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Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

Future U Podcast - The Pulse of Higher Ed

By: Jeff Selingo Michael Horn
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Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn discuss what’s next for higher education and talk with the newsmakers you want to hear from most. Find the latest news and insights into the current trends in higher ed on the Future U. Podcast.2024 Future U Podcast Economics Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Season 9 Wrap-Up: Why Mission Matters More Than Ever

    Season 9 Wrap-Up: Why Mission Matters More Than Ever
    Jun 16 2026
    It’s a time of change in higher education. Jeff and Michael look back on what they learned over the course of this ninth season of Future U in a one-on-one discussion. They recap key moments and share their favorite episodes. And one theme keeps emerging: “it’s all about institutional mission.” Chapters 0:00 - Intro 1:08 - Many of Today’s Challenges Were Predicted 10 Years Ago 3:51 - Why Mission Is Key 4:56 - A ‘Ghost Town Campus’ 12:35 - Big Deficits at Colleges 13:47 - The Fire Sale on MBAs 17:05 - How to Restore Trust in Higher Ed 19:17 - The Many Software Vulnerabilities for Colleges 24:29 - How to Design the AI University 26:52 - Jeff’s Favorite Episode of Season 9 30:58 - Michael’s Favorite Episode of Season 9 33:11 - Thanks to the Podcast Team Relevant Links: “Season 9 Annual Listener Survey” - Help us prepare for next season “2026: The seismic shifts for transforming the future of higher education,” by Jeff Selingo, in The Chronicle of Higher Education “Sonoma State University is in crisis. Can a new president save it,” in The San Francisco Chronicle. “What happens when students let an economist pick their college?,” in Marketplace. “Harvard’s FAS Is Running a $365 Million Structural Deficit. The Problems Started Well Before Trump,” in The Harvard Crimson. “There is a Fire Sale on MBAs,” in The Wall Street Journal. “Report of the Committee on Trust in Higher Education,” by Yale University. “Designing the AI University,” by Jeff Selingo. “Leading Faculty in an AI Era,” by Jeff Selingo. "The Lie at the Center of Higher Education," by Melik Peter Khoury. Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo: Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
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    36 mins
  • Athletics Departments Have Become ‘Shadow Universities’

    Athletics Departments Have Become ‘Shadow Universities’
    Jun 3 2026

    The college athletics arms race has created a complex financing puzzle for many institutions. That has led athletics departments to become a kind of ‘shadow university’ within their campuses, with their own systems and processes. And university leaders need to pay closer attention. For this episode, Jeff and Michael talk with Karen Weaver, an expert on the finances behind college athletics. Do colleges need a whole new board structure for sports?

    Chapters

    0:00 - Introduction

    1:35 - Why All College Leaders Should Care About College Athletics

    4:14 - Introducing Our Guest, Karen Weaver

    5:12 - What Are University Presidents and Board Members Missing About College Sports?

    6:38 - How is the Transfer Portal Impacting Graduation Rates?

    8:26 - Do Athletics Align With College Mission Statements?

    9:51 - What Washington Should Do to Regulate College Sports

    11:50 - What If College Sports Lost Tax-Exempt Status?

    13:23 - How Women’s Sports and Olympic Sports Fit In?

    16:20 - Do NCAA Classifications Work Anymore?

    20:22 - Who Defines Success for College Sports?

    20:53 - Is Athletics Worth It As a ‘Front Porch’ of the College?

    22:08 - How Should College Athletics Be Reformed?

    25:36 - The Growth of Club Sports

    29:18 - Do We Know the ROI of College Athletics?

    34:00 - Getting Beyond Football and Basketball

    37:05 - Connecting Athletics to Work-Integrated Learning

    40:05 - Why Are People ‘All In’ on College Athletics

    40:59 - How Injuries Play a Role

    42:48 - The Connection Between Research and Athletic Prestige

    45:07 - Is a Whole New Governance Structure Needed for Athletics?

    46:05 - Lightning Round with Karen Weaver

    Relevant Links:

    “Four quick thoughts on the Protect College Sports Act: aka a college sports bill you should actually pay attention to,” by Matt Brown in his Extra Points newsletter.

    “Sport Finance: Where the Money Comes From and Where the Money Goes,” by Karen Weaver.

    “Trustees and Presidents: A Podcast for University Leaders,” by Karen Weaver

    “Understanding College Athletics: What Campus Leaders Need to Know About College Sports,” by Karen Weaver

    “The Future of Elite Youth Sports Is Here—and It’s a Mess,” in The Wall Street Journal.

    “Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World,” by David Epstein.
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    49 mins
  • Higher Ed 101: Inside the Process of Closing a College

    Higher Ed 101: Inside the Process of Closing a College
    May 19 2026
    Closing down a college turns out to be a big job. For this episode, Jeff and Michael talk with a specialist on the complex and emotional process, Doug Moore. He shares all the things that college presidents and trustees should know—as well as surprising moments as he has helped colleges navigate finances, lawsuits, community impact, teach-outs, and more. And he explains why he sees signs of hundreds of college closures on the horizon. Relevant Links “The Looming College-Enrollment Death Spiral,” by Jeff Selingo in The Atlantic. “History auctioned as Iowa Wesleyan closes its doors,” in Homegrown Iowan. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 1:04 - The Surprising Complexity of Closing a College 3:00 - How a ‘College Closure’ Found that Profession 5:17 - How Do Colleges Find a Closer? 9:00 - Walking Through the Early Phases of Closing a Campus 14:53 - What Happens After the Final Graduation Ceremony? 18:55 - ‘Community Freebie Days’ 22:33 - What’s The Most Surprising Thing a Closing Campus Had to Auction Off? 26:12 - Warning Signs That a College Might Fail 28:19 - Why College Sports Can Shutter Colleges 30:26 - 400 Colleges Could Fail in the Next 10 Years 32:11 - 20 or 30 Colleges Could Close This Year 33:18 - Why Don’t More Colleges Merge? 35:00 - Is Anyone Buying Closed Colleges? 38:33 - The Emotional Toll of Closing a College 42:06 - Sponsor Break 42:35 - Did Higher Ed Build Too Many Colleges? 49:28 - What Is Emotionally Lost When Colleges Disappear? 51:43 - What Will Happen to All These Closed Campus Facilities? Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo: Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.
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    59 mins
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