UPCEA Updates

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

University of Washington Continuum College Vice Provost Rovy Branon to Serve as UPCEA President-Elect

By UPCEA | March 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Rovy Branon as the association’s 2019-20 President-Elect during the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference. Branon is vice provost for the University of Washington Continuum College. As UPCEA President-Elect, Branon will lead the UPCEA Membership Committee…

Georgia Tech’s Dean of Professional Education Nelson Baker to Serve as UPCEA President

By UPCEA | March 29, 2019

WASHINGTON, March 29, 2019 – UPCEA, the Washington, D.C.-based association for university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, welcomed Dr. Nelson Baker as the association’s 2019-20 President during the 2019 UPCEA Annual Conference. Baker is the dean of Professional Education at the Georgia Institute of Technology and professor in the university’s School of Civil…

Five Key Trends for Professional and Continuing Education Leaders in the Next Five Years (The EvoLLLution)

By UPCEA | March 11, 2019

Higher education is on the cusp of major changes. Enrollments are on the decline—both online and on campus—and the trend is expected to accelerate. Graduates are laboring under substantial college loan debts totaling more than $1.5 trillion. Employers are demanding that applicants possess soft and hard skills that many college graduates do not hold. At…

What is Regular and Substantive Interaction? The Term That Has Defined Online Learning Still Lacks Clear Definition (Elearning Inside)

By UPCEA | March 8, 2019

There’s an issue with online higher education that has yet to be resolved. For learners to apply for federal student loans, and for institutions to receive these Title IV funds, online or distance programs must demonstrate “regular and substantive interaction” (RSI) between students and instructors. There’s just one issue in following this guideline. No policymaker…

Extend financial aid to cover more alternative education programs, groups say (edscoop)

By UPCEA | March 4, 2019

Despite a surge of regulations in the 1980s designed to prevent fraudulent use of financial aid funds for online courses, the Department of Education still struggles to balance consumer protections with a growing need for short-term and distance education to offer student aid, according to a report released Wednesday by higher education policy advocates. The report — authored…

Higher ed groups ask for flexibility with online learning rules (EducationDIVE)

By UPCEA | February 27, 2019

Dive Brief: As regulators and industry representatives hash out a potential future for higher education accreditation, particularly rules governing online learning, three industry groups have put forward their own policy recommendations. Covering topics such as competency-based education (CBE), regular and substantive interaction and state authorization, the policy briefs were written by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), the…

The Commons: Three Steps for Energizing Quality Assurance in Online Course Design

By UPCEA | February 15, 2019

Many institutional leaders recognize the need for a quality assurance program, yet faculty and staff buy-in to those plans can be elusive. Samford University recently took a collaborative approach to organizational change in its online and professional studies programs, ultimately creating an appetite for quality assurance by increasing awareness, generating buy-in, and empowering faculty through…

UPCEA Congratulates Members Recognized in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Ranking of Best Online Bachelor’s Programs

By UPCEA | January 17, 2019

10 of top 11 ranked institutions are members of UPCEA WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 17, 2019) — UPCEA, the association for college and university leaders in professional, continuing, and online education, is pleased to congratulate the many UPCEA members recognized in the 2019 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings. U.S. News rankings include…

Other Blogs and News:

Workforce Pell Grants for Short-Term Programs: A Primer and Update from Negotiated Rulemaking: Consensus Reached – What’s in the Draft Regulations

What Online and Professional Continuing Higher Education Leaders Should Know In early December, the Department of Education kicked off negotiated rulemaking with the Accountability in Higher Education and Access through Demand-driven Workforce Pell (AHEAD) committee, focusing most of its efforts in the first week on new Workforce Pell regulations and loss of Pell eligibility as…

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The Resilient Local Network: How to Ditch the ‘Best Practice’ Blueprint for Adult Learner Success

The Replication Dilemma Today, higher education leaders face intense pressure: prove the value of credentials, raise attainment rates for adult learners, and do it all on shrinking budgets. We have access to high-leverage frameworks—like integrated student support or the guided pathways model—which identify proven principles for success often derived from successful regional or national initiatives.…

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UPCEA Welcomes New Board and Committee Members for 2026 Terms

WASHINGTON, December 12, 2025 – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, 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 2026 UPCEA Annual Conference in New Orleans, La. on…

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UPCEA Releases 2026 Predictions for Higher Education

Report highlights the accelerating transformation of higher education, from AI-driven infrastructure to lifelong learning pathways. WASHINGTON (Dec. 8, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its “Predictions 2026: Insights for Online & Professional Education.” This year’s report brings together expert perspectives from across the association to examine the…

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UPCEA Announces Release of New Secret Shopper Benchmarking Study at UPCEA MEMS 2025

Findings unveiled during the conference’s closing keynote reveal major gaps and opportunities in enrollment responsiveness. WASHINGTON and BOSTON (Dec. 4, 2025) – UPCEA, the online and professional education association, today announced the release of its newest research report, Enrollment Process Review: Secret Shopper Analysis, during the closing session at the 2025 UPCEA Marketing, Enrollment Management,…

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Reflecting on the 2025 UPCEA CCI Convening: Designing Intentional, Learner-Centric Pathways

At the inaugural UPCEA Council for Credential Innovation (CCI) Convening, leaders from across UPCEA member institutions came together to explore what it means to build truly learner-centric, intentional credential ecosystems—ones that align with institutional mission, ensure financial sustainability, and elevate the student experience. Hosted as the first in-person gathering of CCI representatives, the event served…

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