UPCEA Updates

Your one-stop shop for the latest Association happenings, plus thoughts from the desk of CEO Bob Hansen.

UPCEA Welcomes New Board and DEI Committee Members

By UPCEA | December 15, 2022

WASHINGTON, December 15, 2022 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for college and university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, is pleased to announce the election of new officers and new directors to serve on the UPCEA Board of Directors. Elected in November, these individuals will assume their roles at the conclusion of the…

UPCEA Announces Retirement of Chief Membership Officer Kimberly Zaski, New Staff Additions

By UPCEA | October 28, 2022

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 28, 2022 – UPCEA, the association for leaders in online and professional continuing education, has announced a number of key staff changes. Chief Membership Officer and Vice President, Corporate Partnerships Kimberly Zaski is retiring at the end of the calendar year. She will be replaced by Kathleen Ives, formerly CEO of the…

New Book Turns Lens on Online Education’s ROI Imperative

By UPCEA | October 25, 2022

‘Using ROI for Strategic Planning of Online Education’ explores process for shifting to an ROI mindset amid pressure for higher ed to prove value and relevance WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, October 25, 2022 — Higher education has rarely employed return on investment (ROI) methodology in strategic planning for online education. This may be about to…

2022 UPCEA MEMS Award Recipients Announced

By UPCEA | October 20, 2022

15 Recipients Chosen For Three Award Categories WASHINGTON, D.C., October 20, 2022 — UPCEA, the leader in online and professional continuing education, has announced the recipients of the 2022 Excellence in Enrollment Management Award, Excellence in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusiveness in Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Success Award, and the new Excellence in Marketing Award.  All…

In-House or Outsource? UPCEA/University of Louisville study explores factors at play in deciding to work with an OPM

By UPCEA | October 6, 2022

New Research Offers Insights into the Criteria and Contractual Agreements Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs) Consider When Deciding to Work With an OPM LOUISVILLE, KY and WASHINGTON, DC (October 6, 2022) — With the explosive growth of online learning and the accompanying rise of online program managers (OPMs), Chief Online Learning Officers (COLOs) at higher…

Building the University of Tomorrow

By UPCEA | September 28, 2022

In the recent opinion piece, “Imagine We Are Starting a University Now,” UPCEA Senior Fellow Ray Schroeder reflects on what will be necessary to prepare higher education institutions for the future through an engaging thought exercise of starting a higher education institution from scratch in 2022. Where would you begin? Central to the thought exercise…

K-State Global Campus Goes Remote: What a Difference a Year Makes

By UPCEA | September 27, 2022

By Karen Pedersen and Jennifer Thornburg In June of 2021, the lease for the 20,000+ sq foot building housing the Kansas State University Global Campus was up for renewal. Ten months before that, while in the middle of a global pandemic, the Global Campus leadership team began discussions about the possibility of going permanently remote.…

UPCEA Announces 2022 Regional Award Recipients

By UPCEA | September 22, 2022

20 Individuals and 14 Programs Honored Across 5 Regions WASHINGTON, September 22, 2022 – UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing, and online education, has announced the recipients of the 2022 Regional Awards. Each of UPCEA’s five Regions recognizes both individual and institutional achievement of the UPCEA members within the Region.  Award recipients will be honored…

Other Blogs and News:

Data-Informed Decisions: Why You Need Data and What Data You Should Curate

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. Data is the language of modern leadership. In an era of constrained resources and heightened accountability, online and professional education leaders can no longer rely on…

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Owning Your Awesomeness: Professional Growth Strategies from UPCEA 2025

Introduction At the 2025 UPCEA Annual Conference, the session “Owning Your Awesomeness” reminded us that professional growth isn’t just about mastering skills—it’s about recognizing and amplifying the unique strengths we already have. For leaders and practitioners in professional and online education this means embracing both the outward image we present and the inner narratives that…

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The Decade of the COLO: Why Online Leadership Matters

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;…

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UPCEA Joins National Opposition to Federal Compact | Policy Matters (October 2025)

Major Updates UPCEA Joins National Opposition to Federal Compact UPCEA has joined with over thirty higher education associations to make a statement opposing the federal government’s proposed “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.” The coalition, coordinated by ACE, warns that the compact would impose federal conditions on what and how colleges teach, threatening academic…

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UPCEA Announces Exclusive Partnership with the International Distance Education Benchmark Project (IDEBP)

Collaboration empowers online education leaders with confidential benchmarking, data-driven insights, and strategic decision-making tools WASHINGTON, D.C., October 29, 2025 — UPCEA, the online and professional education association, has announced an exclusive partnership with the International Distance Education Benchmark Project (IDEBP), a first-of-its-kind initiative designed to help higher education institutions strengthen their digital learning strategies through…

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Leading in the Age of AI: Learning from Lincoln

“How would you describe your leadership style?”  This question is a common one for both mid-level and senior-level candidates in the interview process. In the past, many relied on descriptors such as transformative, collaborative, or authentic to explain how they approached people and built teams. But as you think about your next career step, perhaps…

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