The Busts in Buildings, AI, and College Presidencies

As winter thaws and spring arrives, Jeff and Michael reflect on six big issues facing higher education. First up, why they think the campus building boom is over — and what comes next. They also discuss how AI is changing both higher ed and the world of work; what recent scandals involving college presidents mean for the sustainability of that job; and why the finances of college sports just don’t add up. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Relevant Links: “From Building to Stewardship,” by Jeff Selingo. “Labor market impacts of AI: A new measure and early evidence,” by Anthropic. “AI Isn’t Lightening Workloads. It’s Making Them More Intense,” in The Wall Street Journal. “2026 Survey of College and University Presidents,” in Inside Higher Ed. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 1:59 - The Campus Building Boom Is Over 4:30 - Moving to ‘Facilities Stewardship’ 12:47 - Is Higher Ed Too Negative About AI? 17:47 - ‘AI-Native Universities Will Be Pretty Disruptive’ 21:13 - Why the Cost of Acquiring Students Is Key 23:13 - New Report on How AI Is Changing Jobs 29:22 - What’s Happening With the University Presidency? 32:00 - New Survey of College Presidents 33:22 - Why the Finances of College Athletics Don’t Add Up Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads   Connect with Jeff Selingo: Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn   Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.