Melik Khoury is the rare college president whose essay about higher ed went viral. He argued that while college leaders and professors tell themselves their mission is about students, the governance structures and incentives instead serve its workforce. On this episode, Jeff and Michael talk with Khoury about his work transforming the institution he leads, Unity Environmental University. And they hear the challenges he faced in a sector where people often assume that tradition is regulation. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.

0:00 - Intro
2:00 - A Turnaround Story at Unity
4:42 - Colleges Are Designed to Serve Employees, Not Students
TKTK - What Sparked a Viral Essay About College Structures
9:03 - How Unity Changed Its Model
13:57 - Can Other Colleges Easily Follow Unity’s Example?
16:20 - When to Stop an Experiment That Isn’t Working
19:17 - Higher Ed Is At a Crossroads
21:58 - How Will AI Change Higher Ed?
26:40 - When Tradition Seems Like Regulation
32:30 - Leaders Are Unprepared for Change
34:40 - Colleges Need Bold Action
37:15 - Presidents Should Use Their Skills As Educators to Sell Change
40:40 - The Best College Leaders Are Leaning In On AI
43:56 - Wrap-Up

“The Lie at the Center of Higher Education,” by Melik Khoury on Substack.

“The Library Card Fallacy,” by Melik Khoury on Substack.

“We Outgrew the Butterfly. Now We Are Building an Octopus,” by Melik Khoury on Substack.

“Reimagining the Academy: Unity Environmental University on Breaking the Higher Ed Mold,” in AcOps Magazine.