Friday 5 Live: Higher Education Podcast: Recent Episodes
Innovative Educators
Innovative Educators offers Friday 5 Live, where Meg Foster, Online Learning & Design Specialist, with over 20 years of experience in higher education, interviews experts in the field on a variety of timely topics. Each session will be 30 to 60 minutes of engaging content packed with practical information and allowing for interactive Q&A.
As we begin the fall semester, many institutions are examining how they can become student-ready. Join us as Dr. John Donnelly shares his insights into what makes a college or university student-ready and how institutions can do this important work to focus their efforts on student success. Drawing from his career as a community college administrator and faculty member, John has recently been appointed to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Commission on Student Success which works to improve student success outcomes for community college students.
Jessica Gifford has spent her professional career creating supportive learning opportunities for students. An expert on resiliency, Jessica has shifted her focus to the concept of building connections. How can institutions create opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to make meaningful connections? Join us as Jessica shares her insights and strategies for how institutions can focus on connection and community building to impact mental-health, student, faculty and staff retention and, ultimately, success.
Check out Jessica's resources:
- Free resources for building connection with students
- Free resources for building connection with staff and faculty
- ProjectConnect website
As the spring semester wrapped up, faculty and staff expressed concern about disengaged students. Looking to the new school year, what are strategies institutions can use to create opportunities for students to feel heard and valued? How can we foster campus connections leading to student engagement and success? Dr. Dan Maxwell, Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and Enrollment Services - UH System, shares with us unique ways that he is creating connections with students like his Donuts with Dr. Dan initiative.
College enrollments hit a record low in the fall semester. Coupled with that, new data released in early May shows that FAFSA applications are down almost nine percent compared to last year - a concerning trend that suggests another year of downward college enrollment. How can institutions work to address enrollment challenges? What are strategies colleges and universities might take to encourage growth in applications but also examine student success? Join as Aaron Basko, enrollment growth specialist and author, shares his insights into the challenges institutions are facing with enrollment and strategies to consider for institutional growth and health!
As we wrap up this school year and our conversations on leadership in honor of our colleague Dr. Denise Swett, Kate Mueller reflects on this year: things learned, surprises found, and how this year of continued pandemic learning will inform the upcoming academic year. Kate shares her recommendations for how we can lead from where we are and resources for our own growth and renewal.
As we emerge from pandemic learning, students are struggling to find their footing and to be successful in their classes. Listserve discussions for organizations like the POD Network, FYE, and LRNASST are ripe with faculty and staff expressing their concern about failing students and their surprise that as instruction has returned to in-person there has not necessarily been a correlation to fewer grades of D, F, and W. Jessica Tinklenberg, Program Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning at Claremont Colleges, shares her insights into how we can better understand the learning environment from a student perspective while sharing ways we can provide the support they need NOW.
The pandemic has spotlighted a concerning enrollment trend in higher education: a decrease in Black male students at U.S. colleges and universities. Dr. Reginald Stroble, coordinator of the Black Male Initiative at Anne Arundel Community College continues our conversation from the fall semester on recruiting and retaining Black male students. Reggie, and his former student Juwon, shared their insights and critical considerations for our work with male students. This promises to be an informative conversation you won’t want to miss!
Join us for this next discussion in our Don't Sweat It: The Denise Sweat Conversations on Leadership Series! Dr. Celia Esposito-Noy, Ed.D, the Superintendent/President, Solano Community College District, shares insights from her extensive career in higher education. Celia provides insights on crafting strong and diverse teams as well as sound advice on how to create stystemic change at our institutions to better address equity and access.
Declines in enrollment and FAFSA applications from students of color and low-income families are a concerning trend we've seen dominate higher education headlines this academic year. As a result, institutions are grappling with how to best support students from these populations, often the very ones identified for participation in TRIO programs. Listen in as Dr. Pinkey Stewart shares with us strategies and techniques for supporting TRIO students and under-resourced students. Dr. Stewart draws from her extensive career in higher education to understand the challenges facing under-resourced students and their families and best practices in enrolling and retaining this important student population.
The pandemic has shown a spotlight on a concerning enrollment trend in higher education: a decrease in the number of Black male students at U.S. colleges and universities. Dr. Reginald Stroble, coordinator of the Black Male Initiative at Anne Arundel Community College, shares his insights into how institutions can recruit and support Black male students. His work was recently highlighted in an article about the declining number of male students in colleges and universities. Reggie shares his own story as well as critical considerations for our work with male students.
This series is being brought to you in celebration of Dr. Denise Swett and her love, commitment and service to higher education. As a seasoned professional and dear friend, Denise touched the lives of thousands of students and administrators. In this episode, Dr. Jory Hadsell, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Educational Technology Services at the Foothill-De Anza Community College District and the Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus shared their approach to leadership in their work with online learning.
Resources: LIFT Leadership Institute for Tomorrow
This series is being brought to you in celebration of Dr. Denise Swett and her love, commitment and service to higher education. As a seasoned professional and dear friend, Denise touched the lives of thousands of students and administrators. In this episode, San Lu and Gail Rulloda of Napa Valley College shared their approach to leadership in their work with Disability Support Programs & Services (DSPS).
San and Gail generously shared an extensive list of resources for us to use in our work:
- Duncan-Andrade, J. (2009). Note to Educators: Hope Required When Growing Roses in Concrete. Harvard Educational Review, 79(2), 181–194. https://doi.org/10.17763/haer.79.2.nu3436017730384w
- Stanton-Salazar, R. D. (2011). A Social Capital Framework for the Study of Institutional Agents and Their Role in the Empowerment of Low-Status Students and Youth. Youth & Society, 43(3), 1066–1109. https://doi.org/10.1177/0044118X10382877
- Becoming Student-Ready College: A New Culture of Leadership for Student Success
- Miller, P. M., Brown, T., & Hopson, R. (2011). Centering Love, Hope, and Trust in the Community: Transformative Urban Leadership Informed by Paulo Freire. Urban Education, 46(5), 1078–1099. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085910395951
- Chosen Strategies for Revolutionary Leadership
- Nevarez, C. & Wood, J.L., (2013) Leadership Theory and the Community College: Applying Theory to Practice
- Subini, A. et al. (2013) Dis/ability critical race studies (DisCrit): Theorizing at the intersections of race and dis/ability
- Ferri, B. A., Annamma, S. A., Connor, D. J. (2007) Critical Conversations Across Race and Ability
Much has been written in the last year examining whether we are at a crossroads in higher education. How has the pandemic contributed to a re-envisioning of higher ed, and will pandemic-fueled change last? In this episode, Phil Hill and Kevin Kelly of MindWires and the PhilOnEdTech blog share what the future of higher education might look like, the role technology plays, and lessons we have learned from our year of pandemic learning.
In our inaugural episode of our "Don't Sweat It: Denise Swett Conversations on Leadership" series, Dr. Ding-Jo H. Currie, founder, and director of Leadership Institute for Tomorrow (LIFT) at CSU Fullerton joined us. LIFT aims to cultivate and develop leaders who will make a social impact on justice, equity, and inclusion from the ground up. Dr. Currie reflected on her growth as a leader, offered advice on how we can develop in leadership roles, and shared her philosophy on leading with love.
We will continue our leadership discussion each month this fall semester in an effort to recognize Dr. Denise Swett and her love, commitment and service to higher education. As a seasoned professional and dear friend, Denise has touched the lives of thousands of students and administrators.
As we have discussed in previous episodes, the start of the 2021-2022 school year is hardly a return to “normal.” Recently highlighted in the Chronicle of Higher Education, a team at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has taken a trauma-informed approach to crafting the start to this new academic year - an approach that honors the last year of pandemic learning and life. Dr. Scott Gonert, Dr. Adam Jussel, and Dr. James Topitzes discuss what they’ve learned about their own community’s COVID experiences and how their research has informed their reopening plans for students, staff, and faculty. This promises to be a critical conversation you won’t want to miss!
Check out the Campus Cares website of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Dean of Students Office.
The concern about student learning loss in a year of pandemic learning is both significant and real. We know the benefits of consistent use of learning support resources like tutoring, supplemental instruction, and writing centers. How can we get students to engage with these critical success resources? Listen in as M.E. McWilliams and James Gapinski share their recommendations and insights into how we can maximize student usage of our learning support centers!
Let's hear from our students! In so many of our Friday 5 Live conversations this year, we've discussed the importance of listening to our students. We convened a panel of students representing institutions across the U.S. to share their perspectives on the fall semester and learning in this year of transition. Listen in to hear what students' hopes and concerns are for this academic year as they reflect on a year of COVID learning!
Students have spent a year plus learning online and in hybrid environments. How will this shift in learning adjust student expectations of what the “classroom” experience involves? How can faculty and student services staff adapt to student expectations now that institutions have shifted outside the traditional time, space and location of college learning? Join us as Jean Mandernach shares new research on the changing landscape of student expectations and dives into how we can create flexible and diverse learning opportunities for today’s college students. This Friday 5 Live promises to be an insightful conversation into bridging the space between faculty/staff and student learning expectations.
How can we ease our students back to campus for the Fall 2021 semester while addressing transition and learning loss concerns? Jean Mandernach, an online learning expert and frequent Innovative Educators speaker, shares her insights into how we can best support our students in their return to campus this fall. Jean provides practical tips and recommendations for addressing student learning loss and considerations for bringing in students who may have spent significant time out of the formal classroom environment in the last year-plus of pandemic learning.
Resources provided by Jean Mandernach, Ph.D.
Andrea Harris and Tyler Vuillemot shares their insights into making the transition back to campus. Many of us have spent over a year working from home, but now as we prepare to return to our offices and our teammates, how can we make the best possible transition back? As team leaders, Andrea and Tyler have facilitated the return of staff to campus. They share their tips, tricks, and insights filled with warmth and sense of humor for how we can dust off our “real” clothes and make the transition back to the office.
This year has been incredibly challenging, and we focusing in June on how staff and faculty can take care of themselves as they prepare for the upcoming school year. In this episode, Alina Haitz of Molloy College shares her insights into practicing self-care, including what she refers to as functional mindfulness. Alina's warm spirit is guaranteed to provide a mental boost! Listen in to learn practical tips for how we can make sure we are resting, renewing, and recharging from a year that has left many of us spent!
Innovative Educators is dedicated to supporting our LGBTQ+ students, staff and faculty. To honor Pride Month, we were fortunate to host Quincy Jenkins, Executive Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Chattanooga State Community College (CSCC) on a recent episode of Friday 5 Live. Quincy shares his insights, as a higher education professional and gay man, on how we can be allies for our LGBTQ+ colleagues and students. Quincy provides takeaways for tangible practices our institutions can implement to provide support.
Naomi Sigg, Director of Multicultural Affairs at Case Western University, shares her critical insights into how we can best support AAPI students, colleagues, and neighbors. Naomi is a nationally recognized speaker on topics of race, inclusion, and equity. May is Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and at Innovative Educators, we want to celebrate AAPI communities while also learning how we can be allies by educating ourselves, listening, amplifying AAPI voices, and being an upstander (sharing Naomi's terms). Join us for an opportunity for critical conversation and learning with Naomi Sigg.
Resources shared:
- Stop AAPI Hate
- Peter Ho Davies
- Vincent Who
- PBS AAPI Documentary titled Asian Americans
- Yellow by Frank Wu
- AAAJ, OCA, CAPAL
Karen Oehme from Florida State University shares her thoughts about supporting students and teaching resilience. At FSU Karen coordinates the Student Resilience Program, and nationally Karen chairs the Steering Committee of the Academic Resilience Consortium. Listen in to learn ways to support students to understand their strengths and how that translates into success.
Additional Resources:
Components of Resilience
The Happy Chemicals
Join us as Dr. Maria T. Poindexter examines how our institutions can create spaces that address access, equity and inclusion. Maria’s extensive background in Instructional Systems and her career in teaching and training give her a unique perspective on how we can create programming for faculty, staff and students. We're grateful for her insights!
How can we intentionally design content that is accessible for our students? How can we help faculty and staff know how to proactively build content that meets accessibility standards? Cliff Nelson, Director, Instructional Technologies and Academic Support at WSU Tech shares his approach to his students first philosophy and practical recommendations for how we can create accessible content for our students. Check out the Accessibility Summer Camp that Cliff and his team coordinate each year for faculty and staff from across the country and other resources for building accessible content below:
WSU Tech’s Accessibility Summer Camp (June 18): https://www.accessibilityict.org/ WSU Tech’s Faculty Training: https://www.itas-innovationcafe.com/accessibility-training Ally (an online tool that assess accessibility - integrates with LMS platforms such as Blackboard and Canvas) https://www.blackboard.com/teaching-learning/accessibility-universal-design/blackboard-ally-lms
Professional Organizations:
OLC: https://onlinelearningconsortium.org/ Quality Matters: https://www.qualitymatters.org/ AHEAD: https://www.ahead.org/home WebAIM: https://webaim.org/ Kansas Accessibility Resource Network: https://ksarn.org/
In this episode of Friday 5 Live, Rob Bowers from Berea College shares his insights into critical considerations for student success this year and moving forward. Rob's extensive experience in education focuses on how we best communicate with students and how we encourage resiliency. We're grateful for Rob's recommendations, his communication strategy, and the deep care and concern he exhibits for students.
Looking for new ways to connect with students and create engaging content to support success? In this episode of Friday 5 Live, Edward Coronado III shares his insights into how all of us (no matter our skill level!) can develop video content for student success. Edward's YouTube videos have garnered thousands of views and focus on practical recommendations that students can incorporate to succeed in this year of pandemic learning. We appreciate Edward's open approach, encouragement to try new things, and the great resources he shares in this episode!
Edward's 5 Tips for Video Creation
We were so fortunate to have Dr. Daniel Maxwell join us to share his insights into the job search process and staying engaged professionally during COVID. Dan has extensive experience in hiring entry and mid-level professionals, supporting leadership development through the NASPA Institutes for New AVPs, and is an active member of NASPA, ACUI and ACPA. Listen in for valuable advice on how we can continue to develop professionally, continue to stay energized as we work to support students, and considerations for the 2021 higher ed job search.
In this episode, Denise Swett, Ed.D., shares her insights into technology tools and resources that can support our students’ success in this new year. Denise provides her recommendations for budgeting for new technologies and advice for how to assess technology vendors.
Denise Swett's Top 5 Technology Recommendations
Denise Swett's Checklist for Assessing Technology Vendors
Technology Trends and Resources
Budget Resource Information
Sylvia Dorsey-Robinson joined us on this episode to discuss the critical challenges facing our students of color this semester. She encouraged us to consider how 2021 could be the Year of L's: Listen, Love and Leadership. Ms. Dorsey-Robinson provided resources and strategies institutions can put in place to ensure we support and retain our students of color.
We were fortunate to have Dr. Jena Morrison join us to discuss how we can support the mental health of our students, faculty and staff. What are some tangible practices we can use this new year to keep ourselves as healthy as possible? Jena shares resources she built at Richard Bland College focused on meditation and yoga practices and provides insight into what she finds works with students and staff. We've provided additional support tools Jena shared.
How can we take all that this year has delivered (pandemic, protests of systemic racism, a national election, economic instability, wildfires, hurricanes) and gain insights that will guide us into 2021? Dr. Denise Swett shares reflections on 2020 as we look towards a new year.
Please refer to the chat from our 12/4 recording for a robust discussion about topics impacting higher education professionals in 2020.
In this episode, Jen Meyers Pickard, Ph.D. and Sheila Murphy of WittKieffer discuss the higher education job search process in this challenging academic year. With layoffs and furloughs happening at all levels of employment at colleges and universities, how can individuals prepare for a job search? Listen in for their insights and recommendations!
In our latest episode, we celebrate National Distance Learning Week (November 9-13) with a fantastic discussion with Dr. Tom Tobin, an internationally recognized expert on the topic of online learning. We examine how pandemic learning will shape online learning and the future of higher education “classrooms.”
Our panel of students returned to update us on the status of their semesters! Students from across the U.S. shared their perspectives on the fall semester and learning amidst COVID. How have institutions supported our student panelists and what more can we do to facilitate student learning and success this semester? Join us for a lively and insightful discussion!
Dr. Aaron Hughey from Western Kentucky University facilitated a discussion about how college professionals can support students’ mental health needs during this most unusual semester. He shared ideas, best practices and practical tips to help support our students, both in person and at a distance, during this complex time.
On this episode of Friday 5 Live!, a panel of higher education professionals and parents share their insights and tips for managing working from home with school-aged children learning from home. With this school year's uncertainty, how can higher education professionals remain engaged at work while also supporting the students they are raising? Please join us for what promises to be a lively and insightful discussion!
Eric Salahub, director of the Active Learning Institute, shares methods we can use to engage students in an online environment. Come learn with us as we look at ways to continue to make our online student services and online class experiences engaging and meaningful for our students!
Hear it directly from students! We invited a panel of students, representing institutions across the U.S., to join us and share their perspectives on the fall semester and learning amidst COVID. Meg Foster facilitates a discussion to get a sense of what students' hopes and concerns are for the fall semester and moving forward. Students will also share the resources they envision needing to be successful.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-5-students-share-their-perspective-on-the-fall-2020-semester
Denise Swett is a frequent contributor to Friday 5 Live and in this session, she gives her personal insight into the challenges higher education institutions are facing this fall. Questions addressed include how can we encourage students to comply with guidelines to prevent COVID-19 spread, how can we anticipate student resource needs, and how can we predict the service gaps needed for our students, faculty and staff?
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-the-crystal-ball-episode-predicting-the-fall-semester
In this segment, Meg Foster continues the discussion (first session was July 24th) with Andrea G. Harris on how college professionals can address the challenges they may encounter as they work from home. Andrea will share tips and ideas for addressing virtual burn out: something that has the potential to impact staff, faculty and students alike. We will also wrap up our conversation on how to maintain boundaries and engage in self-care during this time of work from home.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-we-re-online-for-the-fall-how-to-address-virtual-burn-out
Meg Foster interviews Andrea G. Harris on how college professionals can address the challenges they may encounter as they work from home. She will share ideas and tips to help maintain needed boundaries and engage in self-care during this time.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-how-to-keep-your-job-your-sanity-while-working-from-home
In this session, Meg Foster interviews Denise Swett on how institutions can budget creatively to continue to provide support resources for students. Denise Swett has worked in higher education for over 30 years, at both public and private universities and 2 and 4-year colleges. She is well known for her engaging presentations at national conferences including the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrator (NASPA).
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-creative-budgeting-to-support-students
Meg Foster interviews George Hoey, retired college administrator with over 40 years experience in higher education. George will share his thoughts as a higher education professional and a man of color about the current situation around diversity, bias and violence. Meg will ask George four to five questions focusing on institutional responsibilities to help end systemic racism and address bias and racism in educational systems. George will also share his insights into how institutions can support students of color and their families.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-addressing-system-racism-in-our-institutions-supporting-students-of-color
In this segment, Meg Foster interviews Dr. Chimene Boone and Ms. Michelle Blair who share their insights into supporting TRIO students in summer 2020 and as we move to the fall semester. Chimene is the Director of Student Support Services at Virginia Commonwealth University. Michelle is the Program Advisor for the TRIO Student Support Services at Virginia Commonwealth University. The theme of this session focuses on how we can best support TRIO learners and vulnerable student populations during these challenging times.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-supporting-trio-students-now-moving-forward
Meg Foster interviews Laura Clark who will share her insights into how we can move forward to the fall semester. Laura is an Assistant Vice-Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System, and she has worked in higher education for over 20 years at 2 and 4-year colleges. Laura has built award-winning student support programs and now advocates for students and communities across the state of Virginia. Meg will ask Laura 5 to 6 questions focusing on how we can best support learners and institutions during these challenging times.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-moving-forward-to-the-fall-supporting-students-staff-faculty
In this segment, Meg Foster interviews Denise Swett on how we can begin to plan for Fall 2020, anticipating trends, considering recruitment practices, and pondering unique support initiatives for students. This session continued their discussion from our last Friday 5 Live (April 24th) examining how we can best support learners and institutions during these challenging times.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-looking-towards-fall-anticipating-trends-creating-paths-for-student-success
Meg Foster interviews Denise Swett on how to help students finish the spring 2020 semester successfully. Meg will ask Denise 5-6 questions that get at the heart of supporting and retaining students during COVID-19. Denise Swett has worked in higher education for over 30 years, at both public and private universities and 2 and 4-year colleges. She is well known for her engaging presentations at national conferences including the American Council on Education (ACE) and the National Association of Student Personnel Administrator (NASPA).
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-helping-students-finish-the-semester-successfully
Innovative Educators is proud to offer a new segment, Friday 5 Live, where Meg Foster will interview an expert in the field on timely topics. Each session will be 30-60 minutes of engaging content packed with practical information and allowing for interactive Q&A.
Our first session features an interview with Dr. Ghazala Hashmi, who shares her insights and advice on working from home. Dr. Hashmi has spent the past 25 years as a leading educator in Virginia’s college and university system. She currently serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Reynolds Community College. Ghazala’s approach to public service is guided by the principles of integrity, social justice and ethics in government. She is dedicated to making government work for all citizens.
https://www.innovativeeducators.org/collections/free-training-innovative-educators/products/friday-5-live-working-from-home