Comments made by President Connie Ledoux Book during a panel at the American Council on Education’s annual conference were recently highlighted by Higher Ed Dive.
Elon University President Connie Ledoux Book was featured in a Higher Ed Dive article on how college administrators are confronting major disruptions in the higher education landscape, including international enrollment challenges and artificial intelligence adoption.
The article, “How 3 college administrators are tackling higher education disruption,” highlights remarks Book made during a panel at the American Council on Education’s annual conference in Washington, D.C.
Book pointed to tightening visa policies and shifting global student flows as key pressures facing institutions nationwide. She noted that even colleges not heavily dependent on international enrollment are feeling the effects of broader declines in traditional student populations.
“If you rely on immigration and international students as the primary driver of your enrollment strategy, you are vulnerable,” Book said.
Reflecting on how disruptions beyond Elon’s campus could affect the national higher education ecosystem, Book added, “We’re losing domestic students because of the hole that other schools are filling,” signaling that competitive pressures ripple across institutions when one segment of the student market contracts.
On the topic of artificial intelligence, Book noted that a liberal arts education could help students use AI in their work.
“This is going to breathe life into skill sets around philosophy, religion, problem-solving, history,” Book said. “The human side is going to get a new burst of energy because that’s where the skill sets of connecting the dots and critical thinking live.”