Major Updates

 

Urgent: Take Action on Proposed State Authorization Reciprocity Regulations
The Department of Education is set to introduce new regulations that could significantly alter state authorization reciprocity agreements, critically affecting online education and our students’ futures. Following the lack of consensus in recent negotiated rulemaking sessions, the forthcoming rules are expected to impose stricter criteria on institutions (those taking part in reciprocity via SARA): particularly those with over 500 students in another state; and require adherence to state laws regarding closure. This will increase operational constraints and compliance costs. We believe these changes could not only hinder the growth and quality of online education of all students but also disproportionately impact marginalized communities by increasing educational costs and limiting program availability.

We are sending a letter to the Department with our colleagues at WCET, QM, OLC, NACUBO and AACC detailing our major concerns, and which goes more in depth on the specific issues raised by this proposed regulation. We encourage you to read and share this letter, and feel free to utilize it as a framework for your own outreach, both internally and externally.

As these regulations are likely to reshape the landscape of higher education, your proactive engagement is essential. We urge you to communicate with your institutional administration and state and federal government officials to share your concerns and propose balanced regulatory measures. This effort is crucial to ensuring regulations support rather than hinder the provision of high-quality online education. This is the time to spread awareness and to influence these impending regulations to ensure they fairly represent the interests and needs of our education communities. Many of us remember a time before State Authorization reciprocity, where a patchwork of approvals and state processes weighed down our institutional budgets and online operations.

It is crucial to express how these proposed regulations could negatively impact not only your institution but also the students you serve. We are committed to supporting your advocacy efforts and will continue to provide updates and resources through our Policy Matters newsletters.


Updates to Gainful Employment Regulations

In a significant move, the Department of Education has acknowledged the additional time institutions need to effectively compile the necessary data for reporting for the new Financial Value Transparency (FVT) and Gainful Employment (GE) regulations, and have decided to extend the timing for required data reporting. 

    • Institutions will have the ability to start reporting FVT/GE data through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) starting July 1, 2024.
    • Institutions will have until October 1, 2024 to provide all required reporting. The Department is providing institutions additional time to report such information by allowing institutions to submit the information that was previously due by July 31, 2024 to be submitted by no later than October 1, 2024.

This extension comes after recent feedback from various educational organizations, including UPCEA, which emphasized the need for additional time to implement these complex regulations effectively. For more insights and guidance, we encourage you to review the announcement on the FSA website and the comprehensive ‘Dear Colleague’ letter. 

  • Implementation of Program Length Restrictions for Gainful Employment (GE) Programs
    The Department of Education announced responses to questions from institutions related to Certification Procedures regulations from October 2023 as it relates to Gainful Employment (GE) programs. These responses may have significant impacts to institutions’ GE programs. The Department clarified there is now set a cap on the allowable hours in GE programs, to “limit the number of hours in a GE program to the greater of the minimum number of clock hours, credit hours, or the equivalent required for training in the recognized occupation for which the program prepares the student, as established by the state in which the institution is located or, in some cases, another state.” This may necessitate a reduction in credit or clock hours for some institutions to maintain eligibility for Title IV funding. Additionally, certain GE programs might lose their eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant. To continue participation in the William D. Ford Direct Loan program, these programs must meet specific placement and completion rate criteria. Read more.



Other News

This is not the first time that western civilization and American higher education has encountered a massive change impacting the mission, technologies and vision of higher learning.

We would be wise to take a moment to reflect on the ways in which higher education has adapted to radical change in society, technology and culture in the past 150 years or so. Those changes have been as dramatic, or nearly so, as the ones that we are encountering now. I believe that we can learn from those prior adaptations and adjustments as we prepare for the next few years.

The first industrial revolution (IR) rolled out much more slowly than we anticipate this fourth revolution will. With its roots in the agrarian culture of the colonial and early US economy the first IR was characterized in part by the flood of residents from farms to the cities. Generally, historians say the first industrial revolution was triggered by Englishman Samuel Slater, who brought “pirated” water-powered spinning mill technology to America in 1789 to industrialize the cotton textile industry at the turn of the nineteenth century. Yet, it took several other associated technologies to launch the industrial revolution on a wide scale. These involved strategies and organizational models to increase productivity, such as conducting parts of the process of textile, shoe and boot-making, and related industries from individual homes to centralized factories for the first time.

Two more major changes were needed to fully launch the first industrial revolution in America. They were an expanded credit system, “Alexander Hamilton’s Bank of the United States received a special national charter from the U.S. Congress in 1791.” The states also granted charters for private corporations to conduct major construction projects such as canals, bridges and road-building to move people and goods as needed for the rise of the first industrial revolution.

Just imagine the disruption among families with young adults leaving the small home farm to work in factories. The huge economic disruption of granting monopolistic privileges to banks and major construction companies that built the infrastructure was yet another major change. For higher education, this greatly expanded the interest and need for education for those who would leave the farm, where education needs were limited and focused, to higher education that could meet the rapidly expanding needs of the larger construction and textile companies as well as the burgeoning banking industry. No longer was family farming knowledge passed down through generations enough to fully meet the needs of youth. Before the Industrial Revolution, American colleges served those who would become ministers and civic leaders. This greatly expanded to serve those who would lead industry and business. With the first IR such changes took place as the growth of academic libraries to serve specialized interests. New fields such as engineering and business management were addressed through undergraduate and graduate programs for the first time in America.

Fast forward nearly a century to the start of the second industrial revolution that launched in 1870:

Advancements in manufacturing and production technology enabled the widespread adoption of technological systems such as telegraph and railroad networks, gas and water supply, and sewage systems, which had earlier been limited to a few select cities. The enormous expansion of rail and telegraph lines after 1870 allowed unprecedented movement of people and ideas, which culminated in a new wave of globalization. In the same time period, new technological systems were introduced, most significantly electrical power and telephones. The Second Industrial Revolution continued into the 20th century with early factory electrification and the production line; it ended at the beginning of World War I.

These advancements followed the Civil War. They marked a period of rapid growth and rapid need for further education to advance the industries that grew quickly as America grew to a position of world leadership in technology, transportation, communication and production. Notably, the passage of the Land Grant acts of 1862 and 1890, also known as the Morrill Acts. The first act, passed while Abraham Lincoln was President and the country was in the Civil War, provided federal lands to generate funding opportunities: “…without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.”  This marked the opening of college studies to the general public which was an important move away from exclusively the privileged class. The second Morrill Act extended the first act to the formerly Confederate states and “required each state to show that race was not an admissions criterion, or else to designate a separate land-grant institution for African Americans. Thus, the second Morrill Act facilitated segregated education, although it also provided higher educational opportunities for African Americans who otherwise would not have had them.”

Once again, imagine the radical changes at colleges that came about by this second industrial revolution. The expansion of colleges to prepare Americans for many more careers in the twentieth century, the opening of higher education to African Americans, and the rise in importance of formal higher education in business and industry.

It was the digital revolution that triggered the third industrial revolution that swept the country at the end of the twentieth century. In the 1980s, the advent of the public Internet, personal computers, and the shift towards the information-based and service-oriented economies that launched the third industrial revolution. Communication media in many cases moved from analog formats such as vinyl records and tape recordings to downloadable digital files and compact discs. Online learning was launched to greatly extend the reach of campus-based programs. Now that format reaches many of our students. However, developing the technology and pedagogy to successfully use online learning was no small feat. Overall, we saw a shift from slower, less precise analog formats to digital delivery systems for the information-based and service-oriented economies. In turn, these prompted proliferation of computer science and information technology programs. Greater emphasis on STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, math) emerged as a foundation for the developing knowledge economy of the 21st century. This significant shift in curricula and in delivery formats set the stage for what we face today, the fourth industrial revolution.

Driven by the advent of artificial intelligence, artificial agents, robotics, and biotechnologies, this fourth revolution promises to bring yet another massive shift of jobs. The shift appears to be away from professions such as those in accounting, diagnostics, marketing, management, media, and associated fields that developed and thrived following the prior industrial revolutions. This revolution is ongoing, with new technologies developing at an unprecedented rate. At this point in development, it is not possible to fully predict the careers and required skills that will emerge or those that will be taken over by artificial intelligence. Yet, even at this early point in the fourth industrial revolution, some of the important skills, abilities and practices for success are becoming apparent.

Nearly all analyses project that interpersonal and cross-discipline communication skills will be highly valued in the future. Other, previously called “soft skills,” that will most likely be valued are now identified as “power skills,” such as creativity, emotional intelligence (EQ), teamwork, critical thinking, and related abilities. Perhaps the most important feature for education will be to meet the rapidly-changing needs of the fourth industrial revolution society for non-stop lifelong learning to keep pace with the advances triggered by artificial intelligence.

When we look in this historical context, the challenges that loom ahead for higher education do not seem much more daunting than those that were confronted in prior industrial revolutions. Jobs and careers will be lost; other careers and jobs will be created. Learning will remain a constant requirement for success. Once again, we will need to reinvent our structures, methods and modes of delivery to best meet the higher learning demands of our changing society. The time to begin is now!

 

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

A man (Jay Halfond) smiles at the camera for a headshot.

By Jay Halfond

Shortly after pivoting twelve years ago from a deanship to a faculty position, I realized the only job better than being a dean was now being able to help other university leaders. A highlight of this career change has been visiting campuses as part of a consulting or accreditation team and conducting numerous solo consulting engagements over the years. A distinctive strength of American higher education is our breadth of institutions, each with its own story, characteristics, and challenges. All in all, either virtually or in-person, I have worked with over twenty-five colleges and universities – and discovered, and came to appreciate, what made each unique and important.   

Consulting shares some qualities of an anthropologist: visiting a community as an outsider, studying its features, and constructing a narrative of its culture. The difference is that the consultant’s goal is not simply to understand a university but to identify opportunities and pathways to impact that institution going forward. As leaders change, enrollments dwindle, and competition increases, these universities find themselves at a critical juncture. In many cases, this lands in our online and professional education world – and mirrors how online learning and alternative credentials have disrupted markets by creating opportunities for some, and threats to others.   

The Growing Importance of Online and Professional Education  

Entities that focus on online and professional continuing education are moving from the margins into the mainstream as a critical, strategic element in the future of their institutions. Schools that relied on a near monopoly of local students face the threat of a buyer’s market where students can go anywhere, whenever, and however they wish through nationally recognized online programs. These schools are fighting to evolve and, in some cases, even survive, by enlarging their own online capabilities and exploring new programs, markets, audiences, and partnerships. Our vast array and diversity of academic institutions is now endangered. In this context, consulting can have significant impact, and even uncover many opportunities.  

Each consultancy requires an immersion into identifying those distinctive qualities and circumstances that will ultimately influence the fate of part or much of a university. Consulting is largely active listening. While I do as much background analysis as possible to prepare, my primary goal is to build an itinerary that will unearth creative possibilities. I interview between twenty-five and sometimes more than one hundred faculty and staff, up, down, and across the university – generally one on one, but sometimes in small groups. There is simply no way to know beforehand which conversations will yield the greatest insight. I build my understanding, and gradually my observations and recommendations, as I go along – discreetly reality-testing these along the way.    

The Power of the Outside Voice 

The result is typically a substantive report and debriefing, often shared widely throughout the institution – with the goal of teaching the leadership and community something about itself that was not necessarily self-evident and suggesting possible paths for organizational change. In short, what senior leaders and others need to, but don’t necessarily want to, hear. One recent consultancy brought UPCEA to a regional public university, whose enrollments had fallen by almost one-third in a dozen years. The president challenged the university to increase online programs that could restore these numbers. Working with the deans and others, UPCEA helped identify high-potential program opportunities, and shape a case for a more dynamic online enterprise. Even if the president’s ambitions are not fully realized, the university is on track to grow fully online degree programs significantly.     

The relationship doesn’t always end once the report is delivered, since a consultant’s understanding and commitment can naturally segue into helping administrators with the next steps. Overcoming internal impediments and paralysis, and building consensus and momentum, can be even more critical than simply identifying external opportunities and optimal organizational structures. This becomes a consulting opportunity to coach leaders, faculty, and staff on steps towards implementation.  

Personally, the major benefit of this work has been to overcome my New England myopia. I would sometimes let slip my appreciation for this learning opportunity – like a surgeon thanking a patient for their upcoming operation as part of the doctor’s professional development. However, every institution I encounter during consulting leaves me with a deep respect and a sincere desire for their success. Consulting endeavors are dedicated to improving and, potentially, preserving invaluable academic institutions, one step at a time.   

UPCEA’s Strategic Advisors at Work 

Most of my consulting projects have been carried out under the umbrella of UPCEA. Recently, my focus has shifted towards elevating a lesser-known UPCEA service into a valuable resource for its members. We have built a team of strategic advisors – experts who have worked in this field with more than 30 years average experience – and my role now is to coach this dream team of accomplished professionals to consult across a range of areas and issues.   

Often these customized consulting engagements are coupled with UPCEA’s research expertise. Some examples of recent engagements include: 

  • A nationally ranked, liberals-arts based university was looking to expand its reach by providing focused offerings for adult learners/working professionals. The goal was to advance the mission of the university by serving unmet needs in the community and surrounding region and to generate new revenue for the university. The goal of the engagement with UPCEA was to help understand the feasibility of launching a new school to offer such programs by outlining the key components of its future programmatic portfolio. The UPCEA strategic advising team was able to provide an evidence-based action plan with specified recommendations for programmatic offerings. The new school has been established and has been operational for just over two years. It offers graduate degrees and certificates, alternative credentials, and custom talent development programs. Several degree programs have been launched and almost 400 graduate students are enrolled in them. 
  • A public, west-coast institution that is part of a state system has faced significant enrollment challenges. Since 2020, total enrollment has declined 28%, presenting a substantial risk to its state funding base. The institution partnered with UPCEA’s strategic advising team with the goal of exploring various strategic and organizational considerations in developing an efficient center/college for professional, continuing, and online education and to identify areas for growth and transformation. The strategic advisor team interviewed 60 key staff across several areas of the campus, reviewed internal documents, and leveraged UPCEA’s custom research to develop both short and long-term recommendations to mitigate immediate financial risks and lay a stronger foundation for future growth and long-term sustainability. 

Our combined goal is to help inspire a cohesive, nimble, responsive enterprise to identify market opportunities, create internal and external collaborations and processes, and provide quality education to an ever-growing array of learners.   

Each institutional client determines the specific focus, usually targeting a pain point or a dynamically changing area where an external perspective can be impactful. But the common denominator of our strategic advisors is having the curiosity, respect, experience, imagination, and commitment to help institutions address problems and achieve results. All of us have weathered similar challenges, and with empathy and expertise hope to share this with others.  

 

Jay A. Halfond is Vice-President for Institutional Planning at UPCEA, and Professor of the Practice Emeritus at Boston University and former dean of BU’s Metropolitan College.  To talk to us about your specific challenges, contact us at [email protected].  

As the college admissions landscape continues undergoing seismic shifts, higher education administrators and marketing teams must be able to come up with innovative, future-forward marketing strategies designed to increase interest, boost admission rates, and target student populations that may not otherwise have considered attending college.

By developing a marketing strategy for student recruitment, you can promote your higher education programs to the specific groups of prospective students who are most interested in them. Explore the latest trends and strategies for successful student recruitment in higher education, and begin building a higher education marketing strategy aligned with your institution’s goals and objectives.

Understanding the Prospective Student Journey

Before you can begin developing a prospective student marketing strategy, you must have a firm grasp of the student journey. The student journey is defined as the path a prospective student takes to become aware of a higher education program and ultimately enroll in that program. 

Relevance of the Student Journey in Marketing

According to 5DegreesBranding, the best way to understand the student journey is to conduct customer mapping. As you map the student journey, identify the marketing touchpoints that take place during that journey, and develop strategies to capture the attention of those prospective students during those critical moments.

Understanding Your Prospective Student

As you begin taking a deeper look at the student journey, you also need to analyze your prospective students. Perhaps your university most often attracts recent high school graduates who are looking to enroll in a four-year degree program, or maybe your institution focuses on recruiting adult students wanting to build skills or explore a new career path. By being keenly aware of the types of students most interested in your programs—and developing a data-based marketing strategy—you could be more likely to reach the right target audience.

Targeted Market Research

At the end of the day, you must complete targeted market research to fully understand your prospective students and their journey toward your institution. Rather than attempting to collect the necessary data on your own, you can rely on the expert UPCEA Research and Consulting team, which offers a wide range of custom research and consulting options designed to meet the needs of your marketing team.

Online Marketing Strategies

Developing data-based online marketing strategies allows you to target prospective students interested in the online and professional continuing education programs you offer.

Importance of Online Marketing in Higher Ed

Just a few short years ago, higher education marketing teams relied on a multi-pronged approach that included traditional marketing materials, in-person marketing, and online marketing. However, in recent years, it has become clear that online marketing is the most effective option for higher education.

Within online marketing, higher education teams should rely on a multi-channel approach that allows them to capture as many prospective students as possible. For example, a well-developed online marketing strategy for student recruitment will include an Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plan to grow online visibility, content marketing to add value, and email marketing to increase conversion rates. Artificial intelligence will continue to play a more prevalent role in your marketing strategy, too, so it’s important to be aware of the best AI tools on the market and how to utilize them effectively.

Optimizing the Website for Student Recruitment

Optimizing your website will allow you to focus on student recruitment and provide prospective students with the valuable information they need as they move through their student journey. You should prioritize a user-friendly, responsive website design and focus on developing web content to increase student engagement.

Monitoring your website performance is an essential piece of any SEO strategy. These are a few of the key metrics to watch:

  • Organic traffic
  • Organic inquiries
  • Referral traffic
  • Keyword rankings

Utilizing Paid Media for Targeted Reach

While your content marketing and SEO strategy may focus on free ways to increase online visibility and boost traffic, you also need to consider paid media as part of your digital marketing strategy. Some of the most popular paid media channels include Google Ads or Meta Ads, which allow you to develop a pay-per-click campaign that targets specific demographics.

You can create an impactful Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaign by:

  • Developing an in-depth understanding of your target audience.
  • Purchasing ads in the places where your prospective students spend the most time online.
  • Using images to increase visibility.
  • Adding promotions or discounts to your PPC ads.

Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing continues to play a powerful role in the student journey, with many prospective students becoming aware of opportunities thanks to influencers, online advertisements, and organic social content.

Harnessing the Power of Social Media

According to the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Offices, prospective college students are becoming increasingly dependent on social media when it comes to making their final decision. Younger college students have been interacting on social media for most of their lives, and they believe it is one of the most central and compelling places to gather information. In addition, adult students—such as those interested in a certificate program or returning to complete a degree—may rely on social media to learn more about opportunities that might be available to them.

Some of the most effective social media marketing strategies for higher education include:

  • Allowing for user-generated content that puts your current students at the forefront of your social media marketing content.
  • Showcasing compelling student stories that help prospective students connect with your institution.
  • Offering virtual content, such as behind-the-scenes tours or live footage of events that take place at your college or university.

Engaging Prospective Students Through Social Platforms

Social media provides you with a direct point of connection with your prospective students, so you must know how to engage with them in a way that encourages them to seek more information. You can improve your social media engagement rates by:

  • Creating engaging content that offers additional insight into your university. Profiles of key administrators or tours of facilities on campus provide prospective students with added information and context that can support their decisions.
  • Hosting virtual question-and-answer sessions that encourage your followers to interact with you live.
  • Responding to questions and constructive feedback on your social channels. By being responsive and aware, you are not only helping the prospective student who has asked the question; you are also showcasing your customer service skills to all students who are simply browsing your feed.

Targeted Advertising for Student Recruitment

The key to any higher education marketing strategy is to target your campaigns to the student populations most interested in your programs. For instance, if you are a non-degree granting institution that offers certification programs, you would most likely want to focus on recruiting adult students.

Tailoring Advertising Strategies to Prospective Students

Targeted advertising can allow you to capture prospective students at different points in their student journey. By relying on a data-based approach to marketing and advertising, you can develop an intimate understanding of your target market segment and thus a strategy that caters to their needs and preferences.

Measuring the Success of Advertising Campaigns

To evaluate and measure the success of your higher education advertising campaigns, you want to monitor the following key performance indicators:

  • Conversion rates – This is the number of website visitors who convert into customers. Key conversion rates to focus on within the field of higher education marketing include: click to lead, lead to application, and application to enrollment.
  • Click-through rate – This metric highlights the number of users who click on a link they have seen as part of a marketing campaign, compared to the total number of users who have seen the advertisement. It helps determine if your ads are relevant to your target audience.
  • Cost per enrollment – This metric showcases the amount of advertising dollars it takes to convert a prospective student into an enrolled student. Ideally, your team will work to lower the CPE over time.

Aligning Your Marketing and Enrollment Management Strategies

You can work to align your marketing and enrollment strategies by:

  • Developing a unified messaging strategy that extends between your marketing and enrollment materials. This promotes consistent branding and communication across all channels.
  • Establishing cross-functional teams that include both marketing and enrollment management staff members.
  • Creating custom marketing strategies for different enrollment cycles.

UPCEA members benefit from our expertise in marketing, enrollment management, and student success. From developing marketing strategies directed at those seeking professional development to learning how to break out in a crowded market, our industry experts in Research and Consulting can help you craft a strategic marketing plan that aligns with your marketing and enrollment management objectives.

Value of Using a Higher Education Marketing Partner

Although your in-house team has expertise in your branding guidelines and messaging, you can still benefit from leveraging the help of a marketing agency that can offer specialized expertise, scalability, and fresh perspectives. Thanks to the many corporate partnerships we have developed at UPCEA, we can connect you with the ideal marketing partner for your college or university. Through our extensive network of experienced professionals, we can facilitate access to custom marketing and branding solutions that can help you boost enrollment.  

Gain Access to Higher Education Marketing Resources and Enrollment Management Tools Through UPCEA

While enrollment levels continue to even out, the digital revolution maintains its impact on the needs and perceptions of students interested in higher education programs. The dynamic nature of higher education marketing requires you to continue exploring new and innovative prospective student marketing approaches to maximize your exposure to the most motivated students and elevate enrollment rates.

Explore the various resources and tools available through UPCEA—the online and professional education association. For more tips on recruiting students for higher education, explore UPCEA’s blogs.

 

Sources

https://www.5degreesbranding.com/blog-full/2023/2/1/mapping-the-prospective-students-journey-in-your-marketing-plan 

https://upcea.edu/tracking-the-right-higher-education-seo-metrics-for-marketing-success/ 

https://upcea.edu/resources/research-benchmarking/ 

https://vitaldesign.com/ppc-advertising-colleges-universities/ 

https://www.anedot.com/blog/social-media-marketing-strategies-for-universities 

https://www.archeredu.com/hemj/higher-education-marketing-kpis/ 

https://www.foleon.com/topics/higher-education-marketing 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/admissions/traditional-age/2023/12/18/how-will-years-big-admissions-changes-shape-2024 

https://www.aacrao.org/resources/newsletters-blogs/aacrao-connect/article/social-media-student-recruitment

7 Individuals Receive Honors

WASHINGTON (April 18, 2024) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, is pleased to recognize the recipients of this year’s online and distance education awards. 

Award recipients will be honored at the 2024 Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable (SOLA+R) and Distance Teaching & Learning Conference (DT&L), July 22-24 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. SOLA+R and DT&L are again co-located this year, and bring together all the elements of the online enterprise in a holistic way for a comprehensive learning experience.

“With this being the 10th anniversary of the Summit, and the 40th anniversary of the Distance Teaching & Learning conference, having two awards, the Schroeder and Wedemeyer that acknowledge leadership in online learning feels like the last act in a coming of age story for online learning,” said Julie Uranis, Senior Vice President of Online and Strategic Initiatives for UPCEA. “Our campuses require leadership as they continue their digital transformation and look to leaders in online and professional education for their expertise and entrepreneurial spirit. Our award recipients are excellent advocates for access, affordability, and accessibility.”  

“The recipients of this year’s Wedemeyer and Schullo awards stand as beacons of excellence in our work,” said Wendy Fritz, Executive Director for Teaching & Learning, Wisconsin School of Business, University of Wisconsin-Madison. “These prestigious accolades recognize practitioners who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, innovation, and impact in the field of distance education. Their efforts embody the spirit of inclusivity, student-centeredness, and transformative learning.”

The recipients of this year’s awards are as follows:

Ray Schroeder Leadership Award for the Advancement of Digital Learning

The Ray Schroeder Leadership Award for the Advancement of Digital Learning recognizes the lifetime achievements and professionalism of online and digital learning practitioners. Awardees have had long and distinguished careers, advancing the cause of online and digital learning in postsecondary education. Award recipients have elevated the field, advanced scholarship, demonstrated intellectual curiosity, and embodied a pioneering spirit, through both academic and more publicly available publications, research, advocacy, and mentorship. The award is not necessarily given each year. 

Recipient: Paul LeBlanc, Southern New Hampshire University

 

The Mildred B. and Charles A. Wedemeyer Award for Outstanding Practitioner in Distance Education

The Mildred B. and Charles A. Wedemeyer Award for Outstanding Writer/Scholar in Distance Education honors those who build on the legacy of pioneers in the distance-education field. The award honors Professor Charles Wedemeyer—scholar, researcher and distance education innovator—who led a distinguished career at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the Department of Continuing and Vocational Education. A scholar before his time, Dr. Wedemeyer recognized the strengths of multimedia approaches and helped others to see how media attributes could be assessed and utilized to maximize learning outcomes.

The award also carries the name of his life partner, Mildred. While Charles wanted to recognize outstanding distance-education scholars, based on contributions to the research literature in the field of distance education and training, Mildred believed that practitioners also deserved recognition. For this reason, the award has a dual focus, recognizing in alternate years outstanding distance education scholars and practitioners. This year’s award is focused contributions made by practitioners through action-oriented or applied research, based on the most compelling contributions to the field of knowledge. Wedemeyer Award recipients receive a modest honorarium, processed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison, from the Wedemeyer endowment.

Recipients: 

Vickie Cook, University of Illinois-Springfield

Cristi Ford, D2L

 

Shauna Schullo Award for Best Distance Teaching Practices

Between 2007 and 2009, Shauna Schullo was the Director of the Distance Education Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, as well as the Workshop Chair for the 2009 Distance Teaching & Learning Conference. After we lost Shauna to breast cancer in 2009, the Schullo Award for Best Distance Teaching Practices was created, which recognizes DT&L presenters whose sessions contribute significantly to the practice of distance education.

The Schullo Award recipient is selected from the presentations given at the prior year’s Distance Teaching & Learning conference. 

Recipients: “Lifting All Boats: Leveraging a Dual Enrollment Initiative to Beautifully Redesign Online Gen Ed Courses and Elevate the Student Experience,” Asim Ali, Shawndra Bowers, and Alli Bracewell, Auburn University

 

UPCEA Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award

The UPCEA Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award recognizes an institution of higher education (i.e. campus, system, or consortium) that has, at an institutional level, set and met innovative goals focused on online education and been strategic in the planning, development, implementation and sustainability in line with the institutional mission. Examples include authentic institutional online organizational structure, partnership models to achieve specific goals, maximizing resource efficiencies, improving the learning experience for faculty and students, or the use of technology and learning design to advance online education and address institutional goals. The award recognizes an institution (broadly defined) that has achieved excellence and innovation in strategies used to meet goals and objectives focused on online education.

Recipient: KSU Course Quality Management Model, Kennesaw State University

 

UPCEA Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design

Instructional Design is necessary for the development of engaging quality teaching and learning experiences across a wide variety of modalities and contexts. The UPCEA Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design Award recognizes outstanding service to the field of instructional design in one or more of the following areas: modeling and disseminating research (via workshops, webinars, conferences, papers, etc.), best practices, innovative methods, and/or mentorship, all for the betterment of the instructional design community. This award celebrates the connective power of instructional design professionals within the learning design process, chiefly their role in highlighting the critical need for educators of all roles to work in partnership in support of student success.

Recipient: Jessica White, North Carolina State University 

 

The Ray Schroeder Leadership Award for the Advancement of Digital Learning, the UPCEA Strategic Innovation in Online Education Award, and the UPCEA Outstanding Service in Postsecondary Instructional Design are part of UPCEA’s Association Awards program. Nominations for Association Awards are accepted in October/November, and recipients are selected and notified the following February.  

 

# # #

 

About UPCEA

UPCEA is the online and professional education association. Our members continuously reinvent higher education, positively impacting millions of lives. We proudly lead and support them through cutting edge research, professional development, networking and mentorship, conferences and seminars, and stakeholder advocacy. Our collaborative, entrepreneurial community brings together decision makers and influencers in education, industry, research, and policy interested in improving educational access and outcomes. Learn more about us at UPCEA.edu and follow us on online @UPCEA.

  

CONTACT:

Molly Nelson, UPCEA Vice President of Communications, [email protected]

 

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announced today the 2024-2025 leadership teams for the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers and Council for Credential Innovation. The association extends its gratitude to the 37 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for these two bodies. 

The Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO) and its members are focused on leveraging the strategic potential of online learning to transform institutions of higher education and society. Each UPCEA member institution has the opportunity to identify a chief online learning officer—the primary leader for an online, digital, or other technology-enhanced postsecondary enterprise, whether at the unit, college, or institutional level—to represent them on C-COLO. Institutional delegates to C-COLO are able to attend the annual Online Leadership Roundtable convening event, and participate in other exclusive content hosted by C-COLO.

The Council for Chief Online Learning Officers is led by the C-COLO Leadership, a volunteer group made up of C-COLO delegates from UPCEA member organizations. The 2024-2025 C-COLO Leadership is:

Sunay Palsole, Texas A&M University (Co-Chair)

Susan Seal, Mississippi State University (Co-Chair)

Evan Silberman, City University of New York

Jerry Rhead, Michigan State University

Tina Parscal, Colorado Community College System

Brooke Elliott, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Carmin Chan, Northern Arizona University

Julie Thalman, University of Cincinnati

Jocelyn Widmer, Los Alamos National Laboratory

Nathan Bullock, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Kemi Jona, University of Virginia

Erik Nelson, Columbia University

Julie Uranis, UPCEA (ex officio)

 

The Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) is composed of senior leaders charged with driving non-degree credential strategy at the unit or campus level, and key thought leaders from other nonprofit organizations and companies that are actively contributing to the development of the alternative credential space. Each UPCEA member institution has the opportunity to identify a representative to the Council for Credential Innovation. The Council and its leadership focus on leveraging the strategic potential of non-degree credentials and non-credit education and training to transform institutions of higher education as well as the talent marketplace.

The Council for Credential Innovation Leadership is a volunteer group made up of CCI representatives from UPCEA member organizations. The 2024-2025 CCI Leadership is:

Ryan Torma, University of Minnesota (Co-Chair)

Lena Patterson, Toronto Metropolitan University (Co-Chair)

Saira Cooper, Rice University

Clare Van Ness, California State University, Chico

Anne Reed, University at Buffalo

Melanie Booth, Higher Learning Commission

Sheila LeBlanc, University of Calgary

Mike Macklin, Colorado Community College System

Sallie Reissman, Wilmington University

Karen Battye, Auburn University

Mark McConahay, AACRAO

Michael Sugerman, Washington State University

Patricia O’Brien, NECHE

Michelle Claville, CHEA

Noah Geisel. University of Colorado, Boulder

Pranesh Aswath. University of Texas, Arlington

Shawn Miller, Rice University

Tyler Ritter, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Kris Rabberman, University of Pennsylvania

Angela Jeantet, University of California Irvine

Allison Jones, University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Dan Belyea, Maine Community College System

Candace House Teixeira, University of Southern California

Allison Ruda, Northeastern University

Doris Savron, University of Phoenix

Kelly Hoyland, 1EdTech

Amy Heitzman, UPCEA (ex officio) 

 

Interested in getting involved with UPCEA as a volunteer leader? Fill out this form. 

UPCEA is proud to once again be offering UPCEA members the Bethaida “Bea” González Diversity in Leadership Scholars Program. Representative and diverse leadership is a cornerstone of UPCEA’s Commitment to Diversity and Inclusive Excellence. 

The goal of the Diversity Scholars program is to equip diverse professionals at any stage of their career with the skills and knowledge needed to move into leadership positions on campus, in the field of online and professional continuing education, and in UPCEA.

Applications for the 2024 cohort of Diversity in Leadership Scholars are now closed. A selection committee will consider all applications and choose 5-7 individuals to each receive a full scholarship for the UPCEA PCO Professional Certificate or the PCO Leader Certificate* (both certificates consist of five courses). 

Application Process:

Individuals who identify as a member of one or more diverse groups are encouraged to apply by submitting a curriculum vitae, a brief note of support (300 words or fewer) from a senior leader or supervisor at their institution, and a brief essay of no more than one page (single spaced) that addresses the following questions:

  • How will completing this program help you achieve your career aspirations?
  • How do you hope to contribute to your campus and the communities it serves?
  • How do you hope to contribute to the online and professional continuing education profession?

This program is only open to UPCEA members. 

 

Applications now closed. See the recipients of the 2024 Diversity in Leadership Scholars.

 

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact [email protected].

 

*The PCO Leader Certificate is appropriate for current higher ed leaders as well as professionals on the cusp of a significant leadership role.

A coalition of national associations that represent stakeholders on college campuses have come together to address a common challenge post-secondary institutions face in adapting learning and preparing learners for employment: slow adoption of digital credentials. Too many institutions are not yet poised to respond to the increasing demand for micro-credentials, badges, and other digital credentials that learners can use as clear evidence to prospective employers of their skills, knowledge, and abilities. 

“AACRAO recognizes the urgent need to develop a more inclusive and effective credentialing ecosystem that empowers learners to shape their own education and career goals,” said AACRAO Executive Director Melanie Gottlieb. “The launch of the LER Accelerator coalition marks a pivotal moment in higher education, as we unite to tackle the critical challenge of accelerating the adoption of Learning and Employment Records (LERs).”

“The adoption and acceleration of LERs have the potential to revolutionize an antiquated system that needs modernization,” shared Shawn VanDerziel, President and CEO of the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). “We know from our research that employers trust credentials of any type from colleges and universities the most.  This could be a game-changer for job seekers and employers if widely adopted.” 

The LER Accelerator coalition will increase awareness of the need for and use of digital credentials, reduce obstacles to adoption for institutions and employers, develop guidelines for implementation and application, and demonstrate successful models and examples. Funding from Walmart will enable the LER Accelerator coalition to address identified needs and challenges related to digital credential adoption in institutions, such as: 

  • unclear market demand for skill and competency recognition,
  • perceived high administrative and technical barriers,
  • disparate enterprise data systems, and
  • current business models that do not support LER development.

“Embracing the LER approach within colleges and universities indicates a significant cultural shift, necessitating change management and communication strategies,” shared ACE Assistant Vice President Michele Spires. “ACE is enthusiastic about contributing to this initiative aimed at expediting the adoption of learning and employment records,” 

The LER Accelerator coalition will also hone in on the policies, practices, and systems that are needed to enable tracking of learning outcomes, competencies and skills, and achievements of learners. “To achieve trust and interoperability, we need a common language for learners, educators and employers to use when we talk about skills,” commented 1EdTech Vice President of Marketing and Higher Education Programs Sandra DeCastro. “By pooling the great work of the 1EdTech community and these incredible partners in the LER Accelerator, we are moving closer to achieving those goals to power learner potential.” 

On their own, no single institutional stakeholder group has the power to accelerate the pace of post-secondary transformation to scale these credentials. However, through collaborating as a coalition,  as much as 80% of the resources and information needed to move LERs forward are available if taken together across these stakeholders. 

The LER Accelerator coalition consists of membership groups representing the following stakeholders:

  • Admissions Operations/Enrollment Management/Records & Registration  – AACRAO
  • Information Technology – Educause
  • Academic/Curricular/Faculty issues – AAC&U
  • Online and Professional Education – UPCEA
  • Career Centers and Employers – NACE
  • Institutional Research – AIR
  • Institutional Leadership – ACE
  • Competency Based Education and Skills – C-BEN
  • Technology Standards and Practices – 1EdTech, Digital Credentials Consortium

“C-BEN is honored to collaborate with longtime partners in the pursuit of quality and equity in learning by contributing our networks’ expertise and resources in service of the LER Accelerator so that all learners can achieve greater success in life and career,” shared C-BEN’s Executive Vice President,  Amber Garrison Duncan. “We believe in a future where individuals have seamless access to their learning achievements through Learning and Employment Records in order to pursue employment and further education without barriers.” 

“The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) is committed to advancing efforts to ensure that completers are equipped with the essential competencies for success post-graduation while also promoting lifelong learning and continuous professional development,” said Christine Keller, Executive Director. “We take pride in leveraging our expertise in measurement and assessment to support this endeavor, contributing to a more inclusive, dynamic, and innovative higher education landscape.”  

“Promoting the effective adoption of learning and employment records in higher education requires collaboration and a shared vision for technology,” shared Kerri Lemoie, Director, Digital Credentials Consortium. “The DCC is pleased to work alongside AACRAO and other innovative organizations to enable the use of technology standards and practices that unlock opportunities for learners.”

UPCEA’s Deputy CEO and Chief Learning Officer, Amy Heitzman, noted, “UPCEA is thrilled to engage with long-time partners AACRAO and the other critical stakeholders on this important project to help build member institution capacities that support awareness and integration of LERs.”

The LER Accelerator will focus on the following key areas:

  1. Raising awareness of LERs and innovative credentials among learners, educators (e.g., faculty, co-curricular professionals) employers, and institutions.
  2. Advocating for policy changes that will support the development and use of LERs.
  3. Integrating LERs into courses and curricula, including general education programs.
  4. Developing resources and guidelines for institutions.
  5. Measuring the impact of LERs on student learning, retention, graduation, and post-graduation career success outcomes.

“In order to mature and scale these initiatives, institutions must consider the shifts in culture, workforce, and technology required for this kind of digital transformation, such as building capacity for cross-institutional collaboration, creating and sustaining a culture of data, and expecting an enterprise focus on interoperability and institutional resilience,” shared John O’Brien, President, EDUCAUSE. “The LER Accelerator partnership is just the right group to tackle these issues.”

“AAC&U is thrilled to be part of LER Accelerator,” said Lynn Pasquerella, President. “This groundbreaking collaboration across so many respected associations signals how higher education can come together to catalyze support for advancing students’ career readiness for a future that will benefit all of us.”

“It’s through the power of collaboration of our practitioner associations with member stakeholders across each campus that we have an opportunity to create real momentum and change to the benefit of all of our institutions and learners alike,” noted Gottlieb.

The LER Accelerator encourages higher education faculty, staff,  leaders, and stakeholders at institutions to participate.

 

For more information please contact: Molly Nelson, UPCEA VP of Communications, [email protected]

Read Ray Schroeder and Katherine Kerpan’s perspective on where artificial intelligence is going in 2024.

While the first full year of operation of ChatGPT, 2023, gave a foretaste of the enormous impact that AI is going to have on us all, 2024 shows every sign of boggling the mind even more. Here are some things to look out for.

 GenAI has taken a leading role in supporting and enhancing activities, drawing on cognitive functions in many facets of our society. Unlike the robotic revolution that impacted mostly blue-collar workers in the manufacturing and assembly industries of the end of the 20th century, GenAI has most directly impacted white-collar and creative workers over the past year.

OpenAI’s ChatGPT was the first major GenAI out of the gate in late 2022. It started an avalanche of entries in the field from start-ups to the leading large tech corporations of Microsoft, Google, Meta, IBM, and more. Now, with more than 100 million weekly users, as well as more than 92 per cent of the Fortune 500 companies,9 OpenAI remains in the lead of this massive movement to integrate artificial intelligence in nearly all aspects of business, industry, and commerce.

In one of the earliest academic studies of the implementation of GenAI, Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, and MIT collaborated to analyse the impact of making the ChatGPT tool available to 758 consultants at the prestigious Boston Consulting Group. Given 18 realistic consulting tasks, the GenAI-equipped consultants, who used GPT-4, completed on average 12.2 per cent more tasks, 25.1 per cent more rapidly. Additionally, 40 per cent of the trial group were judged to have produced higher-quality results. Read the full article.

No matter the size of your school or educational institution, it’s no secret that strong leadership is crucial to long-term success. Implementing leadership development programs is among the most effective ways to train aspiring educational leaders and ensure their goals and mission are aligned with that of the institution.

At the same time, it’s not always simple to gauge the success of leadership development programs—which is why it’s important to have a system in place for measuring specific outcomes. With a better understanding of how to develop key performance indicators (KPIs) and collect and analyze data, you can optimize the success of these programs and achieve better learning outcomes.

Why Measure Leadership Development?

Why is it so important to measure leadership development program outcomes, anyway? There are several reasons to consider, beginning with the fact that having solid data to support the results of your programs can help demonstrate your return on investment (ROI) and justify further program funding.

Analyzing your leadership development programs can:

  • Quantify the program’s impact on key organizational outcomes like student success, employee engagement, and retention.
  • Provide data-driven evidence to secure continued funding and support for leadership development initiatives.

Likewise, assessing your leadership development programs can improve overall program effectiveness by:

  • Identifying areas where the program is achieving desired outcomes and where improvement is necessary.
  • Making data-driven decisions to optimize program content, delivery methods, and resources.

Finally, when you measure leadership development programs within your institution, you can enhance accountability and transparency by:

  • Demonstrating program accountability to stakeholders, including school leaders and faculty involved in program design and implementation, as well as students benefiting from the program.
  • Building trust and confidence in the value of leadership development programs.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Leadership Development

When assessing a leadership development program in an education setting, several key performance indicators (KPIs) should be closely examined. In doing so, it is possible to get a more comprehensive view of the program’s effectiveness as a whole—as well as its impact on individuals.

Behavioral Change

Measuring behavioral change within a leadership development program involves focusing on specific, observable behaviors and how they align with program objectives. When measuring this KPI, it is also essential to look at changes in leadership behaviors using such tools as surveys, 360-degree feedback, and performance evaluations.

Additionally, assessing behavioral change as a KPI should include tracking improvements in leadership skills, such as communication, decision-making, and conflict resolution.

Impact on Individuals

Looking at a leadership development program’s impact on individuals within the institution is also crucial; it should involve assessing their development through self-reflection and performance coaching along with tracking career advancement progress. Whenever possible, assessing the impact of a given program should mean measuring identifiable changes in leadership self-efficacy, confidence, and motivation from one leadership development participant to the next.

Impact on Teams and Groups

For many leadership development programs, one of the primary goals is to get leadership teams collaborating and communicating more effectively. In measuring the success of these programs, then, it’s critical to look not just at individual leaders but also groups and teams.

Specifically, this means taking the time to evaluate changes in team collaboration, communication, and problem-solving. Meanwhile, assessing this KPI may require looking more closely at team performance metrics (such as productivity, innovation, and engagement) while also tracking improvements in team dynamics and morale.

Impact on the Institution

The most effective leadership development initiatives are those that have sweeping impacts on the entire institution. So, what can you measure to determine the impact of your program on the school or institution at large?

Start by measuring changes in key organizational metrics, such as:

  • Student retention
  • Graduation rates
  • Employee satisfaction

Then, assess improvements in institutional culture, climate, and decision-making. From there, you can also track the financial return on investment of your leadership development programs—which can be helpful if you’re seeking additional funding for future initiatives.

The Kirkpatrick Model for Measuring Training Effectiveness

In measuring the effectiveness of your institution’s leadership development training, the tried-and-true Kirkpatrick Model can be especially useful. The Kirkpatrick Model refers to a framework first developed by Donald Kirkpatrick in the 1950s, consisting of four levels of evaluation that can effectively assess the results of training from numerous perspectives. The idea is that each level builds upon the previous one, ensuring that all program participants are getting the most out of it.

There are four models in the Kirkpatrick Model: 

  1. Level One: Reaction – At this beginning stage, you’re analyzing specifically the degree to which participants find the training engaging, relevant, and enjoyable to attend. This should include a close look at how involved and engaged participants are during training as well as how relevant the information they’re learning is to their jobs and roles as higher education leaders.
  2. Level Two: Learning – The next level is where you evaluate the degree to which participants in a leadership development program are acquiring the information and skills they’re intended to learn. To measure this, you’ll need to have concrete learning outcomes for your program before it’s even implemented. You can use tools like post-program checks and testing to determine just how much participants are getting out of the program.
  3. Level Three: Behavior – Next, look at behavior change—the degree to which participants can actually use what they learned in the program when working in leadership roles themselves. If the skills learned in the program aren’t being applied in the real world, what’s the point?
  4. Level Four: Results – The final level of the Kirkpatrick Model focuses on measuring results. In an educational leadership program, this would involve closely examining how well the targeted outcomes have been achieved as a direct result of the training. This should include measurement of the program’s overall ROI, which can be useful in securing future funding for similar training.

Effective Data Collection Methods

Collecting quality data is crucial to accurately measuring the success and outcomes of your leadership development program. The following are some tools and methods to collect valuable data:

  • Surveys – A survey can help assess aspects like behavior change (how well leaders are employing what they’ve learned in their respective roles) and overall reaction to the training.
  • Interviews – For more in-depth responses and feedback, interviews can be especially useful when it comes to collecting qualitative data. Higher education leaders might consider sitting down with individual program participants to gauge their experience with the program. These interviews are ideally conducted in person but could be handled over the phone if scheduling conflicts arise.
  • Focus groups – These involve sitting down with numerous program participants at once and asking for focused feedback on different aspects of the program.
  • Performance data – Sometimes, simply looking at an educational leader’s performance data after completing leadership training and comparing it to data from before training can help gauge the effectiveness of the program.
  • Observation – Taking the time to sit down and observe higher education leaders in their everyday roles can also be a great way to see firsthand how they are applying principles and skills from leadership development programs in real-world situations.

Data Analysis and Reporting

Once data is collected, knowing how to analyze, interpret, and report it to stakeholders is key. You should leverage data analysis tools and techniques to identify trends and patterns within the data. From there, data can be translated into meaningful insights and actionable recommendations for future programs.

As part of interpreting program data, it’s also important to develop clear and concise reports that communicate the impact of leadership development programs to stakeholders.

Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

Key stakeholders should be involved in developing and implementing evaluation plans at every stage of the process. This means ensuring stakeholders understand the importance of measuring impact and the methodologies employed. Findings and recommendations should be disseminated to stakeholders in a timely, transparent manner so they can be as involved in the process as possible.

As you can see, putting in the work to measure the impact of your institution’s leadership development programs is vital—especially in the realm of education, where so many individuals rely on effective leadership at all levels.

If your institution is seeking help optimizing its leadership development programs and outcomes, our expert consultants at UPCEA are here to assist. Get in touch with our experienced and knowledgeable strategic advisors today to learn more about how our timely, actionable recommendations could take your next leadership development program to new levels of success. 

 

Sources

https://www.linkedin.com/advice/0/how-do-you-measure-impact-leadership-development-1e 

https://upcea.edu/expert-consultants-in-professional-continuing-and-online-education/

 

Suggested Citation

UPCEA. (2024, April 5). How to measure the impact of your leadership development Programs. UPCEA. https://upcea.edu/how-to-measure-the-impact-of-your-leadership-development-programs/