Radical Cooperation

Radical Cooperation

Welcome to Radical Cooperation, the podcast in which higher education leaders explore collaboration as the key to lasting change. Host Dr. Michael Horowitz, together with presidents, chancellors, and trailblazing experts, dives into thought-provoking conversations about solutions to some of the most pressing issues in higher education. From fostering partnerships across institutions to leveraging innovation over tradition, each episode unpacks how cooperation, not competition, drives success. If you're ready to embrace bold, forward-thinking ideas that unite and inspire, you’re in the right place.

  1. What Forward-Thinking Colleges Are Doing Differently

    4D AGO

    What Forward-Thinking Colleges Are Doing Differently

    In The Community Solution, Dr. Michael Horowitz presents a bold vision for higher education, showing how colleges can break down silos, collaborate effectively, and build resilient, student-centered institutions. Drawing on his experience leading a six-college system, Horowitz illustrates how radical cooperation and thoughtful design can transform institutions—and the students they serve. This episode highlights the ideas at the heart of the book, giving listeners a front-row seat to his framework in action. Many colleges feel stuck between two unsatisfying options: preserve traditions that no longer fit, or chase change without clarity about what should remain. As enrollment pressures and financial constraints grow, the deeper challenge is not innovation itself, but whether institutions truly understand what students are hiring them to do. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz sits down with Michael Horn to examine how higher education’s underlying models shape institutional behavior often more than leaders realize. Drawing on jobs-to-be-done thinking, they explore why incremental fixes rarely deliver resilience, how misalignment between student motivations and institutional design leads to attrition, and why focus and differentiation are essential for helping students choose more intentionally. Rather than framing the future as a breaking point, this episode offers a grounded perspective on how colleges can evolve thoughtfully, preserving their core while building structures that better serve both students and institutions. In this episode: Why institutional models matter more than isolated initiativesHow focus and differentiation help students make clearer choicesThe limits of incremental change in moments of structural pressureWhat leaders can realistically control in uncertain conditions

    32 min
  2. Which Marketing Strategies Reach Today’s Students

    FEB 18

    Which Marketing Strategies Reach Today’s Students

    Higher education is competing for attention in a more crowded, fragmented landscape than ever before. As enrollment pressure rises and traditional advantages fade, institutions face a critical leadership question: how do you grow without losing focus, credibility, or mission? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Brook Shepard, Founder and CEO of Mason Interactive, about what higher education leaders often misunderstand about marketing, enrollment, and growth. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience working with colleges, universities, and mission-driven organizations, Brook reframes marketing not as a set of tactics, but as an institutional capability that requires alignment, patience, and shared responsibility. In this episode: Why higher education often measures marketing the wrong wayHow short-term efficiency can undermine long-term enrollment growthWhat alignment between marketing, admissions, and leadership really requiresWhy awareness is a prerequisite for demand, not a luxuryHow institutions can build shared accountability instead of siloed blame

    41 min
  3. What Keeps Alumni Coming Back

    FEB 4

    What Keeps Alumni Coming Back

    Alumni relationships are often treated as transactional, a newsletter, a donation ask, a quiet fade after graduation. But as higher education faces enrollment pressure, rising costs, and shifting expectations, the deeper question is how institutions build alumni relationships that are genuinely sustaining and long-term.  In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Ellen Helms, Jana Johnston, and Saajan Bhakta about what meaningful alumni connection actually looks like over time. Drawing from their experiences as trustees, researchers, faculty leaders, and practitioners, they explore why personal outreach matters more than mass communication, how institutions without traditional campuses or sports can reimagine “homecoming,” and why trust and belonging must be cultivated well before students graduate. In this episode: Why personalized alumni engagement outperforms generic outreachHow institutions can redefine “homecoming” beyond sports and campusesThe long-term value of alumni relationships for students and institutionsWays alumni can support students through mentorship, access, and advocacyWhy trust and belonging must begin during the student experience

    36 min
  4. Why the Humanities Matter More in the Age of AI

    JAN 21

    Why the Humanities Matter More in the Age of AI

    Technological change is accelerating faster than most institutions can adapt. As artificial intelligence reshapes work, learning, and leadership, higher education faces a deeper question: what human skills truly endure when information becomes instant and automation becomes ubiquitous? In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Rishi Jaitly, Founder and Professor at the Virginia Tech Institute for Leadership in Technology. Together, they explore why the humanities, often dismissed as “soft skills”, may be the most critical foundation for leadership in an AI-driven world. Drawing on Rishi’s experience across Silicon Valley, global technology platforms, and higher education, the conversation reframes empathy, curiosity, storytelling, and ethical judgment as essential forms of leadership capacity. From the concept of the “full-stack human” to the limits of content-based education, this discussion examines how institutions can prepare leaders not just to use technology, but to steward it with clarity, humility, and purpose. In this episode: Why the humanities matter more as technology acceleratesWhat it means to develop “full-stack” human leadersHow curiosity and ambiguity shape effective leadershipThe limits of content-driven education in the AI eraWhy lifelong learning is becoming a leadership imperative

    38 min
  5. Why Distinction Matters More Than Ever

    JAN 7

    Why Distinction Matters More Than Ever

    Distinctiveness in higher education isn’t created by accident. It takes clarity, discipline, and the willingness to make strategic choices, especially as colleges face shrinking enrollments, rising costs, and pressure to prove their value. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Mary Marcy, Ph.D., President Emerita of Dominican University of California, and Lucie Lapovsky, Ph.D., Former President of Mercy College and current College Management Consultant. Together, they explore what truly sets successful colleges apart, how retention and mission clarity drive both academic and financial health, and why collaboration, not isolation, is becoming essential for survival. From redefining student pathways to rethinking resource models and shared infrastructure, Mary and Lucie offer a grounded look at the decisions that help institutions stay strong in an era of rapid change. In this episode: What truly defines institutional distinctionHow retention and mission clarity strengthen outcomesWhy collaboration and shared services matter more than everThe leadership mindset needed to navigate rapid change

    43 min
  6. The Hidden Work Behind Protecting Student Data

    12/17/2025

    The Hidden Work Behind Protecting Student Data

    Higher education is entering a new era of digital responsibility. As campuses adopt AI tools, expand online learning, and rely on data to improve the student experience, the pressure to protect that information has never been greater. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Jeanne Eicks, Rick Merrick, and Pegah Parsi about how universities can build a culture of privacy that strengthens trust, reduces risk, and supports innovation. Together, they explore why privacy is no longer just a legal requirement, how student expectations are evolving across generations, and what it takes to lead responsibly in a world shaped by constant technological change. In this episode: Why privacy must be treated as a shared institutional value, not a checklist.How data footprints, AI use, and global regulations are reshaping higher ed.What “digital risk” really means for students, faculty, and the institution.Why the rise of privacy leadership in higher education signals a major cultural shift.How universities can balance innovation with protection—and earn student trust in the process.

    42 min
  7. The Strategic Power of the Higher Ed CFO

    11/25/2025

    The Strategic Power of the Higher Ed CFO

    Higher education is under financial pressure like never before. Rising costs, shrinking enrollments, and tuition-dependent models are forcing leaders to make hard choices about what to cut and what to protect. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Jennifer Gantz, Chief Financial Officer of the Community Solution Education System, about how strategic investment, not austerity, is the key to institutional resilience. Together, they unpack why you can’t cut your way to greatness, how shared governance complicates financial decisions, and what it really takes to align money with mission in today’s higher ed landscape. In this episode: Why cutting costs alone undermines quality and long-term growth.How program prioritization, shared governance, and transparency create smarter decisions.The leadership mindset CFOs need to stay innovative and adaptive under pressure

    33 min
  8. The Future of Higher Ed Belongs to Bold Collaborators

    11/12/2025

    The Future of Higher Ed Belongs to Bold Collaborators

    Shrinking enrollments and financial strain are pressuring colleges nationwide, but survival isn’t about cutting to the bone. It’s about rethinking how institutions scale, collaborate, and innovate. In this episode of Radical Cooperation, Dr. Michael Horowitz speaks with Dr. Jeremy Moreland, president of Saybrook University, about how bold leadership and radical cooperation can transform higher education. From boosting doctoral completion rates to building trust with faculty and embracing calculated risk, Dr. Moreland shares lessons from leading institutions through challenge and change. In this episode: How economies of scale create room for innovation and resilience.Why transparency and collaboration are essential to student success.What higher ed leaders can learn from risk-taking and failure in other fields.

    39 min
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About

Welcome to Radical Cooperation, the podcast in which higher education leaders explore collaboration as the key to lasting change. Host Dr. Michael Horowitz, together with presidents, chancellors, and trailblazing experts, dives into thought-provoking conversations about solutions to some of the most pressing issues in higher education. From fostering partnerships across institutions to leveraging innovation over tradition, each episode unpacks how cooperation, not competition, drives success. If you're ready to embrace bold, forward-thinking ideas that unite and inspire, you’re in the right place.

Information

  • Creator
    Radical Cooperation
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Radical Cooperation
  • Show Website
    Radical Cooperation