AAUA 2026 – Dr. Timothy Renick | Exec. Director, National Institute for Student Success

2026-08-10T11:31:31-04:00

Data-Driven Student Success in Higher Ed: Dr. Timothy Renick on Equity, ROI, and Change Management In this AAUA 2026 podcast episode, Dr. Timothy Renick, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University, joins host Matt Roche and AAUA President & CEO Dr. Sandra Affenito to explore how colleges and universities can dramatically improve student success, retention, and completion rates while advancing equity and strengthening the higher education value proposition. Drawing on Georgia State's nationally recognized record of boosting graduation rates by 70% and closing equity gaps across race, ethnicity, and income, Dr. Renick explains how [...]

AAUA 2026 – Dr. Timothy Renick | Exec. Director, National Institute for Student Success2026-08-10T11:31:31-04:00

AAUA 2026 – Conference Preview

2026-08-05T09:04:24-04:00

In this episode of Creating the Future of Higher Education, host and AAUA Board Member Dr. Tim Jansa welcomes Matt Roche (fellow AAUA Board Member and Conference Chair), Dr. Laura Bloomberg (President, Cleveland State University), and Mr. Eytan Wurman (Founder & CEO of CommonTime Pathways) for an insider preview of the AAUA National Conference in Cleveland, October 19-20, 2026. Together, they explore the theme "Realizing the Higher Education Value Proposition" and discuss how college and university leaders can respond to the enrollment and demographic cliffs, public skepticism about higher education, tight budgets, and an increasingly AI-enabled world while keeping institutions mission-centered [...]

AAUA 2026 – Conference Preview2026-08-05T09:04:24-04:00

AAUA 2026 – Col. Chris Richie

2026-07-13T09:30:14-04:00

How Auburn University Built a Campus-Wide Leadership Culture | Aspire Auburn with Col. Chris Richie How can a college or university become a true learning organization for its people—not just its students? In this episode of the AAUA 26 podcast, executive coach and AAUA board member Dr. Tim Jansa talks with Colonel Chris Richie, Director of Human Resource Development at Auburn University, about the design and impact of the Aspire Auburn leadership development program. Drawing on his 30-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps and his experience in higher education leadership, Chris Richie explains how Auburn is closing the long-standing gap [...]

AAUA 2026 – Col. Chris Richie2026-07-13T09:30:14-04:00

AAUA 2026 – John Comerford

2026-06-22T11:05:23-04:00

In this episode, Dr. John Comerford, President of Otterbein University, joins host Matt Roche for a candid, forward-looking conversation about how institutions can reclaim the true value of higher education beyond rankings and prestige. Drawing on his student affairs roots and presidential experience, Comerford unpacks the ROI debate, making a compelling case for the breadth and adaptability of liberal arts degrees, especially in the social sciences and humanities. He details Otterbein’s innovative responses to rising costs and demographic pressures, including debt-free tuition for Pell-eligible students, the Otterbein Advantage Partnership that links employers, scholarships, and internships, and the Otterbein Ready program that [...]

AAUA 2026 – John Comerford2026-06-22T11:05:23-04:00

AAUA 2026 – Rasheem Rooke

2026-05-16T22:00:05-04:00

In this AAUA podcast episode, President & CEO Sandra Affenito and AAUA Board Member Matt Roche speak with Rasheem Rooke, Assistant Vice President for Scholarships and Programs at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), writer, educator, and author of Thriving in College: 10 Real-World Lessons for College Success. Framed by AAUA’s annual conference theme, “Realizing the Higher Education Value Proposition,” the conversation explores how institutions can more effectively demonstrate and deliver the long-term value of a college education. Prefer to watch the conversation? View the full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Tjh_-QUR1Wk Rooke traces his own path as a low-income, first-generation student and [...]

AAUA 2026 – Rasheem Rooke2026-05-16T22:00:05-04:00
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