Ep. 94 - Elysia Labita: Marketing Can't Out-Optimize Misalignment

What if the biggest barrier to enrollment growth isn't your marketing budget—but your program portfolio itself? In this episode, host Jeff Dillon sits down with Elysia Labita, Executive Director of Portfolio Strategy and Marketing at EdPlus at Arizona State University. Over the past decade, Elysia has helped scale ASU Online from roughly four programs to more than 400, serving over 118,000 students. She brings a provocative and practical lens to one of higher ed's most uncomfortable conversations: programs are products. Elysia explains why "if you build it, they will come" is a dangerous myth, and why great intentions don't create demand. She shares how her team uses funnel data, market signals, and program life cycle analysis to make decisions about what to launch, modernize, or sunset—without alienating faculty. She also offers a guide to having difficult conversations about underperforming programs, using data not as a weapon but as a tool to uncover systemic friction. From the insight that high-enrolling campus programs consistently become high-enrolling online programs, to the revelation that AI is most valuable as a listening tool rather than a content generator, this episode is packed with actionable frameworks for any institutional leader trying to build a healthier, more sustainable academic portfolio.   Key Takeaways Great Intentions Don't Create Demand: Marketing can't out-optimize misalignment. If a program isn't positioned correctly, if the value proposition isn't clear, or if demand simply doesn't exist, no amount of ad spend will fix it. The problem isn't marketing—it's the portfolio.  Programs Are Products—And That's Not a Dirty Phrase: When Elysia says "programs are products," she's not saying education is a commodity. She's acknowledging that students have more ways to learn than ever. The question institutions must answer is: what unique value do we bring? It's not the information—it's the faculty, the research, the credibility, the mentorship, and the outcomes.  Online Students Were Never Going to Relocate: The fear that online programs will cannibalize campus enrollment is misplaced. Online students are working adults, parents, military, or place-bound. The question isn't whether they'll choose online over campus—it's whether they'll have access to higher education at all.  High-Enrolling Campus Programs Become High-Enrolling Online Programs: This pattern has held so consistently at ASU that it's the strongest signal Elysia looks for. Those students aren't waiting to come to campus—they're waiting for access.  Not Every Program Has the Same Job: Roughly 40% of programs drive about 80% of enrollment. That doesn't mean the other 60% should be cut. Some programs are growth engines; others are mission programs serving specific community needs. Understanding each program's role in the portfolio changes how you resource and market it.  Programs Follow Life Cycles: The first couple of years show explosive growth (capturing pent-up demand), then level off, then plateau or decline. Institutions that assume 200% growth will continue often over-hire faculty and over-plan budgets. Setting realistic expectations early prevents panic later.  Before Sunsetting, Try Modernizing: Most underperforming programs aren't dead—they're outdated. Sometimes it's a single course refresh, a repositioned career list, or updated degree description. Only after trying incremental fixes should institutions move to sunsetting conversations.  AI's Real Power Is Listening, Not Generating: At ASU, the bi... Chapters (00:00:00) - The Signal: Portfolio Strategy and Marketing(00:01:49) - Getting it out there: How to grow a degree(00:03:49) - WSJD Live: ASU Online's Scale(00:07:25) - Programs are products: The future of higher ed(00:15:03) - Program Life Cycle, Reinvestment(00:17:38) - How to Fix Program Misalignment(00:24:33) - New Programs Needed to Enhance Current Programs(00:27:15) - How AI is changing the way we do portfolio strategy(00:29:15) - Alicia On Higher Ed: The Future(00:30:43) - The Signal: Higher Ed Tech Insights