Maryville University President Mark Lombardi, PhD, recently appeared on The Carney Show on KTRS (550 AM) to share what universities can learn from the largest college admissions scandal ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice.

Fifty people in six states have been charged in participating in a conspiracy that involved cheating on college entrance exams and securing admission to elite colleges through the use of bribes and fake academic and athletic credentials. They include Hollywood actresses, business leaders and elite college coaches.

“It’s unethical and wrong on every level,” Lombardi said. ““The future of higher education is not about exclusion, which is what this story is really about. The future is about access and opportunity for all students, particularly first-generation college students, students of color and students from underrepresented groups.”

While many traditional universities restrict access, Maryville is fully committed to making higher education accessible and affordable. Maryville reinvents existing academic programs and creates new programs in emerging fields to meet the needs of key industry partners and to ensure students gain the skills and experience they need for the workforce.

“Higher education is in the midst of a disruption,” Lombardi said. “We have to do our work better. We have to provide a high quality of education that prepares students for the skills and jobs of the future. Universities that adapt to this new model will survive and thrive. And the ones that don’t adapt, will not survive.”

Lombardi further explores the disruptive changes that must occur for universities to flourish in the 21st century in the new book “Pivot: A Vision for the New University,”
co-authored with Joanne Soliday, co-founder of Credo higher education consulting firm.

Click below to listen to the full interview.