UPCEA Updates

In celebration of National Distance Learning Week, UPCEA is highlighting key resources each day that showcase how online and professional education leaders continue to drive innovation, resilience, and transformation.

As higher education continues to navigate economic pressures, evolving technologies, and shifting learner expectations, one thing has become clear, strong online leadership is no longer optional; it’s essential.

In what UPCEA’s CEO, Bob Hansen has dubbed the Decade of the Chief Online Learning Officer (COLO), we are in a period defined by innovation, strategy, and resilience in the face of disruption. Across the sector, institutions are recognizing that digital learning is not merely a delivery mode but a strategic asset critical to their long-term success. At the center of this transformation stands the COLO, guiding the vision, culture, and execution of digital learning across colleges and universities.

Defining the COLO

The Chief Online Learning Officer (COLO) is a senior institutional leader responsible for advancing and aligning digital learning strategy with the broader mission of the university. This position has evolved rapidly in recent years, moving from a primarily operational or technical role to one of strategic leadership that bridges academic affairs, technology, finance, and student success.

Led by the 2022-2023 Council for Chief Online Learning Officers leadership team, with notable COLOs Bettyjo Bouchey, Josh Steele, Gayla Stoner, and Evie Cummings agreeing that the updated  definition of the COLO reflects this evolution, offering a clear framework for understanding what modern online leadership entails. The COLO’s portfolio may include oversight of online program management, faculty development, instructional design, digital infrastructure, and innovation strategy. Yet, the true hallmark of the role is institutional influence, ensuring that online learning is embedded in decision-making, resource allocation, and long-term planning. Recently, Julie Thalman (University of Cincinnati) shared that COLOs fulfil an important role at institutions, beyond the online enterprise, they often acting as the institution’s most senior level business analyst/strategist. These skills have led many COLOs into president and provost roles, noting the recent hiring of Craig Wilson as Palmetto College’s Chancellor in June 2025.

In a time when many institutions face constrained budgets and shifting demographics, COLOs are helping reimagine what growth, access, and quality look like in the digital era.

A Strategic Blueprint for Online Leaders

The Chief Online Learning Officer’s Guidebook: A Framework for Strategy and Practice in Higher Education (2025) authored by Jocelyn Widmer and Tom Cavanagh, explores the essential competencies required of Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs). This essential new resource draws on real-world leadership insights and expert perspectives from across higher education.

Digital and online learning have become strategic priorities for institutions seeking enrollment growth, learner engagement, revenue generation, brand diversification, and greater student flexibility following the COVID-19 era. This UPCEA-endorsed guidebook offers a unique framework that substantiates and demonstrates the key competencies defining the COLO role, enabling advancements in the practice of online and digital higher education.

Featuring contributions from more than 50 higher education leaders, including COLOs, CIOs, and university presidents, the guidebook provides practical strategies and comprehensive guidance for both current and aspiring online learning leaders. Learn more here “New Book Offers Strategic Blueprint for the Decade of the Chief Online Learning Officer.”

Building the COLO Competency Framework

To complement this growing body of leadership practice, Julie Uranis (UPCEA) collaborated with Eric Fredericksen (University of Rochester) and Bethany Simunich (Quality Matters) to  conduct extensive COLO Competency Research (2024) to identify the capabilities most critical for success in the digital learning landscape. The resulting framework, published as both a research report and a peer-reviewed Online Learning Journal (OLJ) article, outlines the knowledge, skills, and leadership attributes that distinguish exceptional COLOs.

The research highlights competencies in strategic alignment, innovation management, data-driven decision-making, change leadership, and partnership development, all of which are vital as institutions balance mission and margin. These findings provide a foundation for institutions to build stronger online leadership pipelines and support professional development for those aspiring to executive roles in online learning.

Together, UPCEA’s definition, research, and the Guidebook establish a comprehensive framework for understanding and advancing the COLO role, reinforcing its value in leading institutions through complex transitions and future opportunities.

Online leadership matters more than ever. As institutions face financial strain and rising competition, COLOs are proving that innovation thrives even in times of adversity especially when guided by strategic, empowered leaders.

Stay tuned all week as UPCEA highlights more resources and insights celebrating how online and professional education leaders are reshaping higher education and the future of postsecondary education.