The survey of higher education’s immediate priorities related to the COVID-19 pandemic was conducted April 6-19 by Bay View Analytics on behalf of OLC, WCET, UPCEA, CDLRA and Every Learner Everywhere, and underwritten by Cengage; findings will be discussed in a webinar, this Friday, April 24.

APRIL 22, 2020

A new survey of U.S. higher education leaders and practitioners reveals nearly all (90%) higher education institutions surveyed used some form of emergency distance education to complete the Spring 2020 term. “Digital Learning Pulse Survey: Immediate Priorities,” conducted online this month by Bay View Analytics (formerly the Babson Survey Research Group), also indicates emergency online instruction differs from a pre-planned fully online course. Even experienced online instructors had to improvise as they went along, with more than one-half (51%) using new teaching methods for these newly online courses.

The survey was conducted in partnership by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies (WCET), University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA), Canadian Digital Learning Research Association (CDLRA), and Every Learner Everywhere, with the support of underwriter and primary partner, Cengage, and media support by Inside Higher Ed (IHE). These organizations have come together to help identify and focus the resources needed to support educators and institutions in addressing current and future challenges related to the rapid shift to remote instruction during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

“It’s worth noting that, even as faculty identified a variety of support options that would be helpful during this challenging time, their most pressing concern is for their students,” said Jeff Seaman, lead researcher and director of Bay View Analytics. “When asked what assistance would be most helpful, 57 percent identified additional support for their newly online students – rating it more important than support for themselves.”

Additional findings from the survey include:

  • Almost all institutions (97%) moving classes online had to call on faculty with no previous online teaching experience. One-half (50%) of the institutions were able to rely on at least some faculty with online teaching experience.
  • A majority of faculty (56%) who moved courses online were using teaching methods that they had never used before.
  • Faculty had to make a number of adjustments to their courses to complete them online. While only a few faculty (17%) made changes to required readings, roughly one-half (48%) reduced the amount of work they expected. About one-third (32%) lowered their expectations for the quality of student work.

“This is a transformative moment for educational institutions – one that will unquestionably have lasting and likely unforeseen impacts,” said Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D., chief executive officer for the Online Learning Consortium. “We are partnering on this research to help understand the transition that institutions are currently facing and how we can best support them as they navigate the new reality.”

“The transition to an emergency version of online learning happened so fast, that it is helpful to pause briefly and reflect,” said Russ Poulin, executive director of WCET. “We first need to thank the frontline heroes who made the impossible happen in transitioning the courses. The survey helps us to understand better what actions were taken and what steps are needed to proceed.”

“The massive tectonic shift to online during the pandemic vividly illustrates the vital role played by deans of professional and continuing education, chief online learning officers, and many others across the institution like instructional designers and online student service personnel,” said Bob Hansen, CEO of UPCEA. “Imagine this crisis happening just ten years ago, let alone fifteen or more. It’s clear that the investments made in highly entrepreneurial units charged with driving online strategy have saved the day for higher education, positioning us for a future that may look very different.”

“Faculty reported that the uncertainty around the fall semester is creating a sense of anxiety,” noted Nicole Johnson, Research Director of CDLRA. “Early decisions on how instruction will proceed for the remainder of 2020 are critical for giving faculty time to prepare for ongoing online instruction, particularly if social distancing orders remain in place.”

“Navigating this pandemic will test higher education’s capacity to provide high-quality, effective teaching and learning in every course, to every student,” said Jessica R. Williams, Ph.D., Director of Every Learner Everywhere. “By engaging and learning directly from educators who are experiencing the shift to remote teaching and learning, we can better understand the immediate impact, challenges, opportunities, and support needs. We see this survey as an important tool to ensure equitable learning experiences for all students.”

“Institutions have done a tremendous job in an extremely short and unexpected time to move to a distance education model during this crisis,” said Fernando Bleichmar, General Manager for Higher Education and Skills at Cengage. “But they clearly need additional funding and resources to adjust to the current environment and fulfill their mission of student success. Everyone in the education ecosystem needs to work together to support institutions and help them deliver an affordable, equitable and quality learning experience in an uncertain time ahead.”

 

Webinar: ‘The Great (Forced) Shift to Remote Learning’

Survey findings will be presented in a free webinar this Friday, April 24, at 2:00 pm ET, hosted by Inside Higher Ed. “The Great (Forced) Shift to Remote Learning: a Survey of Instructors and Campus Leaders” will feature a discussion with the survey’s lead researcher Jeff Seaman, OLC’s Jennifer Mathes, as well as Will Austin, president of Warren County Community College, and Inside Higher Ed Editor Doug Lederman. Click here for webinar details and registration.

 

Methodology

The results are based on responses from 826 U.S. higher education faculty and administrators collected during the period of April 6-19, 2020, representing 641 different institutions. The partners plan to field a follow-up pulse survey this summer to gauge shifts in priorities.

 

About Cengage

Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. As the largest US-based provider of teaching and learning materials for higher education, we offer valuable options at affordable price points. Our industry-leading initiatives include Cengage Unlimited, the first-of-its-kind all-access digital subscription service. We embrace innovation to create learning experiences that build confidence and momentum toward the future students want. Headquartered in Boston, Cengage also serves K-12, library and workforce training markets around the world. Visit us at http://www.cengage.com or find us on Facebook or Twitter.

About Bay View Analytics

Bay View Analytics, formerly known as the Babson Survey Research Group, is a survey design, implementation, and analysis organization. Bay View Analytics partners with and conducts research for universities, businesses, foundations, and agencies including the London School of Business, Hunter College, the College Board, Eduventures, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, The Gates Foundation, Tyton Partners and the American Distance Education Consortium. Bay View Analytics’ activities cover all stages of projects, including initial proposals, sample selection, survey design, methodological decisions, analysis plan, statistical analyses, and production of reports. Learn more at http://onlinelearningsurvey.com/.

About WCET

WCET is the leader in the practice, policy, & advocacy of technology-enhanced learning in higher education. WCET is a member-driven non-profit which brings together colleges, universities, higher education organizations, and companies to collectively improve the quality and reach of technology-enhanced learning programs. Learn more at https://wcet.wiche.edu/.

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the association for professional, continuing, and online education. Founded in 1915, UPCEA now serves most of the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. With innovative conferences and specialty seminars, research and benchmarking information, professional networking opportunities and timely publications, we support our members’ service of contemporary learners and commitment to quality online education and student success. Based in Washington, D.C., UPCEA builds greater awareness of the vital link between adult learners and public policy issues. Visit https://upcea.edu.

About CDLRA

The CDLRA tracks the status and development of online, distance and digital learning in public post-secondary education across Canada. Learn more at https://onlinelearningsurveycanada.ca/.

About Every Learner Everywhere

Every Learner Everywhere brings together 12 partner organizations to help colleges and universities navigate the rapidly evolving digital learning landscape. Our mission is to help institutions use new technology to innovate teaching and learning, empower instructors, and improve student outcomes—especially for first-generation college students, low-income students, and students of color. Learn more and meet our partners at https://www.everylearnereverywhere.org/.

About Online Learning Consortium

The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a collaborative community of higher education leaders and innovators, dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences designed to reach and engage the modern learner – anyone, anywhere, anytime. OLC inspires innovation and quality through an extensive set of resources, including, best-practice publications, quality benchmarking, leading-edge instruction, community-driven conferences, practitioner-based and empirical research and expert guidance. The growing OLC community includes faculty members, administrators, trainers, instructional designers, and other learning professionals, as well as educational institutions, professional societies and corporate enterprises. Visit http://onlinelearningconsortium.org for more information.

Exciting news: All five of our 2020 UPCEA Regional Conferences this fall will now be fully virtual AND are free of charge to our members! Choose one or all five regions for this new conference experience—Virtually Together: 2020 UPCEA Regional Conference Series. All are open and complimentary for members this year. Gather your team and join us!

Though we won’t be together in person, attendees will have opportunities to engage in peer-led sessions, hear from a terrific line-up of keynote speakers, recognize and connect with award recipients, and network with peers. There will also be plenty of opportunities to connect with companies providing needed services and solutions.

Conference dates will stay the same; times will shift slightly as we prepare for this new conference experience. Visit each region’s conference website for more information and to register:

Our complimentary Regional Conferences are available exclusively to UPCEA members that renew for 2020-21. We hope you take advantage of this great value and join us this fall.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly all higher education institutions (90 percent) in a recent survey used some form of emergency distance education to complete the Spring 2020 term. And 56 percent of faculty who moved courses online were using teaching methods they had never used before. That’s according to “Digital Learning Pulse Survey: Immediate Priorities,” a study conducted by Bay View Analytics (formerly known as the Babson Survey Research Group), which surveyed 826 higher education faculty and administrators across 641 institutions within the United States.

[…]

The survey was conducted in partnership with the Online Learning Consortium, WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, University Professional and Continuing Education Association, Canadian Digital Learning Research Association and Every Learner Everywhere, with support from Cengage and Inside Higher Ed. For more information, visit onlinelearningsurvey.com/covid.html.

Read the full article here. 

As many of us are still adjusting to working from home, we are coming to realize that the accoutrements of our offices are not readily available to us at home.

Many of us have been working from home for some weeks now. It is convenient in many ways; no time lost in commuting, less formal dress code, closeness to our loved ones and a more relaxed atmosphere. But with this shift also comes a loss of many of the tools and comforts afforded by the office. I, for one, miss my Herman Miller desk chair that I tweaked to the perfect adjustment over the past decade. And, of course, I miss my colleagues, whom I have only seen on Zoom in the past weeks. There is precious little friendship talk in those meetings — it’s just down to business and, we hope, we can accomplish what needs to be done. The personalized support and care is not fully there as it is in moments here and there in the workday.

Similarly, our home “offices” may fall short of optimum for handling our needs. I want to offer some ideas and some links that might be helpful to you and your staff. One that I have not heard enough mention of is Google Voice. I first tested this tool in 2010. It remains a most useful tool for the home office. Perhaps you, like much of America, have dropped your wired phone service and rely only on your smartphone. If you cannot forward your office phone, you are in the awkward position of giving out your personal number to everyone. Google Voice gives you a free phone number for calling, text messaging and voice mail. If you haven’t used it before, you may want to try this out as an alternative to your personal phone.

Bandwidth remains an issue for many at home, especially if others on your ISP are streaming multiple movies! Of course, you can purchase a plan with greater bandwidth, but the alternative I have found that works best for me is to log on early in the morning — say 5 a.m. I can sail across the net without any difficulties in the early hours. In my neighborhood, things begin to slow down around 10 a.m. Also, depending upon your plan and smartphone, you may be able to use your phone as a hotspot. Or you might consider adding a separate hotspot device from your wireless provider (an additional cost, but think of the money you are saving from commuting that can subsidize this added service). This will give you a backup if needed, when your co-habitants all stream movies while you work!

Perhaps in your office, you have the luxury of multiple screens. Assuming you are using Windows 10, there are ways to optimize splitting one monitor’s screens to create a similar effect. You can also feed a second screen from your laptop and have two monitors.

There are many tips from those who have been telecommuting for years. They range from finding work-stimulating background music, dressing each day as if you were going to work, adjusting your schedule to accommodate your “best times” when you are brightest and most efficient, and many more.

No doubt, you have much work to accomplish. However, there may be some additional time in your schedule freed up from the absence of commuting and other office-afforded activities. Heed the cautionary note that working from home may create a feeling of isolation and abandonment. Here’s a good short list of mental health activities to consider in isolation. The isolation — especially for those without co-habitants (human or pets) — can become oppressive. It is important to self-check to assure that you are not slowly sliding in your outlook and health. It is also important that you colleague-check for mental health during the isolation. Do not leave your colleagues out there all alone without any support. We must be alert to signs of this accumulating stress. The CDC says that this stress can cause:

  • Fear and worry about your own health and the health of your loved ones
  • Changes in sleep or eating patterns
  • Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
  • Worsening of chronic health problems
  • Increased use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs

With a few relatively simple and mostly free tips, you can create a home work environment that hits the sweet spot for your needs and preferences! Take advantage of the benefits of working at home and keep your spirits up during this challenging COVID-19 time.

 

This article was originally posted in Inside Higher Ed’s Transforming Teaching & Learning blog.

Today UPCEA has sent a letter to Capitol Hill congressional leadership regarding the need for additional funding, waiver authority, and online student support in future funding calculations.

Once on the periphery of institutions of higher education, today our members are front and center as all postsecondary learning has rapidly shifted to a remote format. Over the next months and years the increased use of online education will serve a larger population of learners than could have been imagined even months ago. To this end, we asked for congressional support: in providing additional funding for these students and institutions; by recognizing and qualifying distance education students as part of any future disbursement calculations; and to provide broad waiver authority to the Secretary of Education for a temporary period of time. 

American higher education is confronted with unprecedented challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some recent estimates of the loss carried by institutions amounts to $46.6 billion. Emergency grants to students totaling $23.3 billion will enable them to begin or continue their college educations. As you know, the CARES Act provided only $14 billion to higher education, and based on these estimates, a significantly higher amount of funding is required to meet the needs of these students and institutions, and the communities they live in. 

However, we requested that for future funding, the calculation of funds disbursement be adjusted to include distance education students. While this was explicitly not the case in the CARES Act summation, taking into account the large portion of students and institutions who participate in full-time distance education programs will bring needed support during these unprecedented times. Online educators and administrators are taking part in helping minimize academic disruption across the nation, and their units and institutions are key in upholding and expanding the access to education in these times of social distancing. Over the next several weeks, we anticipate there will be increased conversations about the effectiveness of online education, the role online education can and should play in continuity planning, how to effectively transition face-to-face courses online during a crisis, and how to best support both faculty and learners who might unexpectedly need to navigate online learning spaces. These are all critical conversations, and these discussions will underscore the need for current online students and institutions to be supported equally in these funding allocations. 

We also asked for further waiver authority for higher education institutions from the Secretary during a limited timeframe. While we saw limited waiver authority granted to the Secretary for certain institutions and provisions related to higher education in the CARES Act, we believe more is needed. Institutions face numerous deadlines, existing requirements, and regulations which many institutions will struggle to meet as we move through this crisis and its fallout. Institutions of higher education should be granted streamlined waivers in regards to these matters, similar to K-12 institutions. We feel it is necessary to provide this authority only during the timeframe in which disaster relief is needed for institutions and students affected by the COVID-19 crisis.

Click here to read the full letter.

I wrote recently about a post-COVID-19 economy and the acceleration toward a new economy or what some deem as the Fourth Industrial Revolution. In the long and short run, many industries will change dramatically including higher education. Retail and healthcare will never be the same, as they are certain to employ new technologies and processes in preparation for future pandemics. As heartbreaking as the situation currently is, COVID-19 has forced many of us to adopt new ways of living and new forms of communication and technology to try to regain normalcy. 

 

As a result, the fragility of the higher education economic model has become more exposed after decades of raising tuition while not increasing value at the same rate. For many complacent institutions with faculty and staff resisting change for the past decade, the need to survive now circumvents any opportunity to thrive or innovate. To establish continuity, many institutions created bridges to campus-based students through remote instruction. Remote instruction is only softening the blow for revenues already earned by the institution. After this Spring semester comes to a close, institutions will find themselves with many more courses and degrees in an online format. However, it is unlikely that they’ve created a competitive advantage or new stream of revenue, as thousands of other colleges and universities have also moved their campus-based programs online. It will be difficult to monetize these newly transformed offerings into future additional revenues, let alone stem the lost revenues for Fall 2020 as a result of an anticipated decline in enrollments. The decline in enrollments will be a result of many not being able to afford college due to economic changes, while some will question going to college given COVID-19 and thus take a gap year. Others will see fully online as a direct and more efficient path from high school to college. So, how does higher education pivot post-COVID-19? It needs to look at the dynamics from a multi-dimensional perspective.

 

Does your Academic Unit Offer Alternative Credentials? (n=177) Yes, 70%; No, 30%; Of Nos - 26% considering in future, 4% not considering in future. Source: 2020 UPCEA/MindEdge SurveyMany things have changed. The dynamics of the marketplace have changed. Consumer or student perspectives toward higher education have changed. Student financial stability has changed. The ability to afford college has changed. The ability to access college has changed. The student now has more choices and access, less money and more scrutiny of higher education. The one thing that the current new student has gained is…time. With all of these changes happening in such a short window, colleges and universities do have a way to leverage time, financial instability and a weakened job market—through alternative credentials.  Many colleges and universities offer noncredit or stackable credit programs that address many of these challenges. A recent study conducted by UPCEA and MindEdge shows that 70% of institutions are offering alternative credential programs and another 26% were planning to do so soon (pre-COVID-19).

 

  • For many graduating college seniors, the challenge of finding an entry-level job just became harder. In a few weeks, they will most likely earn their degree in a normal graded format or pass/fail situation. Regardless, they’ll have their degree, but many will not be fortunate to have a job waiting, let alone interviews or job fairs to attend. A potential solution for these unfortunate folks could be to improve their skills and competitiveness for when companies do begin hiring again. New graduates could enhance their writing and communication skills, analytical abilities or technical skills that will separate them from others.

 

  • For the displaced worker, and there are many and there will be many more, finances will be tight. Many of these individuals will have a degree but see their vulnerability should another outbreak occur. Those without a degree may see motivation for a greater purpose. Improving one’s skills for the new economy through Massive Online Open Courses (MOOCs) or a college’s professional programs could be attractive to many. Many individuals will look back at 2020 and seek ways to become better prepared and have greater job stability. They will be more frugal with their spending. More will set aside rainy-day funds and become less dependent on credit cards. While they will attempt to live within their means, education that is communicated strategically and delivers on its promise will be viewed as an investment. The allure and reachability of a full, more expensive degree will no longer be an option for many, thus noncredit programs or alternative credentials may be a more attractive options post-COVID-19.In the weekly Strada Public Viewpoint survey of 1,000 individuals, one-third of Americans expect they will need more education to find a comparable job if they were to lose theirs. When asked about where they would seek that education, 26% say an online college or university, and 17% say online community college.

“Two thirds of the people who feel they will need more education to replace a lost job would seek to change careers. Combining this desire to reskill with significantly lower expectations of employer sponsored courses and training, creates tremendous demand for online pathways to marketable skills and credentials. Online allows education consumers with a career focus to fit education into their hectic lives, rather than have to fit their lives into education.” 

– Dave Clayton, Senior Vice President of Strada Education Network’s Center for Consumer Insights

 

  • For the Class of 2021 and future generations of high school graduates, many may see a new path to the new economy. They may forgo their rite of passage of stepping foot on a campus and go straight to an online college or university. Some personality types may see this as a more efficient and economical way of preparing oneself for the new economy. For these practical students of the future, whether they represent 1%, 5% or 10% of a traditional incoming class, the financial model and competition will change. Just 1% of students who would have otherwise gone to a campus, but now take their degree online could amount to several hundred thousand students. Five percent of students moving to this format from a campus-based experience would exceed a million students. They will no longer pay student activity fees, on-campus housing, meal plans and other fees. They will also no longer participate in the campus’ local economy. They will be savvy and more frugal, searching the internet for the best school and the best program at the best value. This disruption is likely to accelerate with each new class of students.Therefore, colleges and universities will need to think differently about their degree models. Given this new potential phenomenon, it is likely that price wars could result until greater value is created. Online delivery alone will not be a competitive advantage, but a prerequisite for consideration. Other considerations will have to take place, such as more content applied to the new economy, stackable credentials, and an easier or more fluid application, engagement and enrollment process between the potential student and the institution. The technology and those who interface with this student of the future will have to be stellar.

 

Despite stimulus funds coming into institutions, most colleges and universities will face significant fiscal shortfalls (as reported in a number of recent media stories). The already precarious financial position of many institutions is more exposed and as a result, new ways of generating enrollments and revenues are critical for survival.

 

Tips for Higher Education in the Short-Term Post-COVID-19

  • Prepare for a percentage of traditional campus-based learners now doing their degree fully online. As a result, marketing and enrollment strategies need to be directed and catered to this evolving segment.

 

  • Assess where you create value in your programs, portfolio and in supporting students and inquirers. If your institution cannot create or communicate value, then be prepared for a price war if students are unwilling to pay or take loans for education.

 

  • Minimize the risk while maximizing workforce potential through alternative and stackable credentials. With greater price sensitivity and competition in the marketplace, creating smaller bundles or packages of education is a viable option. Also, offer these new educational offerings to alumni, as many have become displaced and potentially disenchanted with the fact that their degree did not save their job. The dream and process of buying into a full degree is no longer an option for many.

 

  • Assess your touch points and enrollment management of inquirers, applicants and students. Gen Z’ers will come into channels designed for older adults and the institutions that create the best experiences for these savvy consumers will win. This means not only strategically marketing to specific target audiences but scientifically managing a technology-assisted inquiry process…staffed with the right people at the right time with the right information. Eventually, artificial intelligence (AI) will play more of a role, but higher education administrators will need to implement change like many have never seen before.

 

  • Narrow the employer/institution gap through strategic integration of leading national or regional employers with the college or university. In a new economy and disrupted workforce, workers and students will want greater assurance of employment. Stronger connections between institutions of higher education and employers will present a stronger front to potential incoming fully online or campus-based students.

 

For more from the 2020 UPCEA MindEdge Survey, download the whitepaper here.

 

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the leading association for professional, continuing, and online education. Founded in 1915, UPCEA membership includes most of the leading public and private colleges and universities in North America. For more than 100 years, the association has served its members through its Center for Research and Strategy, National Council for Online Education, as well as innovative conferences, and specialty seminars. The Center for Research and Strategy is the research and consulting arm of the association, formed to meet the research needs of its members. Based in Washington, D.C., UPCEA also builds greater awareness of the vital link between contemporary learners and public policy issues. Learn more at www.upcea.edu.

Jim Fong is the Chief Research Officer at UPCEA.  He can be reached at [email protected].

 

About MindEdge

MindEdge, Inc., an online learning company headquartered in Waltham, MA, is the underwriter of this research.

Founded in 1998 by Harvard and MIT educators, MindEdge develops higher education and continuing education content and provides innovative technological solutions within the rapidly evolving world of online education. MindEdge has partnered with major universities to provide for-credit courses in a wide range of academic subjects, including English composition, statistics, cultural anthropology, American government, management, and information technology. MindEdge also develops and offers professional development and continuing education courses in a broad array of disciplines, and it provides PD and CE credits and certifications through major credentialing organizations, including the Project Management Institute, CompTIA, the HR Certification Institute, the Society for Human Resource Management, the International Association of Emergency Managers, and the International Association for Continuing Education and Training. Since its founding, MindEdge has served more than two million learners, and remains committed to finding new ways to improve the way the world learns.  Learn more about MindEdge at www.mindedge.com.

 

About the Strada Education Network

Strada Education Network is a national social impact organization dedicated to improving lives by forging clearer and more purposeful pathways between education and employment. The Network engages partners across education, nonprofits, business, and government to focus relentlessly on students’ success throughout all phases of their working lives. Together, we address critical college to career challenges through strategic philanthropy, research and insights, and mission-aligned affiliates. Learn more at stradaeducation.org. 

Major Updates

    • Governors and states will be provided with $3B of this fund to specifically use as they see fit to further K-12 or postsecondary education. These funds will be distributed to states to make their own judgement on what is most important for educational needs in their respective states.

 

  • Federal Work Study, Financial Aid, suspension of certain loan payments and other impacts. Other major provisions include allowing an institution to provide existing Federal Work Study dollars to a student who is unable to work due to workplace closures; allows for deferment of federal student loan payments, principal, or interest for six months; does not require an institution to return Title IV funds if a student leaves school early due to COVID-19, and also does not impact the student’s satisfactory progress or lifetime eligibility calculation for Pell Grants for a limited time.

 

  • A waiver authority originally included in draft language, allowing for the Secretary of Education to waive certain regulations or deadlines, did not make it into the final bill. Meaning absent new legislation, statutory and regulatory deadlines will go unchanged. We are hoping that this authority is granted in a future bill.

 

  • SBA Paycheck Protection Program + Treasury Loan Program – One of the major portions of the bill which is not directly related to higher education but may be accessible to institutions is the Small Business Administration fund for loans to organizations with less than 500 employees, which will be “fully forgiven if the funds are used for payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent, and utilities”. The program has been so popular, the next relief package may be dedicated to allocating another $250 million dedicated to this initiative. See more details on the Paycheck Protection Program here. The CARES Act also provides $500 billion via the Treasury for loans to eligible organizations with between 500 and 10,0000 employees. The program will not charge interest rates on the loans higher than two percent per year, and payments will only be due six months after receiving the loan. See more details on the Treasury’s loan program here.

 

  • Proposed Regulations Released from US Department of Education on CBE, RSI, Credit Hour and more; Comments due May 4th
    Proposed regulations stemming from the 2018-2019 negotiated rulemaking sessions where consensus was reached, have been released. This is the third release in what is expected to be four total, and addresses important topics such as: 

    • definition of a correspondence student (one who takes over 50% correspondence courses) and how that calculates into an institution’s ability to receive Title IV funds; 
    • amending the definition of “distance education” to better reflect modern technologies; 
    • providing specificity and structure around “regular and substantive interaction” by defining integral pieces and providing clarity on what the terms “regular,” “substantive,” and “instructor” mean); 
    • competency-based education; 
    • the definition of a credit hour becomes more lenient; 
    • federal loan disbursement for subscription based models; 
    • clarify and simplify the requirements for direct assessment programs, including how to determine equivalent credit hours

 

The Department released these regulations and said the Covid-19 crisis underscored and accelerated the need for these proposed rules to move forward to help institutions better connect with students, though some critics feel the Department had already waited too long and that the proposed changes were overdue.

The regulations are dense, the period to comment is limited, and your input is important. As always, we encourage our members to comment, through your institution, by coordinating with your President’s and government affairs office, and/or on your own private time as a concerned citizen. These public policies will be created after review of all of the comments gathered over the next month. The final rule will be released by the department following this comment period later this year, and will go into effect July 1, 2021. The public comment period deadline is May 4. Click here to comment on these regulations. 

Read the full press release from the Department of Education

Click here to view the full set of proposed regulations

  • Further Updated US ED Guidance on COVID-19 Interruptions.
    The Department of Education has followed up with more specifics in regards to its March 5th guidance for institutions regarding interrupted studies due to Covid-19. The guidance specifies the period in time in which the guidelines apply (until June 30, 2020), except as otherwise stated in the document. Regarding the broad approval for online and distance education programs: “the Department provides broad approval to institutions to use distance learning modalities without going through the standard Department approval process, even if the institution would normally be required to seek Departmental approval for the use or expansion of distance learning programs. At this time, this flexibility applies only to payment periods that overlap with the Department’s March 5, 2020, guidance or that begin on or between March 5 and June 1, 2020. If an institution chooses to continue offering a new program or using distance education in a manner requiring the Department’s approval after that point, it may be required to obtain approval under the Department’s and its accrediting agency’s applicable policies and procedures.”

We recommend that all institutions document any and all actions taken in regards to these measures, or any other changes occurring due to Covid-19 disruption, as they will be helpful upon accreditation or Departmental review. If you have questions about this guidance, the Department has created an email address which you can use to get a response – [email protected]. 

Click here to read the full letter.  

 

Further Reading

Did you know that each year, UPCEA members receive benchmarking data from the Center for Research and Strategy, directed by Jim Fong? UPCEA benchmarking research is not just the industry standard—it is also a nonprofit service designed for institutions like yours. Look out for these forthcoming studies to benchmark your unit to others in the field and with peer institutions:

UPCEA Benchmarking Surveys
Find out how you compare to peer institutions across multiple areas. 

  • Salary, budgeting and structure
  • Staffing and professional development
  • Financials
  • Outsourcing

Marketing and Enrollment Management Survey
The latest update in our recurring survey series of marketing and enrollment professionals.

  • Salary, staffing, and professional development
  • Media and budget
  • Outsourcing

Online Student Needs and Staff Alignment
In partnership with InsideTrack, our research series on retention and student success continues. 


Non-Credit to Credit Pathways
In an effort to better understand how many institutions are participating in non-credit to credit pathway activities, this research will examine how these activities are facilitated and how the implementation process of these activities is conducted. 

 

Interested in how the latest trends are impacting higher education marketing, enrollment, program mix, and more? Check out Jim’s blog for brief, timely updates.  

 

Customized benchmarking efforts are also managed by the Center for Research and Strategy, including working with institutions that wish to benchmark their data against a select peer group. See who we’ve worked with. 

Interested in more information about customized benchmarking? Contact us at 202-659-3130 or email [email protected].

Four-year universities have long encouraged students coming straight from high school to enroll in their campus-based programs while guiding older learners to their online divisions, creating a divide between the two groups.

But Generation Z, whose members were born in 1997 or later, may prove to be the force that can break down those barriers.

[…]

Instead of paying for the added costs of a residential program, some Gen Zers may be looking to online programs as a way to save on housing, transportation and other expenses associated with attending college, said Jim Fong, director of the Center for Research and Strategy at the University Professional and Continuing Education Association, in an interview with Education Dive. 

Gen Zers may be savvier consumers than previous generations when selecting colleges, he said. “That’s fueling some of the diversion to online providers.”

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To advocate for and on behalf of effective online teaching and learning practices, four organizations are joining forces to establish the National Council for Online Education.

The partnership linking the Online Learning Consortium, Quality Matters, University Professional and Continuing Education Association and WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies has been in the works for about a year, says Deb Adair, executive director of Quality Matters.

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