Sarah Holtan chats with Dr. Joe Salustio, VP of Industry Engagement and Co-founder and Host of the EdUp Experience Podcast, about the transformative role technology plays in higher education and the crucial steps institutions must take to stay competitive.

Imagine operating your entire college on outdated software while your competitors soar ahead with cutting-edge solutions. Joe breaks down why many schools resist necessary tech upgrades, what it takes to overcome these hurdles, and the future trends every educational leader should watch. His insights reveal the high stakes of failing to adapt and the steps needed to ensure your institution is not left behind.

Are you curious about how failing to update technology can endanger your institution's future? Listen to find out how thoughtful tech investments can propel colleges toward long-term sustainability and success.

Episode Highlights:

03:40 - Higher ed to some degree has customized these systems so intensely that it's hard to switch out of it. You know how higher ed works, Sarah. It's like, "Well, we don't wanna change, and I like things the way they are. And if I'm not going to be able to do X, Y, or Z anymore, so I don't want this system." So there's an inertia that's built.

05:55 - Higher ed doesn't know any better. So then they spend 2-3 years modernizing human resources and finance, and all the student system just sits there and doesn't innovate. And next thing you know, there's a school over here that's a competitor that started with their student system and is now able to do more than you.

16:20 - We have programs that allow you to to have distinct pathways towards your degree so that you aren't losing credit. And to allow that system to be employed, you have to be willing to reconfigure, completely reconfigure, how your classes are organized.

25:05 - A lot of times people forget how many technologies they actually use that they need to disclose before undertaking this project, and that's what integrations are. And integrations can slow you down.

Sarah Holtan, PhD

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Joe Sallustio, EdD

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