Most public colleges get state funding based on “seat time,” — how many students are sitting through classes. Over a decade ago, leaders at Texas State Technical College bet on an experimental funding model that ties state support to the employment outcomes of their graduates. For this episode, we hear from the architect of the unusual approach, Michael Bettersworth, the college’s vice chancellor and chief marketing officer. And Jeff and Michael explore the lessons that all types of colleges can take from rethinking funding models to better match their missions. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.

0:00 - Introduction

3:49 - A College That Only Gets Paid When Students Get Jobs

6:42 - How the Unusual Funding Model Started

9:49 - How Has the Funding Model Gone?

12:05 - Voters Approve Endowment for a Technical College

13:20 - A Quest to Better Map Skills Colleges Teach to Jobs

18:52 - The Importance of ‘Occupational Identity’

21:17 - Should Other Types of Colleges Try This Funding Model?

23:40 - How Much Should Colleges Be Responsible For Student Employment Outcomes?

25:43 - How Is AI Changing the Conversation About Skills?

29:01 - Creating Incentives to Map Teaching to Jobs

31:20 - How Can We Know What Skills Are Actually Needed in Certain Jobs?

34:41 - Funding Models Should Match College Missions

39:58 - Lightning Round with Michael Bettersworth

“If—” by Rudyard Kipling

“Inventing a Job-Skills Machine,” by Rebecca Koenig in EdSurge

“Taxonomies of Human Performance,” by Edwin A. Fleishman.

“Marc Andreessen says AI layoffs are a farce: Companies are 75% overstaffed, and AI is the ‘silver bullet excuse’ to clean house,” in Fortune.

These days colleges are under fire from the Trump administration and critics on multiple fronts. Dartmouth's president, Sian Beilock, is one of the few Ivy League presidents not getting hauled before Congress, though her approach has plenty of detractors. Jeff and Michael talked with Beilock about the purpose of college, and how to lead in this polarized and uncertain time. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group.

“It feels like there’s no jobs,” in The New York Times.

“Dartmouth announces AI partnership with Anthropic, company accused of plagiarizing Dartmouth professors’ publications,” in The Dartmouth.

“What an Ivy League Education Really Gets You,” in The Atlantic.

0:00 - Introduction

1:52 - An Up-and-Coming College President

4:17 - ‘Leading With Values’

6:24 - The Choice to Be Outspoken in this Moment

7:16 - How Should We Think About the Modern College Presidency?

8:33 - How to Respond to Controversial World Events

10:00 - Why Does College Seem So Much Harder and Less Satisfying to Students Today?

12:24 - How Can Colleges Provide More Work Experience?

15:30 - Helping Students Learn Soft Skills

18:04 - What Role Should Colleges Play With AI?

20:15 - Do Students Need Colleges to Learn in an AI Era?

22:27 - How Should College Presidents Engage With Students?

24:53 - Should Highly-Selective Colleges Expand Their Classes

26:39 - Sponsor Break

27:24 - The Importance of Clarity of Mission

33:04 - How Should Colleges Talk About the Soft Skills They Teach?

35:20 - How Personal Stories Bleed Through in Leadership

37:10 - The Challenge of Presidents Forging Relationships With Students

40:27 - Lightning Round with Sian Beilock

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