Dr. Al argues that our society, with its advanced systems, still runs on primitive wiring, which explains today’s fear, cruelty, and attacks on education, science, and expertise. He makes the case that educators are quiet resistors who push the pendulum toward progress through daily, deliberate practice.

• educators as stewards who shift norms through practice
• human evolution limits against complex systems
• manipulation exploits tribal instincts and bias
• attacks on higher ed and shrinking research funding
• the “stupid epoch” frame for modern cruelty and fear
• comfort in naming the epoch and acting locally

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Dr. Al breaks down how a loud few can distort narratives, stall reform, and make campuses feel toxic while most educators work hard for students. He shows how to replace blanket blame with specific accountability, evidence, and courage so truth can guide decisions.

• pattern of toxicity driven by a small few
• harm of blanket blame across groups
• distortion of messages and weaponized silence
• fear, bullying, and misuse of retaliation claims
• equity weakened by internal toxicity across identities
• shift from group blame to naming behavior
• document evidence and gather allies
• silence as complicity, courage as a norm
• truth as the foundation for student success

You can subscribe to the show and newsletter on the Continuous Learning Institute link below, and of course on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Continuous Learning Institute:
A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.

Student Success Podcast Homepage:
Access show notes, resources, & transcripts

Community colleges lose a staggering number of students before they even show up in official retention data. For this episode, I interviewed Dr. Rita Karam of RAND Corporation. She and her colleagues at RAND examined this often-overlooked group across 15 colleges in California, Texas, and Kentucky. The findings? More than 60% of students are lost between application and census date, with the majority leaving due to a mix of personal barriers and institutional processes.

This episode unpacks the research and offers practical steps colleges can take to reduce these losses and re-engage students.

Key Findings

• Enrollment leakage is real and large: About 10–15% drop after enrolling but before census. Another ~50% are lost between application and enrollment over 60% combined loss.
• Institutional processes matter: Complex onboarding, unclear handoffs, and overwhelming communication push students out just as much as financial or personal challenges.
• Financial aid is a critical barrier: Students often don’t realize aid requires a declared major or other criteria. Many are dropped when aid decisions aren’t resolved in time.
• Students want relational, not transactional, support: They seek caring, transformative relationships with advisors, not one-off transactions.
• Timing is crucial: Roughly 30% of students enroll within two weeks of term start, overwhelming advisors and limiting the quality of advising.
• Few colleges systematically track these students: Data systems are fragmented, making it hard to identify where and why students disappear.

Key Chapter Makers
00:00: Introduction
02:45: Why Students Leave Before Census
06:20: Institutional vs. Personal Barriers
11:10: The Role of Financial Aid in Early Attrition
15:30: Communication Breakdowns During Onboarding
20:40: Timing Matters: The First Two Weeks
26:15: Tracking Students Who Disappear
31:00: Effective Re-Engagement Strategies
36:20: Rethinking Advising: From Transactional to Transformational
41:50: Practical Steps Colleges Can Take Now
47:00: Closing Thoughts & Key Takeaways

For the full transcript and detailed show notes, including ACTION STEPS, visit the episode page.

Continuous Learning Institute:
A resource hub for higher education professionals to support college student success. Subscribe for updates.

Student Success Podcast Homepage:
Access show notes, resources, & transcripts