Demise of Pac-12, Campus Spending and DeSantis at Yale

In this Season 7 kickoff episode, Jeff and Michael discuss a wide array of headlines from the summer that have long-term impacts on higher education.Key Moments00:02:49 - Michael Horn Book Update00:05:45 - "This year is about a new normal."00:06:55 - "The Pac-12 Collapsed Overnight"00:11:37 - "…you cannot outspend reality."00:17:00 - "The nation's best known public universities have been on an unfettered spending spree."00:19:23 - "These places are just devouring money, offering everything to everyone all at once is unsustainable."00:21:49 - "policy should be focusing on student outcomes…"00:24:30 - "I don't think they're going to negatively impact those liberal arts programs that in my view offer very valuable skills and credentials in the labor market."00:26:34 - "I think that was all fair. And I actually was shocked. I thought the article did a really good job of depicting the purpose of secret societies in my mind, which is really to broaden your social experience."00:30:45 - "it was a very patriotic, pro-American, deeply affected campus that doesn't accord at all with some of the allegations that were printed in the article."00:32:49 - "A Return of the Presidential Fitness Test?"Relevant LinksAcademy for Innovative Higher Ed LeadershipColleges Spend Like There’s No Tomorrow. ‘These Places Are Just Devouring Money.’Higher Ed Spending Problem Demands Attention No Matter Court’s OpinionIt’s time to rethink incentives for higher edMichael Horn’s Testimony to CongressHow Ron DeSantis Joined the “Ruling Class” - and Turned Against ItSummaryThe ‘New Normal’Jeff Selingo brings up what people are referring to as the ‘New Normal.’ He discusses the changes that higher education institutions, such as West Virginia University, are having to make to adapt to the changing landscape.The 'New Normal' he describes is characterized by financial challenges, changing demographics, and shifting priorities in higher education. Selingo uses the example of West Virginia University, which is planning to cut more than two dozen programs to close a projected $75 million deficit by 2028. This deficit was largely due to overly optimistic enrollment goals that were not met. The university initially planned to cut all its language programs, but later decided to retain Spanish and Chinese, while graduate programs and math programs are still at risk.Michael Horn brings up a related point regarding the demographics of college-aged students, particularly in the Northeast and Midwest, which are not favorable. This could be another aspect of the 'New Normal' that Selingo is referring to - universities having to adapt to changing demographics and potentially declining student populations. This example illustrates the 'New Normal' of universities having to make tough decisions and prioritize certain programs over others due to financial constraints and demographic shifts.Selingo suggests that this trend is likely to continue as universities navigate the challenges and changes brought about by the pandemic, demographic changes and other factors. This 'New Normal' will require universities to reassess their strategies and adapt to new realities in highe