Author: Tabitha Talbot

Key Takeaways: Nuventive’s ninth webinar in our 10-part artificial intelligence series examines how Information Technology leaders can help higher education move toward sustained, responsible adoption.

Webinar Details
Riding the Next Wave: IT’s Role in Harnessing AI in Higher Education
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Recorded: June 12, 2024
Featured Speakers:
Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University
Rashmi Radhakrishnan, VP Enrollment Management, Technology & Innovation / CIO, Arcadia University
Moderated by:
Richard N. Katz, founder and leader of a firm dedicated to supporting the effective uses of IT in higher education. He held executive posts at the National University of Singapore, Nuventive, LLC, EDUCAUSE, and the University of California.

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Each week, we distill key takeaways from conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology — turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement.

This discussion reflects how AI has moved beyond novelty and into a phase of sustained attention across higher education. The session explored how institutions can build long-term strategies around culture, data, governance, and talent — ensuring that AI adoption supports institutional values while strengthening human judgment, trust, and effectiveness.

AI’s role in higher education continues to expand, often beginning with targeted pilots and evolving toward broader institutional relevance.

Dr. Griffiths described how AI’s impact may feel incremental in the near term, while holding the potential to reshape higher education more fundamentally over time, particularly if institutions do not actively guide that transformation themselves.

Across the discussion, there was shared recognition that progress depends on thoughtful prioritization, sustained learning, and clarity about where institutions choose to focus their efforts as AI capabilities mature.

Institutional culture plays a defining role in how AI is introduced and applied. Some campuses initially engage cautiously, while others move quickly into experimentation. Over time, more durable progress has emerged where institutions take an intentional, coordinated approach.

Radhakrishnan emphasized how AI already influences enrollment management, advising, teaching, and operational workflows. Academic integrity often serves as a starting point for discussion, but the conversation extended well beyond it.

Rather than treating AI as solely a technology issue, participants underscored the importance of governance structures that include teaching and learning, data governance, and key user communities alongside IT.

At Dakota State University, faculty-led dialogue helped establish shared principles grounded in institutional values. This work resulted in a practical Human–AI–Human framework that encourages individuals to begin with human reasoning, use AI to augment understanding, and return to human evaluation.

That framework was reinforced through campus-wide learning opportunities that brought faculty, staff, and students into shared conversation about how AI could be used responsibly and thoughtfully.

At Arcadia University, flexibility has been equally central. Radhakrishnan described approaching AI as a spectrum rather than a fixed toolset, leading the institution to avoid rigid policies in favor of guidelines that can evolve alongside the technology.

Personalization remains a long-standing goal in higher education, and AI is increasingly being explored as a way to support it more effectively.

The discussion highlighted growing interest in how AI might enable more individualized learning, advising, and student services while reinforcing—rather than diminishing—the relational aspects that define higher education. Controlled experimentation, piloting, and phased adoption were described as practical ways to explore these opportunities before scaling.

Rather than framing workforce change primarily in terms of displacement, the discussion emphasized opportunity—particularly the ability to invest in current staff and faculty as roles evolve.

Many of the skills needed for an AI-enabled future already exist within institutions. By investing in upskilling and role evolution, higher education can enable people to spend more time on meaningful, human-centered work while AI supports routine and time-intensive tasks.

As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, foundational skills around interpretation, verification, and context grow increasingly important.

Participants emphasized that distinguishing insight from error, understanding data limitations, and applying human judgment remain essential responsibilities. Long-standing campus expertise—particularly within libraries and institutional research—was highlighted as well positioned to help institutions navigate authenticity, quality, and trust in an AI-rich environment.

Exploring What Is (and Isn’t) Working: Executive Perspectives on AI in Higher Education, featuring Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University; Dr. Rick Burnette, Sr. Vice Provost & Chief Strategy Officer, Florida State University; and Tracy Woods, Director, Azure Cloud & AI Platform Solution Engineering, US SLED, Microsoft. Moderated by Dr. David Raney, CEO, Nuventive.

Recorded: September 4, 2025
Listen to the audio replay now

Recorded: June 12, 2024

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Key Takeaways: Nuventive’s seventh webinar in our 10-part artificial intelligence series explores how AI is reshaping, enhancing, and accelerating the work of Institutional Research teams.

Webinar Details: Artificial Intelligence for Institutional Research: New Tools, New Strategies, New Questions

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Featured Speakers:
• Dr. Jason Simon, Former Associate Vice President – Data, Analytics, and Institutional Research, University of North Texas
• Dr. Eric Zeglen, Executive Director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Moderated by:
Dr. Randy Swing, Advisor to Nuventive

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Each week, we distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement.

This week, we look at how leaders in Institutional Research are adopting and implementing AI.

Survey results from a poll conducted by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) show many IR offices describing AI maturity as “not occurring” or “reactive,” but this does not reflect a lack of progress.

Dr. Eric Zeglen explained, IR teams often operate within complex environments shaped by system implementations, resource considerations, and institutional priorities—all of which influence how quickly new technologies can be adopted.

Even so, IR offices are laying essential groundwork: strengthening data structures, developing governance, and using generative AI in targeted ways such as communication, summarization, and workflow support.

Both Dr. Zeglin and Dr. Simon emphasized that AI alone is not a threat to IR roles. The concerns echo earlier reactions when statistical software became widely available, yet IR remained essential in interpreting results responsibly.

AI automates repetitive tasks but enhances the strategic contribution of IR, enabling teams to devote more time on student success questions, program effectiveness, and institutional strategy.

According to Dr. Zeglen, communication represents one of the most immediate opportunities. AI helps IR teams create clearer summaries, translate dashboards into digestible narratives, and tailor insights for different audiences—cabinet, deans, faculty, deans, advisors, and more.

Dr. Simon highlighted efficiency as another major advantage. AI reduces friction in tasks such as qualitative analysis, code generation, drafting communications, and producing visual representations—enabling IR professionals to focus on deeper analysis and meaning.

Data privacy and governance are central to AI adoption. Dr. Simon emphasized the need for strict protocols to prevent sensitive institutional data from entering public AI tools. His campus created a generative AI task force to develop guidelines for faculty, staff, and administrators, including secure workflows and recommended syllabus language.

Dr. Zeglen added that IR professionals must fully understand system stability and data architecture before implementing advanced AI solutions. IR plays a critical leadership role in guiding ethical use and helping campus partners understand both the opportunities and limitations of AI.

Professional development begins with mindset. Dr. Simon described how he used ChatGPT to create self-guided learning, then expanded into structured resources such as like LinkedIn Learning, Coursera, and Google’s AI certificates. Even brief, consistent learning—reading an article or watching a short video—builds momentum.

“The first critical acknowledgment you have to make is: do you have the mindset, and the interest, and the desire to want to learn? I would encourage us all in the field to be really curious. If you don’t learn, someone else is going to learn, and you never want to be left behind,” Dr. Simon explained.

Dr. Simon encourages IR teams to begin with small, manageable applications—drafting emails, analyzing comments, generating visuals. Experimentation builds comfort, and curiosity keeps IR professionals current in a rapidly evolving landscape.

Dr. Zeglen recommends a thoughtful, patient approach centered on governance, communication, and scalability. Small wins compound over time. AI is here to support IR—not replace it—and thoughtful adoption ensures long-term success.

Up next in our AI webinar series, we turn to the role of artificial intelligence in documenting student learning and institutional achievement.

Documenting Achievement: Is There a Role for AI in Higher Education Assessment?
In this session, our panelists explore how AI can support meaningful assessment practices without compromising academic integrity, faculty ownership, or the nuance required to understand student learning. Stay tuned as we distill the key insights in next week’s blog.

Featuring:
Dr. Jenn Klein, Director, Institutional Assessment Systems, Gonzaga University
Dr. Jessica Cannon, Associate Professor of History, University of Central Missouri

Moderated by:
Dr. Jim Moran, Advisor to Nuventive

Recorded: April 4, 2024
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Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Key Takeaways: Nuventive’s sixth webinar in our AI series explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping academic leadership, student success, research, and strategy in academic affairs.

Webinar Details: Artificial Intelligence for Academic Affairs: What Innovation Means for Students, Faculty, and Administrative Processes

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Featured Speakers:
• Dr. Rebecca Hoey, Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Dakota State University
• Dr. Ranjit Koodali, Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for International Affairs, New Mexico State University
• Dr. Melissa Hortman, Education Strategist, Microsoft

Moderated by: Dr. Jim Moran, Advisor to Nuventive

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Each week, we distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement.

This week, we look at how provosts and graduate leaders are approaching AI with grounded awareness, ethical responsibility, and a focus on strengthening—not replacing—the human relationships at the heart of higher education. From personalized learning and advising to research acceleration and strategic planning, our expert panel offers a view of how AI can enhance academic work while ensuring faculty, staff, and students remain empowered and supported.

One of the first topics addressed was whether academic leaders must become AI experts to guide their institutions. Dr. Melissa Hortman, Education Strategist, Microsoft, emphasized education and awareness over expertise:

“For the majority of academic leaders, it’s really about being aware of this changing landscape, which we know is changing very quickly, and understanding generative AI and how it impacts education.”

Leaders can develop a broad understanding of AI by:

• Staying connected to diverse peer perspectives
• Listening to internal stakeholders
• Using AI tools regularly
• Creating space for innovation on campus

She highlighted a key insight from Harvard Business Review: “70 percent of organizational transformation fails because organizational change can’t happen if leaders cannot change with it.”

AI is expanding the ways students learn—not by replacing human instruction, but by strengthening it. Dr. Rebecca Hoey, Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Dakota State University, noted that early computer-assisted tools like Pearson’s MyMathLab were precursors to today’s AI-enhanced learning. What’s different now is the scale and speed at which AI can support students.

Examples from Dakota State University:
• AI tools that help students practice and refine mathematical proofs
• A “digital personality” avatar that supports students with questions about academics, financial aid, and registration
• Emerging opportunities for individualized, 24/7 tutoring and feedback

These tools personalize learning by identifying where students struggle, adapting support, and offering targeted guidance that helps them progress with greater confidence.

AI-embedded academic systems are reshaping how institutions identify needs and support students throughout their learning journey.

Examples shared:
• LMS systems that analyze login patterns, detect at-risk students, and prompt about missing assignments
• Camtasia automatically generating captions
• Library chatbots helping students locate resources
• AI-powered lecture capture that creates flashcards

Dr. Hoey sees this as a major opportunity: “Our existing tools are embedding AI … they’re really morphing and changing to support degree attainment.”

Dr. Hortman added: “AI is allowing professionals that work alongside students to really, truly be alongside them and to be able to see those patterns and use those patterns to have intentional conversations with them. I think this can be really powerful for students; it personalizes the experience.”

Dr. Ranjit Koodali, Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for International Affairs, New Mexico State University, highlighted three research priorities:

1. Enhancing literature reviews: AI helps navigate scholarly databases and identify emerging trends
2. Accelerating data analysis: High-performance computing + models = faster, clearer insights
3. Predictive modeling: AI enables simulation of complex phenomena and forecasting outcomes

Dr. Hortman noted that AI changes the researcher’s role: “From being in the trenches to being the conductor of the tools.”

Even with AI, students must critically evaluate sources. Dr. Koodali emphasized the importance of knowing:

• Who produced the information?
• Are the authors credible?
• Are claims supported by raw data?
• Are methods transparent?
• Are there citations or retractions?

Dr. Hortman highlighted the importance of humanity and critical thinking: “We’re putting so much trust in AI to be the expert. When we anthropomorphize AI as the expert in research and forget all those amazing steps and the critical thinking that happens, going back to the source, understanding the information, knowing if it’s valid or not. Those pieces cannot be forgotten in research. AI is not the expert.”

At Dakota State University, advisors use AI-embedded tools to:

• Automate registration reminders
• Generate communications
• Flag non-program course selections
• Prevent financial aid compliance issues

Dr. Hoey explained: “I don’t see a place where AI will replace human advisors. It takes away those more menial tasks and frees up time for the more complicated, rich, mentoring work.”

Hear it from Dr. Hoey here

Dr. Hortman outlined how generative AI aligns with core institutional work:

Key capabilities:
• Content generation
• Summarization
• Cohort comparisons
• Real-time KPI tracking
• Semantic search
• Translation into leadership-ready language

“Strategic plans used to be made and then put on a shelf … now we can bring data in to inform what we do next.”

Dr. Hoey added excitement about mining data across academic and student systems: “AI is allowing us to ask specific research questions that will help us identify solutions that will help our students.”

As independent colleges navigate this evolving landscape, community remains their greatest strength. “We often find that the best way we can serve our members is through the creation of networks … to create shared communities of practice,” Hass said

Dr. Koodali

• AI accelerates discovery and research
• Protect data privacy
• Ethics must guide implementation

Dr. Hortman

• Lead with responsible AI
• Build a sustainable, ethical culture
• Empower faculty, staff, and students

Dr. Hoey

• Use AI intentionally
• Co-create institutional guidance
• Prepare students for an AI-shaped workforce

Across roles — provosts, deans, industry partners — the message is clear:
• AI is already embedded in higher education operations
• Human expertise remains the centerpiece
• Institutions must adopt ethical, shared frameworks
• Student success and strategic planning will increasingly rely on AI-driven insights
• Faculty and leaders will do less repetitive work, but more high-value work

Artificial Intelligence for Institutional Research: New Tools, New Strategies, New Questions

Featured Speakers:

Dr. Jason Simon, former Associate Vice President – Data, Analytics and Institutional Research, University of North Texas

Dr. Eric Zeglen, Executive Director of Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning, Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

Moderated by: Dr. Randy Swing, Advisor to Nuventive and former Executive Director at the Association for Institutional Research

Recorded: March 19, 2024
View the replay now

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Key Takeaways: Nuventive’s fifth webinar in our 10-part AI series explores how community college presidents are addressing artificial intelligence adoption and implementation within higher education.

Webinar Details: AI and the Future of Work: How Community College Presidents are Addressing AI

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AI and the Future of Work: How Community College Presidents are Addressing AI
Date Recorded: January 30, 2024
Featured Speakers: Dr. Avis Proctor, President, Harper College; and Dr. Vincent Rodriguez, President, Coastline College
Moderated by: Dr. Andrew Jones, Strategic Advisor to Nuventive

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Each week, we distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement.

This week, we look at how community college presidents are approaching AI with pragmatism, purpose, and people-first leadership—balancing innovation with ethics, empowering faculty, and ensuring technology strengthens human connection rather than replaces it.

Guided by moderator Dr. Andrew Jones, Strategic Advisor to Nuventive, the conversation on the future of AI in community colleges evolved into a discussion on how artificial intelligence is already shaping higher education—and how institutions can stay ahead of it. Both presidents agreed that the key question isn’t whether AI will change the field, but how leaders will guide that change.

“It’s hard to think of an area it won’t impact,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “Our faculty are already integrating AI into curriculum discussions—adding new components, addressing ethical use, and revising syllabi to clarify when and how students can use these tools. That’s happening right now.”

Dr. Proctor added that AI is already improving the student experience. “This month alone, our chatbot handled more than half of the inquiries from incoming students. AI is already shaping how we connect, support, and guide learners—not just in the classroom but throughout the student journey.”

From adaptive learning to policy updates, AI is influencing nearly every aspect of higher education. “AI is here,” Dr. Proctor said. “The question now is: how ready are we to understand it, utilize it, and manage it responsibly?”

As enthusiasm for AI grows, both presidents underscored the need for balance—embracing innovation while maintaining thoughtful caution.

“The apprehension around artificial intelligence is correctly placed,” said Dr. Proctor. “It can be used in harmful ways … but AI can also be used for good and can benefit our students and our organizations.”

She added that leaders must model ethical engagement. “As leaders, we have a responsibility to stay informed, educate our students about ethics, and ensure we have the right information to make the right decisions.”

Dr. Rodriguez agreed that while change can be unsettling, the focus should remain on adaptation, not fear.

“AI provides tools that improve what we do, but it won’t replace us. Our focus as presidents should be on how those changes happen—and how we support our teams through them.”

Faculty members remain at the heart of institutional innovation. Both presidents highlighted how educators have embraced AI as a tool for exploration and growth.

“When ChatGPT first appeared, there was a lot of uproar—but our faculty immediately began organizing panel discussions to understand what resources existed and how they could use AI in the classroom,” said Dr. Proctor. “I’m proud of how quickly they stepped up to learn, apply, and share their insights.”

Dr. Rodriguez recalled how faculty conversations evolved from concern to creativity. “At first, the conversation was all about cheating … but soon the tone changed. Faculty started saying, ‘Wait a minute—let’s teach students how to use it appropriately for our discipline.’ That evolution has been great to watch.”

Dr. Proctor shared an example of faculty experimentation in action. “One of our faculty members asked students to complete a writing assignment both with and without ChatGPT, then compare the results. It showed that not everything AI generates is accurate—and that evaluation and discernment are skills our students must carry forward.”

Leadership, both Dr. Proctor and Dr. Rodriguez agreed, is about guiding people through change—not dictating it.

“As presidents, we’re not the ones in the weeds doing the action—we’re helping to guide it,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “For me, that means creating a safe space for faculty to explore AI … and showing our staff that this isn’t going to replace them—it’s a new tool to help us work quicker and free up time from repetitive tasks.”

He added that budgets must reflect those priorities. “People say budgets show your priorities—and that’s true. We’re analyzing where we need to shift resources, whether it’s for training or technology, so our teams can be ready.”

Dr. Proctor emphasized the importance of engagement—internally and externally. “The budget should show what our priorities are. As leaders, we have to engage industry partners to understand the skills and competencies they need so our programs stay aligned with the workforce.”

Both also agreed that technology should serve to deepen, not distance, human connection. “As we automate more, we can’t lose the human interaction,” said Dr. Rodriguez.

“Exactly,” Dr. Proctor agreed. “Chatbots should handle the routine questions so our staff can deepen the human conversations that matter.”

Even as institutions gain access to more data and smarter tools, both leaders agreed that interpretation and storytelling remain uniquely human.

“We have all this rich data and understanding, but how do we tell the story?” said Dr. Proctor. “We’ve all seen reports where three different people think they mean three different things. So how do we synthesize the information? How do we use it to influence, validate, and connect?”

She emphasized Harper’s “data-informed, not data-driven” philosophy. “We’re not making decisions solely on numbers. We also listen to how people feel and how they’re impacted by those decisions. That’s where understanding truly happens.”

And even in an age of automation, the simple act of connection still matters most. “We can’t just work behind machines and send emails. Some of the most important insights happen in the hallway … Technology can inform us, but it’s the human connection that moves us forward.”

Both presidents also see potential for AI to strengthen wraparound student support.

“We’re big on providing holistic supports for students—from food insecurity to transportation and housing,” said Dr. Proctor. “I could imagine a future where we triangulate data from our Hawks Care Center, early alerts, and classroom performance to identify when a student might need support before a crisis emerges.”

Dr. Rodriguez echoed the potential for early detection while maintaining empathy. “If AI could help us recognize patterns earlier, we might prevent crises before they happen.”

While AI can provide early warnings, the human relationship remains irreplaceable—it’s technology in service of care.

Across every dimension—student wellbeing, curriculum, leadership, and culture—Dr. Proctor and Dr. Rodriguez reminded us that AI’s promise isn’t to replace human work, but to enhance it.

The role of higher education isn’t to chase technology; it’s to guide it—anchoring innovation in ethics, empathy, and the collective pursuit of learning.

As independent colleges navigate this evolving landscape, community remains their greatest strength. “We often find that the best way we can serve our members is through the creation of networks … to create shared communities of practice,” Hass said

Artificial Intelligence for Academic Affairs: What Innovation Means for Students, Faculty, and Administrative Processes

View the replay now

Featured Speakers: Dr. Rebecca Hoey, Provost/Senior Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs, Dakota State University; Dr. Ranjit Koodali, Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Provost for International Affairs, New Mexico State University; and Dr. Melissa Hortman, Education Strategist, Microsoft.

Moderated by: Dr. Jim Moran, Advisor to Nuventive

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Key Takeaways: Nuventive’s fourth webinar in our 10-part AI series explores how independent college presidents are approaching artificial intelligence adoption and implementation within higher education.

Webinar Details: Banding Together: How Independent College Presidents are Addressing AI

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Date Recorded: December 13, 2023
Featured Speakers: Dr. Ajay Nair, President, Arcadia University; and Dr. Marjorie Hass, President, the Council of Independent Colleges. Moderated by Dr. Melissa Hortman, Education Strategist, Microsoft Education.

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Each week, we distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement. This week, we look at: Banding Together: How Independent College Presidents are Addressing AI.

As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, higher education is moving steadily into strategic implementation. In a conversation between Dr. Nair and Dr. Hass, the two leaders reflected on how independent colleges can guide responsible, human-centered use of AI.

The AI conversation has shifted from curiosity to purposeful integration. As Dr. Hass noted, “We’re past the awareness phase of AI, and we’re in that strategic phase.”

Drawing parallels to past technological advancements—the printing press, television, and the internet—she reminded listeners that history has taught us technology neither saves nor destroys humanity but reshapes it. The task now is to learn from those transformations and apply that wisdom to AI.

Dr. Nair spoke with optimism about the possibilities. “AI has enormous potential and challenges, like anything that’s evolving,” he said. With the right strategy, higher education can leverage AI to enhance student engagement, improve pedagogy, and streamline institutional operations.

He continued, “AI is extending our ability to solve complex problems. So, it has to have a role in higher education. That’s our mission; it could potentially be the leading difference maker for higher ed to deliver honest, promised advanced knowledge.”

Hear it from Dr. Nair HERE (1 minute 23 second watch)

While independent colleges may not lead AI research directly, their shared role in shaping its intentional adoption is significant.

Highlighting the importance of collaboration, Dr. Hass explained, “We’re not massive research institutions, but we can innovate in AI … our ability to do that collectively is where the action’s at.”

Dr. Hass emphasized that adopting AI shouldn’t be intimidating—it should be exploratory. “You have to create an atmosphere of experimentation and play,” she explained.

By allowing faculty to learn together, institutions can foster creativity and reduce fear around new tools. “Approaching it in that way could be an exciting thing for institutions—to set aside time where we play together with this new technology.”

But play must be balanced with caution to avoid unintended consequences. Clear boundaries— especially between private and public data—are essential.

As institutions introduce AI into academic and administrative spaces, governance and ethics remain top of mind. Dr. Nair outlined the challenges: “Privacy, data governance, intellectual property, security—all of these priorities we have to examine now from the lens of AI.”

He also called for alignment across disciplines: “We have to have a shared understanding … of what outcomes we want for our students in the classroom and outside the classroom, related to AI.”

For both leaders, collaboration is the foundation of responsible innovation. Policies should protect, but not stifle, creativity.

There’s a natural fear that AI could make humans obsolete. Dr. Hass addressed it directly: “No one is going to be excited to work for a future in which they are obsolete. But people are excited to work for a future in which they can spend more time doing the things they love and care about.”

The key, she said, is to ensure AI serves as an enabler of human meaning. “How do we decide what is the most meaningful work we do, and then use the AI technology to make us able to do that better.”

As independent colleges navigate this evolving landscape, community remains their greatest strength. “We often find that the best way we can serve our members is through the creation of networks … to create shared communities of practice,” Hass said.

Both leaders agree that, at the end of the day, it all comes back to students. “They are going to be the beneficiaries of what we’re doing,” said Hass. “You’re not just going to have the tool in front of you as AI, but you’re going be using that tool for good. And that gives me so much hope for the future of education.”

As independent colleges navigate this evolving landscape, community remains their greatest strength. “We often find that the best way we can serve our members is through the creation of networks … to create shared communities of practice,” Hass said

Both leaders agree that, at the end of the day, it all comes back to students. “They are going to be the beneficiaries of what we’re doing,” said Hass. “You’re not just going to have the tool in front of you as AI, but you’re going be using that tool for good. And that gives me so much hope for the future of education.”As independent colleges navigate this evolving landscape, community remains their greatest strength. “We often find that the best way we can serve our members is through the creation of networks … to create shared communities of practice,” Hass said.Both leaders agree that, at the end of the day, it all comes back to students. “They are going to be the beneficiaries of what we’re doing,” said Hass. “You’re not just going to have the tool in front of you as AI, but you’re going be using that tool for good. And that gives me so much hope for the future of education.”

Check back next week for key takeaways from our fifth webinar in this series:

AI and the Future of Work: How Community College Presidents are Addressing AI

Dr. Avis Proctor, President, Harper College; and Dr. Vincent Rodriguez, President, Coastline College. Moderated by Dr. Andrew Jones, Strategic Advisor to Nuventive.

Recorded: January 30, 2024

View the replay HERE

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Key takeaways: Nuventive’s third webinar in our 10-part AI series explores the role of policy and guardrails in higher education artificial intelligence adoption and implementation.

Webinar Details: From Congress to Campus: Discussions on the Impact of AI on Higher Education

Watch the full replay HERE. 
Date Recorded: December 5, 2023
Featured Speakers: Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University; and Dr. Michael J. Jabbour, Chief Innovation Officer, Microsoft Education. Moderated by Dr. Jim Moran, Advisor to Nuventive, former Interim Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dakota State University

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Each week, we’ll distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement. This week, we look at: From Congress to Campus: Discussions on the Impact of AI in Higher Education.

AI is shaping higher education today. Nuventive’s third webinar in our 10-part AI series: From Congress to Campus, Dakota State University President Dr. José-Marie Griffiths and Microsoft Education’s Dr. Michael Jabbour joined moderator Dr. Jim Moran to discuss how AI is influencing leadership, policy, students, and the future of learning.

Dr. Griffiths explained that AI is powerful but often misunderstood. Her recommendation to university presidents and their trustees is to lean into the complexity of AI.

“AI is not a single technology or a single entity. It has a lot of rapidly evolving components and then a range of enabling technologies. I like to call it a kaleidoscope. Everybody thinks it’s magic, but it’s got lots of pieces to it. And really, it’s just light and mirrors in the end.”

For presidents and trustees, she emphasized three essentials:

• AI is already present — it must be included in institutional planning.
• It holds enormous potential, but implementation must be responsible and deliberate.
• Risks and opportunities need equal consideration.

Dr. Jabbour highlighted why generative AI can feel so human like:

“The ability to interact through chat has made it somewhat ubiquitous, and now prevalent particularly with students in terms of how they are accelerating their work. It’s just as important to understand that this is a tool, it’s not human. We shouldn’t anthropomorphize it as it starts to look, sound, and feel more human because it’s learning from us.”

Universities have an opportunity to:

• Guide students in appropriate use of AI tools.
• Frame AI as a learning aid, not a replacement.
• Ensure policies evolve alongside student adoption.

Watch Dr. Jabbour’s take HERE (40-second watch)

Dr. Griffiths applauded proactive adoption she has seen in Washington, highlighting efforts taken by policymakers to implement AI in an intentional way, rather than rushing into legislation:

“I hope that in the end we’ll see what we call a light touch on regulation and guardrails, because we hope that we won’t have too much regulation and start stifling innovation.”

Potential areas of impact for higher ed:

• Accreditation standards that reflect AI use in teaching and operations.
• Federal funding requirements tied to responsible AI adoption.
• Student privacy protections aligned with FERPA and other regulations.

Dr. Jabbour discussed how universities should plan to support AI implementation, emphasizing the imperative to allocate resources such as time, money, people, and products into AI:

“My sense here is that you’re going to have a lot of evolution as it relates to demand. And we want to ensure that universities are prepared to respond to that demand.”

Dr. Griffiths added:

• AI will touch both the academic mission and administrative operations.
• Efficiency gains due to AI could free resources for teaching and research.

Dr. Griffiths described her own approach:

“I realized I could no longer keep up with everything myself. I had to develop a network of people that would keep up with different parts of the technological environment.”

Her strategy includes:

• Appointing a CIO for operations and a CTO for forward-looking innovation.
• Building networks to track rapid changes.
• Setting aside time each day to learn and stay up to date with AI advancements.

Dr. Jabbour reinforced this, explaining the rapid pace of AI advancement:

“The longer term is becoming shorter term, and the shorter term is becoming almost immediate. We’re going to see some interesting trends coming soon.”

Dr. Moran asked how human connection can be preserved in an AI-focused environment.

Dr. Jabbour emphasized:

“We have to not only keep humans in the loop but also have a human-centered approach to how we use AI, how we design AI, and how we roll AI out.”

He added:

“It is each of our own responsibility to use this tool responsibly. It is also equally our responsibility to ensure that we are constantly focused in on the humanity, our own humanity, and how we can ensure that comes out of the work we do, how we use the tools, and I think most importantly, how we bring the next generation up.”

• Some have suggested an “FDA-like” model for AI oversight.
• Dr. Griffiths noted the FDA already regulates AI in medical devices, dating back to 1995 — showing that oversight and innovation can coexist.

Both speakers agreed the rate of innovation is accelerating. For universities, this means preparing for rapid change and cultivating agility in both strategy and operations.

• AI is multifaceted: leaders must understand it as a collection of evolving technologies.
• Students are embracing AI: institutions should provide clarity and guidance.
• Resources matter: time, people, and funding must be allocated to AI strategy.
• The human element is central: technology must enhance, not replace, human connection.

Banding Together: How Independent College Presidents are Addressing AI – Dr. Ajay Nair, President, Arcadia University; Dr. Marjorie Hass, President, the Council on Independent Colleges; moderated by Dr. Melissa Hortman, Education Strategist, Microsoft Education – Recorded December 13, 2023.  View the replay now.

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Nuventive’s AI recap continues with a look at the second webinar in our 10-part series, exploring artificial intelligence in higher education through an accreditor’s lens.

Webinar Details: An Accreditor’s View of AI in Higher Education

Watch the full replay HERE. 
Date Recorded: December 16, 2023
Featured Speakers: Dr. David Raney, CEO, Nuventive; Dr. Belle Wheelan, President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)

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Each week, we’ll distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement. This week, we look at An Accreditor’s View of AI in Higher Education.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer an abstract concept on the horizon—it is reshaping higher education. From classrooms to accreditation offices, institutions are navigating its promises, pitfalls, and implications for governance.

The central question is not if AI will impact higher education, but how institutions will adapt.

As Dr. Belle Wheelan, President, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) emphasized:

“AI is not going away. Our role is to figure out how to make it work for us, not against us.”

Accreditation standards remain unchanged, but the ways institutions demonstrate compliance and effectiveness may evolve. Dr. David Raney, CEO, Nuventive framed it this way:

“At Nuventive, we ask whether AI makes things better for individuals, groups, and institutions. If it doesn’t improve outcomes, it’s just noise.”

This webinar explored AI through the lens of accreditation and continuous improvement—placing the human element at the center of the discussion.

• Students are using AI to write papers.
• Admissions offices are exploring AI to support application reviews.
• Presidents’ offices are considering AI for planning and decision-making.
• Faculty are experimenting with AI in instruction and research

• Are institutional reports written with integrity if AI is used?
• Are faculty trained to recognize and guide AI use in classrooms?
• Are plagiarism and misuse policies up to date?
• Are students being taught to ask better questions of AI tools?

View the video clip HERE. (1 minutes 56 seconds)

• Instructional enhancement: Supporting research, personalized learning, and instructional design.
• Operational efficiency: Turning large datasets into actionable insights for planning and accreditation.
• Student engagement: Helping students learn how to evaluate sources, select better algorithms, and personalize pathways.

• Finance and reporting: Errors in budgets or compliance reports could create major issues.
• Data interpretation: Incorrect results from AI-driven analytics.
• Student well-being: Risk of isolation as students lean on technology rather than human interaction.

As Dr. Raney discussed, “AI can deepen our personal connection with technology, but we can’t let it replace the human relationships at the core of education.”

1. AI is embedded in higher education – from admissions to instruction to presidential strategy. “AI is here to stay. We can’t pretend it’s a passing fad.” – Dr. Wheelan
2. Accreditation standards remain constant – policies, outcomes, and integrity are the focus – whether AI is involved or not. “It’s not about creating new rules—it’s about applying the same ones consistently.” – Dr. Wheelan
3. Promise and caution must be balanced – AI can improve efficiency and learning, but financial misuse, poor governance, and student well-being risks are real.
4. Institutions should learn from one another – sharing successes and failures will accelerate adoption and confidence.
5. Human oversight remains central – accreditation and improvement must remain people-driven, with AI as a support tool, not a replacement.

“AI should help us improve, not decide for us.” – Dr. Raney

From Congress to Campus: Discussions on the Impact of AI on Higher Education – Dr. José-Marie Griffiths, President, Dakota State University; and Dr. Michael J. Jabbour, Chief Innovation Officer, Microsoft Education.  Moderated by Dr. Jim Moran, Advisor to Nuventive.  Recorded December 5, 2023.  View the replay now.

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

EDUCAUSE recently presented their annual 2025 EDUCAUSE Top 10: Restoring Trust. This publication outlines the priorities CIOs must address to restore trust in higher education.

2025 EDUCAUSE Top 10: Restoring Trust

Read the EDUCAUSE publication HERE. 

Introductory excerpt from EDUCAUSE

“Higher education has a trust problem. In the past ten years, the share of Americans who are confident in higher education has dropped from 57 percent to 36 percent.

Colleges and universities need to show that they understand and care about students, faculty, staff, and community members, AND they need to work efficiently and effectively.”

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This post demonstrates how the Nuventive Improvement Platform can be a valuable asset for CIOs as they address these imperatives:

At its core, the Nuventive Improvement Platform empowers institutions to use data to deliver improvement, creating a culture of data-informed improvement. We also support leaders’ ability to effectively tell their improvement stories with credible evidence.

Aligning planning across academic and administrative units breaks down information and business process silos, which in turn leads to better outcomes, better communication, and better visibility. Nuventive brings all relevant information into the Information Panel regardless of where it originated, in context of the problem being solved. In the assessment office, many institutions are still using spreadsheet-based reporting processes, which Nuventive completely transforms.

Customers use Nuventive to manage student success generally, including both academic and non-academic areas. Nuventive is used extensively to improve learning outcomes from the course level up through the entire institutional strategy. The Nuventive Improvement Platform can connect student success initiatives to any other strategic improvement initiatives at the institution, providing unprecedented visibility, supported by a wide array of student success data. By enabling institutions to manage improvement from the course level on up, Nuventive empowers them to see what’s working and what isn’t, so they can make high-impact changes.

While Nuventive isn’t directly involved here, we support this by being SOC 2 Type II compliant and supporting user-based access to information held in Nuventive.

Success starts with culture, not technology. Leaders should make sure faculty, staff, and students feel included rather than having AI initiatives “done to them.” Consensus is built through dialogue and trust. 

As with any other improvement initiative, Nuventive can manage digital strategy projects to capture progress and effective practices. Additionally, a strength of Nuventive’s is capturing institutional memory, capturing the “what we did and why” information that leaders need as they step into new roles.

Nuventive supports building institutional capacity to adapt to changing conditions, speeding up the path to decisions by gathering contextual information for consideration. Nuventive users can identify whether something is improving or not, as well as what actions/strategies led to the improvement.  They can also see what is working, at scale, across aligned strategic initiatives. By sharing effective practices throughout the institution, leaders can facilitate creating a culture of adaptive learning and agility.

As noted above, Nuventive streamlines inefficient processes and increases decision-making agility. Nuventive gives visibility into both the information ecosystem and the business-process ecosystem in a way that allows users to identify what is and isn’t working and what strategies are associated with success.

This is yet another example of an improvement process that can me managed in Nuventive.

Likewise, this is an improvement process that can be managed in Nuventive to track and demonstrate increased effectiveness.

Interested in learning more about Nuventive?

Want more information about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?

Nuventive’s recap of “The Human Factor of AI in Higher Education,” a 10-part webinar series, starts with a review of takeaways from our first event.

Webinar Details: AI’s Impact on Higher Education Improvement: Exploring the Human Element

Watch the full replay HERE. 
Date Recorded: October 17, 2023 
Featured Speakers: Dr. David Raney: CEO, Nuventive;  Rob Curtin: Director, Data and AI, Edtech Ecosystem, Microsoft; Moderated by Dr. Brent Ruben: Senior Advisor, Nuventive; Distinguished Professor of Communication; Founder/Senior Fellow, Center for Organizational Leadership, Rutgers University 

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Each week, we’ll distill key takeaways and share short clips from our conversations with presidents, provosts, and leaders in institutional research, assessment, and technology—turning big ideas into practical steps for improvement. We begin with “AI’s Impact on Higher Education Improvement: Exploring the Human Element.”  

AI has burst into higher education with a mix of excitement, hesitation, and opportunities. Institutions are working to find AI applications that have actual impact and go beyond flashy demonstrations. Many early conversations have centered on instruction, assessment, plagiarism, and academic integrity. Administrative uses of AI are growing. 

Rob Curtin, Director, Data and AI, Edtech Ecosystem, Microsoft, described AI as a skills imperative rather than just a threat to academic integrity. 

Focus areas include: 

Safety and Security. AI is being deployed to detect and defend against cyber threats, a critical issue since higher education is one of the most frequently attacked industries. 

Personalization and Experience. Tools like Microsoft Copilot are designed to save time, improve efficiency, and create better outcomes for both faculty and students. 

Community and Access. AI has the potential to re-engage adult learners, bring back students who have stopped out, and open doors for entirely new audiences. 

Self-Actualization. AI can support discovery, research, and personalized learning pathways that align with each learner’s goals. 

The bottom line is clear:

AI succeeds only when it is tied to the institutional mission. Deployments fail when AI is adopted “for AI’s sake” without governance or a clear purpose. 

View the video clip HERE. (1 minute) 

Dr. David Raney, CEO, Nuventive, looked at AI through the lens of human impact: does it make things better for individuals, groups, and institutions? 

Dr. Raney emphasized three human factors: 

1. AI increasingly feels “human,” and it will deepen our personal connections with technology. 
2. People want to be understood, and this can create powerful emotional ties with AI.
3. It is critical to keep AI grounded in outcomes and improvement rather than letting fear or hype drive decisions. 

View the video clip HERE. (2 minutes 44 seconds)

It’s essential for institutions to learn from one another. Sharing both successes and opportunities for growth across campuses, states, and associations helps everyone move faster with intention. 

The call to action is to experiment, document what works, and spread those lessons in ways that build value and confidence across the community. 

Success starts with culture, not technology. Leaders should make sure faculty, staff, and students feel included rather than having AI initiatives “done to them.” Consensus is built through dialogue and trust. 

Two strategies emerged: 

Walk, Then Run. Start with small, purposeful pilots that have measurable outcomes, and scale once there’s proof of value. 

Run Wild in Parallel. Encourage exploration and innovation while maintaining guardrails to ensure projects stay aligned with the mission. 

The human factor must remain central. AI should always support improvement, inclusion, and equity, not replace human decision-making. Governance, transparency, and policy guardrails are critical to align innovation with the institutional mission. AI is transformative, but it will only deliver long-term value if it is used ethically and intentionally. 

Check back next Wednesday for a look back at our second webinar in the series, “An Accreditor’s View of AI in Higher Education” featuring Dr. Belle Wheelan, President, SACSCOC, Ret.; interviewed by Dr. David Raney, CEO, Nuventive. Recorded December 16, 2023.  View the replay now. 

Interested in learning more about the Nuventive Improvement Platform?