Bill Pepicello’s Post

#EdUp is growing at a phenomenal pace. It has something for everyone who is touched by higher education. And that would be all of us. Take a look around. Joe Sallustio, EdD and Elvin Freytes are force!

A Few Of My (Least) Favorite Things  As I head off for summer vacation, this episode will leave you with a short list of things I hope we won’t have to revisit again (and again) during the fall semester. There are two parts to the list.  The first contains issues that are rehashed on a regular basis with lots of words and comparatively little action, things like competency-based education, reducing time to degree, workforce demands, and the ever-deliberated need to serve working adults.  The second part of the list contains the more recent set of concerns that has distracted higher education from its primary academic purpose. And more to the point, how venturing beyond the ivy-covered walls has affected the higher education sector. #highered #competencybased #degreetime #workforce #adulted #campusprotests https://lnkd.in/giMczdqQ

What The Numbers Tell Us  We all tend to accept reports that are grounded in numerical data and statistics as accurate accounts. We also know that numbers don’t lie.  But what the numbers tell us depends on what question we ask them. And on what story we want them to tell.  In this episode I’ll look at how economic indicators are subject to interpretation, and how apparent trends in higher education may not indicate exactly what we are led to believe. #highered #trends #statistics #indicators #economy https://lnkd.in/giMczdqQ

Who Wants To Be A President? There has been a lot of harsh criticism of leadership in our colleges and universities lately, and a  notable increase in turnover. The explanation lies in the expectations of the traditional model of higher education, and how the shift of higher ed from an observer to a participant in current social and political trends has altered these expectations. In this episode I’ll consider why some current presidents are struggling and what the job description of the next generation of leadership in higher education might look like. See if you want to apply. #highered #presidents #future #leadership #jobdescription https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv

Leadership On The Field Of Play In the last episode I discussed what makes leaders successful, or not, from my perspective. In this episode I’ll look at the relationship of leadership theory to practice from my own experience at the University of Phoenix. I’ll explore the chicken-and-egg conundrum of whether theory informs practice or is derived from it. Then I’ll look at what transpires when theory is carried onto the field of play, and what happens if there is no theory that fits the game that is being played. #leadership #highereducation #success #theory #practice #universityofphoenix https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv

Success And Failure A lot has been written about success and failure.  In this episode I will discuss my own take on what the terms mean and how they have played out in some significant advances in science, business, and education. It is often said that you learn from failing.  I disagree. I say you learn from NOT failing. But not failing is not the same as succeeding.  What you learn from not failing is not how to succeed. It is how not to fail. If that sounds like a word salad, tune in and see how this applies to the accomplishments of Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, and John Sperling. #highered #success #failure #sperling #edison #henryford https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv

A Lesson in Leadership One of the most influential leaders I met during my long career was Senator and Presidential Candidate John McCain. Recently, a former colleague at University of Phoenix,Marla Sheiner M.A., A.P.R. published a memoir about her role as press secretary in McCain's first Congressional campaign. Check out the preview or purchase on Amazon to learn more about the lessons she learned from McCain and how we can all apply them now. bit.ly/4658qwH

 More on the Business Model  We all enjoy discounts at our favorite stores and restaurants.  But how about higher education?  Yep, there too.  In this episode I’ll discuss what higher ed discounts are all about and how they affect the consumer’s ability to determine the true cost of college. I’ll also speak to how discounts impact the higher ed business model.  As a bonus, I’ll tack on an analysis of the Department of Ed’s latest news on interest rates on student loans and how this contributes to the tangle of student debt as part of business model, such as it is. #highered #businessmodel #tuitiondiscounts #interestrates #studentloans https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv

This will Go on Your Permanent Record  This threat has struck terror in the hearts of students and employees since time immemorial. The humiliation of an indelible blemish on our formal record as a result of some transgression was a strong motivation to play by the rules.  And the name of the game was accountability. Actions had consequences, and you broke the rules at your own peril. But this does not seem to be what we are witnessing today. Criminals often contravene the law repeatedly with relative impunity. Without the threat of penalties, criminals are de-risked and empowered.   Recent protest activity on American campuses reflects similar circumstances.  Students have been conditioned to function in an insulated atmosphere where they do not fear repercussions for their actions, and in fact feel entitled dictate the terms of their association with colleges and universities. In this episode I’ll explore how the notions of accountability and permanent records have changed, and why students (and faculty) need to pay attention to both. #accountbility #permanentrecord #campusprotests #highered https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv

No News is New News Recently, Lumina and Gallup conducted a nationally representative survey of adults without a college degree and shared the results with a group of higher education leaders and experts. In this episode I’ll compare the findings of this survey to a similar report that Lumina issued in 2017. Both examine concerns facing nontraditional learners and how to deal with them. I’ll also look at the reactions of the higher ed community to the substance of the reports.  I’ll discuss what has changed, and what has not, in the interval between the two studies, gauging the progress of higher ed over time. #Lumina #Gallup #adultlearners #credentials #highereducation https://lnkd.in/ecbAgxCv