The University Business Podcast

Ep. 11: Here is one promising way to unlock stopped-out learners

To get adult learners to return, they often need to be reminded how beneficial a college degree can be for their entire family, one expert says. 

Ep. 10: Jeff Dinski talks skills-based learning

Colleges and universities may need to overhaul some foundational processes in order to unlock a new era of skills-based learning in higher ed, says Jeff Dinski, chief strategy and corporate development officer at Ellucian, on the "The University Business Podcast."

Student Survey Results: Transforming the Student Financial Experience to Meet Their Needs

Paying for tuition has become an increasingly complex process, with 55% of U.S. students relying on three or more funding sources to cover their education costs. In fact, 74% of students report that managing their financial-related activities requires moderate to very high effort, according to the 2025 Student Financial Experience Report by TouchNet, and research and analytics company College Pulse. In this podcast, we will discuss these and other results from this year’s report along with actionable insights that will help institutions shift from complexity to convenience to better serve their students.
Simplify the financial journey for students and transform their experience by learning how to:
· Boost convenience by streamlining student services
· Adapt to student preferences with mobile-first payments
· Recognize and meet the unique financial challenges of international students
· Simplify financial processes by leveraging technology upgrades
Podcast Guests Melissa Medeiros Senior Manager, Product Management TouchNet melissa.medeiros@touchnet.com
[FULL REPORT] 2025 Student Financial Experience Report - Read Here
The Student Financial Experience Report offers insights into how students pay for tuition and other campus items, and use mobile technology to navigate their campus experience. Read the report to learn how students’ experiences with financial-related activities can impact their overall higher education journey.
https://go.touchnet.com/l/652093/2025-02-20/s73z2 
 

Ep. 9: Why supporting faculty mental health is enormous for classrooms

"We oftentimes don't think much about training with adults on social-emotional development, but we're not done growing," says Karen G. Foley, president and CEO of JPA Chicago.

Welcome to the Next-Gen Campus: Evolution in Motion

The technologies that empower learning and living on college and university campuses have changed dramatically over the years. 
To better understand what's happening today and where we are going tomorrow, we need to zoom out and recognize the incredible technological journey we have been on—from the good, to the bad, to the simply incredible.  
In this podcast, Ron Shaffer, a trendspotter and expert in education technology, will begin by leading us through a look back on this journey. With the benefit of an historical perspective, listeners will glean some insights that we can apply to today’s campus technologies. We will then shift our gaze to the near future and explore some of the new and emerging tech that will be evolving life and learning on campus in the decade to come. 
Join the podcast as we: 
Examine the evolution of campus technologies and extract valuable insights from past implementations
Explore emerging technologies reshaping physical campus operations
Preview innovations that will transform campus life and learning in the coming decade
This podcast will help higher ed administrators and facilities leaders better evaluate and prepare for the next wave of campus technology integration. 
Ron Shaffer  Industry Solutions Leader - Education  Salto  r.shaffer@saltosystems.com 

Ep. 8: One way Trump may disrupt work-based learning—for the better

"There are a lot of things that have people freaked out about the election of the Trump administration, but sometimes disrupting a system is a good thing," Jane Swift, president of Education at Work, says on the latest University Business Podcast.

Ep. 7: Building 'adaptive strategies' in state university systems

Public university systems must align with their states to better address economic mobility and workforce development—while swaying with new budgets, fluctuating revenue and other challenges, James Johnsen says.

The Future Role of Higher Ed Libraries Study Results on Student, Alumni & Family Needs

As technologies, space utilization, and institutional identities evolve at a rapid pace, higher ed libraries are undergoing a fundamental transformation to new modalities, redefining their roles as temples of knowledge and community hubs.  
In this podcast, furniture manufacturer KI commissioned StudioFynn to undertake an extensive national research study. The research details the evolving purpose and mission of educational institutions and their library spaces driven primarily by the changing needs and experiences of students, educators, and alumni.  
To find the white papers visit https://www.ki.com/insights/markets/higher-education/evolution-of-libraries/.For more information on StudioFYNN visit www.studiofynn.com

Ep. 6: Why HSIs play a vital role for the U.S. economy

Dr. Antonio Flores, president of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), details how Hispanic Serving Institutions will best serve a U.S. labor workforce projected to be one-fifth Hispanic by 2030.  

Ep. 5: The 'revolution' in academic strategy is here

Breaking down siloes is a method of the past at UT Knoxville. Inaugural dean Ozlem Kilic walks us through how her new college scales cutting-edge curriculum that responds to emerging trends in data science, AI and their cross-section.