ACE's dotEDU Podcast

dotEDU Returns for Season 7

dotEDU is back with a bold new look and the same sharp insights on the issues shaping higher education. Hosted by Mushtaq Gunja, Sarah Spreitzer, and Jon Fansmith and recorded live with a virtual audience, the podcast breaks down what’s happening in Washington—and what it means on campus.

Latest Episode

Continuing the College Access Conversation

The landscape for federal TRIO programs has shifted dramatically since we talked about it in January. The Department of Education (ED) has issued new grant proposals that would cut the number of programs by more than half and fundamentally redirect TRIO away from its mission of college access.

We welcomed back Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education, to walk us through what’s at stake for these programs and the students they serve. The hosts also give the latest updates on ED's negotiated rulemaking and more. (Recorded April 20, 2026)

All Episodes

Season 7

April 21, 2026

Continuing the College Access Conversation

Kimberly Jones joined the hosts to discuss how new Department of Education grant proposals could drastically reduce federal TRIO programs and fundamentally undermine their core mission of providing college access.

April 8, 2026

Student Voting Is Getting Harder. Now What?

Federal guidance, investigations, and state-level changes are putting pressure on the systems colleges have built to help students vote. ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough explains where the legal lines are and where uncertainty is creating risk.

March 19, 2026

Workforce Pell, Professional Degrees, and a Complicated Spring in Washington

The hosts are joined by ACE’s Emmanual Guillory to break down key federal rulemaking shaping student aid.

March 9, 2026

dotEDU Live at ACEx2026

Recorded live at ACEx2026 in Washington, DC, this special episode featured the hosts asking each other questions about what to expect for federal higher education policy in 2026.

March 9, 2026

dotEDU Live at ACEx2026

Recorded live at ACEx2026 in Washington, DC, this special episode featured the hosts asking each other questions about what to expect for federal higher education policy in 2026.

February 18, 2026

A Funding Deal, the Pell Shortfall, and New Federal Pressure on Campuses

The hosts run a rapid-fire policy lightning round on the biggest higher ed issues right now, from federal funding and a looming Pell shortfall to new graduate loan limits.

February 12, 2026

What the Headlines Miss About Higher Ed: A Conversation with Kirk Carapezza

In this episode recorded in Boston, Jon Fansmith and Mushtaq Gunja talk with GBH News correspondent Kirk Carapezza about the higher education reporting landscape and the pressures facing colleges beyond the headlines.

January 28, 2026

What the Future Holds for Federal TRIO Programs

We're joined this week by Kimberly Jones, president of the Council for Opportunity in Education, for a conversation about where TRIO stands and what may be ahead.

January 14, 2026

What Counts as a Professional Degree in 2026?

Valerie Fuller, president of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, visited the podcast to talk about how new federal loan limits will change what graduate students can borrow and why nursing may no longer be considered a professional degree.

December 16, 2025

The dotEDU Wrap Party for Policy Nerds

In this final episode of 2025, hosts Mushtaq Gunja, Sarah Spreitzer, and Jon Fansmith spend the hour taking questions on the policy shifts and challenges campuses are watching most closely and the developments expected to matter early in 2026.

December 2, 2025

2025 in Review: A Year That Redefined the Higher Ed Landscape

Mushtaq, Sarah, and Jon talk through their top five stories of 2025, including the push to dismantle the Department of Education, the cuts at NIH and NSF, the sweeping changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill, and Congress’s response to it all.

November 20, 2025

Judyth Sachs on International Students and a Changing Landscape

Sarah and Jon talk with Dr. Judyth Sachs, chief academic officer at Studiosity, about the pressures students face across borders. They also walk through the newest Open Doors data on international students.

November 14, 2025

From Big Beautiful Bill to Big Complicated Rules

In this episode of dotEDU, we unpack the Education Department’s massive regulatory to-do list, from loan caps and professional degree definitions to new Pell and accountability rules.

October 30, 2025

If it’s a shutdown, why are we so busy?

As Washington’s shutdown drags on, the dotEDU hosts unpack the fallout from the Trump administration’s higher ed compact, a new UVA settlement, and the $100,000 H-1B fee colleges and universities are now facing.

October 8, 2025

Can They Do That? The White House’s Higher Ed Compact and Shutdown Fallout

The hosts break down the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence”—what’s in it, why it matters, and how it connects to the shutdown—along with other developments shaping higher education this week.

September 23, 2025

Congress funded equity and access. The Trump administration calls it discrimination.

The Trump administration is cutting off or moving funding for TRIO, GEAR UP, and MSI programs—even though Congress approved the money. The hosts explain what’s happening, why it matters, and what colleges should do next.

September 9, 2025

Demands for Data on Race and the Future of College Admissions

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.

July 30, 2025

dotEDU Live: Ask Us Anything About Higher Education Policy

At the six-month mark of the Trump administration, the dotEDU Live hosts take stock of the landscape for colleges and universities in this all Q&A episode.

July 10, 2025

dotEDU Live: The Big Beautiful Bill Has Passed. What’s Next?

Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja break down what’s coming for student loans, Pell Grants, accountability rules, endowment taxes, and more.

June 26, 2025

dotEDU Live: What the Senate Reconciliation Bill Gets (Mostly) Wrong

Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja dig into the Senate’s reconciliation bill and what it means for colleges and students—student loan limits, endowment taxes, accountability rules, and more.

June 6, 2025

dotEDU Live: Pause on Student Visas, Reconciliation in the Senate, and More Pressure on Harvard

Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja offer expert analysis on the implications of the student visa freeze, mounting political pressure on Harvard from the Trump administration, and the House reconciliation bill.

May 16, 2025

dotEDU Live: Associations Speak Out as Reconciliation Targets Higher Ed

Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Steven Bloom, ACE assistant vice president for government relations, about the Trump administration’s escalating actions against higher education.

April 30, 2025

dotEDU Live: The Trump Administration’s Pressure Campaign Continues

At the 100-day mark of the Trump administration, Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja review a fast-moving and consequential start: 142 executive orders, declining approval ratings, and significant policy shifts affecting higher education.

April 16, 2025

dotEDU Live: Harvard Pushes Back, Visa Chaos, and the Fight for Research Funding

This episode of dotEDU Live dives into the Trump administration’s sweeping demands on Harvard, the spike in international student visa revocations, and escalating legal battles over federal research funding.

April 3, 2025

dotEDU Live: Latest on Dismantling of the ED, International Students, and Budget Issues

In this episode of dotEDU Live, Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq unpack the sweeping policy shifts affecting higher education, including the executive order to dismantle the Department of Education.

March 20, 2025

dotEDU Live: What the Department of Education Layoffs Mean for Colleges and Universities

The hosts are joined by ACE President Ted Mitchell to explore the sweeping layoffs at the Department of Education and their impact on colleges and universities.

March 13, 2025

Fixing FAFSA: Lessons from the Rollout

Jeremy Singer, president of the College Board, talks about his time at the Department of Education last year leading the FAFSA relaunch effort at the Office of Federal Student Aid.

March 5, 2025

dotEDU Live: More Policy Shifts, More Uncertainty for Colleges

The hosts discuss the Education Department’s revised FAQ on DEI policies, newly confirmed Secretary Linda McMahon’s plans for the department, the Trump administration’s increasing use of federal funding to pressure institutions, and more.

February 19, 2025

dotEDU Live: The Future of Campus Diversity and Student Support

ED's Office for Civil Rights has declared that race-conscious student programs, financial aid, and support services violate federal civil rights law. ACE President Ted Mitchell joins the hosts to discuss the implications for campuses.

February 6, 2025

dotEDU Live: New Orders and New Challenges for Higher Education

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 administrative chaos facing colleges and universities in the Trump administration’s first weeks.

January 29, 2025

dotEDU Live: What the Trump Administration’s Funding Freeze Means for Higher Education

This episode of dotEDU Live unpacks the Trump administration’s abrupt federal grant freeze, the court’s last-minute intervention, and what the rapidly evolving situation means for higher education.

January 24, 2025

dotEDU Live: Navigating Trump’s First Week

Jon Fansmith, Mushtaq Gunja, and Sarah Spreitzer break down the early days of the Trump administration’s second term and its impact on higher education.

January 9, 2025

dotEDU Live: ACE Fellows Go to DC (and get snowed in)!

In this special episode of dotEDU Live, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer engage with the distinguished ACE Fellows, a prestigious group of faculty, staff, and administrators who are preparing for senior leadership roles in higher education.

December 12, 2024

dotEDU Live: Higher Education’s Path Forward in Trump’s Second Term

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 Emmanual Guillory—to take a look at what the post-election landscape looks like for higher education policy.

December 11, 2024

Changing History at Colegio de México: Silvia Giorguli

In the third episode of our special series dotEDU Global Voices, hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Devorah Lieberman welcome Silvia Giorguli, president of the Colegio de México (COLMEX), a hub of intellectual leadership in Latin America.

December 4, 2024

Discovering Your Leadership Path: Sue Cunningham

In the new episode of dotEDU Global Voices, CASE President Sue Cunningham shares how she transitioned from a stage manager in the arts to a top association leader in higher education advancement by discovering and embracing her own leadership style.

November 26, 2024

Trailblazing Leadership in Turkey: Gülsün Sağlamer

In the first episode of dotEDU Global Voices, hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Devorah Lieberman speak with Gülsün Sağlamer, the first and only female rector in Istanbul Technical University’s 250-year history.

October 31, 2024

Windward CC Chancellor Champions Student Parents

The hosts talk with Ardis Eschenberg, chancellor of Windward Community College, about how her institution is supporting student parents and breaking down barriers to their success.

October 10, 2024

dotEDU Live: Student Voting in 2024

New laws enacted since 2020 may impact student voters, especially tighter restrictions on student IDs. ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to unpack what these critical changes mean for students and campuses.

September 30, 2024

The First Amendment and Campus Protests: A Conversation with Cass Sunstein

Harvard legal scholar Cass Sunstein joins Mushtaq Gunja and Sarah Spreitzer to delve into the foundational role of the First Amendment in shaping responses to campus protests and free speech issues in higher education.

September 16, 2024

dotEDU Live: Campuses, Congress, and the Campaign Trail This Fall

With Congress in a monthlong sprint, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer explore the flurry of messaging bills in Congress along with the legislation lawmakers actually need to pass before heading out for full-time campaigning.

July 12, 2024

dotEDU Live: From Heat Waves to Fall Challenges

In the final episode of dotEDU this season, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss decisions that Congress faces prior to heading out for vacations and the campaign trail. The podcast will return in September.

June 27, 2024

State of the States: How Higher Ed Can Build Its Future

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 governance.

June 13, 2024

dotEDU Live: Navigating the Current Landscape of College Sports

ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough joins the podcast to unpack the tumultuous developments in college sports over the past year and what is now an uncertain landscape for student-athletes.

June 6, 2024

The State of Student Affairs: Campus Protests, Mental Health, and Supporting Students

NASPA President Kevin Kruger joins the podcast to talk about the challenges facing students—and student affairs professionals—in 2024, includng the spring protests over the war in Gaza, student mental health, and DEI.

May 16, 2024

dotEDU Live: How Congress Is Responding to Campus Unrest

Jon and Sarah discuss the campus protests that have been making headlines nationwide and how Congress and the Biden administration are responding to these concerns in Washington.

May 13, 2024

The Campus Speech vs. Safety Tightrope: A Conversation with Fred Lawrence

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 campus safety can lead to the unrest happening at some campuses in response to the war in Gaza.

May 2, 2024

Generating the Future: Exploring AI in Higher Education

The hosts are joined by Lev Gonick and Derrick Anderson to discuss the benefits and challenges of generative AI in higher education, covering topics like personalized learning, research, ethics, and regulation.

April 18, 2024

dotEDU Live: Budget Battles, FAFSA Fails, and Biden's New Loan Forgiveness Plan

With Congress back from spring break, Jon and Sarah look at what's on the agenda in DC.

April 8, 2024

College Admissions in 2024: "A Year Like No Other"

ACE President Ted Mitchell visits the podcast to discuss the intricacies of college admissions in 2024, incluiding the consequences of the redesigned FAFSA form, the Supreme Court ruling on race in admissions, legacy admissions, and standardized testing.

March 21, 2024

dotEDU Live: Student-Athlete Unions and the Mental Health Crisis in Higher Ed

ACE’s Steven Bloom, assistant vice president of government relations, joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to explore the complicated relationship between student-athletes and unions.

March 1, 2024

FAFSA Glitches Leave Students, Colleges in Limbo

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 rollout of the new FAFSA form and the implications for students and colleges as well as what happens next

February 22, 2024

dotEDU Live: Is Higher Education Act Reauthorization Finally Happening?

ACE’s Emmanual Guillory, senior director of government relations, joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to talk about the College Cost Reduction Act—the new Higher Education Act reauthorization bill from House Republicans.

February 8, 2024

Beyond Berkeley: Lessons from a University Chancellor on the Front Lines

Nicholas Dirks joins Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq to discuss his new book City of Intellect and his time as chancellor of University of California, Berkeley.

January 25, 2024

dotEDU Live: New Year, Same Congress—What’s Next for Higher Ed?

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss how the 2024 presidential election might impact higher education and look ak problems with the new FAFSA, the latest House Higher Education Act reauthorization bill, short-term Pell, and more.

January 11, 2024

AU President Shares Challenges, Triumphs of Presidency

Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq are thrilled to speak with ACE Board member and American University President Sylvia Burwell as she prepares to finish out her final year at the helm of the Washington, DC, campus.

December 14, 2023

dotEDU Live: The Year in Higher Education Policy

The overarching theme is working through the chaos in Washington, and the lineup includes student loan forgiveness, the Supreme Court's decision on race in admissions, institutional accountability, the uptick in international students, and more.

December 5, 2023

Carnegie Classifications Reimagined

ACE President Ted Mitchell dives into the upcoming changes to the renowned Carnegie Classifications along with Timothy Knowles, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

November 16, 2023

dotEDU Live: The Pre-Thanksgiving Policy Roundup

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 are impacting funding legislation for higher education.

November 2, 2023

Equity and Inclusion in Silicon Valley and Beyond

SJSU President Cynthia Teniente-Matson joins the podcast to talk about her first year at the California campus in the heart of Silicon Valley, particularly how to create equitable spaces at public institutions.

October 19, 2023

dotEDU Live: Chaos in Congress and the Higher Ed Agenda

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the House speaker race and its implications for the packed agenda—such as the ongoing spending battle—in Congress, as well as its impact on the Biden administration.

October 5, 2023

Higher Ed Trends to Watch with Scott Jaschik

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 year and his predictions for what’s ahead.

September 21, 2023

dotEDU Live: What’s on the Policy Agenda for Higher Ed This Fall?

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 means for the higher education community, as well as other issues on this fall’s policy agenda.

July 13, 2023

Biden’s Loan Forgiveness Program Fails Supreme Court Test. What Now?

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are once again joined by NASFAA president Justin Draeger to talk about financial aid in the wake of the Supreme Court's decisions striking down race-conscious admissions and student loan forgiveness.

July 7, 2023

dotEDU Live: The Supreme Court’s Ruling on Race and Admissions

Madelyn Wessel and Peter McDonough join Mushtaq Gunja to offer initial thoughts about the ruling and potential implications while considering what all of this means for the future of diversity, access, and opportunity on campus and beyond.

June 15, 2023

Partnering to Solve Pandemic Learning Loss

The NPSS's Mariko Yoshisato Cavey visits the podcast to discuss how campuses can work with P-12 schools to help with the problem of post-pandemic learning loss.

June 1, 2023

dotEDU Live: Gainful Employment Rules 3.0, Student Loan Payments Return

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by Emmanual Guillory, ACE’s newest government relations staffer, to discuss the ongoing saga of the Education Department’s gainful employment rules.

May 18, 2023

Raising the Bar in Texas

Texas State President Kelly Damphousse explains how he plans to take Texas State University to the next level of research excellence and explores why new funding for higher education can help raise the bar for some colleges in his state.

May 11, 2023

Diversifying the College Presidency Is Essential

Recorded live at the American Council on Education’s recent annual meeting, this episode features Bill Pink and Leslie Gonzales in a conversation about how we can continue to diversify the presidency and why it’s essential.

May 4, 2023

dotEDU Live: Why Should Higher Ed Care About Debt Ceilings and Other Budget Battles?

With the deadline to raise the federal debt ceiling fast approaching, Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer explain why the outcome matters to higher ed, including how it will impact budget proposals over the next few months.

April 26, 2023

Where Are All the Women College Presidents?

Recorded live at ACE2023, this is the first of two episodes unpacking results from ACE’s new report, The American College President: 2023 Edition.

April 6, 2023

Student Athletes and NIL: How We Got Here, and Where It's Going

UGA's Welch Suggs joins the podcast to look at the state of the NIL landscape for student athletes and college campuses.

March 23, 2023

dotEDU Live: The Future of Academic Freedom on Campuses; Hope for HEA?

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by their Government Relations colleague Steven Bloom to talk about the troubling trend of elected officials intruding on academic freedom and restricting instruction on divisive concepts.

March 9, 2023

Does Your Campus Outsource Its Online Programs? Prepare for Changes

The Education Department’s recent guidance on third-party servicers and OPMs is shining a spotlight on contracts created to expand online offerings. Why did these relationships grow dramatically during the pandemic, and why are they needed now?

February 17, 2023

dotEDU Live: New Rules from ED, Culture War Rhetoric Ramps Up, the End of the COVID Emergency, More

In this live episode, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer take audience questions on a range of topics, from the Education Department moving quickly on new regulations to the House hearing on the “crisis” in American education to ChatGPT.

February 9, 2023

The Culture Wars Have Come for American Higher Ed. Again.

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 efforts to restrict K-12 and college teaching on topics like race, gender, and more.

January 26, 2023

What the New Congress and Biden Administration Have in Store for Higher Ed in 2023

House Republicans have announced committee assignments and are already talking oversight hearings, and the debt ceiling debate begins. The hosts also discuss ED’s aggressive regulatory agenda for 2023.

January 12, 2023

Faculty, Staff Are Burned Out. How Should Higher Ed Respond?

Andy Brantley, president and CEO of CUPA-HR, joins the podcast to talk about employee burnout and retention strategies institutions should be thinking about post-pandemic.

December 21, 2022

The Year in Higher Education Policy

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer are joined by ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle to discuss the federal policy developments in 2022 that impacted students and higher education institutions.

December 8, 2022

States Step in as Federal Action on Dreamers Goes Nowhere

Political activist Tyler Montague and ACE’s Derrick Anderson visit the podcast to talk about Arizona’s newly passed Proposition 308, which gives in-state tuition for non-citizen residents of the state.

November 21, 2022

Midterm Election Aftermath

Terry Hartle and Jon Fansmith talk about what the midterm elections mean for higher education policy in the lame-duck session and beyond.

November 10, 2022

Making the Case for Sustainability in Higher Ed

Heidi VanGenderen, chief sustainability officer at the University of Colorado Boulder, talks about why higher education is perfectly poised to take on the climate crisis, despite the political divides.

October 27, 2022

What to Watch For in the Oct. 31 Supreme Court Hearing on Race in College Admissions

Pace University President Marvin Krislov and ACE General Counsel Peter McDonough join host Jon Fansmith for a preview of the Oct. 31 Supreme Court oral arguments on race in college admissions.

October 27, 2022

BONUS: Prepping for a Supreme Court Hearing Starts at Georgetown

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 also describes the significant public service role that the Moot Court Program at Georgetown.

October 13, 2022

Nasser Paydar Talks Mental Health, Student Debt Relief, and Other Priorities for the Education Dept.

Nasser Paydar, assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the Department of Education, joins the hosts to talk about what the department is doing to improve access and affordability for college students.

September 29, 2022

Higher Ed Policy Predictions for the Fall

Jon Fansmith and Terry Hartle are back to give their predictions for what Congress will dive into this fall before they adjourn ahead of midterm elections, including a continuing resolution to fund the government through the end of the year.

September 15, 2022

Breaking Down Biden's Student Loan Forgiveness Plan

Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the NASFAA, helps break down what the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness plan means for borrowers, institutions, parents, and the higher ed community as a whole.

July 28, 2022

How Colleges Can Avoid the Dreaded Data Dump

Mamie Voight, president and CEO of the Institution for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), joins the podcast and talks with Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer about IHEP’s work.

July 14, 2022

New Proposed Title IX Regulations are Here. Now What?

ACE's Anne Meehan and Peter McDonough talk about what the newly proposed Title IX regulations mean for college campuses and the effort to address and prevent sex-based discrimination.

June 30, 2022

Breaking the Grip of the College Rankings Game

Colin Diver visits the podcast to talk about how U.S. News & World Report and other rankings force colleges into standardized hierarchies and threaten the institutional diversity and social mobility that is the hallmark of American higher education.

June 16, 2022

Midterm Elections Loom Over Higher Ed

How will issues like student loan forgiveness, immigration, and on the state level—academic freedom and critical race theory play out as November approaches?

June 2, 2022

Do Americans Value Higher Education?

With the midterm elections looming, what are voters thinking about the value of college? Kristen Soltis Anderson joins the podcast to talk about the American public's perception of higher education.

May 19, 2022

The Policy and Politics of Student Loan Forgiveness

Almost everyone has an opinion about student loan forgiveness. But it's often more complicated than many think. Jon Fansmith and Terry Hartle look at what might happen in the coming months.

May 5, 2022

Federal Dollars, Creative Leaders Help Two-Year Colleges Post-COVID

Community colleges saw steep declines in enrollment during the pandemic. Grand Rapids Community College Pres. Bill Pink shares how he used federal and state dollars to invest in helping students continue their college journey.

April 21, 2022

The Higher Ed Agenda as Congress Returns From Spring Break

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 education?

April 7, 2022

dotEDU Brief: Student Loan Repayment on Pause (Again); Is Double Pell in the Cards?

Guest host Stephanie Giesecke from NAICU joins the podcast to talk about the Biden budget for the upcoming fiscal year and the prospects for increasing funding for Pell Grants.

March 25, 2022

Congress Springs Forward and Passes Spending Bill; New Regulations Coming

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 and what it means for higher education ED's final negotiated rulemaking session.

March 17, 2022

Baylor President on the Changing World of College Athletics

Linda Livingstone joins the podcast to break down how the NCAA is working to change with the times, its recent shift on issues such as name, image and likeness, and how the recently adopted NCAA constitution will affect student-athletes moving forward.

February 24, 2022

Title IX, DACA, Gainful Employment: New Rules Coming for Higher Ed

Host Sarah Spreitzer and ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle discuss the myriad regulations waiting to be finalized at the Education Department and other federal agencies.

February 10, 2022

Reimagining College Admissions Through an Equity Lens

NACAC's Angel Pérez and Terri Taylor of Lumina Foundation visit the podcast to talk about how broad-based, systemic change is the only path to true change in college admissions.

January 27, 2022

Higher Ed in 2022: Unfinished Business and Election Year Politics

ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle joins hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer of the ACE government relations team to discuss what Congress still needs to finish from 2021.

January 14, 2022

Debates on Critical Race Theory, Academic Freedom Are Not Going Away

Michelle Deutchman, executive director of the University of California National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement returns to the podcast to talk about a range of issues related to critical race theory and academic freedom.

December 16, 2021

2021 in Higher Education Policy (A Good Year, Not a Great One)

ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle reviews the higher education policy successes and failures of 2021, and what we can expect from Congress and the administration in 2022.

December 2, 2021

The Future of Student Loan Forgiveness

Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, comes on the podcast to talk about student loan forgiveness and other topics important to borrowers.

November 19, 2021

End of Year Countdown: What’s on the Congressional Agenda for Students and Colleges

In this live conversation, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the status of the Build Back Better Act and more as Congress pushes toward the end of the year with a lengthy to-do list.

November 4, 2021

Higher Ed Waits for Congress to Act; ACE Takes Pulse of College Presidents

With the House heading toward a vote on the Biden administration’s domestic spending plan, the hosts talk about what is in the bill for higher education and speak with Morgan Taylor about ACE’s latest Pulse Point survey of college presidents.

October 21, 2021

Capitol Hill Fall Showdown: Will Higher Ed Get Left Behind?

he hosts look at what we know so far about the higher ed provisions in the budget reconciliation bill, the future of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and the president's order mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for federal contractors.

October 7, 2021

The Legacy of Underfunding Colleges That Serve Black Students

Adam Harris, author of The State Must Provide and staff writer for The Atlantic, discusses the state and federal funding mechanisms that continue to support a separate and unequal system of higher education in the United States.

September 23, 2021

What’s Going on With Budget Reconciliation, and Why Should Higher Ed Care?

ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle and dotedu host Sarah Spreitzer unpack where Congress stands on reconciliation and what it means for students and institutions.

August 13, 2021

dotEDU Brief: Broadband Access, Free Community College, Support for Dreamers All on the Table

The hosts discuss the Senate’s $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package which includes support for expanding broadband access, before diving into the FY 2022 budget resolution and its provisions for free community college and more for higher ed.

June 15, 2021

dotEDU Brief: Congress Returns to Full Agenda, Groups Launch National Campaign to Double Pell Grants

The hosts preview the rest of the summer session in Congress and their hopes for a smooth August break, and listeners will learn more about how they can take action through the #DoublePell campaign website.

July 1, 2021

Episode 46: Translating Support for International Students Into Policy

David Winston of the Winston Group, lays out the data around public attitudes toward international students and how leaders can make the case for the positive contributions they make to the U.S. economy and on our campuses.

June 17, 2021

Episode 45: What COVID-19 Has Taught Higher Education Leaders

David Richardson, managing director of research for the TIAA Institute, and ACE’s Jon Turk review the year's worth of ACE's Pulse Point survey of presidents on COVID-19.

June 3, 2021

Episode 44: Where Is Congress on Student Voter Access and Public Service Loan Forgiveness?

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Mushtaq Gunja talk with Rep. John Sarbanes about the For the People Act, a comprehensive election reform bill that could have an impact on how colleges register voters, and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

May 20, 2021

Episode 43: COVID-19 Relief Dollars at Work: East Carolina University and the Greenville Community

Philip Rogers, chancellor of East Carolina University, talks about how ECU has used federal pandemic relief to help students and the university at large, along with the surrounding community of Greenville.

May 6, 2021

Episode 42: A Safe Campus for All This Fall? What College Leaders Need to Know

ACE Vice President and General Counsel Peter McDonough visits the podcast to talk about what college leaders should know about vaccine requirements and the legal issues associated with making campuses safe when students return in the fall.

April 22, 2021

Episode 41: Is College a Risky Investment? An Economist Weighs In

The hosts are joined by Beth Akers, an economist and resident scholar at AEI, to discuss the debate over the cost of college and what policymakers, students, and parents should consider when it comes to investing in postsecondary education.

April 8, 2021

Episode 40: (College) Credit Where Credit is Due

An ACE Task Force of higher education leaders released a report last month offering recommendations on reimagining policies on transfer of credit. Task Force members Anne Holton and Anne Kress visit the podcast to talk about their work.

March 25, 2021

Episode 39: A Conversation With NASPA’s SA: Voices From the Field Podcast

Jon and Sarah are joined for a special crossover episode by Jill Creighton to talk about how COVID-19 has affected student life, the impact Title IX regulations are having on campuses and the future of those regulations, and other issues.

March 12, 2021

Episode 38: What's Next for Federal Student Aid?

Julie Peller, executive director of Higher Learning Advocates, visits the podcast to talk about the financial aid policies and programs that might be proposed by Congress in the coming months.

February 25, 2021

Episode 37: A Conversation With Congressman Bobby Scott

Hosts Jon Fansmith, Sarah Spreitzer, and Mushtaq Gunja talk with House Education and Labor Committee Chairman Bobby Scott (D-VA) about the recent past, present, and future of higher education legislation under his committee’s purview.

February 12, 2021

Episode 36: What Colleges Can Expect From Miguel Cardona's Education Department

ACE President Ted Mitchell joins Jon, Sarah, and Mushtaq to talk about his impressions of incoming Secretary of Education Miguel A. Cardona and about his own experience working in the Education Department.

January 29, 2021

Episode 35: A New Era for Higher Ed Under the Biden Administration

The hosts take the full episode to discuss how President Biden’s actions in his first week in office will impact higher ed as well as how a slim majority for Democrats in the House and the Senate could impact legislation moving forward.

January 14, 2021

Episode 34: Responding to Last Week's Attack on the Capitol; International Student Policy in the Biden Administration

Jill Allen Murray, deputy executive director for NAFSA: Association of International Educators, discusses the current policy climate for international students in the United States and what the higher ed community would like the Biden administration.

December 11, 2020

Episode 33: Mental Health on Campus as 2020 Winds Down

Cognitive scientist and Barnard College President Sian Beilock discusses how she is using her own research as a psychologist to talk about the need for new ways to improve mental health and well-being on campus.

November 13, 2020

Episode 32: What Higher Education Can Expect From the Biden Administration

The Biden-Harris platform unveiled during the 2020 presidential campaign suggests that higher education will be a primary focus of the new administration. ACE's Terry Hartle joins the hosts to talk about what we can expect come January.

October 29, 2020

Episode 31: Debates, Flies, and Political Engagement at the University of Utah

Jason Perry of the University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics talks about hosting the vice presidential debate, getting students involved in the debate process, and promoting student engagement during the pandemic.

October 15, 2020

Episode 30: What Higher Ed Needs to Know About the New Supreme Court

Phi Beta Kappa CEO Fred Lawrence joins the hosts to explore how Amy Coney Barrett’s inevitable confirmation as the next Supreme Court justice will affect colleges and universities on issues such as diversity in admissions policies and immigration.

October 2, 2020

Episode 29: Preparing for the 2020 Election on Campus

Jonathan Alger, president of James Madison University, talks about promoting civic democracy and engagement on campus and how JMU is approaching the 2020 election in light of the pandemic and the extreme partisanship that has gripped the country.

September 17, 2020

Episode 28: Dreamers and Immigration Policy: Past, Present, Future

Listen to Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, filmmaker, and immigration rights activist, Jose Antonio Vargas talk about the prospects of DACA, immigration policy in general, and what colleges and universities can do to help.

August 13, 2020

Episode 27: dotEDU Turns One!

As colleges settle into their reopening plans and Congress takes a break from negotiating a relief bill, the dotEDU hosts look back on the first year of the podcast and talk about their favorite episodes.

July 27, 2020

Episode 26: More COVID Funding From Congress; Supporting Students' Return to Campus

Hosts Jon Turk and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the next round of COVID funding coming out of Congress, and then talk with Lamar Hylton about how Kent State is preparing for a very unique and challenging fall semester.

July 13, 2020

Episode 25: “Horrifying” Guidance on International Students; All About the Title IX Final Rule

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer talk to Anne Meehan and Holland & Knight Senior Counsel Jeff Nolan to talk about the Department of Education’s new rule on Title IX and how colleges must handle sexual assault and sexual harassment complaints beginni

June 29, 2020

Episode 24: Supreme Court Protects DACA, LGBTQ Workers; Prioritizing DEI During COVID-19

Hosts Jon Fansmith and Lorelle Espinosa discuss the recent Supreme Court decisions on DACA and LGBTQ workers, and are joined by Lori White, incoming president of DePauw University, to talk about the fall semester.

June 15, 2020

Episode 23: How Campuses Can Encourage Racial Healing; the Future of Blockchain in Education

Hosts Lorelle Espinosa and Jon Fansmith discuss the murder of George Floyd and how colleges and universities can encourage racial healing. Also, the Department of Education's Sharon Leu and Louis Soares talk about blockchain and higher ed.

June 1, 2020

Episode 22: Thinking Through an Uncertain Fall

ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle joins co-hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer to discuss what higher education institutions need to support reopening this fall and how Congress can help.

May 18, 2020

Episode 21: Making Scientific Research More Nimble

Hosts Lorelle Espinosa and Jon Turk discuss higher eduction's response to COVID-19 and sustainability on college campuses with Lisa Graumlich of the University of Washington.

May 4, 2020

dotEDU Episode 20: Can We Promise College for All?

Hosts Jon Turk and Sarah Spreitzer talk with College Promise CEO Martha Kanter about the future of college promise programs nationwide, particularly in light of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on higher education.

April 20, 2020

dotEDU Episode 19: A College at the Crossroads of COVID-19 and DACA

Carrie Hauser, president of Colorado Mountain College, talks with co-hosts Jon Fansmith and Lorelle Espinosa about how her institution has responded to the pandemic and how its unique, interest-free income share agreement for DACA students has adapted.

April 7, 2020

dotEDU Episode 18: Higher Education in the Time of COVID-19

Recording from various remote workplaces around the DC area, the dotEDU team comes together to discuss the implications of the coronavirus pandemic on higher education.

March 9, 2020

dotEDU Episode 17: Access, Affordability, and the Future of Independent Colleges

The common narrative surrounding independent colleges and universities is that they are either elite ivy institutions or small colleges on the brink of closure. NAICU President Barbara Mistick dispels this black and white view in the latest episode of do

February 24, 2020

dotEDU Episode 16: Preventing Sexual Harassment in Academia

Frazier Benya, senior program officer at the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine talks with Lorelle Espinosa and Sarah Spreitzer about how institutions can go beyond legal solutions to tackle the problem.

February 10, 2020

dotEDU Episode 15: College Admissions Under the Microscope

NACAC CEO Joyce Smith talks about the many changes the field has undergone in the past three decades and what can be done to reshape it for the future.

January 27, 2020

dotEDU Episode 14: Community Colleges Bring Dreams Within Reach

Former President of Montgomery County Community College Karen Stout, now president and CEO of Achieving the Dream, talks with hosts Jon Fansmith and Jonathan Turk about the challenges faced by the new generation of community colleges.

January 13, 2020

dotEDU Episode 13: Organizing a Campus Based on Equity and Social Justice

Julie Posselt, associate professor of education at the University of Southern California, talks about her new book, Higher Education Administration for Social Justice and Equity, and how to carry out basic administrative operations with a clear commitment

December 23, 2019

dotEDU Episode 12: Giving All Learners a Chance

Former Secretary of Education John B. King, now president and CEO of The Education Trust, talks about his passion for giving all learners, particularly those in poverty and prisons, access to higher education.

December 9, 2019

dotEDU Episode 11: Meeting Students Where They Are on Mental Health

Nance Roy, chief clinical officer at the Jed Foundation, and Jan Collins-Eaglin, associate dean of students for wellness and personal success at Pomona College and an advisor at the Steve Fund, talk about effective strategies to help at-risk students.

November 25, 2019

dotEDU Episode 10: Talking Free Speech on Campus

Hosts Lorelle Espinosa and Jon Fansmith speak with civil discourse and campus speech experts Lara Schwartz and Michelle Deutchman on the latest episode of dotEDU.

November 12, 2019

dotEDU Episode 09: Student Success Is Institutional Success

Co-hosts Jon Fansmith and Lorelle Espinosa talk with ACE President Ted Mitchell about how higher education is re-imagining student success and the need for institutions to adapt to the changing face of their student bodies.

October 28, 2019

dotEDU Episode 08: Setting Up Student Veterans for Success

Jared Lyon, president and CEO of Student Veterans of America, joins hosts Sarah Spreitzer and Jon Turk to talk about why student veterans are considered the “tip of the spear” for the upcoming wave of post-traditional students.

October 15, 2019

dotEDU Episode 07: Asian American Students in Higher Ed . . . It’s Complicated

A week after a district court judge rejected claims that Harvard intentionally discriminates against Asian Americans, Julie J. Park talks with hosts Jon Fansmith and Lorelle Espinosa about what the decision means for diversity in higher education.

September 30, 2019

dotEDU Episode 06: Big Data Goes to College

Lindsay Wayt, director of analytics for NACUBO, discusses how colleges and universities are using analytics to achieve the essential goals of a 21st century campus.

September 16, 2019

dotEDU Episode 05: Beyond the Admissions Letter: Helping Disadvantaged Students Succeed in College

Listen to the latest episode of ACE's dotEDU podcast featuring a conversation with Anthony Jack, Harvard professor and author of The Privileged Poor: How Elite Colleges are Failing Disadvantaged Students.

August 15, 2019

dotEDU Episode 04: The Current Climate for International Students in the United States

Back from a trip to China, ACE's Brad Farnsworth talks about trends in international student enrollment, student visa delays, global partnerships, and if Trump administration policies and rhetoric are affecting international higher education.

August 14, 2019

dotEDU Episode 03: HSIs Are Narrowing Racial Gaps for Latinx Students

Hispanic student enrollment in higher education has doubled in the last decade. Where are these students going, what do they need, how do Hispanic-serving Institution (HSIs) fit into the equation, and how is the current political climate affecting them?

August 13, 2019

dotEDU Episode 02: Lifting Up Men of Color in Higher Ed

African American and Latino men face myriad barriers to college completion, a complex problem that institutions, educators, and policymakers are trying to address. But finding ways to apply research to practice requires a community-wide effort.

August 12, 2019

dotEDU Episode 01: Closing the College Success Gap for Low-income Students

More low-income students are going to college than ever before. But even as the attendance gap between rich and poor shrinks, the gap in the number of graduates has grown. How can we close the first gap and begin addressing the second?

Hosts

Jon Fansmith

Senior Vice President

Government Relations and National Engagement

Jonathan Fansmith is the senior vice president for Government Relations and National Engagement at the American Council on Education (ACE), where he leads federal advocacy efforts on behalf of the nation's colleges and universities. He oversees ACE's e...

Jon Fansmith

Senior Vice President

Government Relations and National Engagement

Mushtaq Gunja

Executive Director

Carnegie Classification Systems

Mushtaq Gunja serves as executive director of the Carnegie Classification systems and senior vice president at ACE, where he is in charge of running and reimagining the Carnegie framework. Prior to joining ACE, Gunja served as assistant dean in academi...

Mushtaq Gunja

Executive Director

Carnegie Classification Systems

Sarah Spreitzer

Vice President and Chief of Staff

Government Relations

Sarah Spreitzer represents ACE and its members on matters related to research policy and funding, federal policy, international students, immigration, and legislative issues. Before joining ACE, Spreitzer held senior positions in higher e...

Sarah Spreitzer

Vice President and Chief of Staff

Government Relations

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