Leadership is not defined only by the circumstances we encounter, but also by how we learn from them and determine what comes next. Higher education leaders often accept positions because they believe in an institution’s mission and see opportunities to make a meaningful difference. They bring experience, professional judgment, and a commitment to supporting students,…
COLO Compass: Evidence and practical direction for chief online learning officers. Throughout National Distance Learning Week, I’ve written about how much online learning leaders are now expected to handle: AI governance, the financial case for online education, relationships with policymakers, financial aid fraud, and operations that extend well beyond their own units. The question for…
Clearly, many aspects of everyday living have begun to change in the emerging, evolving “Age of AI.” Higher education must acknowledge and adapt to those changes and anticipate the ones yet to come. Some faculty members fail to recognize that the world has changed and we must respond to those changes in how and what…
In a remarkable period of intense development of powerful Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities, leaders in the industry have called for a modest level of oversight to ensure safety and provide protections against misuse and abuse of the power of AI. Late last month, President Trump announced the formation of a “Superintelligence Force” to oversee AI…
Biden Administration Announces Long-Awaited Student Debt Forgiveness, Signals End of Student Loan Payment Pause | Policy Matters (August 2022)
Major Updates Biden Administration Announces Long-Awaited Student Debt Forgiveness, Signals End of Student Loan Payment Pause After years of anticipation, the Biden Administration rolled out its student debt forgiveness and repayment package. While the $10,000 in forgiveness for any individual making less than $125k per year (or $250k jointly) which was included in the final…
New Portal Login Security Verification Step
In order to improving the security and functionality of our member login, we would like to inform you about an email verification step you will see soon. Starting on Friday September 9th, when you log in to your user profile on the UPCEA member portal, you will receive an email from: Sender: MemberSuite Support <[email protected]>…
Conference Committee Nixes Short-Term Job Training Pell Grants from Final Compromise Computer Chip Bill | Policy Matters (July 2022)
Major Updates Conference Committee Nixes Short-Term Job Training Pell Grants from Final Compromise Computer Chip Bill After months of internal negotiations between a conference committee working out differences between the House and Senate passed legislation focusing on competitiveness with China, a much narrower compromise bill has come forth. Smaller than the House of Representatives’ original…
UPCEA/MindEdge study finds mature adult learners have complex views about education
One size doesn’t fit all — Differences among Boomer learners, retirees, and the mature adult learner BOSTON, MA and WASHINGTON, DC (July 29, 2022) – Driven by Baby Boomer retirements and the Great Resignation, a new wave of mature learners is looking at options in continuing education – but not necessarily to learn new job skills,…
In 1915, UPCEA’s founders built this association on a simple idea: carrying knowledge to the people. That founding purpose never had an expiration date, and it does not have one now. It is why, more than a century later, the question in front of us was never whether professional learning needs to change. It is…
The tagline for Convergence, Credential Innovation in Higher Education, raises two important questions: First, what kind of credentials are we talking about? Is the scope of credentials unlimited, blue sky, or confined to incremental changes on the margins of the status quo? And second, who is leading that innovation, and what do they need to…
A learner who values independence may find an automated response convenient and sufficient. Another, facing the same question, may need guidance to understand the implications for their circumstances. Both expect the institution to help them move forward, but what that requires can look quite different. Boundless Learning’s 2026 online learner segmentation research, conducted with Hanover…
Over 80% of instructional designers reported using AI in 2025, and it’s safe to assume that number has grown this year. (At Six Red Marbles, all our designers use AI daily.) They’re using AI for everything from proposing guidelines for content development to formatting documents and creating visuals. At colleges and universities, instructional designers are…