A Different Corner

Giving my inbox ‘One More Try’

Friends, it has been a while. Since my last post we’ve hosted several events, I have attended many events, and there has been much news to report.

Recently, in my 115th attempt to change how I manage my inbox (as an inbox zero person I am always looking for new tactics to get my inbox down to zero) I’ve removed ALL THE FILTERS AND RULES I had set up. Those filters and rules had some unintended consequences as I found myself ignoring the news sources that are really critical to staying current with our work. Removing the filters and rules that governed my inbox has ratcheted up the message count in my main folder and starved folders that are no longer being fed by my old inbox rules. That being said, I am reading more, a lot more. Here are the things I found the most interesting as I started digging out:

WCET’s Frontier Blog Post on the Neg Reg Consensus: This is a great breakdown of the discussions regarding two big issues (state authorization and licensure notifications).

Unbound: Unbound’s Spring 2019 edition focuses on microcredentials and other non-degree credentials.

Chronos.org: Here’s one for the history nerds among us. eLearningInside featured Chronos.org, a map which shows “the changing borders of political entities over time, it also includes population, the dominant culture and religion of a given area, migration, notable events, centers of power, and much more. In all, Chronas contains over 50 million data points”. I haven’t had a ton of time to play with this but wow does it look cool! I sort of wish I taught an undergraduate history course so I could use this tool!

ASU as a ‘virus’: EdSurge published a really interesting interview with Michael Crow on ASU and his vision for ASU. It is a good read.

5 Network Event Tips for Introverts: As an extreme extrovert I am always geeked to attend networking events. Strangers are just friends and colleagues I haven’t met yet. So, when I read this item I immediately thought of all my dear introvert friends.

10 tips to be a better online teacher: The Chronicle does a decent job of outlining many of the best practices we’ve learned regarding online teaching and makes them accessible to those that might be intimidated by full-blown quality frameworks. I’d send this to faculty with the explanation that the use of ‘better’ in the title doesn’t suggest that anyone is a ‘bad’ online teacher (as I think the title does a disservice to the piece).

CHEA/CIQG’s policy brief on free tuition: A really interesting brief on free college tuition – where it is working and the impact it is having on equity in three different countries.

And now for your George Michael reference (if you didn’t catch it in the post title). His album ‘Faith’ was released on April 11, 1988 (so I am a few days late celebrating the 31st anniversary). One More Try is one of my favorite tracks from the album.

Julie Uranis

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Julie Uranis serves as the Vice President for Online and Strategic Initiatives at UPCEA. In this capacity she is the Managing Director of the National Council for Online Education and leads the planning efforts for the Summit for Online Leadership and Administration + Roundtable (SOLA+R). Prior to joining UPCEA she lead the distance learning and continuing and professional development teams at Western Kentucky University as the Director of Distance Learning and Continuing & Professional Development. Julie began her career at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) where she held both teaching and administrative positions. Julie has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, a Master of Science in Technology Studies, and a Graduate Certificate in Community College Leadership from EMU.


ABOUT

A Different Corner is written by Julie Uranis, Senior Vice President, Online & Strategic Initaitives. This blog veers into topics du jour in PCO and as the title of the blog might imply, a George Michael lyric or ten.


Click here to learn more about UPCEA's resources for online education leaders.


UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership

Developed with a goal of identifying the range of what will constitute successful online leadership, the Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership include standards, aspirations and principles essential into the foreseeable (and not so foreseeable) future of online education. The Hallmarks identify seven facets of leadership and organizational development: internal advocacy, entrepreneurial initiative, faculty support, student support, digital technology, external advocacy, and professionalism.


UPCEA Updates + Blogs

Workforce Pell and New Federal Accountability Measures Put Data Readiness in the Spotlight, New UPCEA Report Finds

New guidance from UPCEA highlights the growing urgency of data quality, learner mobility, and outcomes reporting for four-year institutions WASHINGTON, D.C., May 14, 2026 — As Workforce Pell and new federal accountability measures reshape expectations for postsecondary outcomes reporting, colleges and universities must rethink how they track, verify, and communicate learner success, according to a…

Spring Strategies: Leading AI-Driven Change in Higher Education

Each spring, campuses quietly rehearse a familiar transition. The cadence shifts. Energy returns. Commencement ceremonies are scheduled, and multiple beautification processes are underway, from reenergized flower beds to window washing and clean walkways.  What was dormant begins to move again. In higher education, this seasonal rhythm offers more than symbolism. It provides a useful leadership lens for…

Five Years In: What the 2026 State of Continuing Education Report Reveals

I have always appreciated how honest wood is. Look at a cut stump and the rings tell a story: good years, lean years, drought, recovery. That feels like the right way to read the newly released 2026 State of Continuing Education report from UPCEA, Modern Campus, and The EvoLLLution. As this partnership reaches its five-year…

Installation 101: Guidance for Launching On-Base Marketing to Military-Connected Students

In the world of online and professional continuing education, we often talk about “meeting students where they are.” When it comes to the military community, that isn’t just a metaphor, it’s often a physical location. For marketing teams at UPCEA member institutions, military installations are a unique ecosystem. To succeed here, you cannot simply port…

DOJ Extends Accessibility Deadline to April 2027 | Policy Matters (April 2026)

Major Updates DOJ Extends ADA Title II Web Accessibility Deadline to April 2027 On April 20, 2026, the Department of Justice issued an Interim Final Rule extending the ADA Title II digital accessibility compliance deadlines by one year for all state and local government entities, including public colleges and universities. Public institutions serving populations of…

UPCEA Announces 2026-2027 Leadership Team for Council for Chief Online Learning Officers

UPCEA, the online and professional education association, announces the 2026-2027 leadership team for the Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO). The association extends its gratitude to the 12 member volunteers serving in leadership roles for this body.  The Council for Chief Online Learning Officers (C-COLO) and its members focus on leveraging the strategic potential…

The Nation's Top Universities Choose UPCEA Consulting

Informed decisions. Ideas that work. The data you need. Trusted by the top universities in the nation.