About the Episode
About the Episode: In this episode of Higher Ed Pulse, Mallory catches up with Liz Gross live from Campus Sonar at the ASU GSV AIR Show in San Diego. Liz shares her measured insights on the integration and implications of AI in higher education, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and maintaining the human element in academia. Whether you’re skeptical about AI or diving headlong into its potential, this discussion will provide a balanced perspective on how AI can serve as a valuable assistant rather than a replacement in educational settings.
Key Takeaways
- AI as a Partner, Not a Replacement: Liz Gross emphasizes the importance of using AI as a co-pilot to amplify, rather than replace, the expertise of faculty, staff, and students in higher ed.
- Understanding Hidden Voices in Data: Campus Sonar’s research revealed that less than 1% of conversations about equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging in higher ed were driven by students, highlighting the need for tools that better identify the people behind the data.
- The Role of Storytelling in Rebuilding Trust: To combat declining trust in higher education, institutions must prioritize high-volume, personalized storytelling that reflects real outcomes for students and alumni—using their language, not institutional jargon.
AI in Higher Ed: Friend or Foe?
Liz Gross begins the conversation by tackling the excitement and skepticism surrounding AI in higher ed. While she sees the potential for AI to act as a co-pilot—helping teams analyze data, find patterns, and improve efficiency—she stresses the need for caution when it comes to intellectual property and privacy concerns. Liz also highlights the importance of knowing the source of data that AI tools provide, sharing a personal anecdote about a frustrating interaction with Claude, an AI assistant that couldn’t explain where its insights came from.
For Liz, the future of AI lies in its ability to assist—not replace—human expertise. She cites the work of Wharton’s Professor Malik, who views AI as a collaborative partner rather than a standalone solution. Liz challenges higher ed professionals to approach AI with a balanced mindset, embracing its potential while remaining vigilant about its limitations.
Insights from Campus Sonar’s Latest Research
Campus Sonar’s recent report, Rebuilding Public Trust, examined conversations about the value, ROI, and worth of higher education in the second half of 2023. The findings were striking: 93% of conversations were either negative or neutral. However, the report also uncovered key opportunities to shift the narrative.
Liz explained that while many conversations about higher ed come with caveats—such as “it’s only worth it if you pick the right major or get an internship”—these caveats highlight opportunities for institutions to better support and communicate with students. For example, career services, internships, and liberal arts benefits are often underutilized or misunderstood by students.
The report recommends high-volume, personalized storytelling at scale to address these gaps. Liz suggests that institutions showcase real students and alumni who “look like” their target audiences, using their language to highlight outcomes that go beyond high salaries—like personal fulfillment and societal impact.
Rebranding the Liberal Arts
The conversation takes a turn to the future of liberal arts education, with Liz and Mallory discussing how institutions can reframe and modernize their offerings. Liz’s research reveals that students value the critical thinking and creativity associated with liberal arts but often don’t recognize these traits under the “liberal arts” label.
Mallory shares Seth Odell’s example from a recent Pulse episode: rebranding philosophy courses as “What is Beauty?” or “What is Truth?” to better connect with Gen Z students. Liz agrees that the industry needs to adopt a more student-centered approach to program naming and marketing, ensuring that courses resonate with today’s learners.
The Future of Higher Ed Marketing
Liz concludes by emphasizing the importance of listening to students, particularly through peer-to-peer conversations on social media. She challenges higher ed marketers to think beyond pushing out more content and focus on what their audiences actually need.
The episode ends with an invitation to subscribe to Campus Sonar’s newsletter, where Liz and her team share monthly insights from their work in social listening and higher ed marketing.
Higher ed is at a crossroads, and this episode highlights the strategies institutions can use to rebuild trust, adopt AI responsibly, and better connect with students. From actionable insights to cutting-edge research, Liz Gross and the Higher Ed Pulse team offer a roadmap for navigating the challenges and opportunities ahead.
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 made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
Connect with Us at the Engage Summit: Exciting news — Mallory will be at the 2024 Engage Summit in Raleigh, NC, on June 25 and 26, and we’d love to meet you there! Sessions will focus on cutting-edge AI applications that are reshaping student outreach, enhancing staff productivity, and offering deep insights into ROI.
Use the discount code Enrollify50 at checkout.
Learn more and register at engage.element451.com — we can’t wait to see you there!
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