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About the Episode
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About the Episode:
Marketing and Enrollment Management AI Readiness Report 2025
Research: The Hidden Penalty of Using AI at Work
In this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, host Mallory Willsea sits down with Carrie Pitts-Densmore, VP of Enrollment and Marketing at Johnston Community College, to unpack the quiet chaos unfolding in higher ed teams. This timely discussion explores why proactive employees are losing patience, how AI inequity is disproportionately affecting women, and what institutional leaders must do now to retain top talent. If you’re not thinking of AI strategy as a retention strategy, you’re already behind.
Key Takeaways
- 65% of higher ed staff are using AI—but only 56% of institutions have formal support or training plans.
- Staff are now more likely to leave over an institution's AI stance—up from 1% in 2023 to 34% in 2024.
- Women face double the competence penalty when using AI tools, according to recent Harvard Business Review research.
- A lack of AI training and strategy is already impacting staff morale, transparency, and organizational culture.
- AI in higher education isn’t just about automation—it’s about unlocking smarter workflows, listening to audiences, and making time for creativity.
- Upskilling and a culture of experimentation are non-negotiables for higher ed leaders looking to retain and grow their teams.
Episode Summary: What You’ll Learn in This Conversation
Why are staff hiding their AI use?
Despite widespread use, many higher ed professionals—especially women—are keeping their AI use under wraps. Carrie and Mallory discuss how a culture of fear and outdated performance perceptions are driving employees underground. In institutions without formal AI policies or leadership support, staff fear being penalized or perceived as less competent for leveraging AI—even when it's boosting their productivity. The conversation highlights that this silence is more than discomfort—it's a barrier to retention, collaboration, and innovation.
What does the new research say about AI and staff retention?
Mallory breaks down new data from UPCEA, EducationDynamics, and Harvard Business Review. The eye-popping takeaway? A 33-point jump in just one year: from 1% to 34% of staff now say that how an institution handles AI will influence their decision to stay. Carrie shares her front-line perspective leading creative and digital teams at Johnston Community College—confirming that this stat isn't abstract. The real risk is losing the very people who are already solving problems with AI because leadership hasn’t caught up.
What’s the real cost of falling behind on AI strategy?
Carrie gets candid about what it looks like to lead without all the answers. Her institution is choosing a culture of experimentation over formal task forces—helping staff "play with" tools first, rather than rushing to policy. But she’s also clear: if higher ed doesn't catch up to consumer expectations, the consequences will be institutional irrelevance. Students are digital consumers—used to Amazon-level service—and if higher ed can’t match that level of personalization and efficiency, they’ll go elsewhere.
How do gender and perception complicate AI adoption in higher ed?
Carrie and Mallory unpack the unsettling research showing that women are judged more harshly for using AI—even when their work is identical to men’s. It’s a maddening example of how progress in tech can still come at a cost, especially for those who already face pressure to "prove" themselves. Carrie reflects on how this reality deepens burnout and discouragement, and makes the case for building open, supportive, and silo-busting teams where innovation doesn’t require hiding.
What can leaders do differently to support and retain top talent?
The answer, according to Carrie? Get in the trenches. Train people one-on-one. Let them ask "simple" questions without fear. Help them see how AI can save hours a day, not replace them. Culture matters just as much as the tools. And if your most AI-literate staff walked out tomorrow—what knowledge would leave with them? That's a risk institutions can't afford. Carrie also highlights the importance of conferences like PRIMA (Public Relations, Information, and Marketing Association), which offer real-time opportunities for upskilling and peer learning.
Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is produced by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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