2022 provided a glimpse into the tremendous power and potential of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) as early disruptors like ChatGPT‘s hit the market and gained rapid worldwide adoption. According to the company, ChatGPT gained over 1 million users within 1 week of launch, and as of January 2023 receives over 10 million queries per day. That is a staggering adoption curve, and demonstrates the marketplace’s hunger for tools like it.
Needless to say, the much awaited rapid adoption of Ai at the industry and consumer levels has evoked a range of emotions within higher education institutions, with some expressing fear and others beaming with excitement. While breakthrough innovation and disruption have impacted how people live and work, a majority of higher education institutions continue to operate using models that are more reminiscent of the 1990s. Bottom line? Higher education has been slow to adopt widely accepted technologies (from automation to mobile experiences), and it has cost the industry in more ways than one. It raises the question as to why this is the case, and how higher education can begin to harness the power of disruptive technologies like AI to drive transformative change that is urgently needed.
In January 2023, Beyond Academics conducted a ThinkSpace session in which we engaged with individuals from over 20 higher education institutions to get a pulse on how Ai is being perceived, and will likely be adopted in higher education. The goal of the session was to gain a deeper understanding of individual and campus perceptions and appetite for AI, as well as to identify areas where AI could have the greatest impact on campus operations and student success. Through a combination of this crowdsourced insight, and our internal research, we were able to develop a vision for how Ai will be integrated into the day-to-day lives of students, staff, and faculty on campus.
For the better of 3 decades, principals at Beyond Academics have sat on both sides of the ERP/SIS table – as a seller of product and services, and as buyer and adopter. Along the way, great friendships have been built across the industry, and both first-hand and anecdotal insight has been building up about the state of back office technology in higher ed.
Needless to say, the problem is real, and robbing students of hundreds of millions of dollars in funding under the fake narrative of transformation. This piece looks to shed light on the problem, and provide practical solutions for schools to follow.
Much more will be shared in the months and years to come as we continue our research and development in this very important area.
We are expecting pushback and debate on this topic, so join us on LinkedIn to share your thoughts.
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2022 provided a glimpse into the tremendous power and potential of Artificial Intelligence (Ai) as early disruptors like ChatGPT‘s hit the market and gained rapid worldwide adoption. According to the company, ChatGPT gained over 1 million users within 1 week of launch, and as of January 2023 receives over 10 million queries per day. That is a staggering adoption curve, and demonstrates the marketplace’s hunger for tools like it.
Needless to say, the much awaited rapid adoption of Ai at the industry and consumer levels has evoked a range of emotions within higher education institutions, with some expressing fear and others beaming with excitement. While breakthrough innovation and disruption have impacted how people live and work, a majority of higher education institutions continue to operate using models that are more reminiscent of the 1990s. Bottom line? Higher education has been slow to adopt widely accepted technologies (from automation to mobile experiences), and it has cost the industry in more ways than one. It raises the question as to why this is the case, and how higher education can begin to harness the power of disruptive technologies like AI to drive transformative change that is urgently needed.
In January 2023, Beyond Academics conducted a ThinkSpace session in which we engaged with individuals from over 20 higher education institutions to get a pulse on how Ai is being perceived, and will likely be adopted in higher education. The goal of the session was to gain a deeper understanding of individual and campus perceptions and appetite for AI, as well as to identify areas where AI could have the greatest impact on campus operations and student success. Through a combination of this crowdsourced insight, and our internal research, we were able to develop a vision for how Ai will be integrated into the day-to-day lives of students, staff, and faculty on campus.
For the better of a decade, higher education thought leaders have pointed to the urgent need for administration and faculty to embrace an entrepreneurial mindset to better position for the transformation and disruption ahead in higher ed.
BOSI (acronym for Builder, Opportunist, Specialist, and Innovator) is the framework higher leaders will be able to leverage for several much-needed outcomes.:
Help each employee discover their innate entrepreneurial DNA and discover the pre-wired strengths and weaknesses of that behavioral profile.
Help teams and working groups identify the complementary and competing DNAs in the room so that innovation can actually take place.
Help leaders identify talent within the institution, and during the recruiting process, to best align roles to the decision-making lens that drives each individual.
Help managers have a better understanding of how each team member is wired to make decisions, and how they process things like opportunity, risk, ideation, and failure.
Design strategy based on the unique Institutional DNA of a school, rather than falling for the fatal trap of chasing “best practices” of schools that have a completely different DNA. (Hint: Just because Arizona State or SNHU is doing something innovative doesn’t mean your school can, or should as well. If you don’t have their Institutional DNA, you will not be successful in implementing their strategies).
Assign professional development pathways for individuals based on their DNA rather than a one-size-fits-all approach that borders on discriminatory and exclusionary.
Provide professors and administrators with a tool to better understand each student, and their behavioral profile so that everything from course selection, to team assignments can be customized to that who that student is.
The History Of BOSI
Discovered in 2008 amidst research conducted with startup founders, the BOSI framework led to the authoring of the book Entrepreneurial DNA (McGraw Hill 2011). Over 1,000 individuals participated in the original research, and over 200,000 individuals worldwide have completed the assessment since then.
The BOSI framework is currently used in incubators, early stage companies, academic coursework, non profit organizations, and the Fortune 500.
The framework has now been adapted for Higher Education and will be available for individuals and institutions starting 2023.
Ways To Leverage BOSI
BOSI will be available publicly in several formats starting March 2023.
The free 10-question assessment for individuals (mobile friendly and under 5 minutes)
The Advanced Assessment for individuals that uncovers all 4 DNAs by percentage and includes a multi-page pdf report.
The Team Assessment for teams of 10 to over 1,000. Plots the entire team on one BOSI quadrant for rich insight into team dynamics and innovation capacity.
A certification program for individuals (2024) who will administer the assessment and coach leaders in their professional development.
ThinkSpace sessions hosted by Beyond Academics that are open to the public.
The BOSI Leadership Academy (2024) where emerging leaders in higher ed will go through multi-day programming to build their leadership skills and get certified.
Workshops, events, and keynotes for associations, and institutions as-requested.
As we better understand the ways higher education leaders will leverage BOSI to move their institutions forward, we will continue to innovate ways to support.
The BOSI Assessments will open to higher education on March 1st 2023.
Questions? Contact us by emailing team@beyondacademics.com
As higher education enters a phase of early disruption seeded by the Pandemic, and now accelerated with exponential technologies like ChatGPT, it’s important to get a perspective of the road ahead.
At Beyond Academics, we spend a great deal of our time guiding clients to where higher education is going, and how to position their institution to be future-ready.
This year’s Top 10 Things for 2023 gives you our perspective for what’s ahead this year. We hope it leads to meaningful discussions, and challenging conversations within your department or institution.
These trends are not “potentially” going to happen. They are already in their early deployment, so consider how ready your institution is to adapt to each trend, so you can take full advantage of each trend in the months to come.
You’re probably sensing it’s time to break off an old partnership.
For the past 15 years, your partner has been with you through thick and thin. At times, you’ve hated working together, while at other times you’ve been grateful for everything this partner did for you. But as of late, it is taking more time and money than ever before.
It’s time to say goodbye to your current SIS system and look for a new one.
Part 01: Why Student Implementations Never Meet Expectations
“Transformation!” “Modernization!” “Flexible!” “Saves Time and Money!” “Allows you to do what you need to do!”
You’ve heard all of these promises and more from SIS vendors who meet us at conferences, send us their videos, and respond to our RFIs. You sign on the dotted line, get millions of dollars worth of funding, and find an implementation partner who promises to transform your world. You get excited to start your SIS transformation initiative.
Fast forward to two years later.
Your implementation is nearly out of funds, and you are nowhere near going live on schedule. Even if you do go live, the new software will take years of modifications before you will even be able to support many of the critical processes you were doing in your legacy system on the day you held your first kick-off meeting. As a result, time, money, and careers are all wasted and broken, and your institution is less able to operate than it was 24 months ago.
It wasn’t supposed to be this way! So, what happened?
Based on over 20 years of observing and studying the maker, we have identified five common reasons SIS implementations never meet expectations:
Reason 1: The Expected Transformation Is Not Clearly Defined
Reason 2: Lack of Leadership
Reason 3: Poor Decision-making
Reason 4: Pseudo Investments
Reason 5: SIS Implementation Driven by External Players
Over the next few days, we will dive deeper into these five reasons and some preventative steps you can take. We will close out the series with guidance on how to generate uncomfortable conversations with your SIS teams and hopefully set you on a new path toward true student-centric transformation.
Don’t like to wait? Neither does innovation. Download the full five-part article here:
A few weeks ago, Inside Higher Education ran an article describing a survey of course catalogs from 30 Community Colleges. The survey* found the catalogs were bulky, hard to use, with lots of policy and industry jargon. The texts were dense, written by academics for academics. New students found it difficult to understand what classes they needed for their majors, what the costs were, what each class contained, or how it was delivered.
I am sure the administrators for each of those colleges would identify as student-centric and committed to their students’ success but think about a student who is the first in their family to attend college, who has no knowledge of college jargon, where to go to get their questions answered, or that they even could go anywhere to get answers.
For these students, the catalog is a hurdle, not a path. Here, at the first step of many students’ college career, they must climb over a wall constructed by the very same administrators claiming to be committed to their success.
Hidden Hurdles
Being student-centric is not about installing software. It is about developing a constant, relentless focus on the student at every step of every process. It means keeping eyes open for barriers that we as administrators, teachers, and consultants, unknowingly create (like the course catalog.) To be truly student-centric, we need to have a clear understanding of our students’ needs and get rid of the hidden hurdles we have mistakenly overlooked.
How can you find these hidden hurdles?
Firstly, and most obviously, ask your students. Talk to all different types of students; older students, ethnic students, mid-career students, 18-year-olds, veterans, and students with physical challenges. Don’t ask how they interact with your technology. Ask about their experience in your institution from beginning to end. Ask how they interact with your school, your processes, and your people. Have the courage to ask what they find difficult and the integrity to listen to their answers.
Secondly, complete the business process yourself as if you were a student. Don’t read the procedure or ask a staff member—complete the process as a student would. For example, travel the road your students must follow to register for a semester. Read your catalog, figure out what classes you need to take for your major, and try to enroll. Call the help desk and ask a question. Pay your fee. What was your experience? What went well and what didn’t? What can you change? Step into the shoes of your students and watch your organization transform.
Thirdly, bring in a third-party to help you look for hidden hurdles in policy, processes, and technology. Do you make your students go to different places to solve parts of the same problem? Do you have a process in place to keep the same problem from happening again? A fresh perspective can identify issues that you had previously been blind to.
Ask Yourself “Why?”
Don’t leave a process in place because “we’ve always done it this way.” The goal is to make each process as frictionless for the student as possible. One way to do this is to ask “Why?” 5 times. The “5 Whys” is an iterative but powerful technique developed by Sakichi Toyoda. It is based on the idea you can’t arrive at the root cause of a problem or a process until you ask a “why” question at least five times.
For example, when examining a step in your registration process you might ask, “Why does the student fill out this paper form?” The answer might be “We need the information.” Then ask, “Why do you need this information?” Repeat this sequence of “whys” and answers and by the fifth “why” you have either discovered the form is vital or its not needed at all.
If the information is needed, find out if it is captured somewhere else and you can keep the student from having to fill out a form. If it isn’t needed you can get rid of the form and reduce friction for both students and staff. Either way you have released the time and energy spent on supporting a form to supporting a student.
Software Enables, But People Transform
Becoming a student-centric institution is a journey, not a destination. Installing “student success” software is only one step along the way. Software only enables what you currently do. By itself, software won’t eliminate the barriers your students must overcome and transform your institution. People drive transformation. Being truly student-centric is a result of everyone in your faculty, staff, and administration seeing your institution through your students’ eyes and having the power to remove every barrier they find—no matter how steeped in tradition it is. Only then can you transform into a student-centric institution.
* The survey was completed by Terry O’Banion is a senior professor of practice at Kansas State University and president emeritus of the League for Innovation in the Community College. Cindy Miles is a professor of practice at Kansas State University and chancellor emerita at Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District. Rick Voorhees, principal and senior scholar with the Voorhees Group, for assistance in identifying their research study sample.
A New Social App That Offers Real, Genuine Connection
Clubhouse is a new social networking app that launched in May of 2020. The developers describe the app as “a space for casual, drop-in audio conversations,” but after using it myself for almost a month, I have quickly learned that it is much more than that.
Social media platforms have always boasted about their ability to connect people, share information, and learn about each other, but they rarely achieve these things. And if they do achieve them, it’s only halfway. Conversations (though they happen fast) don’t happen in real-time and words get lost in translation or cut short by a character limit. Meaningful, valuable connections are rare. Clubhouse changes that.
The real-time voice chat of Clubhouse eliminates that loss of context, tone, and meaning, making the conversations that happen on the app more valuable, clear, and collaborative. It’s like an in-person networking event, except better because you have access to people across the world, not just the people in the same physical space with you.
In less than one month of using Clubhouse, I have learned a lot about the app and the power it has. Here are the top ten things that Clubhouse has taught me:
1. Your Voice Matters
Everyone’s voice matters, Clubhouse has given everyone a platform to express their thoughts, perspectives, and ideas.
2. Everyone Belongs
No matter who you are and what you are passionate about, there is a community waiting for you.
3. There’s Power In Diversity
One of the reasons organizations stagnate is they surround themselves with people who look the same, who have the same background, same experiences, and same perspectives. However, Clubhouse shows us the power that diverse thought has to build a better world.
4. Listening Is a Powerful Tool for Personal Growth
Too often, we live in a world where we want to be heard, but Clubhouse teaches us that everyone has powerful insight worth listening to, even if they don’t have a prestigious title or a leadership role. Listening is the most important part of having a valuable conversation.
5. The World Is Connected 24/7
With Clubhouse’s Global community, we are able to collaborate 24/7 and work together to understand and solve each other’s problems.
6. It’s Important To Be Clear and Concise
With rooms ranging from ten to thousands of people, Clubhouse teaches us the importance of getting to the point. Beating around the bush isn’t valuable or productive. With the ability to add a short personal profile, there is no need to introduce ourselves and our backgrounds. Getting to the point in a clear and concise manner makes for a powerful contribution.
7. Everyone Has a Role They Can Play
In Clubhouse, you can play any role you are comfortable with—moderator, speaker, or just a listener. These roles enable us to create platforms on topics for audiences of thousands or a private room for only two people.
8. It’s a Give and Take Environment
To flourish and grow, you have to give to Clubhouse as much as you take. The strength of Clubhouse is that it encourages everyone to be a part of the discussion. And for the topic to thrive, you need to participate with your voice as well as be a part of the audience who is listening in to the diverse perspectives of the others.
9. Two-Way Discussions Are Better Than One-Way
In a world of one-way presentations, lectures, and webinars, Clubhouse is showing us that hosting the voices of individuals who are passionate about the topic and listening to what they have to say is more powerful than speaking at them and asking for input later.
10. Multitasking Is Encouraged
Clubhouse is a 24/7 ecosystem. We all have responsibilities and priorities that need our attention, but that doesn’t stop us from listening in. Discussions can be put in the background like a radio while we do other things, and we can jump in when we can.
All these things come together to create genuine connections in a way that hasn’t been done by social media in recent years, or possibly ever.
Honorable Mentions
False Spins Are Checked by the Community
In a world driven by sales and marketing spin, the ability to have a live narrative allows us to call out the imposters and shed light on false or manipulative spins.
Your Network Is a Powerful Tool
To build anything you are passionate about, you need a supportive network. Your network is not just your community, but anyone who can help you achieve goals or simply share in your passions.
Change Is Here
All the discussions that I have been a part of on Clubhouse have shown that the world is constantly changing and that change is happening faster than ever. Platforms like this one are a big part of that.
Your Voice Is Your New Look
Because Clubhouse is an audio-only platform, it eliminates most of the vanity that exists on other platforms and puts your voice front and center.
There Are Unwritten Rules:
Turning your mic on and off repeatedly is like “clapping” to show support or encouragement.
Adding a host or guest to an event without permission from the room’s creator is frowned upon, even though the app allows you to do so. Be courteous!
Wait your turn. You will get your chance to speak, but listen first.
State your name when you start speaking and when you stop. This helps the folks who are hearing-impaired and using closed captions.
Everyone has the right to speak and offer their perspective. Titles don’t matter; passion does.
About Clubhouse
Right now, the Clubhouse app is still in beta, and new users need an invite to join. Each user receives two invites when they sign up and this method of adding new users has spread like wildfire. The number of users has jumped from 600,000 in December 2020 to 10 million in February 2021. It’s quite possible that everyone will have Clubhouse before the app’s official release. It’s a testament to how great this platform is, and also how innovative.
Clubhouse didn’t wait around until everything was completed to be shared with the world—they don’t even have a website yet. The app already has millions of users, but those users are also beta testers, and the improvements made based on their feedback will undoubtedly make this app user-friendly and sustainably successful.
The conversations that are happening all day, every day on Clubhouse are truly amazing. If two heads are better than one, imagine what 10 million can do.
To learn more about Clubhouse, you can click here.
If you’re already on Clubhouse, follow me! My handle is @mattalex5. I’m participating in conversations about the Future of Higher Ed every day. I would love for you to join me.
If you don’t have an invite yet, finding someone who is using the app and can invite you is getting easier every day. Reach out to your network on Twitter or LinkedIn; I’m sure you’ll be joining conversations very soon.
Higher Education is on a jet-powered ride to a brand-new world and the models schools have used to run their institutions for decades simply don’t work anymore. To survive and thrive, every institution must transform some, or all, of the ways it operates.
Technology Mistaken for Innovation
For many leaders, transformation means installing the newest software. But, in the end, all they have done is attach new-world technology to old-world processes, and they are no better off than when they started. These leaders miss opportunities to forge new paths, to set new goals, to rise to the challenges of the new world around them.
This technology-based approach to transformation in higher education is driven by the Consultant/Vendor/IT complex with its iron triangle of vendor-partner consultants, technology vendors, and university IT shops. Many consultants have a vested interest with partner software vendors and will try to convince schools that their future success and sustainability depends on selecting their preferred vendor’s software.
Generally, IT shops are structured to do one thing—install and support software. Academic leadership has bought into the concept that change and innovation are purely based on technology, so they are all too ready to listen to what their IT group recommends. They are eager to accept the consultant’s recommendation that a new software is what is needed to move their school forward—but that is not always the case.
Over and over again, institutions reach out to consultants and get the same answer: “Buy this new software! It will solve all your problems!” It’s an answer that excites institutional leadership. As a result, they purchase the software.
The mandate for “transformation” is driven through the whole organization. For up to two years the institution works hard to implement the new solution only to be no better off than when they started. By the time the new software is in place, the market has moved on and the situation has changed. In the end, the institution has simply put one more block on a teetering technology tower, ready to collapse at the slightest touch. The institution’s technology portfolio doesn’t properly support their operations or strategy and is so inflexible that it prevents any change of direction.
And then, the cycle starts all over again. The winners in this story are the consultants, the software vendors, and the IT shop. The losers are the institution. Higher Ed struggles on, lugging all this technical debt and leaving students to navigate through contradictory and non-supportive systems.
How Do We Break the Cycle?
The answer is simple: Don’t hire consultants.
That’s right. Don’t hire consultants. Hire strategic partners.
You may be thinking “all consultants sell themselves as strategic partners.” But there is a significant difference between a true strategic partner and a consultant. It is the difference between an architect and a contractor.
A true strategic partner is the architect. Architects put their clients’ needs first and are focused on their goals. They are trained to analyze a client’s site or problem and design a structure that best fits the site or solves the problem. They work closely with their client to develop a fit-for-purpose design, and they develop their design and draw the blueprints with that client’s unique needs and goals in mind. They understand their client’s budget, the long-term cost of ownership of their solution, and the need to demonstrate a return on investment on the project. Only when all these items are understood and in place do they engage a contractor.
The consultant is the contractor. Consultants are best at following a predetermined blueprint to build the structure. You wouldn’t hire a contractor to design your house. Their expertise is carpentry, plumbing, and electric. Like a building contractor, consultants have a deep understanding of configuration, programming upgrades, and testing, not structural design and architecture. We need to stop hiring contractors to do an architect’s job. Institutions must find a strategic partner to develop the solution, and only then should they hire a consulting partner to implement whatever technology solution—if any—is required to achieve that goal.
How Do You Find a Strong Strategic Partner?
Before you start any innovation or transformation journey, you must be crystal clear on what your goals are. It is vital for the success of your institution to define those goals, independent of any technology solution.
For example, define your goal as “I need to improve my student’s experience,” not “I need to replace my SIS system.” If you understand what your overall goals are—independent of a technology product—you stand a much better chance of meeting the strategic goals you have set out to achieve.
Once you have clearly defined your goals, start looking for your strategic partner. When looking at a potential partner, first understand how strongly they are allied with a software.
A good strategic partner won’t have strong ties to a specific solution or set of solutions. They will be free to help you build a pathway that is right for you, not for the vendor.
Next, when you are selecting a partner, observe their approach. Do they try and understand what the strategic goals are for you and your institution? Or do they jump to a technology-based approach?
You need someone who listens and understands what you are trying to achieve, not someone who will come in with pre-determined answers.
They need to be able to work with you to layout an effective approach to meeting your goals, even if that doesn’t require new software.
Finally, clearly understand how they will support you though your journey.
A partner will be with you from the start and is committed to you for the long haul.
If a technical solution is required, a partner understands your goals well enough that they can help guide you to the technology solution and an integration consultant that works best for you.
This “find a partner, not a consultant” approach means not only changing how and when we create our strategies. It changes how we respond to the market and how we relate to technology. We need to create structures where strategies are designed and implemented quickly, with a firm focus on the destination. Having these clear goals and flexible structures makes for a successful partnership, which results in effective initiatives that are truly transformative.
