*This agenda is subject to change.
Presidents Track (Invitation Only)
March 9, 2025
Sponsored by 
INNOVATION, THOUGHT LEADERSHIP, AND LONG-TERM SUCCESS
8:00 - 8:15 AM
Opening Comments
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
Rufus Glasper, President and CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College
8:15 - 9:30 AM
Reckoning With Relevance: EAB’s 2025 State of the Sector
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
Higher Education’s Future: Four Scenarios for the Next Decade
Six key forces are shaping the future of student success. Some have emerged as a direct or indirect result of the pandemic, while others are the continuation of trends that began long before 2020. Together, they reflect the multifaceted challenges student success leaders and their institutions face. We will explore, through the lens of strategic foresight, how current trends, issues, and events in higher education and beyond will shape the success of future students. By understanding the forces shaping our world, we can anticipate the scenarios that lie ahead and take steps to guide ourselves to the future we want. You will come away with a better understanding of where student success is heading and how you can shape your institutions to best support the students of tomorrow.
Ed Venit, Managing Director, EAB
9:30 - 9:45 AM
Break
9:45 - 11:15 AM
Navigating the Future: AI Leadership Strategies for Community College Success
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
In a world defined by rapid technological disruption, artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of education, workforce development, and organizational strategy. This session will explore the transformative power of AI and other disruptive technologies, focusing on their implications for community colleges and the students they serve. We will outline five essential strategies every leader must adopt to prepare their institutions and learners for success amidst constant change. Learn how to align organizational goals with AI-driven innovations and leverage data to enhance decision-making and student outcomes. This session will inspire you to think boldly and act strategically to position your college as a leader in navigating the future of education and work.
Judith Cardenas, CEO, Strategies By Design
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM
The Board-CEO Relationship
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
In these complex and uncertain times, the relationship between trustees and the CEO is more critical than ever. Two seasoned and effective trustees and the President of Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) will share appropriate trustee governing roles, where the trustees provide governance and oversight while the CEO manages the daily operations of the college. They will highlight the importance of a partnership mindset; understanding and abiding by accreditation standards; and acting together to fulfill the mission, protect the college, and faithfully serve the students and the community.
Jee Hang Lee, President, ACCT; Robert Zarate, Chair, ACCT, and Board Member/Trustee, Alamo Colleges District; Rosa Benevidez, Past Chair, ACCT, and Board Member/Trustee, South Texas College
12:15 - 1:00 PM
Lunch (Provided)
1:00 - 2:00 PM
Empowering Community Colleges: The Role of Presidents in Advancing Change for an Improved Learn and Work Ecosystem
This discussion will focus on exploring key opportunities and challenges for improving the learn and work ecosystem on behalf of learners and the labor market, and the role presidents can have as change agents in and on behalf of their communities. The panel will discuss their collective work in advancing the design of credentialing models that provide on-ramps to further education and off-ramps to career opportunities. Discussion points will include improving college and employer collaboration; advocating for the importance of credentialing and skills development, validation, and recognition; engaging college faculty and other stakeholders in the urgency of change; and using data-informed decision-making to enhance learners’ workforce readiness and educational outcomes.
Melanie Booth, Executive Director, HLC Credential Lab; Jo Blondin, President, Clark State College; Naomi Boyer, Senior Vice President, Digital Transformation, Education Design Lab
2:00 - 3:00 PM
The Student Readiness Crisis: A Mandate for Change in Higher Education
This session will explore the significant impact of current K-12 academic and socioemotional trends on higher education and offer future insights. Participants will examine national data highlighting the alarming increase in absenteeism, declines in math and reading scores, and growing demand for mental health services. These trends have led to higher disengagement, social isolation, and stress in college classrooms, with many students now entering college underprepared academically and emotionally. To better understand how these shifts in readiness are impacting higher education, EAB conducted interviews with over 150 educators across K-12 and higher education. Participants will learn from these insights and gain strategies to start confronting readiness gaps. (Related content: Student Readiness Resource Center)
Tara Zirkel, Director, Strategic Research, EAB
3:00 - 3:15 PM
Closing Comments
Rufus Glasper, President and CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College
The Innovations Conference Sunday General Session begins at 3:30 PM. Refer to the event schedule for more information.
