dotEDU
Episodes
The dotEDU Wrap Party for Policy Nerds
18 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this final episode of 2025, hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Sarah Spreitzer, and Jon Fansmith spend the hour taking questions on the policy shifts and challen...
2025 in Review: A Year That Redefined the Higher Ed Landscape
04 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The dotEDU hosts look back at a year that reshaped higher education in ways few expected back in January. Mushtaq, Sarah, and Jon talk through their t...
Judyth Sachs on International Students and a Changing Landscape
20 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
For International Education Week, Sarah and Jon talk with Dr. Judyth Sachs, chief academic officer at Studiosity, about the pressures students fa...
From Big Beautiful Bill to Big Complicated Rules
14 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The One Big Beautiful Bill may have made headlines but now comes the hard part: writing the rules. In this episode of dotEDU, we unpack the Educati...
If it's a shutdown, why are we so busy?
31 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration's "Compact for Academic Excellence" faces near-universal rejection from the nation's leading universities, even as the W...
Can They Do That? The White House's Higher Ed Compact and Shutdown Fallout
08 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration's proposed "Compact for Academic Excellence" lands on nine campuses with vague perks and 23 demands, including tuition freeze...
Congress funded equity and access. The Trump administration calls it discrimination.
23 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Trump administration is cutting off or moving funding for TRIO, GEAR UP, and MSI programs—even though Congress approved the money. Hosts Mushtaq...
Demands for Data on Race and the Future of College Admissions
11 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
dotEDU is back for Season 7 with an examination of President Trump's demand for admissions data by race and sex and what that means for campuses. Host...
dotEDU Live: Ask Us Anything About Higher Education Policy
31 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the six-month mark of the Trump administration, the dotEDU Live hosts take stock of the landscape for colleges and universities. Kicking off with b...
dotEDU Live: The Big Beautiful Bill Has Passed. What's Next?
11 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/The One Big Beautiful Bill is now law, and colleges are facing a wave of new policies with real consequence...
dotEDU Live: What the Senate Reconciliation Bill Gets (Mostly) Wrong
27 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja dig into the Senate's reconciliation bill and what it means for colleges and students—student...
dotEDU Live: Pause on Student Visas, Reconciliation in the Senate, and More Pressure on Harvard
06 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja offer expert analysis on the implications of the student visa f...
dotEDU Live: Associations Speak Out as Reconciliation Targets Higher Ed
16 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Steven Bloom, ACE assistant vice president for government relations, about the Trump ad...
dotEDU Live: The Trump Administration's Pressure Campaign Continues
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
At the 100-day mark of the Trump administration, Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja review a fast-moving and consequential start: 142 e...
dotEDU Live: Harvard Pushes Back, Visa Chaos, and the Fight for Research Funding
16 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU Live, the hosts unpack the Trump administration's sweeping demands to Harvard—including oversight of teaching, governance,...
dotEDU Live: Latest on Dismantling of the ED, International Students, and Budget Issues
03 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU Live, Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq unpack the sweeping policy shifts affecting higher education, including the executive order to...
dotEDU Live: What the Education Department Layoffs Mean for Colleges and Universities
20 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The latest episode of dotEDU Live unpacks the sweeping layoffs at the Department of Education and their implications for colleges and universities. Ho...
Fixing FAFSA—Lessons From the Rollout
13 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU, Sarah Spreitzer and Mushtaq Gunja give an update on the unprecedented workforce cuts at the Department of Education and sha...
dotEDU Live: More Policy Shifts, More Uncertainty for Colleges
05 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
As colleges and universities face mounting federal scrutiny, dotEDU Live hosts Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the latest ...
dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support
19 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has issued a sweeping directive declaring that race-conscious student programs, financial aid, a...
dotEDU Live: New Orders and New Challenges for Higher Education
06 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this all-Q&A episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the latest policy shifts, legal battles, and...
dotEDU Live: What the Trump Administration's Funding Freeze Means for Higher Education
29 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
NOTE: Both parts of this episode were recorded before the administration rescinded the order. The Trump administration's sweeping pause on all federal...
dotEDU Live: Navigating Trump's First Week
24 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the early days of the Trump administration's second term and its impact on higher educatio...
dotEDU Live: ACE Fellows Go to DC (and Get Snowed in)!
09 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer engage with the distinguished ACE Fellows, a prestigious group of facul...
dotEDU Live: Higher Education's Path Forward in Trump's Second Term
12 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU Live, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by a full team of ACE experts—Steven Bloom, Peter McDonough, and Emmanua...
Changing History at Colegio de México: Silvia Giorguli
11 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the third episode of our special series dotEDU Global Voices, hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Devorah Lieberman—ACE senior advisor and president emerit...
Discovering Your Leadership Path: Sue Cunningham
04 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the second episode of our special series dotEDU Global Voices, hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Devorah Lieberman—ACE senior advisor and president emeri...
Trailblazing Leadership in Turkey: Gülsün Sağlamer
26 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this three-part special series, dotEDU Global Voices, hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Devorah Lieberman—senior advisor at ACE and president emerita of ...
dotEDU Live: What Trump's Win and a New Congress Mean for Higher Education
07 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this special post-election episode recorded on November 6, ACE President Ted Mitchell joins hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja ...
Windward CC Chancellor Champions Student Parents
31 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of dotEDU, Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja analyze the presidential campaigns so far and discuss what the upcoming la...
dotEDU Live: Student Voting in 2024
10 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
New laws enacted since 2020 may impact student voters, especially tighter restrictions on student IDs. ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins hosts...
The First Amendment and Campus Protests: A Conversation with Cass Sunstein
30 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Harvard legal scholar Cass Sunstein joins Mushtaq Gunja and Sarah Spreitzer to delve into the foundational role of the First Amendment in shaping resp...
dotEDU Live: Campuses, Congress, and the Campaign Trail: What to Expect This Fall
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the latest episode, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer kick off the sixth season with a deep dive into the key issues shaping higher education this f...
dotEDU Live: From Heat Waves to Fall Challenges
12 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer give their insights into the current presidential election developments before they discuss decision...
State of the States: How Higher Ed Can Build Their Future
27 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Katharine Meyer of Brookings and ACE's Heidi Tseu join Jon Fansmith to delve into the complex landscape of state higher education gov...
dotEDU Live: Navigating the Current Landscape of College Sports
13 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins us to delve into the turbulent developments in college sports over the past year. Jon and S...
The State of Student Affairs: Mental Health, Campus Protests, and Supporting Students
06 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
NASPA President Kevin Kruger joins the podcast to talk about the challenges facing students—and student affairs professionals—in 2024. On the agen...
dotEDU Live: How Congress Is Responding to Campus Unrest
16 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the campus protests that have been making headlines nationwide and how Congress and the Bide...
The Campus Speech vs. Safety Tightrope: A Conversation with Fred Lawrence
13 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a special episode, Fred Lawrence, secretary and CEO of Phi Beta Kappa, returns to dotEDU to help explain how tensions between free speech and campu...
Generating the Future: Exploring AI in Higher Education
02 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, ACE hosts Jon and Sarah, alongside special guests Lev Gonick, chief information officer of Arizona State University, and ACE's Derric...
dotEDU Live: Budget Battles, FAFSA Fails, and Biden's New Loan Forgiveness Plan
18 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
With Congress back from spring break, Jon and Sarah look at what's on the agenda in DC, including a House Education and the Workforce Committee hearin...
College Admissions in 2024: "A Year Like No Other"
08 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon and Mushtaq are joined by ACE President Ted Mitchell to examine the complexities of college admissions in 2024. They discuss the potentially...
dotEDU Live: Student-Athlete Unions and the Mental Health Crisis in Higher Ed
21 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ACE's Steven Bloom, assistant vice president of government relations, joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to explore the complicated relation...
FAFSA Glitch Puts Students, Colleges in Limbo
01 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon and Mushtaq are joined by special repeat guest Justin Draeger, president and CEO of NASFAA, to talk about the Education Department's flawed ...
dotEDU Live: Is Higher Education Act Reauthorization Finally Happening?
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
ACE's Emmanual Guillory, senior director of government relations, joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to talk about the College Cost Reductio...
Beyond Berkeley: Lessons from a University Chancellor on the Front Lines
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Nicholas Dirks joins Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq to discuss his new book City of Intellect and his time as chancellor of University of California, Berkele...
dotEDU Live: New Year, Same Congress—What's Next for Higher Ed?
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In the first dotEDU Live of 2024, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss how the 2024 presidential election might impact higher education. The...
AU President Shares Challenges, Triumphs of Presidency
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
As higher education enters the new year under heightened scrutiny from legislators, campuses are getting back to business. Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq are...
dotEDU Live: The Year in Higher Education Policy
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the final episode of the year, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the top higher education issues of 2023. The overarching theme is wor...
Carnegie Classifications Reimagined (dotEDU's 100th Episode!)
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq are thrilled to mark the 100th episode milestone of dotEDU! Also, ACE President Ted Mitchell joins Mushtaq and Jon to dive int...
dotEDU Live: The Pre-Thanksgiving Policy Roundup
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by their ACE colleague Steven Bloom to discuss how the never-ending threats of a government shutdown...
Equity and Inclusion in Silicon Valley and Beyond
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cynthia Teniente-Matson, president of San José State University, joins the podcast to talk about her first year at the California campus in the heart...
dotEDU Live: Chaos in Congress and the Higher Ed Agenda
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the House speaker race and its implications for the packed agenda—such as the ongoing spending battle...
Higher Ed Trends to Watch with Scott Jaschik
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scott Jaschik, formerly of Inside Higher Ed, joins the podcast to talk about what he sees as the top 10 leading trends shaping higher education this y...
dotEDU Live: What's on the Policy Agenda for Higher Ed This Fall?
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A government shutdown is looming on the horizon, and ACE's Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are back to answer your questions and break down what this...
Biden's Loan Forgiveness Program Fails Supreme Court Test. What Now?
13 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are once again joined by Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid...
dotEDU Live: The Supreme Court's Ruling on Race and Admissions
07 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Supreme Court has released its long-awaited decision in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard and SFFA v. University of North Caroli...
Partnering to Solve Pandemic Learning Loss
15 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The impact of years of COVID-19 pandemic learning disruptions is coming into focus, and the picture is not good. To address the challenges P-12 studen...
dotEDU Live: Gainful Employment Rules 3.0, Student Loan Payments Return
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Emmanual Guillory, ACE's newest government relations staffer, to discuss the ongoing saga of the ...
Raising the Bar in Texas
18 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kelly Damphousse was a Canadian with dreams of playing in the NHL, who then became a correctional officer—four-year college was never part of the or...
dotEDU at ACE2023: Diversifying the College Presidency Is Essential
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The American College President: 2023 Edition reveals that presidents of color make up a little more than one out of every four college and university ...
dotEDU Live: Why Should Higher Ed Care About Debt Ceilings and Other Budget Battles?
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the deadline to raise the federal debt ceiling fast approaching, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer explain why the outcome matters to higher ed, i...
dotEDU at ACE2023: Where Are All the Women College Presidents?
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Recorded live at the American Council on Education's recent annual meeting, this is the first of two episodes unpacking results from ACE's new report,...
Student Athletes and NIL: How We Got Here, and Where It's Going
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welch Suggs, an associate professor of journalism at the University of Georgia and a former reporter at The Chronicle of Higher Education joins the po...
dotEDU Live: The State of Academic Freedom on Campuses; Hope for HEA?
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by their Government Relations colleague Steven Bloom to talk about the troubling trend of elected of...
Does Your Campus Outsource Its Online Programs? Prepare for Changes
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Department of Education's forthcoming guidance on third-party servicers and online program managers (OPMs) is shining a spotlight on contracts cre...
dotEDU Live: New Rules from ED, Culture War Rhetoric Ramps Up, the End of the COVID Emergency, More
17 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this live episode, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer take audience questions on a range of topics, from the Education Department moving quickl...
The Culture Wars Have Come for American Higher Ed. Again.
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
PEN America's Nadine Farid Johnson joins the podcast to talk about the status of "educational gag orders" at the state level, or the legislative effor...
What the New Congress and Biden Administration Have in Store for Higher Ed in 2023
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Terry Hartle to talk about what the new Congress means for higher education policy this year. Hou...
Faculty, Staff Are Burned Out. How Should Higher Ed Respond?
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Andy Brantley, president and CEO of CUPA-HR, joins the podcast to talk about employee burnout and retention strategies institutions should be thinking...
The Year in Higher Education Policy
21 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle to discuss the federal policy developments in 2022 that im...
States Step in as Federal Action on Dreamers Goes Nowhere
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the federal Dream Act in limbo for over 20 years now, states have stepped up with their own solutions to help Dreamers, the population of young i...
Midterm Election Aftermath
21 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the final vote counts start wrapping up, it's become clear that Congress will be even more narrowly divided than it was before. Terry Hartle and Jo...
Making the Case for Sustainability in Higher Ed
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Now more than ever, colleges and universities are taking action to address climate change by embedding sustainable practices on their campuses and con...
Bonus: Prepping for a Supreme Court Hearing Starts at Georgetown
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this bonus episode, Jess Ellsworth drops by the podcast to talk about how attorneys prepare for an appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court. She al...
What to Watch for in the Oct. 31 Supreme Court Hearing on Race in College Admissions
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on Oct. 31 in Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admis...
Nasser Paydar Talks Mental Health, Student Debt Relief, and Other Priorities for the Education Dept.
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nasser Paydar, assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the Department of Education, joins the hosts to talk about what the department is do...
Higher Ed Policy Predictions for the Fall
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jon Fansmith and Terry Hartle are back to give their predictions for what Congress will dive into this fall before it adjourns ahead of midterm electi...
Breaking Down Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The big announcement that the Biden administration is canceling $10,000 in student loan debt for millions of borrowers—and $20,000 for even more—a...
How Colleges Can Avoid the Dreaded Data Dump
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Colleges have plenty of data but what does that data mean when it comes to improving completion rates, access, and equity? Mamie Voight, president and...
The New Proposed Title IX Regulations are Here. Now What?
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Aired July 13, 2022 Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer update listeners on recent policy developments as Congress heads toward the August recess, then A...
Breaking the Grip of the College Rankings Game
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Colin Diver, author of Breaking Ranks: How the Rankings Industry Rules Higher Education and What to Do About It, visits the podcast to talk about how ...
Midterm Elections Loom Over Higher Ed
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A number of important pieces of legislation for higher education are stalled in Congress as the midterm elections draw nearer. Issues like student loa...
Do Americans Value Higher Education?
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the midterm elections looming and the debate over who benefits from student loan forgiveness heating up, what are voters thinking about the value...
The Policy and Politics of Student Loan Forgiveness
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Almost everyone has an opinion about student loan forgiveness. But it's often more complicated than many think. There are seven federal student loan p...
Federal Dollars, Creative Leaders Help Two-Year Colleges Post-COVID
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Community Colleges saw steep declines in enrollment during the pandemic. But creative leaders like President Bill Pink of Grand Rapids Community Colle...
The Higher Ed Agenda as Congress Returns From Spring Break
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Congress comes back to DC next week to a full agenda and an attention span increasingly absorbed by the midterm elections. What's in store for higher ...
dotEDU Brief: Student Loan Repayment on Pause (Again); Is Double Pell in the Cards?
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Guest host Stephanie Giesecke from NAICU joins the podcast to talk about the Biden budget for the upcoming fiscal year and the prospects for increasin...
Congress Springs Forward and Passes Spending Bill; New Regulations Coming
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle joins host Sarah Spreitzer to discuss Congress's last-minute push to pass the FY 2022 omnibus spending package ...
Baylor President on the Changing World of College Athletics
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the thrill of March Madness in full swing, the dotEDU hosts are focusing their policy talk on all things sports. Linda Livingstone, president of ...
Title IX, DACA, Gainful Employment: New Rules Coming for Higher Ed
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Host Sarah Spreitzer and ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle discuss the myriad regulations waiting to be finalized at the Education Department and...
Reimagining College Admissions Through an Equity Lens
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A number of reforms have been put on the table in recent years to make the college admissions process more equitable. But is focusing on one or two ar...
Higher Ed in 2022: Unfinished Business and Election Year Politics
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer of the ACE government relations team to discuss what Congress stil...
Debates on Critical Race Theory, Academic Freedom Are Not Going Away
14 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The dotEDU hosts discuss how Congress is trying to clean up the mess it left behind before the holiday break on a number of bills that could affect hi...
2021 in Higher Education Policy (A Good Year, Not a Great One)
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja talk about the restart of student loan repayments on Feb. 1, and how that pandemic-relief polic...
The Future of Student Loan Forgiveness
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja talk about the pressing items members of Congress need to wrap up before the end of the year, i...
End of Year Countdown: What's on the Congressional Agenda for Students and Colleges
19 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this live conversation, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the status of the Build Back Better Act—the budget reconciliation bill tha...
Higher Ed Waits for Congress to Act, ACE Takes Pulse of College Presidents
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
With negotiations taking longer than expected and details still being hammered out on the Biden administration's domestic spending plan, hosts Jon Fan...
Capitol Hill Fall Showdown: Will Higher Ed Get Left Behind?
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Congress attempts to finish the budget reconciliation bill, a number of provisions in the social spending measure are in danger of being cut. Terry...
The Legacy of Underfunding Colleges That Serve Black Students
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Harris, author of The State Must Provide and staff writer for The Atlantic, talks to hosts Jon Fansmith and Mushtaq Gunja about the state and fed...