Higher Ed Hot Takes

Toning Down the Discourse

SHOW NOTES In this episode of Higher Ed Hot Takes, host Joel Goodman teams up with his friend and higher ed insider Shane Baglini to tackle the pervasive yet often misguided hype surrounding AI in the academic sector. Joel and Shane explore how artificial intelligence has infiltrated higher education and discuss the pressure felt by practitioners who think they're falling behind. They critique the so-called AI thought leaders and the industry's tendency to chase hype over utility. With a focus on practical, grounded applications of large language models and a plea for critical thinking, this episode offers valuable insights while debunking some common myths about AI's role in higher ed. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome 00:24 AI in Higher Education: A Grounded Perspective 01:55 The Hype and Reality of AI in Higher Ed 06:04 Practical Uses and Misuses of AI 08:03 AI's Role in Recruitment and Website Management 12:21 The Systemic Issues in Digital Marketing 14:59 Leveraging AI for Skill Expansion and Efficiency 19:00 Encouragement and Final Thoughts GET IN TOUCH * Find Joel on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman] or Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profiles/joelgoodman.co]. * Find Shane on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/shanebaglini]. Thanks for listening to Higher Ed Hot Takes—the counterculture higher ed marketing podcast!

Such a privilege

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode, I dig into why starting with real people—not trends, competitor inspiration, or AI shortcuts—is the only way to create meaningful web experiences in higher ed. I share my frustration with how often our industry defaults to copying what others are doing or chasing the latest tech buzzword, instead of focusing on the actual needs of the people we serve. Drawing from nearly two decades of experience (and a few Top Chef analogies), I argue that relying on generic solutions or large language models only leads to mediocrity and disconnects us from our core purpose. For me, it’s a privilege to do creative work that makes a difference for real people. In this episode, I challenge you to reclaim that sense of privilege, put humanity back at the center of your work, and remember that the impact we make starts with genuine connection and service. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Welcome 00:26 The Importance of User Experience 01:45 Starting with Real People 03:14 The Problem with AI Hype 05:14 The Privilege of Creativity CONNECT WITH JOEL Find me on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman] or Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profiles/joelgoodman.co]. Thanks for listening to Higher Ed Hot Takes—the counterculture higher ed marketing podcast. ---------------------------------------- For more honest takes on higher ed digital strategy, visit bravery.co. [https://bravery.co?utm_source=heht006]

Greatness is inefficient

EPISODE SUMMARY Is efficiency always a good thing? In this episode of Higher Ed Hot Takes, Joel Goodman challenges the relentless pursuit of productivity in higher education and creative work. He argues that while efficiency tools and AI promise to save time, they often come at the expense of quality, originality, and the human touch. Joel explores why great work is inherently inefficient, how "doing more with less" leads to diminishing returns, and why craft and creativity require time and care. Tune in to hear why embracing a little inefficiency might be the key to standing out and producing truly great work in a world obsessed with shortcuts. CONNECT WITH JOEL Find me on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman] or Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profiles/joelgoodman.co]. Thanks for listening to Higher Ed Hot Takes—the counterculture higher ed marketing podcast. ---------------------------------------- For more honest takes on higher ed digital strategy, visit bravery.co. [https://bravery.co?utm_source=heht005] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: Balancing Quality and Quantity 00:20 Efficiency in the Digital Age 01:00 The Dark Side of Efficiency 01:41 AI and the Illusion of Efficiency 03:56 The Value of Human Creativity

Craft amongst the slop

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Higher Ed Hot Takes, host Joel Goodman tackles the growing problem of “GenAI slop” flooding higher education marketing. Drawing on his experience as a web designer and marketer since 2009, Joel argues that higher ed marketing has always struggled with sameness and generic messaging-but the rise of generative AI tools like ChatGPT is accelerating the problem. Joel explains how the rush to automate content creation and admissions processes with AI risks stripping away the authenticity and human connection that set institutions apart. He highlights the ethical and practical dangers of relying on large language models (LLMs) that don’t truly understand context, values, or brand nuance. The episode offers real-world examples of generic, AI-generated content (“slop”) and emphasizes that, while AI can support research and data tasks, it shouldn’t replace skilled writers or frontline staff. Joel’s remedy: a return to craft, creativity, and human touch in higher ed marketing. He urges institutions to use AI as a tool-not a substitute-and warns that sacrificing authenticity for efficiency will only worsen higher ed’s trust deficit with prospective students. RESOURCES MENTIONED * Jeff Stevens reciting all of the taglines. YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_pFttMtbq0] CONNECT WITH JOEL Find me on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman] or Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profiles/joelgoodman.co]. Thanks for listening to Higher Ed Hot Takes—the counterculture higher ed marketing podcast. ---------------------------------------- For more honest takes on higher ed digital strategy, visit bravery.co. [https://bravery.co?utm_source=heht004] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction: The State of Higher Ed Marketing 00:46 The Rise of Generative AI in Higher Ed 01:35 The Limitations of Current AI Technology 02:46 Ethical Concerns and AI in Admissions 03:23 The Importance of Human Connection 04:00 The Risk of Losing Authenticity 05:06 Leveraging AI Without Losing Craft 05:47 Conclusion: Embracing Humanity in Higher Ed

Performance is non-negotiable

EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of Higher Ed Hot Takes, Joel Goodman tackles the mounting pressures facing universities worldwide: declining enrollment, rising inflation, government hostility, and the resulting wave of job losses. Drawing from personal experience and industry data, Joel reveals how seemingly small decisions-especially around website performance-can have massive financial consequences for institutions. KEY TOPICS COVERED * The global higher ed crisis: job cuts, closures, and financial strain * Personal reflection on surviving staff redundancies in higher ed * How ego and poor spending decisions (like unnecessary tech upgrades and cosmetic projects) undermine student and staff needs * The overlooked importance of website performance in university marketing and recruitment * Bravery Media’s 2025 SpeedyU benchmarking data: alarming stats on slow higher ed websites across the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand * The real-world cost: Google research shows 53% of mobile users leave if a site takes over 3 seconds to load-costing institutions millions in lost tuition and donations * Common website performance killers: * Heavy homepage videos and improper video hosting * Excessive tracking pixels (e.g., Facebook) that slow down sites and hurt conversions * Outdated codebases (Bootstrap, jQuery, old CMS platforms) * Why performance is non-negotiable for web marketing and enrollment success * Actionable advice for universities: * Remove or properly optimize large videos * Minimize third-party trackers and pixels * Modernize code and CMS platforms * Leverage in-house developers for low-cost, high-impact fixes * Bravery Media’s ongoing speed and accessibility testing (SpeedyU.com [http://SpeedyU.com]) and offers for deeper audits or custom checklists RESOURCES MENTIONED * Bravery Media’s SpeedyU benchmarking: speedyu.com [https://speedyu.bravery.co?utm_source=heht] * Google mobile site speed study CALLS TO ACTION * Contact Joel Goodman or Bravery Media for a custom website performance audit or actionable checklist for your institution’s dev team. * Visit SpeedyU.com [http://SpeedyU.com] to see how your institution’s website ranks. CONNECT WITH JOEL Find me on LinkedIn [https://linkedin.com/in/joelgoodman] or Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profiles/joelgoodman.co]. Thanks for listening to Higher Ed Hot Takes—the counterculture higher ed marketing podcast. ---------------------------------------- For more honest takes on higher ed digital strategy, visit bravery.co. [https://bravery.co?utm_source=heht003] CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction and Context 00:18 The Financial Strain on Higher Education 00:52 Misguided Spending Decisions 01:26 The Impact of Slow Websites 02:02 The Cost of Poor Website Performance 04:35 Common Website Issues and Fixes 06:15 Modernizing Your Website 06:54 Conclusion and Call to Action