What does it take to lead effectively in today’s higher education landscape? In a recent episode of The EdUp Experience, Watermark CEO Erin Shy joins Dr. Joe Sallustio to discuss the growing complexity facing provosts—and why connected higher education data is essential to navigating it.
Provosts are being asked to make high-stakes decisions across academic programs, student outcomes, and institutional strategy. But too often, the data they need is fragmented across systems, creating data silos that make decision making in higher education more difficult.
In this conversation, Erin explores a critical gap in higher education: while many leaders rely on systems of record like SIS, CRM, and LMS platforms, provosts have historically lacked a unified system of record. Without connected, reliable data, institutions can fall into what Erin describes as the “anecdote trap”—where individual success stories exist, but broader trends and outcomes remain unclear.
The episode also highlights the challenge of storytelling at scale. Understanding program value, measuring outcomes, and demonstrating institutional impact requires more than isolated data points. It requires a connected approach that brings information together in meaningful, actionable ways.
At Watermark, this is the work we’re focused on every day. Our Educational Impact Suite is helping institutions connect their data, gain clarity, and tell a more complete story about where they are and where they’re headed.
Listen to the full episode to hear Erin’s perspective on academic leadership, data, and the future of higher education.
