The Key with Inside Higher Ed

Ep. 159: Uncertainty, Disruption and Campus Mental Health

Anxiety and depression are on the rise among college students driven, in part, by pressures to balance academics with personal, economic and family responsibilities. In this episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, two mental health leaders talk about how the current political climate and economic uncertainty are exacerbating the existing mental health challenges on campuses.

Tara Harper, assistant vice president for student wellbeing and clinical operations at Lincoln University and Seli Fakorzi, director of mental health operations at TimelyCare, join IHE’s editor in chief Sara Custer to discuss what colleges are doing to address rising symptoms of anxiety and depression among students and how they’re keeping everyone safe and healthy during a time of great upheaval.

Thank you to Timely Care for sponsoring this episode. 

 

Ep. 158: Voices of Student Success: Teaching Practical Life Skills

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. 

A workshop series at George Mason University in Virginia helps build students’ practical knowledge and well-being by giving them life advice and skills, such as how to change a tire. The program was created by Ethan Carter, associate director of programs, well-being and assessment, and supported by graduate student assistant Dianna Phillips, who talk about the logistics of delivering the workshops and how they support student success.  

Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader. 

Read a transcript of the podcast here. 

Ep. 157: Is the Alliance Between the Federal Government and Higher Ed Forever Broken?

Since the beginning of the second Trump administration, the American Council on Education has been early out of the gate in responding to the federal government’s onslaught of funding freezes, executive orders and threats to institutions. In February, ACE along with the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, and other institutions sued the government over its decision to cap indirect costs at 15 percent for National Institutes of Health grant recipients, which resulted in a permanent nationwide injunction on the plans in April.

 

Ted Mitchell, president of ACE, joins Sara Custer, editor in chief at Inside Higher Ed, to discuss the nature of the federal government’s attacks on higher education and what responsibility the sector has in the public losing trust in our institutions. They talk about how the sector is responding to the situation, including the many open-form letters, and as the former under secretary for the Department of Education in the second Obama administration, Ted shares why he thinks higher ed knows how to play the game of politics and which policy issues he thinks can get bipartisan support—as long as there is a receptive partner on the other side of the table.

 

 

 

Ep. 156: Voices of Student Success: Learning to Talk With Strangers

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. Encouraging students to engage with people who they disagree with can be a challenge for many in higher education. A class at the University of San Diego’s Joan B. Kroc School of Peace Studies put students on a train to crisscross the nation, encouraging them to speak across differences and engage in unfamiliar places and spaces.

Sarah Federman, associate professor of conflict resolution, spoke about her class and the trip, as well as some of the lessons she learned about engaging students in constructive dialogue.

Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader.

Read a transcript of the podcast here.

Ep. 155: What's Going on With College Athletics (and Why You Should Care)

Whether you’re a die-hard fan, sports curios or someone who sees college athletics as a very expensive distraction, you should know about the fundamental changes to NCAA policies because they will have profound impacts on institutions, students and even the future of U.S. Olympic teams.

To help us make sense of the latest developments including name, image and likeness earnings, the transfer portal and the $2.8 billion anti-trust House settlement, Inside Higher Ed’s editor in chief Sara Custer speaks to Karen Weaver, an adjunct assistant professor in the graduate school of education at the University of Pennsylvania where she teaches higher education leaders about the role that college athletics will play as it evolves into a very different governance and financial model. She’s also a former athletic director and coach of 30 years.

 

This episode is sponsored by the Strada Education Foundation

 

Ep. 154: How Trump’s First 100 Days Changed Higher Ed

Inside Higher Ed’s editor in chief, Sara Custer, speaks with IHE’s news editor Katherine Knott and reporters Liam Knox and Johanna Alonso about the executive orders, funding cuts and visa revocations of the last three months that have sent shockwaves through the higher education sector.

 

Read more of Inside Higher Ed's coverage of Trump's first 100 days. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Strada Education Foundation. 

Ep. 153: Voices of Student Success: Graduates Face a Challenging Job Market

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes.

The latest episode, featuring Handshake’s chief educational officer Christine Cruzvergara, discusses the current job market, graduating seniors’ perceptions of launching their careers and the role higher education can play in supporting students.  

Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader. 

Read a transcript of the podcast here.

Ep. 152: Higher Ed Now and What's Next

In this episode of The Key, we turn the tables on host Sara Custer, editor in chief at Inside Higher Ed as she joins David Hummels, professor of economics and dean emeritus at Purdue University, and Jay Akridge, trustee chair in teaching and learning excellence, professor of agricultural economics and former provost at Purdue, in conversation with host Colleen Flaherty, senior editor, special content at Inside Higher Ed. They discuss the findings from the Inside Higher Ed/Hanover Research 2025 Survey of College and University Presidents  which show that two in three presidents doubt the value of tenure, half think that higher ed has a real affordability problem and a mere 3 percent say that higher ed has been highly effective at responding to the growing education divide in the electorate.

 

Hummels and Akridge are also co-authors of a Stubstack newsletter called Finding Equilibrium, which seeks to provide data-driven, research-informed takes on where higher education is and where it’s going. They’ve done recent deep dives into tenure, the college value debate and more. 

 

The conversation doesn’t suggest that there’s any silver lining to what’s happening to higher education at the moment. But it does highlight opportunities for action, including local engagement, pricing transparency, career readiness and targeted sharing of the tangible benefits of higher education to counteract declining public confidence. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Strada Education Foundation. 

Ep. 151: Voices of Student Success: Navigating Students’ Digital Addictions

This season of Voices of Student Success, “Preparing Gen Z for Unknown Futures,” addresses challenges in readying young people for the next chapter of their lives in the face of large-scale global changes. The latest episode addresses how digitalization has made it easier for young people to engage in unhealthy habits, including substance abuse, pathological gambling or social media addiction, compared to past generations.  

Amaura Kemmerer, director of clinical affairs for Uwill, discusses the role of preventive health measures and how existing research can provide a roadmap for addressing new challenges.  

Hosted by Inside Higher Ed Student Success Reporter Ashley Mowreader.

Read a transcript of the podcast here.

Ep. 150: Can civil engagement work be measured?

Many college leaders turned to civil discourse and dialogue programs in response to students protests that roiled campuses after the start of the Israel Hamas war. It’s work that they have been doing for decades, but a big question around these programs is: how do we know they’re working?

 

That question led to Raj Vinnakota, president of the Institute for Citizens and Scholars, an 80-year old non-profit that works with leaders in higher education, business and philanthropy to equip young people with the skills they need to be engaged citizens. 

 

In 2023, the institute launched its College Presidents for Civic Preparedness initiative and its membership has grown to over 120 leaders from 2 and 4-year institutions in 35 states. Part of its mission is to develop ways to assess and measure the level of civil discourse and critical thinking on campuses. 

 

In this interview, Raj talks with Sara Custer, editor in chief at Inside Higher Ed, about the grassroots beginnings of the program and how creating language around the concepts of free speech and open inquiry is important for engaging with stakeholders on both sides of the political divide. 

 

This episode is sponsored by Grammarly.

Follow us on  Apple Podcasts   Google Podcasts   Stitcher   Spotify