Hi Reader,

This Week’s Big Ideas:

Why Small Wins > Big Visions, Türkiye’s EdTech Pivot, and the Senate’s Higher Ed Shakeup

1. Want to Thrive in the Age of AI? Think Small.

The future won’t reward scale for scale’s sake.

“To surf above the tsunami, I suggest one human-scale win at a time.”

In a higher ed world that obsesses over growth, rankings, and transformation, we might need to go the other way:

• Build resonance with the 1,000 students or alumni who already believe in your institution.
• Reground strategy in what makes you 'weirdly effective' at the local or program level.
• Design brand and engagement models around circles, not ladders.

As AI floods every inbox, app, and admissions funnel — real connection wins.

And real connection starts small.

💬 Thought-starter:
​What if your next 3-year plan wasn’t about scaling… but deepening?

🌍 2. Türkiye’s EdTech Surge Offers a Playbook for Us All

McKinsey profiled Türkiye’s new student success platform, and the numbers are wild:

• 4.5M students reached.
• A 40%+ increase in “preference clarity” (students knowing what program actually fits).
• And a massive boost in placement rates into higher ed.

But here’s the unlock: the platform doesn’t replace advising. It amplifies it.

By combining student psychometrics, career pathway data, and digital nudging, Türkiye didn’t build just another LMS. They built a system of guidance.

💡 For U.S. institutions struggling with melt, advising overload, and purpose drift — could this be a blueprint?

👉 Read the full case study​

🏛️ 3. The Senate’s Higher Ed Reconciliation Proposal Is a Wild Ride

Here’s what’s in the latest Senate proposal (and why Presidents and CFOs should pay close attention):

• Creates a new “Office of Higher Education Accountability.”​
  Translation: Federal-level compliance and public transparency just got teeth.
• Mandates program-level ROI disclosures.​
  That’s every degree. Every modality. Every cohort.
• Linking funding to performance — but also to affordability thresholds.​
  Think early FAFSA, pricing transparency, and stronger consumer protections.

Whether or not it passes in its current form, the writing is on the wall:

The Fed is done waiting for voluntary reform

Stay Awesome

-Mike

O'Connor & Associates

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PS – I’m officially on the hunt for my next big move.​
After 2.5 years of consulting, building, and scaling across higher ed, I’m exploring full-time roles where I can go deep, not just wide — ideally in a Chief of Staff or Special Assistant to the President capacity, or another high-leverage strategy role.
If you know a forward-thinking President or senior leader looking to add capacity, clarity, and execution horsepower — hit me up. Referrals welcome.

I’m not here to play small. I’m here to deliver transformational value from Day 1.

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