*This agenda is subject to change.

Presidents Track (Invitation Only)

March 15, 2026

Sponsored by 

Innovation, Thought Leadership, and Long-Term Success

9:30 - 9:35 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

9:35 - 10:35 AM
Navigating Upheaval on Four Fronts: Building Community College Agility for a Defining Moment
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
Tara Zirkel, Director, Strategic Research, EAB

Higher education is entering one of the most turbulent periods in modern history. Institutions are facing simultaneous shocks to revenues; rising expenses across every operational category; and heightened expectations from policymakers, students, families, and the public. The result is a sector under unprecedented strain, where long-standing practices can no longer absorb the pressure and leaders must navigate a rapidly shifting landscape on multiple fronts. In this session, EAB will debut its 2025-2026 State of the Sector analysis, framed around the four areas that upheaval is reshaping institutional strategy:

1. External accountability, where political scrutiny and performance expectations are accelerating
2. Financial sustainability, where synchronized cost and revenue pressures are rewriting the rules of viability
3. Market relevance, where AI-driven labor market shifts and return on investment (ROI) skepticism demand new programmatic and enrollment strategies
4. Institutional agility, where the speed and complexity of change require new operating models and leadership approaches

Drawing on national research, campus case studies, and analysis of emerging trends, this session will help presidents and senior executives understand the forces reshaping the sector and identify strategic priorities for navigating volatility with confidence. Participants will leave with a clearer picture of where the market is heading, why the current moment is fundamentally different from past disruptions, and what steps institutions can take now to position themselves for resilience and long-term success.

10:35 - 10:45 AM
Break

10:45 - 11:45 AM
Unpacking the Crisis of Confidence in Higher Education
(Joint Session With Vice Presidents Track Participants and ELI Alumni)
Logan Morris, Associate Director, Research Advisory Services, EAB

As enrollment leaders navigate steep demographic shifts and declining college-going rates, growing skepticism about the value and ROI of a degree has intensified the pressures facing colleges and universities. These converging forces pose significant risks to institutional sustainability and heighten the urgency for strategic, data-informed action.

This session will explore the drivers behind the crisis of public confidence in higher education and outline innovative, practical strategies that campus executives can employ to strengthen enrollment outcomes and institutional resilience. Through evidence-based insights and examples from institutions that have successfully adapted to these challenges, participants will gain a deeper understanding of where the value narrative is breaking down and how leaders can reclaim it.

Participants will:

• Examine the root causes of declining public trust in higher education and the implications for institutional enrollment.
• Explore strategies for strengthening engagement with prospective students and families through clearer, value-centered communication.
• Learn from institutional examples that have addressed enrollment headwinds and begun to future-proof their campus against demographic and market volatility.
• Identify proactive approaches to advancing institutional messaging around employment outcomes, student success, and long-term value.

11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch (Provided)

12:30 - 3:00 PM
How AI Is Rewriting the Higher Education Business Model
Lola Banks, AI Experience Designer, Strategies by Design

Artificial intelligence isn’t just improving efficiency—it’s reshaping the rules of higher education. It is transforming how learners discover programs, how they learn, what they value, and who they trust. As AI shifts expectations and lowers barriers to entry, it challenges long-standing assumptions about programs, pricing, credentials, and the very role of the institution.

This application-focused session translates the provocative question—How is AI disrupting your higher education business model?—into a practical, leadership-level strategy conversation. Designed for presidents, the session helps senior leaders pinpoint where their current model is vulnerable and where AI creates powerful new opportunities.

Through concise expert input, higher education case examples, and guided working sessions, participants will:

• Map where AI is shifting value creation, margins, and control across the academic value chain.
• Identify emerging competitors and new forms of substitution.
• Surface hidden risks to revenue, relevance, and reputation.
• Spot opportunities to innovate before disruption forces their hand.

Participants leave not just informed but equipped with a strategic response tailored to their institution. By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Diagnose exposure within their own model. Identify where their current program portfolio, pricing strategy, student experience, partnerships, and operating model are most vulnerable to AI-driven change.
• Envision AI-enabled value propositions. Describe how AI can power new offerings—hyper-personalized learning pathways, alternative credential models, AI-native advising and student services, and new workforce-aligned partnerships.
• Assess institutional AI resilience. Apply a practical framework to evaluate how future-proof their business model is, and where reinvention is most urgent.
• Define bold but actionable next moves. Commit to 2-3 strategic initiatives—experiments, partnerships, capability investments, or operating-model shifts—that position their institution to lead rather than react.

3:00 - 3:15 PM
Closing Remarks
Rufus Glasper, President and CEO, League for Innovation in the Community College