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October 30, 2025 55 mins

On the latest stop of Future U.'s campus tour, Michael and Jeff visit Butler University to talk with Butler president Jim Danko and other campus leaders. They explore how, out of a mix of excitement about serving students and fear of potential competitive threats on the horizon, the university built a culture and infrastructure to encourage innovation.

Relevant Links

Butler University’s Transformation Lab website.

Chapters

0:00 - Why We Wanted to Visit Butler University

3:46 - What Butler’s President Said He Would Do When He First Started

7:22 - Some Early Wins In Sparking Innovation

9:16 - The Importance of Time and Patience in College Leadership

13:25 - How Presidents Can Best Work With Trustees to Encourage Innovation

15:46 - How a Business Background Influenced Leading a University

19:37 - Why Did Butler Push for Innovation?

21:11 - Putting a Vision Into Practice

22:50 - The Importance of Wanting to Win

28:01 - A Chief Strategy Officer’s Viewpoint

35:35 - A Faculty Perspective on Innovation

37:04 - The 50-50 Rule of Running the Board of Trustees

38:53 - What Butler Ventures Looks Like Today

47:43 - What Grade Would Butler Give Its Innovation Efforts?

52:00 - Closing Observations

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Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You

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