Hollis Robbins
@anecdotal.bsky.social
AI is disrupting higher ed: how can we be ahead? Writing at https://hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com. Former Dean of Humanities & now Special Advisor for Humanities & AI at UUtah. Former Dean @ Sonoma State University. PhD Princeton, MPP Harvard KSG
Great piece -- is there data on which majors are caught up in this? I'd be very interested to know.
February 14, 2026 at 12:44 AM
Great piece -- is there data on which majors are caught up in this? I'd be very interested to know.
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Universities often break their own enrollment records. But some wealthy ones do it by quietly pushing low-income families into crushing debt.
π Here, our #HigherEd expert @stephenburd.bsky.social exposes how some #FinancialAid strategies steer students toward risky loans.
π Here, our #HigherEd expert @stephenburd.bsky.social exposes how some #FinancialAid strategies steer students toward risky loans.
How Universities Use Subprime Loans to Steer Low-Income Families Into Debt
A new report identifies 41 universities that steer low-income families to Parent PLUS loan debt they cannot afford, at the same time that they provide large tuition discounts to wealthier students.
www.newamerica.org
February 12, 2026 at 4:06 PM
Universities often break their own enrollment records. But some wealthy ones do it by quietly pushing low-income families into crushing debt.
π Here, our #HigherEd expert @stephenburd.bsky.social exposes how some #FinancialAid strategies steer students toward risky loans.
π Here, our #HigherEd expert @stephenburd.bsky.social exposes how some #FinancialAid strategies steer students toward risky loans.
Are people understanding yet? hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/its-later-...
It's Later Than You Think
The starkest view
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:02 AM
Are people understanding yet? hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/its-later-...
"As it turns out" is a wholly human phrase. AI does not use it, as it turns out....
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/as-it-turn...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/as-it-turn...
"...as it turns out..."
Rejoice your LLM doesn't talk this way (yet)
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:49 AM
"As it turns out" is a wholly human phrase. AI does not use it, as it turns out....
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/as-it-turn...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/as-it-turn...
I've said this to fellow academics for months: βmost people are using the free version of AI tools. The free version is over a year behind what paying users have access to....The people paying for the best tools, and using them daily for real work, know what's coming.β
shumer.dev/something-bi...
shumer.dev/something-bi...
Something Big Is Happening
A personal note for non-tech friends and family on what AI is starting to change.
shumer.dev
February 11, 2026 at 11:16 AM
I've said this to fellow academics for months: βmost people are using the free version of AI tools. The free version is over a year behind what paying users have access to....The people paying for the best tools, and using them daily for real work, know what's coming.β
shumer.dev/something-bi...
shumer.dev/something-bi...
AI in Education Is an Unknown, Humans Are Not | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...
AI in Education Is an Unknown, Humans Are Not
A massive re-analysis of findings on AI and learning shows universities may be rebuilding around a technology with no reliable effect.
www.psychologytoday.com
February 8, 2026 at 6:37 PM
AI in Education Is an Unknown, Humans Are Not | Psychology Today www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Should universities be about known knowns or unknown unknowns? open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
The Rumsfeld Matrix
Higher Ed is at war, after all
open.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Should universities be about known knowns or unknown unknowns? open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
Should universities be about known knowns or unknown unknowns? open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
The Rumsfeld Matrix
Higher Ed is at war, after all
open.substack.com
February 6, 2026 at 9:08 PM
Should universities be about known knowns or unknown unknowns? open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
interesting read. donβt love the transactional framing and the metaphor breaks down a bit for me (feels more like we are cultivating a garden than letting in and then breeding AI alligators) but I agree with a lot of whatβs in here.
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
AI-Forced Restructuring Is Top Risk for Higher Ed (opinion)
AI-forced restructuring is the biggest risk colleges face.
www.insidehighered.com
February 4, 2026 at 1:11 PM
interesting read. donβt love the transactional framing and the metaphor breaks down a bit for me (feels more like we are cultivating a garden than letting in and then breeding AI alligators) but I agree with a lot of whatβs in here.
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Good piece, especially because it foregrounds "legitimacy" as the remaining value proposition for universities. In a world where knowledge and skill are not scarce, metacognitive decisions will still be hard β and those decisions are interwoven with questions of social validation. +
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
AI-Forced Restructuring Is Top Risk for Higher Ed (opinion)
AI-forced restructuring is the biggest risk colleges face.
www.insidehighered.com
February 3, 2026 at 4:26 PM
Good piece, especially because it foregrounds "legitimacy" as the remaining value proposition for universities. In a world where knowledge and skill are not scarce, metacognitive decisions will still be hard β and those decisions are interwoven with questions of social validation. +
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Universities won't let faculty fail students. You can't fail a revenue stream and stay in business. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/why-film-p...
Why Film Professors Can't Fail Students Who Won't Watch Films
The ABCs of the higher ed economy
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 31, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Universities won't let faculty fail students. You can't fail a revenue stream and stay in business. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/why-film-p...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Re "I challenge you to look at the Arizona State University film program website and figure out who your professor will be and whether youβre required to watch any films to the end." - I accepted this challenge, and I really wish I hadn't
January 31, 2026 at 4:36 PM
Re "I challenge you to look at the Arizona State University film program website and figure out who your professor will be and whether youβre required to watch any films to the end." - I accepted this challenge, and I really wish I hadn't
Universities won't let faculty fail students. You can't fail a revenue stream and stay in business. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/why-film-p...
Why Film Professors Can't Fail Students Who Won't Watch Films
The ABCs of the higher ed economy
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 31, 2026 at 3:15 PM
Universities won't let faculty fail students. You can't fail a revenue stream and stay in business. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/why-film-p...
The great paradox of modern AI is that companies like Anthropic, Google, Meta, and OpenAI pursue ever-larger models and more centralized data collection while simultaneously promising more "personalized" experiences. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/ai-and-the...
AI and the Last Mile 2.
The principle of subsidiarity
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 30, 2026 at 12:51 PM
The great paradox of modern AI is that companies like Anthropic, Google, Meta, and OpenAI pursue ever-larger models and more centralized data collection while simultaneously promising more "personalized" experiences. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/ai-and-the...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
AI-Forced Restructuring Is Top Risk for Higher Ed (opinion)
AI-forced restructuring is the biggest risk colleges face.
www.insidehighered.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:39 PM
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
Local news matters in the AI era. The stories that "escape containment" are the least valuable, especially to LLMs. Support making local news accessible. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/what-escap...
What escapes containment is least valuable
More on the value of local news in the AI era
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 29, 2026 at 11:01 PM
Local news matters in the AI era. The stories that "escape containment" are the least valuable, especially to LLMs. Support making local news accessible. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/what-escap...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Can AI write great poetry? If a prompt engineer is also a poet, it can come mighty close. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/llm-poetry...
LLM poetry and the "greatness" question
Experiments by Gwern and Mercor
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 11:37 AM
Can AI write great poetry? If a prompt engineer is also a poet, it can come mighty close. hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/llm-poetry...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Local news matters. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
The First Rough Draft of History
Local news in the AI era
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Local news matters. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
AI-Forced Restructuring Is Top Risk for Higher Ed (opinion)
AI-forced restructuring is the biggest risk colleges face.
www.insidehighered.com
January 29, 2026 at 12:39 PM
AI will transform what the university sells and how it sells it. That is why it is the alligator closest to the boat. I welcome the AI alligator, because mentorship paired with expert judgment is the only defensible value proposition left. www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
Local news matters. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
The First Rough Draft of History
Local news in the AI era
open.substack.com
January 26, 2026 at 2:39 PM
Local news matters. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Wondering why those new university "civics centers" are silent on the deadly constitutional crisis happening in Minnesota.
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
Civics Centers as Ivory Towers
Federalism in the classroom, silence on the street
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Wondering why those new university "civics centers" are silent on the deadly constitutional crisis happening in Minnesota.
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
Wondering why those new university "civics centers" are silent on the deadly constitutional crisis happening in Minnesota.
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
Civics Centers as Ivory Towers
Federalism in the classroom, silence on the street
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com
January 21, 2026 at 1:59 AM
Wondering why those new university "civics centers" are silent on the deadly constitutional crisis happening in Minnesota.
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
hollisrobbinsanecdotal.substack.com/p/civics-cen...
Reposted by Hollis Robbins
Why you should hire recent college graduates. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
LLMs are lagging indicators
Why you should hire recent graduates
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Why you should hire recent college graduates. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
Why you should hire recent college graduates. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...
LLMs are lagging indicators
Why you should hire recent graduates
open.substack.com
January 17, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Why you should hire recent college graduates. open.substack.com/pub/hollisro...