SACSCOC Updates: Substantive Change, Standards, and Outcomes Transparency

Accreditation is often treated as a compliance cycle, but SACSCOC is signaling a faster-moving, more transparent operating posture that will affect how institutions plan change, document quality, and explain outcomes to the public. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Stephen L. Pruitt, President of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), about substantive change reforms, standards revision planning, outcomes transparency, and what institutional leaders should be watching right now. Topics Covered Substantive change reforms approved in December, including eliminating more than half of existing categories, shifting others to presidential review, and reducing approval times to as little as one week Why SACSCOC is emphasizing student benefit as a decision lens for institutional change The vice president liaison model and how it supports institutional navigation of SACSCOC processes The planned three-member rapid response team concept and when it may be used Law or Lore and why written requirements versus institutional assumptions can create unnecessary friction Standards revision planning, including public drafts and how feedback is incorporated The dynamic public-facing dashboard planned for spring and what it may make more visible Torch Awards and how outcomes signals relate to public trust and accountability Workforce alignment, affordability pressure, and the pathways from high school through postsecondary to careers Credit transfer as a public trust issue and why it is often perceived as a money grab Serving working adults as a design requirement, not an add-on Real-World Examples Discussed Georgia film-industry growth and the need to stand up new majors and degrees quickly Gwinnett Tech's advising approach that helps students sequence coursework to earn certificates along the way Workforce shifts such as autonomous trucking pilots and how programs could expand beyond a single credential to broader skills Three Key Takeaways for Higher Ed Leadership Faster change pathways increase the value of disciplined internal governance and clean documentation of readiness. Student benefit and measurable outcomes are becoming a more visible way institutions will need to justify change and demonstrate quality. Transparency tools and outcomes signaling will influence how stakeholders judge institutional credibility, affordability, and workforce relevance. Read the transcript https://changinghighered.com/sacscoc-accreditation-substantive-change-standards-2026/ #Accreditation #SACSCOC #HigherEducation #HigherEducationPodcast

Higher education's public trust problem is not something presidents can fix with better messaging. In this conversation, AAC&U President Dr. Lynn Pasquerella describes a structural squeeze on institutional independence that shows up as academic freedom fights, curriculum mandates, and growing skepticism about higher education's value. In episode 300 of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Pasquerella about why liberal education is often misunderstood, why academic freedom is inseparable from institutional autonomy, and why presidents and boards need to treat this moment as a governance and mission issue, not a temporary political cycle. Pasquerella explains how these pressures tend to escalate incrementally, why institutions lost control of the public narrative, and what it takes to rebuild credibility through community anchoring, transparency, and a renewed public-good case for higher education. This conversation is especially relevant for institutional leaders navigating legislative interference, polarized stakeholder environments, and the operational consequences of eroding trust. Topics Discussed Why academic freedom and institutional autonomy erode incrementally What Supreme Court precedent signals about academic freedom and university self-governance Why liberal education is about intellectual freedom, not partisan ideology How higher education lost the public narrative and why marketing is not the solution Moral distress and moral injury in the presidency under coercive mandates Belonging uncertainty, cognitive bandwidth, and the institutional impact of student wellbeing Community anchoring as the practical path to rebuilding trust How institutions can reimagine learning without abandoning rigor Real-World Examples Discussed Legislative interference that dictates curriculum and constrains shared governance. The closure of a college as a community-level loss, not only an institutional event. How belonging signals show up later as persistence, completion, and learning outcomes. Why transparency about tradeoffs affects institutional credibility How community advisory input can keep programs aligned with civic and workforce needs. Three Key Takeaways for University Presidents and Boards Treat academic freedom and institutional independence as a board-level governance priority, because erosion is gradual and easy to normalize. Rebuild trust through consistent community presence and usefulness, not positioning statements. Address belonging and wellbeing as institutional effectiveness variables, because belonging uncertainty reduces cognitive bandwidth and performance. Read the transcript and the accompanying post: https://changinghighered.com/moral-distress-belonging-presidential-leadership-in-higher-ed/ #HigherEducation #HigherEducationPodcast #AcademicFreedom #PublicTrust #LiberalEducation

Free speech on campus is not an abstract constitutional issue—it's a governance challenge for presidents and boards. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton is joined by Dr. Sean Stevens, Chief Research Advisor at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), to examine the current state of campus free speech and what institutional leaders must do to protect open inquiry under increasing political and social pressure. Drawing on FIRE's national research and campus speech databases, Stevens outlines the sharp rise in government-involved attempts to sanction speech, the growing prevalence of self-censorship among faculty and students, and the structural pressures reshaping intellectual life on U.S. campuses. The conversation moves beyond partisan framing and focuses on leadership responsibility: preserving disciplined pluralism, reinforcing institutional neutrality, and ensuring that students graduate prepared to engage competing ideas with rigor and intellectual humility. Some of the key topics covered in this episode include: The increase in campus speech sanction attempts involving government actors Faculty and student self-censorship trends and what the data reveals Why exposure to competing perspectives is an educational obligation Institutional neutrality as protection for viewpoint diversity The distinction between protected speech and prudent speech in the social media era Practical steps presidents and boards can take to strengthen expressive rights policies Three Takeaways for University Presidents and Boards: Defend expressive rights consistently—even when doing so is politically uncomfortable. Leadership credibility depends on principled application. Recognize that sustained political and social pressure can narrow intellectual culture—and counter that contraction intentionally. Preserve disciplined pluralism as a core academic value. Students must be able to hear, analyze, and argue competing perspectives without fear. This episode provides a strategic lens for higher education leaders navigating campus speech controversies while protecting the fundamental mission of scholarship and inquiry. Listen now or read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/free-speech-in-higher-education-fire-on-institutional-integrity-and-mission/   #HigherEducation #FreeSpeech #CampusLeadership #AcademicFreedom #BoardGovernance #ChangingHigherEdPodcast

Higher education is under mounting pressure to prove its value. But the data institutions need to respond already exists — most are just not using it strategically. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Melba Amissi, Chief Customer and Operations Officer at the National Student Clearinghouse, about how the Clearinghouse's cross-institutional data can help college presidents and boards navigate the accountability, affordability, and workforce alignment challenges reshaping higher education. Drawing on a career in financial services, fraud analytics, cybersecurity, and operational transformation, Amissi brings an outsider's perspective to higher ed — one grounded in measurable outcomes and data-driven decision-making. She and Dr. McNaughton explore why institutions must embrace non-linear student pathways, improve credit mobility, strengthen employer partnerships, and lead with transparency to maintain public trust and institutional viability. This conversation is especially relevant for institutional leaders grappling with how to demonstrate return on investment, serve the growing stop-out population, and align programs with workforce needs in a rapidly shifting political and economic landscape. Topics Covered: The National Student Clearinghouse's role beyond compliance reporting — as a strategic benchmarking and analytics resource Why 42 million adults with some college and no credential represent both a challenge and an opportunity How credit mobility and articulation agreements affect enrollment competitiveness The Workforce Pell negotiated rulemaking process and its implications for program design Why workforce alignment should be an "and," not an "or" alongside liberal education How the FAFSA will now warn students about institutions with poor earnings-to-cost outcomes The rising Higher Education Price Index and its compounding effect on institutional costs Real-World Examples Discussed: Franklin University's articulation agreements with over 1,400 institutions, enabling five-minute credit evaluations for transfer students Paul Quinn College's work-integrated model partnering students with Southwest Airlines and other employers Tennessee's statewide talent pipeline that maps graduate competencies directly to employer needs Microsoft's partnership with Miami-Dade College community colleges to build cybersecurity workforce programs Oregon's systemwide credit transfer framework as a model for state-level interoperability Three Key Takeaways for Leadership: Transparency is a survival strategy — proactively share graduation rates, employment outcomes, and student debt data to build trust and stay ahead of regulatory mandates. Align programs with workforce needs through employer partnerships, stackable credentials, and continuous program assessment to demonstrate measurable ROI. Demonstrate real impact — show students, families, and stakeholders the tangible outcomes of your institutional strategies. Bonus Takeaway from Dr. McNaughton: Embrace diverse and non-linear student pathways. The traditional four-year linear journey is no longer the norm — institutions must design systems that serve students from all walks of life and keep the focus on student outcomes. This episode offers a data-grounded look at why higher education's most urgent challenges — cost, accountability, and public trust — require leaders who are willing to use the information already at their disposal to drive strategic change. Read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/racking-stop-outs-transfers-and-roi-across-the-full-student-journey/ #HigherEducation #HigherEdROI #HigherEducationPodcast #StudentSuccess #WorkforceAlignment 

Agile change management in higher education is no longer optional. Institutions are navigating continuous disruption from AI, shifting student expectations, workforce pressures, and internal cultural resistance. The challenge leaders face is not how to implement change once, but how to build the institutional ability to adapt continuously. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Christine Janssen Founder and CEO of Edstutia, an immersive learning company focused on adult learning, about why higher education must move from traditional change models to an agile, iterative approach to leadership, teaching, and institutional strategy. Drawing on her experience in both higher education and entrepreneurial environments, Janssen explains why institutions struggle when they treat change as a project rather than an operating condition. McNaughton and Janssen outline how agile thinking, faculty adaptation, and a willingness to experiment have become essential leadership capabilities for presidents, boards, and faculty alike. Some of the Topics Covered: ·      Why traditional change management models no longer match today's environment ·      How agile, iterative approaches help institutions adapt faster than governance cycles ·      Why AI is exposing weaknesses in traditional teaching and assessment methods ·      The role of faculty culture as both a barrier and a solution to meaningful change ·      Why preparing students for uncertainty requires faculty to be comfortable with it ·      How institutions risk becoming the "yellow cab" in a world expecting "Uber-level" responsiveness Real-World Examples Discussed: ·      How AI forces faculty to redesign assignments and assessment methods ·      Why student evaluations often measure the wrong outcomes ·      How other industries were disrupted by ignoring customer expectations ·      Examples of leaders who prioritize faculty development and innovation Three Key Takeaways for Higher Education Leadership 1.     Institutions must change how they think about change before they can change behaviors. 2.     Faculty partnership and professional development are essential to institutional adaptability. 3.     The greatest risk to higher education is waiting to see what others will do. This episode offers higher education leaders a practical framework for understanding why many institutional struggles stem not from isolated issues, but from an outdated approach to change itself. Read the transcript:  https://changinghighered.com/agile-change-management-for-higher-education-leaders/   #HigherEducation #ChangeManagement #HigherEducationPodcast    

In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Jeff Meade, Founding Director of the Every Quinnite is an Entrepreneur program at Paul Quinn College, about how the institution has embedded entrepreneurship into the operating model of the college itself. Rather than treating entrepreneurship as an elective or a business school track, Paul Quinn uses it as a structural solution to some of higher education's biggest challenges: workforce readiness, student engagement, institutional costs, and student debt. As one of only eight federally recognized work colleges in the United States, Paul Quinn requires all resident freshmen and sophomores to work on campus in meaningful operational roles. By junior and senior year, students transition into paid positions with corporate partners such as Southwest Airlines and Goldman Sachs. At the same time, every freshman completes a required entrepreneurship course during summer bridge, and students begin building and pitching real venture ideas that can receive seed funding from the college. Jeff explains how this model allows the college to lower tuition by redesigning its business structure, how corporate partnerships create a true workforce pipeline rather than traditional internships, and how entrepreneurship is used to teach students to become entrepreneurs of their own lives. This conversation is especially relevant for institutional leaders looking for practical ways to improve workforce readiness, reduce student debt, strengthen retention, and break down academic silos without adding new programs or increasing costs. Topics Covered: How the federal work college model changes both student engagement and institutional costs Why Paul Quinn lowered tuition by changing its operating model rather than increasing discounting How campus work transitions into paid corporate roles for juniors and seniors The required summer bridge entrepreneurship course for every freshman How student ventures are integrated into multiple academic disciplines The role of faculty leadership development through supervising student workers Why partnerships, both external and internal, are central to the model How a seed fund is designed to be self-sustaining through student venture revenue Real-World Examples Discussed: A student learning grant research and development by working directly in the entrepreneurship department Students working in enrollment management and representing the college at recruitment events Corporate partners sponsoring pitch competitions and hiring students into paid roles Students earning income that both offsets tuition and builds professional experience Freshmen pitching business ideas based on problems they see in their own communities Three Key Takeaways for Leadership: Partner with other institutions, corporations, and entrepreneurs rather than trying to build everything internally Design entrepreneurship and experiential learning models to be self-sustaining, not cost centers Make entrepreneurship universal across the student body so it becomes part of the institutional DNA Dr. McNaughton's Bonus Takeaway: Partnerships must exist internally across departments as well as externally to prevent silos and fully integrate the model This episode provides a clear example of how entrepreneurship can function as an institutional design strategy, not just a curricular offering. Read the transcript: https://changinghighered.com/entrepreneurship-to-redesign-college-operating-model/    #HigherEducation #StudentSuccess #WorkforceReadiness #Entrepreneurship

Workforce readiness, hands-on learning, and flexible credentialing are no longer peripheral conversations in higher education. They are central to how institutions are being judged on value, relevance, and outcomes. In this episode of Changing Higher Ed podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Jarred McNeely, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at Sonoran Desert Institute, about how applied, skills-based education can be delivered beyond traditional campuses without sacrificing rigor or quality. McNeely shares how SDI redesigned hands-on instruction for distributed learners by moving labs into students' homes, rethinking assessment around demonstrated competence, and investing heavily in faculty training and support. The conversation explores what these approaches mean not just for trade and technical programs, but for institutions across higher education facing increasing pressure around cost, completion, and workforce alignment. This episode is especially relevant for presidents, provosts, and academic leaders evaluating how applied learning, credential flexibility, and faculty systems can evolve to meet today's student realities. Topics Covered Why hands-on learning does not require centralized labs How lab kits, video-based assessment, and staged progression support skill development What it takes to train and support faculty in distributed, applied programs How simulation and practicum models expand access without lowering standards Why stackable credentials better align with real career movement The role of critical thinking and problem identification in applied education Three Key Takeaways for Presidents and Boards Learning should be assessed by demonstrated competence, not physical presence Faculty training and support systems are the primary drivers of instructional quality Flexible, stackable credentials reduce student risk while supporting long-term engagement Read the transcript or extended show summary: https://changinghighered.com/reduce-student-debt-risk-improve-employability/ #HigherEducation #WorkforceDevelopment #AppliedLearning #HigherEdLeadership #ChangingHigherEd  

Empathy is easy to talk about and harder to practice when the pressure is high. In higher education, leaders are often navigating conflict, fatigue, and urgency, which is exactly when empathy gets misread as weakness instead of treated as a leadership competency. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed® podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Laura Parson, Associate Professor at North Dakota State University and founder of The Empathy Classroom, about building empathy as a practical skill leaders can use without surrendering standards or authority. Parson breaks empathy down into usable behaviors, including perspective-taking, emotional self-management, and question framing that reduces defensiveness. The discussion also addresses "empathy light," when leaders perform empathy for external outcomes instead of practicing it authentically, and why that approach erodes trust. This conversation is especially relevant for institutional leaders who want stronger communication, better decision follow-through, and a healthier leadership culture in environments where people are stretched thin and reactions run hot. Some of the Topics Covered What empathy is as a competency and how it differs from sympathy Why empathy does not require agreement or abandoning standards How to reduce defensiveness through better questions and language choices Self-other distinction and why absorbing others' emotions accelerates burnout Mindfulness and emotional literacy as leadership tools "Empathy lite" and how performative empathy undermines trust How leaders can develop empathy through practice, role play, and scenario rehearsal Real-World Examples Discussed Reframing accusatory "why" questions into curiosity-based questions that invite explanation The "waves" metaphor for managing constant emotions as a senior leader without burning out An executive's post-meeting reset ritual to physically "shake off" emotional residue Using breath work or box breathing after emotionally charged interactions Three Key Takeaways for Higher Education Leadership Model empathy visibly so others understand what it looks like in your environment. Listen, demonstrate that you heard what was said, and reinforce it through action. Treat perspective-taking as a discipline by learning to see issues through multiple stakeholder lenses. Read the extended show summary or transcript:  https://changinghighered.com/empathy-in-higher-education-leadership/   #HigherEducation #HigherEducationLeadership #EmpathyInEducation

In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Dan Predoehl, assistant dean of Extended Learning and director of the Emeritus Institute at Saddleback College, one of the nation's highest-performing community colleges. The conversation focuses on why enrollment challenges persist even at strong institutions and how treating enrollment as a shared responsibility—rather than a system with clear executive ownership—creates fragmentation across admissions, student services, academics, and outcomes. Dr. Predoehl explains the Chief Enrollment Management Officer concept and why a cabinet-level role is increasingly necessary to align enrollment strategy with institutional mission, student success, and long-term viability. Drawing on experience across community colleges and four-year institutions, the discussion examines how enrollment, retention, completion, workforce alignment, and equity outcomes are shaped by leadership structure—not just tactics. Topics Covered: Why enrollment is a system, not a department How diffused responsibility undermines retention and completion The limits of presidential oversight without executive enrollment ownership How workforce alignment strengthens enrollment strategy Why open access increases the need for strategic focus The role faculty partnership plays in sustainable enrollment management Three Key Takeaways for Higher Education Leaders: Enrollment outcomes reflect system design, not individual office performance Retention, completion, and workforce alignment are core enrollment responsibilities Institutions risk long-term instability when enrollment lacks clear executive ownership This episode is especially relevant for presidents, provosts, enrollment leaders, and senior administrators looking beyond short-term fixes toward structural solutions to enrollment pressure. Read the transcript and extended show summary: https://changinghighered.com/chief-enrollment-management-officer-in-higher-education/ #HigherEducation #EnrollmentManagement #HigherEducationPodcast

Institutional transformation in higher education is often described in broad terms. At Stevens Institute of Technology, Dr. Nariman Farvardin describes transformation in operational terms: disciplined strategic planning, academic realignment, and year-after-year execution systems that produced what Dr. Drumm McNaughton calls the Stevens Miracle. In this episode of the Changing Higher Ed podcast, Dr. Drumm McNaughton speaks with Dr. Nariman Farvardin, President of Stevens Institute of Technology, about how Stevens achieved sustained success since he became president in 2011. Under Dr. Farvardin's leadership, undergraduate applications increased 294%, enrollment grew approximately 75%, research funding increased 199%, and the university invested more than $500 million in campus improvements. Stevens also reports first-year retention approaching 96%, graduation rates near 90%, and approximately 97% of graduates employed or in graduate school within six months. Dr. Farvardin explains the institutional "secret sauce" behind those results: an inclusive strategic planning process that builds ownership across faculty, staff, students, administrators, and trustees, paired with execution discipline that keeps the plan active through regular progress reporting, annual written results, and objectives letters that tie leadership goals directly to strategic priorities. He also walks through Stevens' academic realignment, including the SUCCESS curriculum, which ensures every student graduates with foundational exposure to five areas: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, biotechnology, sustainability, and data science. The discussion also covers student support structures that reinforce student experience and outcomes, including the first-year experience model delivered in 45–47 sections annually, with faculty serving as coaches for small groups of students. Topics Covered How Stevens used inclusive strategic planning to build campus-wide ownership and momentum Why execution systems matter more than a polished strategic plan document How Stevens keeps the strategic plan active through regular updates, annual reports, and objectives letters What the SUCCESS curriculum is and why it represents academic realignment, not a one-off initiative The five technology areas every Stevens graduate is exposed to through SUCCESS How the first-year experience course operates at scale and why it supports retention How Stevens operationalized student-centered service so student issues are owned, not deflected Why transparency and shared responsibility improved faculty engagement with change How Stevens uses honesty about what did not work to keep planning credible What presidents and boards should focus on if they want transformation that holds over time Real-World Examples Discussed: A leadership execution model that breaks strategy into smaller goals, distributes them across divisions, and updates them annually through objectives letters A first-year experience structure delivered in 45–47 small sections (20–25 students each) with faculty serving as ongoing coaches A student support expectation that staff "own" the student's problem until it is solved, instead of sending students office-to-office Three Key Takeaways for University Presidents and Boards  A well-designed strategic plan paired with disciplined execution is essential, even when it requires difficult and unpopular decisions A strong, functional relationship between the president and the board is critical to sustaining momentum and leadership effectiveness Trust-based working relationships between leadership, faculty, and staff are required for long-term success and leadership sustainability Read the transcript or extended show summary: https://changinghighered.com/stevens-tech-strategic-planning-transformation/ #HigherEducation #StrategicPlanning #UniversityLeadership #BoardGovernance #StudentSuccess