Chronicle of Higher Education Audio: Interviews

Rev. John I. Jenkins, the University of Notre Dame's president, talks about why universities should strive to be places for tough conversations, despite the risks posed by today's media climate.

Rev. Scott R. Pilarz, president of the University of Scranton, talks about the joy of hiring 100 new faculty members in a tough economy and the difficulty of expanding the student market in the face of declining demographics.

Amy Gutmann, president of the University of Pennsylvania, says colleges and universities can find ways to engage internationally even as the economic downturn forces them to tighten the purse strings.

Margaret L. Drugovich, president of Hartwick College, discusses the new three-year degree program at her institution and how it is being received.

More and more local and federal government officials are asking a key question: How can we capture the fruits of academic research?and use that research to build companies and create jobs? Krisztina Holly, executive director of the Stevens Institute for Innovation at the University of Southern California, shares her thoughts on the topic.

Budget-strapped colleges might find it relatively easy and fair to make across-the-board cuts. But institutions that take the time to identify what's really working?and what isn't?will benefit in the long run, says Richard Staisloff, vice president for finance and administration at the College of Notre Dame of Maryland.

Sen. Ted Kaufman, a Democrat from Delaware who is the only professionally-trained engineer serving in the Senate, says colleges and the government must do more to encourage students to pursue degrees in engineering.

When a college cuts a contract with a company linked to one of its trustees, you won't typically hear PR officials crowing about the deal. Paul Fain, a Chronicle reporter who has investigated potential conflicts of interest, describes how such contracts are discovered?and why they matter.

The Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges recently released guidelines to help colleges deal with a murky issue: relationships with companies linked to board members. Richard D. Legon, the association's president, shares his thoughts on handling potential conflicts.

As for-profit colleges grow—in size, influence, and public perception—plenty of administrators at traditional colleges could use a primer: What kind of students are enrolling? And what sort of education do they get? Robin Wilson, a Chronicle reporter who has written about the sector, shares details and stories from the for-profit world with Brad Wolverton, a Chronicle editor.

Laura L. Anglin, president of the Commission on Independent Colleges and Universities, in New York, describes the budget troubles facing New York institutions—and makes the case for how those institutions can bolster the state's economic competitiveness.

Many undergraduates work to support themselves during college, but institutions sometimes struggle to support those students. Laura W. Perna, an associate professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, has edited a new book on that topic, and she offers advice on what colleges can do better.

Daniel J. Curran, the University of Dayton's president, talks about his university's rebranding effort, where corporate PR and Catholic tradition work hand in hand.

In today's sputtering economy, colleges and their communities are more dependent on each other than ever, but often the two sides don't seem to be speaking the same language. Roy J. Nirschel, president of Roger Williams University, describes how his institution nurtures a relationship with its hometown of Bristol, R.I.

On leave from the government department of Georgetown University, Joshua Mitchell, acting chancellor of the American University of Iraq at Sulaimani, talks about the challenges of starting a private university in a country damaged by years of war and his vision for the institution. He also gives a special pitch for prospective faculty members.