience and the emerging wave of AI-native platforms pitching directly to boards and presidents, this episode examines why the foundation underneath an agent matters more than the agent itself. Topics discussed include: Why an AI agent is only as good as the intelligence it acts on The difference between institution-specific intelligence and generalized models How AI-native platforms measure success in queries and interactions — not students retained What Lawrence Technological University learned about data, continuity, and advisor capacity Why automation isn't the goal — and what institutions should be asking before they buy Resources discussed: EDUCAUSE Analytics Landscape Study The Rise of the Agentic AI University in 2026 Lawrence Technological University Customer Story

    5 min

  2. 23 juin

    The Shift from Student Services to Student Success Systems

    Building a student-ready college takes more than good intentions. It requires us to look honestly at the systems students are trying to navigate and ask whether those systems are helping them move forward or quietly creating barriers along the way. Our guest today is Dr. Michelle Nelson, Dean of Student Success at Macomb Community College in Michigan. She is a native Detroiter, the first in her family to earn a PhD, and she brings more than 20 years of experience across both academic and student affairs.  Her work centers on breaking down systemic barriers, closing equity gaps, and building a campus culture that truly reflects the needs of students. In our conversation, Michelle talks about using data in a very practical way, not as a replacement for relationships, but as a way to notice sooner when a student may need support. Sometimes the signs show up early, in missed assignments, attendance patterns, course choices, or academic notice status.  The goal is not to label students or make assumptions about them, but to reach out before a small obstacle turns into something much harder to recover from. We also talk about the people around the student, especially faculty, and how much difference it makes when support comes from someone the student already knows. Michelle shares how Macomb is thinking about touch points, milestones, and the small moments that help students feel like they are still moving in the right direction.  Show Notes: [02:44] Dr. Michelle Nelson introduces her role as Dean of Student Success at Macomb Community College and describes her work as creating systems, not just services, to help students start, stay, and succeed. [05:13] The conversation turns to hidden curriculum, systemic barriers, and why students should not be blamed for getting caught in the confusing rules and processes of college. [07:19] Data allows Macomb to see student patterns at scale, but Dr. Nelson emphasizes that the numbers only point to a need and do not tell the full student story. [10:09] Meaningful touch points are most effective when they are timely, relevant, and personalized, helping students feel recognized rather than simply contacted. [13:29] Faculty can help identify academic, personal, disability-related, or well-being concerns and connect students to support before problems grow. [16:18] Dr. Nelson acknowledges that the work is not perfect, but says Macomb is becoming more intentional about building collaboration between student services and academics. [19:40] Dr. Nelson introduces the idea of "toxic combinations," where students take difficult course loads that may fit their schedule but create added academic risk. [21:46] Students on academic notice need outreach at the beginning and middle of the semester, not after it is already too late to change the outcome. [24:34] Macomb thinks carefully about outreach cadence, recognizing that new students and students nearing completion have very different needs. [27:10] Support is described as a strategy, with intentional checkpoints helping validate a student's path and reinforce that they are moving in the right direction. [30:40] Student-Ready College influenced the Macomb team and encouraged them to question whether institutional systems are helping students or creating barriers. [32:28] Dr. Nelson closes by encouraging colleges to build coordinated care models that reach not only the students who know how to ask for help, but also the students who often remain invisible. Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Dr. Michelle Nelson - Macomb Community College Michelle (Cade) Nelson Ph.D. - LinkedIn Becoming a Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success Macomb Community College Student Success Resources

    34 min
  3. Signals: Surviving Isn't the Same as Improving

    10 juin ·  Bonus

    Signals: Surviving Isn't the Same as Improving

    Higher education has become remarkably resilient. Institutions have weathered enrollment declines, funding pressures, and years of disruption. But resilience has a limitation: it restores systems to their previous state. It doesn't necessarily improve them. In this Signals audio edition, we explore why the institutions making the most progress aren't focused on getting back to normal—they're asking what normal needs to become. Drawing on recent industry conversations, a student success podcast featuring Waubonsee Community College, and emerging discussions around AI, coordination, and institutional effectiveness, this episode examines why student impact depends on more than moving data faster. Topics discussed include: Why resilience and transformation are not the same thing The difference between accelerating insight and improving coordination Why the student impact gap is often a systems problem, not a data problem How institutions can use AI to create more human connection, not less Why coordination matters more than speed when supporting students The characteristics institutions share when they consistently improve outcomes Resources discussed:  Why AI Won't Transform Higher Education Until Fragmentation Is Fixed What's Standing in the Way of Student Success? CLOSE the Student Impact Gap: A Modern Operating Model for Student Success Using AI to Strengthen Student Relationships

    4 min

  4. 9 juin

    Student Success Doesn't Live in One Department

    Higher ed leaders talk a lot about student success, but the real work often happens in the spaces between departments. When academic affairs and student affairs operate separately, students can feel the gaps in everything from advising and course scheduling to basic needs support and completion pathways. This conversation looks at what can happen when those two sides of the institution stop working around each other and start working together. Dr. Andrew Tomko, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Bergen Community College, and Dr. Anthony "A.J." Trump, Vice President of Student Affairs, join the conversation to share how their partnership has helped reshape the way Bergen approaches student outcomes. They talk about what that partnership looks like in practice, starting with one of the most everyday but important pieces of campus life: the course schedule. From there, the conversation moves into how Bergen is using its own student data to challenge assumptions, make better decisions, and help faculty and staff see where change is actually needed. Dr. Tomko and Dr. Trump also discuss developmental education reform, microcredentials, completion rates, and the kind of cross-campus collaboration it takes to make student success more than a talking point. Show Notes: [03:05] Andrew Tomko introduces himself as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bergen Community College and reflects on his 30 years at the institution. [04:17] A.J. Trump shares his role as Vice President of Student Affairs and explains Bergen's goal to increase retention and completion rates by 1% each year. [05:21] We learn why student support and basic needs are essential to student success, especially at a community college. [08:34] Scheduling becomes the first major example of their work together, including how misaligned course times created real obstacles for students. [11:43] Honest feedback from faculty and staff becomes part of the change process, especially around sensitive issues like course scheduling. [14:33] Listening, credibility, and patience become key themes in working with faculty who are attached to long-standing practices. [17:47] Developmental education becomes a central example, as low completion rates reveal the limits of standalone developmental courses. [20:36] We look at how data challenges assumptions, especially when a practice sounds helpful in theory but produces different results in reality. [23:12] Weekly leadership meetings between academic and student affairs help teams address issues, review data, and make continuous improvements together. [26:58] Financial aid limits and English language learners become part of the developmental education discussion, especially when extra coursework can slow or stop student progress. [30:33] Microcredentials come into focus after Bergen finds that more than 2,000 students had earned certificates but never applied for them. [34:01] Faculty are encouraged to think differently about transfer, workforce preparation, and the value of a single course in a student's life. [37:28] One hope is that silos stay broken and that people continue using data to guide change rather than reacting to isolated exceptions. [39:56] The episode closes with the importance of perspective, communication, and giving academic and student affairs teams more opportunities to understand one another's work. Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Bergen Community College Andrew Tomko, Ph.D. - Bergen Community College Dr. Anthony (A.J.) Trump - Bergen Community College

    41 min
  5. Signals: The Retention Plateau No One Talks About

    27 mai ·  Bonus

    Signals: The Retention Plateau No One Talks About

    Most retention conversations end when the numbers go up. But the real work often begins after institutions hit their goals. In this Signals audio edition, we explore what some researchers are calling higher education's "plateau era" — a moment where demographic pressure, funding constraints, and changing student behavior mean the easy retention gains are behind most institutions. Drawing from the National Student Clearinghouse's 2025 Persistence and Retention Report and insights from Slippery Rock University's student success team, this episode examines why sustained progress depends on experimentation, iteration, and continuing to ask better questions after the headline numbers improve. Topics discussed include: • Why first-spring persistence may matter more than headline fall retention numbers • The difference between launching initiatives and designing experiments • Why broad "at-risk" categories lose usefulness as outcomes improve • Student organizations as retention infrastructure • The role relationships play in turning insight into institutional action • Why plateaued progress is often a systems question, not a data question Resources discussed: • National Student Clearinghouse 2025 Persistence and Retention Report • Beyond the Plateau — featuring John Rindy and Emily McLain from Slippery Rock University • Research and institutional strategies related to persistence, experimentation, and coordinated student success systems

    4 min

  6. 26 mai

    Using AI to Strengthen Student Relationships

    Artificial intelligence is moving so quickly that it can feel hard to know what's useful, what's hype, and what's actually worth bringing into the work we do with students. But one of the most important questions may not be what AI can do. It may be whether it helps us create more meaningful human connection, or quietly pulls us further away from it. My guest today is Chadd Engel from Waubonsee Community College. Chadd brings a thoughtful perspective shaped by his work in K-12, career pathways, computer science advocacy, and AI in community college instruction. He has spent years thinking about how education can help students move toward opportunity, and now he's helping institutions think through how AI fits into that bigger picture. We talk about how higher ed leaders can filter through the noise around AI and focus on use cases that actually support student success. Chadd shares why AI should be used to raise the quality of our work first, not simply reduce time on task, and how that saved time can be reinvested into more student-centered conversations. At the heart of this conversation is the idea that technology should help us see students more clearly, support them more personally, and build stronger relationships across the institution. Show Notes: [02:54] Chadd Engel shares how his work in education began in K-12 and grew into career pathway experiences designed to help students move toward living-wage opportunities. [05:23] Personal details can make a big difference in student support, and Chadd explains how AI can help advisors remember meaningful connection points across large caseloads. [08:30] We shift into the cultural and operational hurdles that can slow AI adoption in higher education, especially when new tools are introduced without clear purpose or context. [11:49] Concerns about surveillance, accuracy, and replacement are real, but the conversation also explores how AI can increase capacity when it is treated as a tool instead of a substitute for human expertise. [13:03] Chadd introduces the dialogue model and explains why curiosity, listening, and open-ended questions are more useful than trying to dominate conversations about AI. [15:27] Rather than focusing only on saving time, Chadd encourages leaders to use AI first to raise the quality of their work and then reinvest any saved time into human connection. [18:37] A simple social media example shows how technology can either isolate people or become a shared experience that opens the door to conversation. [21:45] One practical AI use case is using publicly available program and pathway information to support advising conversations in real time. [24:24] Chadd frames AI adoption as institutional upskilling and suggests building momentum through grassroots sharing, curiosity, and ongoing dialogue. [26:09] A strong guiding principle emerges: if an AI use case leads to more human-to-human interaction, it is worth exploring, and if it reduces connection, it deserves closer scrutiny. [27:21] The conversation turns to the future of AI translation tools and how they may help students learn, communicate, and receive support in their first language. [28:05] Chadd closes by emphasizing that the future of AI in higher education is not just about smarter systems, but stronger human relationships. Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Chadd Engel - Waubonsee Community College Waubonsee Connection Spans Generations in the Engel Family

    30 min
  7. Signals: Are We Solving the Right Problem?

    13 mai ·  Bonus

    Signals: Are We Solving the Right Problem?

    Most buying conversations in higher education start with features. Dashboards. Alerts. Predictions. AI capabilities. But stronger evaluations ask a different question: Will this system actually help our institution coordinate action? In this audio edition of Signals, we explore why lasting impact depends on more than platform capabilities alone. Drawing from recent Inside Higher Ed and EDUCAUSE research, this episode examines the gap between investment and execution — and why institutions that see sustained progress tend to evaluate something deeper than feature lists. Topics discussed include: • Why features alone don't create coordination • The difference between buying software and strengthening an operating model • Why fit matters more than breadth of capability • The role of workflow alignment, ownership, and long-term partnership • Questions institutions should ask before the next demo gets scheduled Resources referenced in this episode: • Inside Higher Ed Survey Insights: The Top 12 • EDUCAUSE 2026 Top 10 Research • Buyer's Guide to Evaluating Institutional Success Systems • Student Success Playbook

    3 min

  8. 12 mai

    Beyond the Plateau: Designing Retention Experiments While the System Is Still Moving

    Retention is often treated like a finish line, where you hit the number and move on.This conversation pushes back on that. When outcomes improve, the work doesn't settle down, it gets more precise. The obvious fixes are gone, and what's left takes more attention, better questions, and a willingness to keep testing things that aren't guaranteed to work. John Rindy, Assistant Vice President for Career and Academic Progress, and Emily McClain, Associate Director for Academic Success Design at Slippery Rock University, talk about how they approach that reality. They rely heavily on data, but not just to report results. They use it to spot patterns, challenge assumptions, and decide where to experiment next. That includes looking at second-semester drop-off, rethinking how they define "at-risk" students, and building partnerships across campus that don't always come easily. We also talk about how this shows up in practice. A student organization becomes the basis for a retention experiment. Tutoring is taken directly to students instead of waiting for them to ask. Faculty conversations get uncomfortable when data pushes back on long-held beliefs. Underneath all of it is a consistent idea that student success isn't a fixed system, it's something you keep adjusting as students, expectations, and conditions change.   Show Notes: [02:11] John walks us through his role at the university and gives an overview of the school and its programs. [03:07] Emily explains her role in academic success design and how she works with coaching and student support. [03:52] We get into retention and why improving the numbers doesn't make the work easier. It actually gets more complex. [04:37] We talk about how they use data to ask better questions and turn those into things they can test and try. [05:48] Early retention gains come from obvious fixes, but once those are handled, it's harder to see what needs attention. [06:58] A pattern shows up with more students leaving after the second semester, which gives them something new to dig into. [08:06] The idea of complacency comes up and why strong results can actually be a risky place to stop learning. [08:51] The shift to using quartiles instead of broad "at-risk" labels to get a clearer picture of students. [09:29]Campus culture and how much it matters when trying to work across departments. [10:43] Instead of waiting for students to ask for help, they bring support directly to where students already are. [11:57] We talk about breaking down the stigma around asking for help so students actually use the resources available. [13:22] How focusing on testing ideas, adjusting, and improving over time is better than one-time solutions. [14:11] A retention experiment through a student organization, built around connection and mentorship. [15:57] Student relationships and sense of belonging come up as major factors in whether students stay. [17:06] That idea expands into thinking about how more student organizations could play a role in retention. [18:18] Faculty pushback comes up, especially when data challenges how courses or outcomes are viewed. [19:53] Trust and relationships make those conversations easier and more productive. [21:14] They share a framework for building stronger connections across campus, centered on care and engagement. [22:58] Over time, consistency and being open with data help build momentum with campus partners. [25:46] The focus shifts to assumptions and how they can shape decisions about students without people realizing it. [26:44] They question why some schools retain nearly all of their students and what might be driving that difference. [27:36] Clear expectations for students are set early, pushing back on the idea of just "trying" college. [28:42] Their focus on student potential instead of looking at students as lacking something. [30:23] The idea of value and why students are more likely to stay when they see the value in their experience. [31:37] Creating space for students to think about purpose and direction is part of helping them stay engaged. [32:41] A quick story from a campus tour shows how they communicate opportunities in a simple, clear way. [33:53] Leadership support comes through as a key factor in being able to experiment and try new ideas. [34:39] They stress the importance of stepping back and questioning what's actually working and what isn't. [35:52] We wrap with the idea that this work is ongoing and always changing.   Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Slippery Rock University John Rindy - Slippery Rock University Emily McClaine - LinkedIn Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College

    37 min
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À propos

Next Practices welcomes higher education leaders to share their experiences and solutions for the challenges facing their students and institutions. Hosted by Katy Oliveira, the show delves into the use of data-driven strategies to address pressing questions and tackle issues in the constantly evolving landscape of higher education. Each episode provides practical advice and trends that can help leaders improve student outcomes and build financially sustainable institutions now and into the future. Next Practices is produced by Civitas Learning. Learn more at civitaslearning.com

Informations

  • Création
    Civitas Learning
  • Années d’activité
    2022 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    47
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © 2022
  • Site web de l’émission
    Next Practices