UPCEA Hosts University Networks and Associations Meeting (Frost Boardroom)

Hosted by

2019-20 and 2020-21 UPCEA Regional Councils, Network Leadership Teams Meet 

2019-20 and 2020-21 Business and Operations Network Leadership
Webster

2019-20 and 2020-21 Community and Economic Engagement Network Leadership
Douglass

2019-20 and 2020-21 International Network Leadership
Faneuil

2019-20 and 2020-21 Marketing, Enrollment, and Student Services Network Leadership
Grand Ballroom D

2019-20 and 2020-21 Online Administration Network Leadership
Otis

2019-20 and 2020-21 Program Planning and Innovation Network Leadership
Adams

2019-20 and 2020-21 Central Regional Council
Commonwealth AB

2019-20 and 2020-21 Mid-Atlantic Regional Council
Grand Ballroom C

2019-20 and 2020-21 South Regional Council
Commonwealth C

2019-20 and 2020-21 West Regional Council
Grand Ballroom E

2019-20 and 2020-21 Regional Cabinets (Board Representatives)
Commonwealth AB

2019-20 and 2020-21 Network Senates (Network Chairs)
Commonwealth C

Networking Break in Exhibit Hall (Galleria)

UPCEA Trail Stops hosted during Networking Break

Taking its cue from Boston’s historical journey, a “Freedom Trail” presentation is an opportunity to host a thematic conversation at a metaphorical “stop.” Supported by each of the six UPCEA Networks—affinity groups for the areas of practice that make up professional, continuing, and online education, these informal conversations are hosted around a specific topic in the Exhibit Hall during one of the various 30-minute Networking Breaks during the conference, offering a chance for engaging, thoughtful conversation between attendees and presenters. This experimental format is particularly designed to provide opportunities for attendees to expand both their professional knowledge as well as their individual networks, in low-risk, engaging, and likely small group dialogues.

Using Design Models in Continuing & Professional Education
Galleria | Track: Business & Operations
Level: Strategic | Format: Freedom Trail

• Gerry Rhead, Michigan State University
• Meni Sarris, Spur CG

Moderator: Lyla Garner, Mississippi State University

 

Something's Brewing: Connecting Faculty, Industry and Students through the PCO Unit
Galleria | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Freedom Trail | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Connecting faculty, industry experts, and students through the Professional Continuing and Online unit is complex work that can drive innovation and economic growth.  In a time of rapid change and a shifting landscape, partnerships need to be more than transactional: successful partnerships are based on trust and strategic, holistic engagement. This presentation follows case studies in varying stages of development, including the explosion of the brewing industry in Pennsylvania, the ways in which Shippensburg University responsded (industry forums, advisory boards, program planning with industry input, targeted continuing education, and grant projects), and the creation of pipeline programs professionalizing early childcare industries and logistics programming with regional economic drivers.

• Carolyn Callaghan, Shippensburg University

Moderator: George Calderaro, Columbia University

A Community Conversation on Mental Health Support for Online Learners
Commonwealth AB | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Increasingly faculty and student services providers working closely with online populations at our institutions have voiced concerns regarding: identifying and working with “students of concern” (SOC) in online populations; perceived increases in SOC in online populations without close or easy access to physical campuses; apparent gaps in university documentation, guidelines, and training related to SOC in online populations; and a lack of clarity in student and faculty facing materials and resources on the availability of mental health services to online populations. Mental health services and wellness programming are commonly offered to students on campuses, but what about online students? Join a participant-driven discussion on the challenges, limitations, and opportunities for designing mental health services for online learners. Participants will be encouraged to share their research, their models, their challenges, their differences of opinion, etc. With consent of the group, notes and other contributions to collaborative documents will serve as a takeaway item for participants as well as a basis for future conversations. This presentation on transferable strategies and tips and not a particular model or service.

• Mitchell Farmer, Indiana University
• Tiffany Peterson, University of Maine
• Andrea Carroll-Glover, Saint Mary's University of Minnesota

Moderator: Heather Chakiris, University of California, Los Angeles

A Journey in Data Integrity and Data-Driven Decision Making
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Foundational | Format: Case Study
As enrollment professionals we rely on applicant data to help us make decisions, identify trends, shape a class. But what do you do if you suspect your data is not reliable? Eight years ago the NYU School of Professional Studies (NYUSPS) Admissions Office partnered with the school’s Office of Institutional Research and Analytics with the end goal of developing a reporting structure that since then has helped the school monitor and meet enrollment targets year to year. We'll share how we brought our teams together to assess and optimize operational procedures supporting a rolling-admissions process, build them into our systems of record, and leverage data transfer and visualization solutions to develop meaningful reporting dashboards.

• Cynthia Perez, New York University
• Alexandra Cazangiu, New York University

Moderator: Jean de Sousa-Hitzler, Ryerson University

Career Development: Navigating Growth, Fostering Agility, and Building Intentionality in our Careers
Stone | Track: Career Development
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
A new offering in the Career Development series hosted at UPCEA Annual Conferences, this session is designed to offer clarity and agency to what is often a terrifying, mystical, and yet integral part of employment: job change. How do we expand our horizons, personally and professionally? How do we gather the professional development we need to grow? How do we determine what skills and networks are needed? And what are some best practices to navigate the search process and/or the executive search firm? For mid-level attendees, this session will offer insights into the mechanics of job change and agility, and for senior level attendees, opportunities to help develop ways to foster intentional, professional growth for their own teams.

• Wayne Wormley, AGB Search
• Karen Bull, University of North Carolina Greensboro
• Nancy Coleman, Wellesley College

Moderator: Amy Heitzman, UPCEA

Choose Your Own Adventure Approach to Program Growth
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Strategic | Format: Workshop
With no shortage of strategic decisions facing enrollment management leaders, making sense of the shifting opinions on best practices among colleagues, thought leaders and agencies requires data, context and effort. This interactive, choose-your-own-adventure-style workshop will have you charting a course toward enrollment success as you make key decisions such as: Resource allocation: Should we invest in internal resources or outsource select services?; Scale: Will we target markets for this program regionally or nationally?; Promotion strategy: How much budget should we divert to video asset development for the promotion strategy?; Lead nurturing and conversion: Should we overhaul our lead nurturing approach?. This highly interactive session will involve small group discussion, enabling participants to develop their own action plans, followed by insights on the four key decision points every enrollment marketing leader faces.

• Stacy Snow, University of Missouri
• Eric McGee, Education Dynamics

Moderator: Heather Codner, Harvard University

Crossing the Generational Divide: A Guide for Continuing Studies Professionals to Create a Successful Senior College Program
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Across communities in the U.S., the number of older adults is growing at unprecedented rates as significantly more individuals are experiencing increased longevity. Response to the educational needs and interests of this  emerging population calls for innovative practices of teaching, research, and community engagement for leaders in continuing education. This presentation will engage participants in a conversation about the important  role senior citizens play in our communities and will help attendees to consider implementing their own non-credit, enrichment Senior College program. The presenters will focus on the specific entrepreneurial, organizational, and practical skills required to plan and launch a revenue positive Senior College program that improves active aging, intellectual health, and well-being for seniors in their service region. This workshop will address the major  aspects that led to a successful launch of Bridgewater State University’s new Senior College program, deconstructing for the audience major components that can be adapted to institutions of all sizes. Finally, beyond all  pragmatic reasons, participants will learn how serving and working collaboratively with seniors can be uniquely rewarding for continuing education professionals.

• Jennifer Reid, Bridgewater State University
• David Crane, Bridgewater State University
• Cathleen DeSimone, Bridgewater State University

Moderator: Melissa Lubin, James Madison University

From Surviving to Thriving: Exploring the Future of Higher Ed With Current Examples
Commonwealth C | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Unity College has had to face the realities of the potential fiscal stability of a small college. The school has done so with a focus on thriving and reinventing how and what the school can do while staying true to its core of being America’s Environmental College. With its residential campus almost at capacity, Unity College launched its online program to grow in a different way.  By expanding its audience, Unity College has created an entirely different market to target and has successfully increased their opportunities for sustainable growth. Join us as we discuss how a school can move from ‘surviving to thriving’ with paradigm-shifting approaches and strategies.

• Melik Khoury, Unity College
• Lee Maxey, MindMax

Moderator: Ruth Pacheco, Barry University

Inside Out Design: Intentional Practices to Build Human Connection for Adult Learners
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Adult learners need flexibility to complete their education but also want to connect with their classmates and instructors. They also may face a variety of barriers when engaging in the learning process. It is imperative to cultivate the best practices in intentional teaching practices and the use of technology to ensure the unique needs of adult learners are met. Join us as two universities share how they have applied strategies on the course and institutional level to help adult learners connect more effectively with their learning community.

• Sasha Crowley, Brandman University
• Jennifer Good, Brandman University
• Adrienne Phelps-Coco, Harvard University
• Christian Franco, Harvard University
• Christian Wisecarver, Harvard University

Moderator: Mogan Subramaniam, Fullstack Academy

Rethinking Study Abroad:  Alternative Models Offering Greater Accessibility & Affordability
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Study abroad is a transformational experience for most students.  The opportunity to gain a global perspective that can be applied to multiple situations is an essential element of higher learning and critical thinking. The challenge for many students and their families is accessibility due to affordability. Whether the student is first generation, traditional age, or an adult learner, study abroad can be viewed as an ‘add-on‘ or luxury item, when it comes to making choices about educational finances. A panel consisting of UPCEA International Network leaders will share alternative affordability models that can be operationalized on our campuses.  Consideration will be given to policies and planning,  infrastructure, global partnerships, external grants, and community engagement. The panel will share best practices, as well as engage in discussion with participants on action steps for implementation.

• Terry Borg, Northern Illinois University
• Marissa Lombardi, Education First (EF)
• Breeda McGrath, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

Moderator: Julia Ivy, Northeastern University

The Art & Science of Stackable Programs
Marina III-IV | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
The average person can expect to change their career five to seven times in their lifespan, while employers expect their staff to change jobs every three years. Traditional degree programs continue to face scrutiny in perceived value from today’s workforce, and career changers desire shorter timeframes to prepare them for their next vocation. New fields are emerging, and more fields will likely emerge in the next 5 years.  How can higher education meet the demands of both students and employers? One solution is to offer stackable credentials, which allow students to demonstrate their competencies in subject areas relevant to their career objectives. The many benefits of microcredentials include shorter duration, lower cost, customization, meeting regional workforce demands, and an increase in pay for learners. Stackable credentials that lead to bachelors or masters degrees also create a modularized curriculum that can flex as new skills are needed in the workplace. This session will explore the market demand for microcredentials, how microcredentials can be integrated into existing degree programs, which subject areas are a good fit for microcredentials, and the advantages and disadvantages of microcredentials from a curricular standpoint.

• Valerie Delleville, Western Governors University

Moderator: Brian Amkraut, Case Western Reserve University

Rebundling and Repurposing: Challenges Institutions Face When Transitioning For-Credit Online Courses to Non-Credit Learning Experiences
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Online Administration
Level: Applied | Format: Workshop | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
While it’s relatively common practice to reuse content from semester-to-semester in an online for-credit degree program, fewer institutions have implemented strategies that involve repurposing for-credit course content into non-credit learning experiences to meet a more diverse range of lifelong learning needs. In this session, online learning leaders from a variety of institutions will discuss the potential their institutions see in pursuing the development of varied online learning experiences by repurposing content to create both for-credit and non-credit offerings. Panelists will also discuss challenges their institutions have encountered in trying to implement a strategy that aims to rebundle content across these learning experiences. Participants will then have the chance to collaborate with other participants in defining the most important aspects of the model, as well as operational considerations that might pose challenges at their institutions, so that individuals can gain ideas from others as to what strategies might be helpful for gaining buy-in and mitigating barriers for adopting this type of strategy at a range of institutions.

• Sarah Dysart, University of Michigan
• Paul Huckett, Johns Hopkins University
• Asim Ali, Auburn University

Moderator: Mark Bernhard, North Carolina State University

When Strategy and Reality Collide
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Colleges and universities are increasingly turning to online education to solve their enrollment and revenue challenges. Strategic initiatives abound. Numerous obstacles are in play when attempting to execute strategies that will result in substantial enrollment growth through online education. The combined obstacles can bring initiatives to a stand-still. This session will feature facilitated and highly participatory table discussions to explore visible and hidden obstacles to strategic initiatives, their impact on successful implementation and tactics to work through or around them. Initiatives for discussion include rapidly and radically scaling online enrollments, developing U2B partnerships, attracting more adult learners, developing alternative credentials, increasing transfer numbers, programming for workforce development, major restructuring of online education, and shifting budget models. Each table will have a discussion facilitator for subset topics. Attendees will be invited to choose the topic(s) of greatest interest and join that table group. The conversations will provide opportunities for participants to share challenges and their ideas and efforts to address those challenges.

• Kim Siegenthaler, University of Missouri
• Susan Elkins, University of South Carolina
• Beth Laves, Western Kentucky University

Moderator: Dave Cillay, Washington State University

(Re)Thinking Workforce Development Through Triple Alignment (Institution, Industry Partners, and Community)
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Case Study | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
In 2018, FIU Office of Engagement put forth a plan to tackle the middle-skills gap within South Florida, which acounts for about thirty-eight percent of the 1.2 million jobs in Miami-Dade County. Many middle-skills jobs are in the seven target industries that drive economic growth in Miami-Dade County, including life sciences and healthcare, trade and logistics, and information technology. Jobs in the healthcare and social assistance industry are projected to grow by 19.2% in Florida, and 18.7% in Miami-Dade, by 2025. In 2019, Urban Potential Laboratories (UP Labs) was launched to close the middle-skills gap in Miami-Dade by collaborating with Industry partners (Memorial Health System, Baptist Health System, Nicklaus Children’s Hospital). The concept was simple: align industry partners with FIU (College of Nursing) and its faculty to come up with a curriculum that is just-in-time for career pathways in healthcare. The 14-week workforce development program prepares students for administrative and clinical tracks within healthcare.

• Umer Rahman, Florida International University
• Vanessa Valdes, Florida International University
• Caryn Lavernia, Florida International University

Moderator: Tiffany Erichsen, University of North Carolina, Wilmington

A Secure Part of the Program Portfolio: Cybersecurity and Long-Term Trends
Marina III-IV | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
With the evolution of a new economy that will include the Internet of Things, connected home and automobile, a sharing economy and automation, cybersecurity is critical across all industries globally.  The economic cost and threat to business operations and society overall are critical, therefore, staying ahead of cyber-criminals and threats through the training of cybersecurity professionals is essential.  The field of cybersecurity is long-term, as new technologies and enter the marketplace that cyber-criminals will leverage and cyber-security professionals will adopt to protect consumers, as well as businesses.  UPCEA will share trends and forecasts around the field of cybersecurity, while the University of Miami and its Division of Continuing and International Education in partnership with HackerU will share the approach, curriculum and results to launching a successful professional noncredit program in the Greater Miami area.

• Desiree Young, University of Miami
• Jim Fong, UPCEA
• Dan Vigdor, HackerU

Moderator: Sandra Gladney, University of Oregon

Boost Your Efficiency with Project Management and Agile
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Foundational | Format: Workshop | Tag: Best in Show South
Agile, Kanban, and Scrum, oh my! Hear tips and techniques from experienced project managers that you can begin using tomorrow to increase collaboration, visibility, efficiency and effectiveness on your projects. This workshop will provide an overview of agile practices and its usefulness in knowledge work. Leave with tactics to make any team more agile, including specific tools such as kanban and scrum, and broader concepts such as task management, collaboration, and transparency. Hear how we have applied techniques at NC State University, Distance Education and Learning Technology Applications, to bring courses online faster and produce marketing collateral with fewer revisions all while increasing team morale and collaboration. Learn from hands-on activities that can be used back at your institution tomorrow, such as lean task management and retrospectives.

• Katie Bean, North Carolina State University
• Laurie Gyalog, North Carolina State University

Moderator: Monica Yelverton, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Can Research Universities Reinvent Education for the Future of Work?
Commonwealth C | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Policy
Higher education is facing an existential crisis—this is the emerging consensus in the public discourse. Much has been written about stratospheric costs, changing demographics, curricular disconnect from industry needs. However, there has been limited discussion on how research institutions struggle to balance their core tenet of producing new knowledge with a career- and skill-focused education despite the fact that they advanced the majority of novel models. We discuss this question in light of the experiences of three leading institutions with large professional schools.

• Tanya Zlateva, Boston University
• Mary Loeffelholz, Northeastern University
• Sean Gallagher, Northeastern University
• Kimberly Kuborn, Boston University
• Inna Popova, McGill University

Moderator: Rob Bruce, Rice University

Developing a Microcredential
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Colleges and universities are faced with changing learner demands and the increasing perception that shorter credentials can be a successful way to progress a professional career.  According to Pearson’s Global Learners Survey, learners are expressing a preference for shorter duration credentials to support career development.  Shorter credentials, such as microcredentials, have been evolving in the US but a key challenge has historically been the lack of clarity around the meaning of a microcredential and different terminology used across platforms.  To help develop the microcredential as a meaningful credential with meaning for employers and learners, the European MOOC consortium has developed a European standard for microcredentials which allows for consistency and clarity.  The University of California at Irvine Division of Continuing Education and FutureLearn (part of the European MOOC consortium) have announced the launch of the first microcredential with a U.S. institution.  Predictive Analytics will launch on the FutureLearn platform in April 2020.  This session will focus on the path to the development, promotion and long-term applications for the microcredential format.

• Brian Breen, University of California, Irvine
• Holly Shiflett, FutureLearn

Moderator: Adam Fein, University of North Texas

Finding Your Audience and Executing an Effective Lead Management Strategy in an Evolving Digital Marketing Landscape
Commonwealth AB | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
Digital marketing is increasingly important to generate leads and enroll new students, but how do you know your ads are reaching the right audience? And once you have the leads, how will you implement a successful lead management strategy? Join us as we delve into the ways that audiences should shape your digital marketing strategy and then learn an approach to determining lead qualification and interest using three metrics: speed-to-lead, lead grading and scoring.

• Regina Ramirez, University of Washington
• Megan Lindell, University of Washington
• Eliot Olson, Chair 10 Marketing
• Katie Vesbach, Chair 10 Marketing
• Erick Watt-Udogu, The George Washington University
• Cyrus Homayounpour, The George Washington University

Moderator: Cyrus Homayounpour, The George Washington University

Striving for Inclusive Excellence: A Personal Journey
Stone
Level: Foundational | Format: Workshop | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Everyone’s journey towards the standard of Inclusive Excellence and through life itself is unique, and covers the full spectrum of human emotions including happiness, sadness and anger. Please join us for a guided conversation of personal stories and vignettes lead by members of UPCEA’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Designed to help attendees learn about how to become more involved with UPCEA’s diversity and inclusion efforts, the Fireside Chat will also include an introduction and status update of UPCEA’s own “Inclusive Excellence Action Plan: 2020 – 2025.”

• Shino John, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• Miguel Ortiz-Crane, New York University
• Chris Sax, Maryland University of Integrative Health
• Michelle Dennis, Adler University

Moderator: William Bajor, East Stroudsburg University

Emerging Leader Master Class for Past Participants (Commonwealth AB)

Building Community: A Holistic Approach to the Online Student-Alumni Cycle
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
Research shows that a sense of belonging is a key factor to student retention, as well as alumni giving and engagement. But how do you create community for distance learners? Come to this session to learn how to foster meaningful connections within your online student base, in order to build stronger programs and enthusiastic alumni advocates. A Q&A session will follow the presentation.

• David Schejbal, Marquette University
• Roxanne Sheils, Pennsylvania State University
• Kate Vogel, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Lori Kendall-Taylor, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Moderator: Antonius Bittmann, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Data-Informed Program Planning and Evaluation
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Our session will describe data-informed approaches to assessing market demand for online academic programs, planning these programs, and evaluating their quality and success. Northeastern University will present how they evaluate growth opportunities for online programs in existing and new markets. Gray Associates will describe data, tools, and processes for assessing demand and competition. University of Washington Continuum College will share their efforts to develop an organization-wide plan to define and measure quality metrics to evaluate and improve noncredit professional and continuing education program quality.

• Steve Probst, Gray Associates
• Marina Brauch, Northeastern University
• Danielle Allsop, University of Washington
• Karen Haberfeld, University of Washington
• Malia Morrison, University of Washington

Moderator: Ryan Torma, University of Minnesota

Federal Policy Update: Insights from DC
Stone | Track: Policy
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Please join us for a session that will discuss the varied and busy education agenda in Washington. The Department of Education has recently released regulations regarding major issues of importance to the distance and adult education community. Congressional leadership in both chambers have announced legislation for restructuring the Higher Education Act (HEA) and other higher ed initiatives. We’ll walk you through what to watch and what has been going on. Hear from legal and policy experts on a host of issues in governance and regulation.

• Chris Murray, Thompson Coburn
• Jordan DiMaggio, UPCEA

Moderator: Jay Hatcher, Wiley

Improving the Human Experience with AI
Commonwealth C | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
Meeting the changing and diverse needs of today’s students has become increasingly challenging and requires our creative attention. Student behavior and expectations have changed dramatically in recent years, leaving many institutional leaders struggling to find ways to connect with and support their students. Students have been “swiping” and “pinching” screens their whole lives.  In fact, many of them probably swiped before they crawled. It’s no surprise they don’t want to read emails, answer phone calls, or wait in line! In this session, you will learn how we can leverage the very technology they love to improve our ability to predict and meet student needs while also improving our ability to build strong trusting relationships - on a human scale.

• Karen Ferguson, Colorado State University Global Campus
• Mary Frances Coryell, Ivy.ai

Moderator: Gary Matkin, University of California, Irvine

International Perspectives on Learning Experiences for Lifelong learners: Monterrey and Hong Kong
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation | Tag: Policy
In this collaborative session, leaders from two institutions will showcase specific initiatives which have successfully addressed learner access and outcomes, with a particular emphasis on learning design. For Tecnológico de Monterrey, design architecture for learning experiences has had a cathartic response on program design, and the preliminary results of the application of a delivery model (INSPIRA) will be shared. In the instance of HKUSPACE, which serves a uniquely compact, urban location, the implementation of government initiatives for Vocational and Professional Education (VPET) for this region (the Greater Bay Area, or GBA), alongside a growth in learning technologies and quality assurance will be addressed. Additionally, presenters will conclude with analysis of future trends and suggest ways in which collaboration with North American institutions could be a fruitful initiative.

• Maria del Carmen Temblador, Tecnologico de Monterrey
• William Lee, The University of Hong Kong
• John Cribbin, The University of Hong Kong

Moderator: Sandra Janusch, University of Washington

Linking Academic Program to Workforce Development and Economic Growth Through Community-Based Design
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Case Study | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
This session will explore modes of connecting with local communities in order to drive academic program relevance and value. In a year-long project, a team of faculty, staff, and students at a private research institution used a design process of research and prototyping to understand and then design for their local community’s workforce development and economic growth. This session will examine specific aspects of their work, including how their community was defined, approached, and assessed; how the research team of students, faculty and staff was composed and operated; the learning that has resulted from the discovery and synthesis phases of the project, thus far.  Characteristics of St. Louis include large areas of extreme poverty, slow population growth, and unusually large black-white income differentials. Continuing education programs in the region are challenged to provide adequate educational advising, opportunities for immediate skillbuilding that can be translated into viable work, credentialing, and ways to advance communications and collaboration applications necessary for advancement. A user-centered research and prototyping process has become a viable way to build programs designed to address some of these challenges.

• Heather Corcoran, Washington University in St. Louis
• Patricia Matthews, Washington University in St. Louis

Moderator: George Calderaro, Columbia University

Optimize Recruitment Efforts: How to Create and Foster Collaborative Relationships for Enrollment Growth
Commonwealth AB | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Foundational | Format: Workshop | Tag: Best in Show Super
In 2018, Ball State University purchased an institution-wide admissions CRM, Slate. This system required us to step outside of the box and think about how we engaged with prospects as well as how we collaborated with internal partners. Our Ball State Online marketing and learner experience teams did more than just collaborate. We interacted daily to develop a communications, training, and recruitment model. Not only did we implement a new system, we revolutionized the way we worked together for the greater goal: optimizing recruitment efforts to grow student enrollment. During this session, we will discuss lessons learned such as prioritizing collaboration, building a recruitment marketing foundation, defining short-term and long-term goals, and being flexible to make adjustments along the way. Attendees will use what we learned to evaluate their current processes and craft their own recruitment models.

• Erin Drennan-Bonner, Ball State University
• Carolyn Duncan, Ball State University
• Michelle Morrison, Ball State University

Moderator: Kristin Hrynczuk, Western Michigan University

The “Integrated OPM” (IOPM): How Schools of Professional and Continuing Education Can Power Online Programming University-Wide
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Online higher education is exciting, dynamic, engaging—but often requires outside help to kickstart digital innovation. The integrated OPM (iOPM) explores the powerful middle ground between totally DIY and fully outsourced strategies. How can schools of Professional and Continuing Education leverage third-party partnerships to fuel their own internal capacity-growth and scale high-quality online programs? What tools and resources do they need to position their staff for success? Through my work producing and scaling online degree programs with dozens of top-tier universities over the last decade, I’ve identified some of the major challenges, pitfalls and successful strategies associated with excellent online higher education. This session will share how Schools of Professional and Continuing Education can leverage a combination of in-house teams and third-party resources to construct a thriving internal online ecosystem, in a model called iOPM.

• John Katzman, Noodle Partners
• Karen Sibley, Brown University

The Nuts and Bolts of Non-Credit Operations
Marina III-IV | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Sharing their years of experience, join the Non-Credit Vice Chairs from several networks as they discuss the nuts and bolts of non-credit operations. They will share their process for budgeting/determining breakeven for new non-credit programs, compensating instructors, and pricing. They will talk you through partnership and network building as well as the work they do to identify topics and market them in a way that attracts learners. Whether you are new to non-credit programming or a veteran looking for ways to improve your operations, you won’t want to miss this session!

• Sandra von Doetinchem, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa
• Christopher Cellars, University of Washington
• Annette Webb, University of California, Irvine
• Lynda Wilson, California State University, Dominguez Hills
• Amy Ginder, University of Nevada Reno

Moderator: J. Kim McNutt, California State University, Dominguez Hills

UPCEA Trail Stops hosted during Networking Break

Taking its cue from Boston’s historical journey, a “Freedom Trail” presentation is an opportunity to host a thematic conversation at a metaphorical “stop.” Supported by each of the six UPCEA Networks—affinity groups for the areas of practice that make up professional, continuing, and online education, these informal conversations are hosted around a specific topic in the Exhibit Hall during one of the various 30-minute Networking Breaks during the conference, offering a chance for engaging, thoughtful conversation between attendees and presenters. This experimental format is particularly designed to provide opportunities for attendees to expand both their professional knowledge as well as their individual networks, in low-risk, engaging, and likely small group dialogues.

Creating an Innovation & Entrepreneurship Program for an International Audience
Galleria | Track: International
Level: Applied | Format: Freedom Trail | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
In preparation for the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Congress, participants in the two (2)-one week in-country sessions (in Bahrain) learned cutting edge innovation and entrepreneurship ideas and practices through hands-on activities and discussions in a classroom environment promoting creativity and learning.  The primary goal of the course was to develop the entrepreneurial mindset. Learning objectives for the course included developing competency in the use of the Business Model Canvas, utilizing lean startup methodologies to further develop business ideas and implementing design thinking to promote innovation.The second component of the "Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program" consisted of a two-week experience at the U.S. campus of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, PA.  This unique innovation and entrepreneurship session was specifically designed for Bahrain's most promising young entrepreneurs.  This intensive learning experience exposed Bahraini innovators and entrepreneurs to a wide range of thinking and focused on how government and industry can work together to promote the entrepreneurial mindset.   The program included trips to local business incubators, accelerator programs, and venture capital firms in Allentown, as well as Philadelphia, a major metropolitan hub of innovation

• Joseph Kornfeind, Muhlenberg College

• Jane Hudak, Muhlenberg College

Moderator: Marissa Lombardi, Education First

 

The Syracuse University Orange Online Toolkit: Your Window to Online Student Success
Galleria | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Applied | Format: Workshop
This interactive workshop will explore the Syracuse University Orange Online Toolkit, a relevant and up-to-date catalog of resources and onboarding for online students, housed within the learning management system. The session will explore the goals of the Toolkit at its inception, how it has evolved over time, and strategies within the Toolkit to empower student success in the online environment.

• Liz Green, Syracuse University

Moderator: Jack Rodenfels, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Ready, Set…Wait—Are They Ready? Helping students verify their prerequisite preparedness
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
One of the strengths of Harvard Division of Continuing Education (DCE) students is that they hail from all walks of life and locations in the world, sharing a classroom (physical or virtual), engaging together with  rigorous coursework, and learning from each other’s unique experiences and backgrounds. With those strengths come challenges: some may overestimate their preparedness for a particular course, and other may avoid a course because of a prerequisite listed in the syllabus, not knowing they could probably get up to speed over a weekend. Incomplete, overly broad, or ambiguous prerequisites make the situation even more challenging. In this session, presenters showcase strategies and practices that course designers, program directors, and administrators are implementing to help students feel prepared and makeinformed choices at the start of their courses. We will share some successful (and not-so-successful) approaches taken for working with faculty to clarifytheir prerequisites, create self-assessments that give students immediate feedback on their readiness for a course, nd recommend options to students based on the results.

• Kerry Foley, Harvard University
• Ethan Contini-Field, Harvard University
• Adeeb Syed, Harvard University

Moderator: Michele Long, University of Denver

Actionable Results from the 2020 UPCEA Marketing Study
Commonwealth AB | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
As new marketing technologies evolve and competition for the learner increases, strategies for resourcing marketing efforts has become increasing complex—demanding better metrics in order to make strategic decisions. UPCEA surveyed its membership in late 2019 to better understand and refine those critical metrics, including what is better done in-house or outsourced, uses of social media and paid search, actual metrics in use (CPC, CPL, lead source, lead quality, open rates, etc.) for funnel development, use of marketing automation (or not), and how might information be distributed within the unit. This presentation will also have a reflection from marketing and programmatic leaders in the field, as well as engage the audience on their interpretation and next steps in terms of research dissemination.

• Jessica Dupont, Oregon State University

Moderator: Jim Fong, UPCEA

Building Your Network: Upping Your Professional Profile and Creating a Personal Board of Directors
Commonwealth C | Track: Career Development
Level: Foundational | Format: Workshop
A new offering in the Career Development series hosted at UPCEA Annual Conferences, this hybrid session combines the overarching concepts around what it means to build a professional profile with the deep dive of taking one very specific next step: building a personal board of directors to help guide your career path. Learn about the inflection points that senior leaders have tapped to grow their own networks, and key steps you can take today to create the career opportunities you want for yourself, your teams, and your organization. Participants will also be guided through a process of identifying and utilizing a complementary group of advisors, champions and advocates—an intentional group of people you consult with regularly for advice and feedback.

• Mary Angela Baker, Salisbury University
• Andrew Drotos, University of San Diego

Moderator: Amy Heitzman, UPCEA

How Optimizing Processes Will Help You Get the Most out of Your People and Technology
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Strategic | Format: Case Study
In this session learn valuable insights you can gain by understanding your processes, developing a plan to improve points of friction, and create greater cohesion across an entire unit or between functional areas. The Collge of Extended & International Education (CEIE) at California State University, Dominguez Hills, undertook an effort to map its work processes to create greater business continuity, identify areas for process improvement, and prepare for the imminent launch of a new technology implementation. CEIE identified 40 positions that represent the essential work being completed by its employees, then invited a third party to map the work that is carried out in each position, what processes are used to support that work, and where hand-on and hand-off points create greater business continuity by allowing for easier coverage when an employee is out, is promoted, re-assigned, or is separated from the organization.

• Kim McNutt, California State University, Dominguez Hills
• Guy Felder, SpurCG

Moderator: Teri Markle, University of Denver

Creating Pipelines for US Government Educational Programs in the Middle East
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Foundational | Format: Case Study | Tag: Policy
The U.S. Government funds a wide array of educational programs around the world, and many of these programs have different histories, stated goals and funding agencies. This presentation explores efforts that have been made to link these programs in a coherent way to produce pipelines for learners and to meet educational, development and public diplomacy goals. The cases used will include the work in Egypt of the American University in Cairo and Bard College programs in the Palestinian West Bank, with a focus on the English Access Microscholarship program and Education USA (both funded by the State Department) at the pre-college level, compared to the Access scholarships to Al Quds Bard and the Higher Education Initiative in Egypt (both funded by the US Agency for International Development). The presentation assesses the difficulties in aligning program goals with different agencies, constituencies and implementers, and the ways in which these challenges are informed by continuing education efforts in both cases (and how implementing these programs over time changes how these institutions conceive of their own continuing education mission and goals—and develop new capacity around that expanded mission).

• James Ketterer, The American University in Cairo

Moderator: Jorge Zumaeta, Florida International University

Kitchen Sink: What Does Yours Include?
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Policy
Continuing, Professional, and Online Education units continually evolve to keep pace with changing demands and environments. Markets change, technologies change, educational pathways change, even missions change. All these and more require CE units to adjust, and often reorganize. The range of options available, including credit, non-credit, face to face, online, professional education, corporate partnerships, conferences, summer session, OPMs, microcredentials, badges, etc., and how they all interact, make the organizational choices even more challenging. How you decide, and the choices you make, will impact your ability to meet the needs of your current and future learners.Three leaders from Universities with large portfolios that continue to restructure, take on new roles, and adapt to changing competitive environments will discuss organizational change. They will share their experiences reorganizing their units and discuss the challenges and opportunities that organizational change provides. This session will consist of a brief overview from the panelists and include a lively Q&A session for all attendees to ask questions and share their experiences.

• Lisa Templeton, Oregon State University
• Bob Stine, University of Minnesota
• Lisa Verma, Louisiana State University

Moderator: Angel Pettit, MindEdge

Foundations of Juvenile Justice: Linking the University, Community, and Workforce
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation | Tag: Policy
This session will examine the cross-systems approach to juvenile justice reform in New Jersey, the development of Rutgers University’s innovative professional education offerings under the Program in Juvenile Justice and Youth Development, and the ways in which conference participants can understand and contribute to systems reform. In 2020, Rutgers University will launch a professional certificate program in Juvenile Justice and Youth Development, developed through the interdisciplinary training model of the Program in Juvenile Justice and Youth Development with funding from the NJ Governor’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Committee   and Juvenile Justice Commission. This session will highlight the community-based approach of multiple stakeholders to develop professional training curriculum, and the steps that New Jersey has taken towards a more  effective system of juvenile justice.

• Kenneth Karamichael, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
• Sara Nolan, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey

Moderator: Kelly Newell, Washington State University

The Future of Work is Now: Alternative Finance Ecosystems for Educating Today’s Workforce
Stone | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Case Study | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Most universities are not moving quickly enough to address the need for upskilling and career advancement among working adults. Financing is a major barrier facing students seeking alternative education experiences such as non-credit certificates and stackable credentials. An alternative financial ecosystem is needed to enable financing for adult learners from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds to access essential upskilling and reskilling education.This interactive session will use learner scenarios to present two models where university CE units have taken the initiative to shape the Future of Work and address challenges – including tuition affordability – facing our workers and economies. Ryerson University will share a simulation of the implementation and delivery of a CE-run Learn and Earn Hub, which offers a financing alternative for non-credit workforce upskilling. University of Richmond provides another solution through its partnership with Climb Credit: using alternative financing as a tool to increase access, affordability and enrollments in non-credit professional courses.

• Anne-Marie Brinsmead, Ryerson University
• Lisa Fanjoy, Ryerson University
• Alex Ferworn, Ryerson University
• Garrett Stern, University of Richmond
• Raza Munir, Climb
• Heidi Freund, Climb

Moderator: Aaron Sinkar, University of Texas

Research Roundtables
Marina III-IV
Level: Applied | Format: Roundtable
Research Roundtables are table-based, small-group, guided discussions about a specific and timely topic, question, or issue facing professional, continuing, or online education. During one, 60-minute concurrent session, multiple Research Roundtable presenters share their experiences and ideas and promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective tables’ attendees.

Moderator: Janice Sitzes, North Carolina State University

A Case Study in the Outsourcing of Online Learning Through OPM Partnerships
This session will discuss the findings of a recent case study of a private research university using multiple OPMs to outsource online learning. Through this session, participants will understand the experiences of higher education practitioners engaged in OPM partnerships, the factors that lead to the outsourcing of online learning, and how online learning becomes an institutional practice.

• Evan Silberman, New York University

Promises to Keep: How Institutional Branding Aligns with the Adult Learner Experience
Do the brand promises of your institution align with the actual student experience? Join Victoria O'Malley, the senior director of marketing and communications at the University of Denver's college of continuing education, as she discusses her doctoral research exploring the brand promises made to adult learners pursuing online graduate degree programs, and how those promises align with the reality of the student experience.

• Victoria O'Malley, University of Denver
  

How Do We Leverage the Intelligent Machine? a Case Study of How Artificial Intelligence Changes the Definition of Educational Success
What are the barriers to preventing higher and continuing education from enjoying the benefits of A.I.? One obstacle is the traditional educational setting, wherein learners had to be at the same place, at the sametime to receive a lecture, and then to complete paper-pencil exams. Accordingly, in this former model, performance type rewards (e.g., score or letter grades), had a paramount role as the sorting mechanism. But cost-saving technologies in the areas of content dissemination (e.g., online lessons) and assessment (e.g., adaptive assessment) have removed the time and space constraints allowing ALL learners to achieve mastery at different completion times. This session will present a case where an instructor uses an A.I. approach within this modern educational setting. The goal of A.I. within this setting is to encourage critical thinking by activating the intrinsic reward system, mostly curiosity. At the end of the session, participants will have a framework to adapt to their institutional setting.

• Jose Vazquez, University of Illinois

Regional Workforce: Helping Contemporary Learners Develop Career-Readiness Skills
Contemporary learners juggle multiple priorities, which can limit their participation in co-curricular experiences. This session discusses career-related attributes undergraduate students gained through experiential learning opportunities offered at business incubators. The findings from a multi-site case study involving higher education institutions and business incubators suggest that these active and applied learning opportunities helped students develop the career-related skillsets desired by employers. The study’s focus was not whether students were interested in becoming an entrepreneur, but instead on how these realistic experiences helped students prepare for a career.Key findings from this research included the importance of career-relevant experiences, opportunities to explore potential career paths, resume differentiators, soft skills development, and accelerated work experiences.This discussion brings to the forefront co-curricular and experiential learning opportunities to help ensure accessibility for diverse groups of students, such as working learners and off-campus/online students. Contemporary students oftentimes have jobs to help them ‘get by’, but they do not relate to their intended career field. As a result, they have limited opportunities to develop the necessary career-related skills needed in the workforce.

• Luanne Mayorga, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University

Relationship Management - Communication Campaign
Do you communicate effectively with stakeholders and campus partners? Do you know what information they need and are you receiving needed information from them? What do you do to interact with them? Is there an actual plan or is it more ad-hoc and on their terms? CSU Online is re-working our relational campaign, we will share with you what ours is, our thoughts, and research and we would like you to do the same.

• Alysha Tarantino, Colorado State University Online

Taking Experiential Learning to Scale: Challenges and Trade-Offs in Implementing Virtual Internships
Virtual internships are a model of project-based experiential learning in which students are matched with sponsors from industry to work on projects drawn from the sponsor’s real-world business context. This presentation uses case studies from an NSF-funded research study to illuminate the trade-offs between maximizing learning benefits and streamlining for scalability, and to present a variety of implementation strategies tailored for particular desired outcomes.

• Andrea Humez, Northeastern University

Student Engagement: Student and Instructor Insights
This presentation provides insights gathered by surveying online instructors and students at a large public institution in the Midwest about discussion forums and other learner engagement activities in their online classes. Key concepts include ways to enhance student learning in the online environment including making the discussion forum an interactive space using tools such as Panopto and VoiceThread and using Zoom for small group and other collaborative work. Examples of discussion forum rubrics and quality discussion contributions are also given. Main ideas to be covered include the instructional strategy of discussion forum use in online classes, how discussion forums and other learner engagement activities influence the online experience, perceived usability of the discussion forum in Canvas, and learner preferences for engagement strategies (video, discussion forums, social media, etc.) in an online class.

• Terrie Nagel, University of Missouri

• Cyndie McCarley, Oregon State University Ecampus

Business and Operations Network Meeting Spotlight: Critical Conversations: Deep Dives into Special Topics
Grand Ballroom D
Level: Applied | Format: Network Meeting Spotlight
Using the “World Café” format, a flexible approach to hosting interactive, guided small-group discussions, table hosts will facilitate brief but deep conversations on a handful of topics imperative to the practice of Business & Operations in professional, continuing, and online education. Attendees will each select two of four topics, participating in a round of discussion around each, with a short period of time for transition between topics/tables. At the end of each round, the table host will present key points from each discussion; results from all table-based conversations will be shared with the whole group for a brief, collective discussion, that will be used to inform the plan of work for the Business & Operations Network in the coming year.

• Nicole Westrick, Temple University

• Lyla Garner, Mississippi State University

• Teri Markle, University of Denver

Moderator: Nicole Westrick, Temple University

 

Community and Economic Engagement Network Meeting Spotlight: The 60-Year Curriculum: Lifelong Learning in the Digital Economy
Marina I
Level: Strategic | Format: Newtork Meeting Spotlight | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
The “60 Year Curriculum” is a response to the emerging global economy’s profound challenge to higher education. Meeting this challenge requires integrating instructional, advising, career development, and alumni services that impart the resilience and enable the upskilling necessary for job growth and career change in yet to be invented fields.Degrees, certificates, or other credentials must be adapted and administered to satisfy both employer and personal needs. This novel array of services must be available to young people and adults who, in most cases, cannot partake of a full-time academic experience, but learn in the workplace, in episodic formal instruction, and in daily life.

• Chris Dede, Harvard University

• John Richards, Harvard University

• Henry Leitner, Harvard University

Moderator: Ursula Bechert, University of Pennsylvania

International Network Meeting Spotlight: Power the Use of Data to Optimize your International Recruitment Strategy
Grand Ballroom E
Level: Applied | Format: Newtork Meeting Spotlight
Finding the best-fit student for your University in a fast-changing world is not an easy task. Students have more options than ever and easy access to information. What are you currently doing to have a global impact? Learn how universities use valuable data to develop digital marketing strategies to promote their programs and discover the most suitable candidates for them.

• Martha Jordan, Studyportals

• Gregg Charron, Boston University

Moderator: Brian Cook, California State University, East Bay

 

Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services Network Meeting Spotlight: Preparing for Strategic Growth: A Case Study of Peer Evaluation as a Tool for Marketing Unit Transformation
Commonwealth AB
Level: Applied | Format: Newtork Meeting Spotlight
The University of Wisconsin’s Integrated Communications Unit (IMC) organized an external review panel of marketing and communications executives from several well-known, deeply online, public institutions to provide an objective assessment of the unit’s  strategy, staffing, structure, processes, and culture. In this brief but deep case study, presenters will share tools and resources, key insights, and lessons learned during the process, as well as the transformative effects of the evaluation– from a significant restructuring and staffing effort to a major rebranding campaign for the unit and the division.

• Maya Evans, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Donna Gastevich, University of Wisconsin-Madison

• Kelly Fellerman, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Moderator: Victoria O'Malley, University of Denver

Online Administration Network and the eDC Network Meeting Spotlight: Re-building the Plane While Flying
Grand Ballroom C
Level: Applied | Format: Newtork Meeting Spotlight
In this session, a maturing CBE program, University of Wisconsin Flexible Option, will share how we have approached fundamental changes to our model in order to scale and sustain our programs. UW Flexible Option has been in existence for more than six years, and has undergone (and will continue to undergo) critical changes that will enable our programs to thrive. We will describe the change management and communication strategies that we have used to drive change, highlighting areas where we have made considerable improvements, as well as preserve time for audience questions.

• Aaron Brower, University of Wisconsin-Extended Campus

• Laura Kite, University of Wisconsin-Extended Campus

Moderator: Asim Ali, Auburn University

 

Program Planning and Implementation Network Meeting Spotlight: Advanced Skills Analysis to Better Connect Learners and Employers
Marina III-IV
Level: Applied | Format: Network Meeting Spotlight | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Until recently, it has been difficult to properly compare taught, obtained, and sought skills, and this lack of a common skills language has made it difficult to proficiently train learners for the dynamic workplace. During this deep dive, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) and Emsi will discuss how the adoption of an open skills library can help teams create program offerings that are better aligned with in-demand skills. Emsi will provide details on its open skills initiative and explain how this project has the opportunity to benefit learners, higher ed, and in general, the efficiency of the labor market. SNHU will review its latest skills-based research, how these findings help determine program offerings and curriculum, and the regional aspect of these studies.

• Brian Fleming, Southern New Hampshire University

• Kelly Bailey, Emsi

Moderator: Ing Phansavath, University of California, Los Angeles

Leveraging Technology for Online Student Engagement and Building Institutional Affinity: The OSSE Initiative
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Online Administration
Level: Foundational | Format: Case Study
In the 2004-2005 academic year, only 9% of our enrollments were virtual. Today, approximately 91% of our individual course registrations are in virtual modalities, accounting for over 79,000 individual course registrations on an annual basis.  The drastic change in our enrollments created a need for a transformation in the way we operate and provide support to our students and other stakeholders. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide views the solution to creating an immersive experience and a sense of belonging to be holistic in nature and no one technology initiative can occur in isolation and meet the multiple needs of our students. Therefore, we have implemented several technology-based solutions and enhanced support structure to address the needs of our students through a holistic virtual initiative. These immersive solutions include the incorporation of virtual labs into courses through a centralized virtual hub, a virtual new student orientation, a Student Resource Course, virtual new student on-boarding, and a virtual community.

• Jason Ruckert, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Brian Crose, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Moderator: Mary Niemiec, University of Nebraska

Building an Extended Campus:  Transforming Extended and Online Education for the Future of San Antonio
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Applied | Format: Case Study | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
The “Decade of Downtown,“ as proclaimed by former mayor Julian Castro in 2010, has positioned University of Texas at San Antonio at the heart of a rapidly increasing number of businesses and workers in San Antonio’s downtown, giving the university an opportunity to rebrand and provide unique programs and opportunities. This session will examine how UTSA is creating an extended campus in collaboration with colleges, schools, centers, and the San Antonio community at large to further impact the city by increasing the numberand range of programs to support workers to advance in their current jobs, or to enable those without a college degree to finish and successfully compete for better paying jobs or new careers.  The presentation and discussion will focus on the opportunities and challenges of rebranding and creating an enlivened new direction for building new programs in a competitive market.

• Melissa Vito, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Lisa Blazer, University of Texas at San Antonio
• Suzana Diaz-Rosencrans, University of Texas at San Antonio

Moderator: Elizabeth Stoner, Eastern Michigan University

Digital Dependency: Emerging from a Cyber Attack
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Strategic | Format: Case Study | Tag: Policy
New Mexico Highlands University (NMHU) experienced a cyber-attack on October 9, 2019.  The scale and impact was institution-wide; our entire technology environment was down, and we were not as prepared as we thought. Emergency planning is typically thought of in terms such as active shooter, natural disasters, fire, etc. Should the operations of your digital platforms be considered in that category? How dependent is your organization on technology? How would you respond if your digital presence were down for multiple days, maybe even weeks? This case study will explore NMHU’s response to cyber-attack and how the university and local communities, vendor partners, and higher education community pulled together to recover. The experience has resulted in NMHU reviewing their emergency response activities, communications protocols, establishment of priorities, preventative measures, and overall use of technology at NMHU moving forward.

• Roxanne Gonzales, New Mexico Highlands University
• Joe Gieri, New Mexico Highlands University

Moderator: Brad Hamel, Northern Michigan University

Evolving our Credentialing Ecosystems for the Future of Work
Commonwealth C | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
While universities have made increasing numbers of credentials available to learners in recent years, the university credentialing ecosystem has evolved little over the last century while the world around us has evolved at an exponential pace. A leap forward in our alignment of credentials with modern societal needs is needed to verify learning, skills, and competencies. Adapting to the future of work demands evolved postsecondary credentialing ecosystems, built on responsiveness to change and learner-centricity. Employers are trying to address significant skills gaps, but learners are unable to communicate the value of their qualifications leading to under-employment and unemployment. This “Quiet Crisis,” requires universities to act now to develop and deliver learning opportunities that transparently lead to competencies and job skills that help learners achieve their career goals and advocate for a national strategy to support these learners. Fundamentally, credentialing ecosystems need to evolve to serve the needs of lifelong learners and employers. As the economy and labor market continue to evolve, the need for a unified credentialing ecosystem will only amplify. A paradigm shift is needed to ensure postsecondary institutions remain at the center of credentialing. And it’s the role of continuing and professional education leaders to drive this shift. This presentation will highlight the need for diversified, integrated, transparent credentials, including digital credentials. Recognizing the specific roles of government bodies, employers, and educational institutions, the presenters will highlight the work that’s already happening to create credential transparency and clarity, and share their insights on the work still to come in evolving our credentialing ecosystems.

• Amrit Ahluwalia, The EvoLLLution
• Tracey Taylor-O'Reilly, York University
• Jeanne Kitchens, Credential Engine

Moderator: Stephanie Platteter, University of Minnesota

Future-Proof: Reimagining Student Affairs for Modern Learners
Stone | Track: Policy
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Student affairs has existed for nearly 150 years—and in that time, the field has come a long way, growing and evolving to reflect the times and the students being served. While strides have been made with many traditionally underrepresented populations, others, including working adults and online learners, are still not well served. Yes, there are examples of excellence in adult/online student affairs, but they are usually siloed within subdivisions of the institution. Also, there is a depth to traditional student affairs that hasn't been fully replicated online. How, then, do we bring both sides together and make truly inclusive student support available to all? To tackle this question, UPCEA has joined forces with NASPA, InsideTrack and other leading higher education organizations to drive national dialog and action on advancing inclusion in student support. Join us for a lively discussion driven by insights from a whitepaper recently published by the group. Also provide your input on how to maximize the reach and impact of this important initiative.

• David Schejbal, Marquette University
• Heather Huling, Old Dominion University
• Amy Shackelford, InsideTrack

Moderator: Melissa Feuer, George Washington University

Leveraging Strategic Partners and Market Research to Build your Enrollment Funnel
Commonwealth AB | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation
Through strategic partnerships learn how two institutions are building the needed support infrastructure and expanding their portfolios by working with the EAB and Blackboard Student Services respectively. Columbia University School of Professional Studies and Blackboard Student Services will discuss how they positioned for growth and developed a strategic plan to scale online programs in an increasingly competitive and demanding market. Muhlenberg College Division of Graduate and Continuing Education with the assistance of the EAB are applying market research findings of the future of graduate education to inform strategies to grow graduate programs in a highly competitive market. Topics addressed include actionable, innovative digital marketing and enrollment best practices for the online and continuing education space, as well as tactics to recruit students with highly personalized and data-driven marketing at scale.

• Debbie Lambert, Columbia University
• Jessica Sheehan, Student Services by Blackboard
• AJ Lemheney, Muhlenberg College
• Kevin Shriner, EAB

Moderator: Cynthia Perez, New York University

Managing OPMs and Third-Party Providers to Increase Capacity to Build Online Student Success
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Online Program Management (OPM) can be a dirty word in some circles in higher education. In a 2019 Inside Higher Education blog post, Joshua Kim and Eddie Maloney have argued for and against the phenomenon of hiring an outside firm to build courses, market them and manage enrollment. This interactive presentation will review best practices associated with managing relationships with OPMs and other third-party vendors, providing participants with several strategies that our institutions have employed, discussing pros and cons of those strategies. In addition, experiences with a pilot project engaging with a provider for course design services at a presenter institution will also be shared and will include conversation around the context that drives this relationship as well as its outcomes.

• S. Raj Chaudhury, University of South Alabama
• Joseph Thomas, Symbiosis Educational Consultants
• Becky Copper, Fitchburg State University

Moderator: Michael Frasciello, Syracuse University

State of the Art of Continuing Education in Latin America
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
We will present the self-assessment survey for CE units developed by the RECLA working group on quality and accreditation and the results from a test run with a non-representative sample of more than 100 universities, most of them in Latin America. The survey results show an interesting panorama of strengths and weaknesses across many dimensions of academic management and shed light on challenges and opportunities in the region. The results also serve as a benchmark for universities across the region to assess their own development against top performers and against the field average. From this perspective, RECLA is using the survey questionnaire to organize a peer consulting service for its members. We will present this program to UPCEA members to build an understanding for the challenges and opportunities in the region. With a more sophisticated image of what is happening in South America, we want to encourage UPCEA members to keep exploring possibilities for cooperation. We will suggest two models of cooperation: Participation in the peer consulting program to help partner universities address their weaknesses, and leveraging the strengths present in Latin American universities to develop mutual programs and improving offers for both university communities. We are looking forward to receiving ideas from the audience for additional cooperation models.

• Margarita Guarello, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
• Markus Lang, RECLA

Moderator: Brian Cook, California State University, East Bay

Program Showcase
Marina III-IV | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
The Program Showcase provides a hybrid session which is part panel presentation, part facilitated conversation. These sessions will allow presenters to share brief information about their respective practice which make it so essential. This will be a panel format, followed by robust, facilitated audience Q&A and/or table-based conversations.

Moderator: Khusro Kidwai, Tarragona Associates

Be a Changemaker for Good: Harvard Kennedy School's New Multi-Tiered Online Program
Please join us to learn more about the Public Leadership Credential (PLC), Harvard Kennedy School’s new online program aimed at mid-career professionals. We will share our goals for PLC, unpack the program’s novel structure, and explore the path through the six online courses toward a credential … and -- for those so inclined -- a non-traditional route into our mid-career master’s in public administration (MC/MPA) degree. We will discuss: ways in which PLC supports the School's mission, engagement with faculty throughout design and delivery, our governance structure, learner personas; the tech ecosystem; synergies between this program, our degree programs, and our executive education offerings. We are happy to answer any questions you may have, including but not limited to how we went from idea to live program in two years. (Spoiler alert: It takes a village!)

• Kristen Sullivan, Harvard University

From Technical Training to Digital Transformation—How Universities Are Fast-Tracking Work-Ready Pathways
Continuing Education leaders from across the country are being asked to retool their professional development programs to answer the growing needs practitioners who are engaged in the digital economy. Often that means adding new, highly dynamic programs for high-skilled professionals—managers who require data savviness, business acumen, technology know-how, and problem-solving excellence to enter and thrive in today’s fastest growing careers.  But with your own time crunch, how do you move beyond technology certifications and boot camps and into preparing professionals with the digital mindset they need for the challenging work of technological transformation that’s demanded by top employers?  To address this time-and-talent crunch, leading institutions are forming partnerships. In this session, presenters share keys to forming win-win-win relationships that impact graduates for life.

• Melissa Peraino, Grand Valley State University

• Sara Leoni, GreenFig

Planning Powerful Partnerships
As professional, continuing and online educators seek opportunities to innovate and “do more with less,” identifying partnership opportunities can be a vital and cost-effective way to expand resources and capacity while also forming relationships with local communities and other stakeholders. Thinking creatively about partnership opportunities has been a crucial part of Temple University’s Branching Up (Vocational Certificate in Urban Greening and Sustainable Landcare) program, for example, enabling us to expand our internship program and employment pathways for our students. This UPCEA Talk will focus on how to identify partnership opportunities, some different partnership models, and lessons learned from Temple’s Branching Up partnerships. We’ll also think about partnerships in the context of community engagement, and what we need to do to be effective and sought-after partners.

• Vanessa Williams, Temple University

Professor in Training--Marrying Biotech with Academic Instruction
Mount St. Mary’s University’s Frederick Campus (MD) built a relationship with Leidos BioMedical and the Frederick National Laboratory to create a Professor in Training Program. Facilitating education courses in a cohort fashion, the Mount was able to cross train advanced research scientists with the core necessities to deliver online academic programing through curriculum development and fundamental higher education pedagogy. Essentially, the Mount helped scientists learn how to teach the next generation of researchers and scientists, using their expertise in science and the Mount’s post baccalaureate certificate in Technology Facilitation in the School of Education. This program is part of a partnered relationship with the FNL that allows shared research across both organizations, while creating education pathways outside of FNL’s scope of work. To that end, the Mount has additional opportunities for advanced scientists to take courses outside of their expertise in areas like organizational development, project management, government contracting and, as stated above, pedagogy in curriculum design.

• Andi Overton, Mount St. Mary's University

Network Vice Chair Onboarding Coffee Break
Marina Foyer
For current (2019-20) and incoming (2020-21) Network Vice Chairs for Professional Development, Awards & Recognition, Diversity & Inclusion, and Noncredit. Grab a cuppa and meet up with your fellow Vice Chairs for some informal onboarding with current/incoming volunteer leader and UPCEA staff during this Networking Break.

 

UPCEA Trail Stops hosted during Networking Break

Taking its cue from Boston’s historical journey, a “Freedom Trail” presentation is an opportunity to host a thematic conversation at a metaphorical “stop.” Supported by each of the six UPCEA Networks—affinity groups for the areas of practice that make up professional, continuing, and online education, these informal conversations are hosted around a specific topic in the Exhibit Hall during one of the various 30-minute Networking Breaks during the conference, offering a chance for engaging, thoughtful conversation between attendees and presenters. This experimental format is particularly designed to provide opportunities for attendees to expand both their professional knowledge as well as their individual networks, in low-risk, engaging, and likely small group dialogues.

Texas Tech University Coding Academy: A Collaborative Non-credit Partnership to Respond to  21st Century Needs.
Galleria | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Foundational | Format: Freedom Trail | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
With this session, we would like to discuss the process the Texas Tech University eLearning & Academic Partnerships division went through to develop and successfully launch a non-credit coding academy in our university town of Lubbock, TX, that is now being replicated across our 8 regional sites in Texas. It is an example of a university working with local economic development teams to quickly meet the needs of local business and industry in a way that is outside the norm of traditional higher education but instead is very adaptive and responsive. We will discuss background information, successes, failures, and future ideas and development as well as fielding questions.

• Clay Taylor, Texas Tech University

• Justin Louder, Texas Tech University

Moderator: Khusro Kidwai, Tarragona Associates

 

Expediting Online Program Growth on a Condensed Deadline
Galleria | Track: Online Administration
Level: Foundational | Format: Freedom Trail | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
In fall 2018, University of Kentucky challenged itself to increase access to its academic programs by fall 2019. Despite concerns that “it couldn’t be done,” the initiative inspired a series of events, partnerships, collaborations, and processes never before seen at the university, ultimately resulting in the launch of 20 new online programs for the fall of 2019 and six new online programs that are anticipated to launch the following year. Presenters will share challenges, strategies, successes, and lessons learned, as well as considerations of timelines and the relationships needed to undertake similar initiatives.

• Miranda Hines, University of Kentucky

• Patsy Carruthers, University of Kentucky

Moderator: Ray Schroeder, University of Illinois, Springfield + UPCEA

2020 Recipient of the UPCEA Philip E. Frandson Award for Literature: The Business of Innovating Online
Stone | Track: Online Administration
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation
The Business of Innovating Online responds to a critical need for concrete narratives of innovation success that can serve as a foundation for administrators and leaders who are in need of practical guidance as they scale and grow their online learning organizations. The Business of Innovating Online provides both novice and experienced online education administrators with a comprehensive overview of a range of online innovations, how they came to be created, the components that led to their success, and concrete steps that they can take to create a more innovative culture for their own e-learning organization.

• Katie Linder, Kansas State University
• Karen Pederson, Kansas State University
• Lisa Templeton, Oregon State University

Moderator: Andy Atzert, Adelphi University

Committee Work as an Intentional Professional Development Strategy… No Really!
Commonwealth C | Track: Career Development
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation | Tag: Best in Show Mid-Atlantic
Committees - we’re all on them. So why not try to make them more useful by broadening their scope and weaving in intentional professional development as a goal and activity? This session will provide case studies of committees that in addition to their primary role, provided professional development opportunities for its members through the actual work of the committee. This session provides an adaptable framework, strategies, and examples for doing do.

• Paul Nardone, Misericordia University
• Chris Sax, Maryland University of Integrative Health

Moderator: Kristine Rabberman, University of Pennsylvania

Empowering Students via Digitally-enabled, Work-integrated Experiential Learning

Marina II | Track: International
Level: Foundational | Format: Workshop
This workshop presents innovative digital/online methods for Continuing Education instructors to employ applied project-based learning (APBL) and work-integrated experiential learning (WIEL) in the classroom. APBL and IEL are types of experiential education which integrate a student’s academic studies with a workplace or practice setting, often collaborating directly with an employer while supervised by the instructor. In this hands-on,  participatory workshop, participants will learn about new trends and digital tools in APBL/WIEL, discuss opportunities and pitfalls, and tour a virtual APBL/WIEL library. We will also explore how moving APBL and WIEL online  can enhance inclusion, accessibility and diversity goals, particularly for students from underrepresented groups. During the session, the presenters will also discuss how online project-based learning reduces or eliminates geographical barriers, and how this helps international students as well as students from underrepresented groups.

• Christine Brooks-Cappadocia, York University
• Lisa Fanjoy, Ryerson University

Moderator: Gary Chinn, Pennsylvania State University

Empowering Instructors for Success
Marina III-IV | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Come join us in this active, participatory session where you will explore two highly successful approaches to setting up instructors for success. We begin by sharing the tools and processes developed by the University of Washington for finding, selecting, and coaching instructors in PCE programs. Next, we discuss developing engaging and accessible student-learning experiences that align with course learning objectives and meet quality assurance standards (Quality Matters). These data-driven activities, developed by the instructional design team at the University of Iowa, received the OLC Effective Practice Award, 2019. This session will equip you with a toolkit of straightforward, simple best practices to make your instructors more effective and your students more successful.

• Peter Wallis, University of Washington
• Paul Del Piero, University of Washington
• Amy Oberfoelll, University of Iowa
• Isandra Martinez-Marrero, University of Iowa
• Dan Dao, University of Iowa
• Susan Bailey, University of Iowa

Moderator: Mary Loeffelholz, Northeastern University

Key Ingredients for Designing a Successful Destiny
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
Destiny One project implementation marked a new era at The Chang School of Continuing Education at Ryerson University. The goals of the project were ambitious: 1) replace The Chang School’s website, 2) streamline the enrolment process, and 3) enhance business processes using the cloud platform Destiny One. Comprised of representatives from The Chang School, Registrar’s Office, Computing and Communications Services, and Financial Services, the project team demonstrated highly effective teamwork, communication and innovation. In addition to creating an award winning, user-friendly Chang School website, the project vastly improved the student experience. The project’s success is owed to this team’s exceptional demonstration of cross-functional collaboration.This session will guide the audience through the process of phased implementation approach and benefits that such approach provided for our learners, the project team members, and support staff. In this session, the participants will learn how to successfully design and implement a communication strategy and communication plan with a focus on promoting awareness, understanding, acceptance, and commitment to the project’s solution and execution activities. The presenters will share best practices identified for project implementation to enable information sharing and knowledge transfer among project team members, champions and supporters. The presenters will take the attendees through the project steps, discuss opportunities and challenges that this project presented, and outline an actionable roadmap for successful implementation of a project of this scale and complexity.

• Branka Halilovic, Ryerson University
• Debbie Wilk, Ryerson University

Moderator: Rodney Tosten, Gettysburg College

Navigating Institutional and Corporate Demands with the Shift in Higher Education
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
With rapidly changing technology and vastly diminished half-lives of career skills, how do continuing education schools act as the bridge between traditional education models and corporate workforce development demands? It is critical for these constituencies to collaborate closely to identify innovations to research, and deploy sound pedagogical innovations to meet the breadth of the skills gap. To ensure not only the success of students, the workforce, and corporations but also maintain the vital role of higher education, continuing studies schools must have a comprehensive understanding of community and corporate needs and develop nimble, effective and targeted solutions.  This presentation will demonstrate how two institutions are working with community and corporate partners to assess the needed skills, and collaborate with established university departments to expand their offerings. Specific initiatives include working with Rice’s unique “Data to Knowledge” program teaching corporations to tackle big data problems; providing continuing education to corporate partners of Houston’s new innovation district, The Ion; and providing upskill education to city of Houston’s workforce. Also included are case studies of UWC2’s long-term partnership with Boeing, and new initiatives to collaborate with Microsoft, Amazon, Tableau, and the Othello-UW Commons. All of these efforts are designed to keep today’s workforce competitive and lead the change in continuing education.

• Mary Lynn Fernau, Rice University
• Sandra Janusch, University of Washington

Moderator: Pat Malone, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Practical Strategies for Analyzing Noncredit Program Partnerships with Educational/Marketing Vendors
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Workshop | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
This workshop is designed mainly for noncredit program administrators to assist them with strategic decision-making about whether to fully deliver a program internally or whether to outsource some or all of the necessary program components. Negotiating with education and marketing vendors is a large part of our work, as each decision must balance considerations of brand, quality, fairness, finances, staff resources, and more. What revenue split is fair?  What is fair after considering the program’s costs in time and effort, and considering its net revenue?  What revenue split is appropriate in considering the alternative approach of creating and managing a new program from scratch? This workshop will provide participants a pragmatic template and case study that they can use to evaluate their own new program possibilities.

• Kai Degner, James Madison University
• Thea Litchfield Campbell, James Madison University

Moderator: Ing Phansavath, University of California, Los Angeles

Social Proof and Feedback Loops: How Student Stories Can Drive Ongoing Growth
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Foundational | Format: Case Study | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Harvard Medical School launched HMX Fundamentals, a series of online certificate courses on medical topics, to the public in 2017, aiming toattract students preparing for health care careers. Knowing that our brand  the word. Ongoing engagement with students has also provided a steady stream of content and feedback for our small marketing, business development, and even course development teams. This session will provide an overview of the process for finding and developing engaging student stories, including challenges along the way; show how we distribute and target student-centered content across marketing channels, including social  media, email, landing pages, and print collateral; dig into the data on how student stories impact conversions, and how we’re using that information to better understand our audience and drive new enrollment campaigns, and share the benefits of this ongoing student engagement for our growing learner community as well as internal teams.

• Ben Rubenstein, Harvard University

Moderator: Dana Cruikshank, Vision Point Marketing

The Online Student's Needs and Expectations: Are Students and Staff Aligned?
Commonwealth AB | Track: Online Administration
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
UPCEA and InsideTrack have surveyed nearly 6,000 students and 500 staff from 25 participating institutions. Staff and students were asked what support is most important, preferred communication, satisfaction, challenges they face or anticipate and demographics, including the program or area of study and credential they are seeking. The main objective of the study is to better understand whether institutions are in alignment with the needs of the online student and how wide or narrow some gaps might be. Some insights might be drawn based on the demographics of the student, but also on the type of institution or credential sought.

• Jim Fong, UPCEA
• Dave Jarrat, InsideTrack

Moderator: Robert Wagner, Utah State University

Terminal Degree Group Networking Breakfast

Webster Room
Join compatriots over breakfast and gather insights on how to balance the demands of work, family/personal life, and the pursuit of a terminal degree. Whether contemplating the journey or already under way, these informal, table-based, facilitated conversations will help you see your goals to completion and avoid becoming ABD.

• Kelly Newell, Washington State University
  
• Asim Ali, Auburn University
  
• Patricia Szasz, Middlebury Institute of International Studies
  

Moderator: Julie Uranis, UPCEA

Central Regional Meeting
Commonwealth AB
CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, NE, ND, OK, OH, SD, WI; MB, NU, SK
Moderator: Kristin Hrynchuk, Western Michigan University

 

Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting
Grand Ballroom C
DC, DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA, WV; ON
Moderator: Paul Nardone, Misericordia University

 

New England Regional Meeting
Grand Ballroom D
CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT; NB, NL, NS, PE, QC
Moderator: Jazz Jackson, Southern New Hampture University

 

South Regional Meeting
Commonwealth C
AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, PR, SC, TN, TX, VA
Moderator: Monica Yelverton, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

 

West Regional Meeting
Grand Ballroom
AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY; AB, BC, NT, YT
Moderator: Annette Webb, University of California, Riverside

More or Less Centralized: Addressing Distance Education Compliance in University Systems
Grand Ballroom E | Track: Online Administration
Level: Applied | Format: Workshop | Tag: Policy
Who should be taking lead on this? When it comes to regulatory compliance for distance education, this question tends to come up a lot. Presenters for this session will share experiences working in compliance roles in two university systems that have taken different approaches to online education, guiding attendees thorugh a series of compliance response scenarios using ViewPoint^TM, a digital simulation tool. This simulation will send participants on an online program development journey where challenges relating to state authorization, licensure, accessibility, copyright, strategic partnerships, export controls, etc., are presented through engaging and authentic role-playing scenarios. The presenters will use this activity to spark meaningful discussion and reflection on the pros and cons of different compliance strategies, asking participants to consider which approaches would work best at their institutions.

• Richard LaFosse, University of Michigan
• Ilona Hajdu, Indiana University

Moderator: Claudia Farnandez, Appalachian State University

How Small Schools Can Make a Big Impact: Implementing Strategies to Claim a Segment of the Non-traditional Higher Ed Market
Marina III-IV | Track: Marketing, Enrollment, & Student Services
Level: Applied | Format: Presentation | Tag: Noncredit/Alternative Credential
Many small liberal arts schools struggle to keep up with the rapidly evolving landscape of higher education, both in terms of resources needed to react quickly to new market demands, as well as the challenges to brand and the quality of education that growth may pose. In this innovative session, discover how two institutions have taken a stake in the future landscape of higher education. Wellesley College has expanded reach beyond its traditional undergraduate students and launched an Executive Education program focused on the adult learner, developed its first online classes for a broader undergraduate audience, and massively expanded the scale of a pre-college program. Lasell University reorganized its enrollment and advising teams, the results now support a continued relationship with an enrollment coach throughout a student’s tenure, and offers a multitude of academic advising opportunities through the utilization of Starfish, Salesforce, and Handshake. Through these initiatives, which focused on growth while capitalizing on existing and underutilized resources, will allow the mission and unique qualities of these institution to expand to meet today’s demands.

• Chris Gray, Lasell University
• Whitney Kuhnlenz, Lasell University
• Pamela Landis, Wellesley College
• Rob Haley, Wellesley College

Moderator: Jack Rice, Loyola University of Maryland

Achieving Global Outreach and Impact by Breaking the Barriers of Language and the Physical World Through Online & Blended Learning
Marina II | Track: International
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
By eliminating the barriers of language and the physical world via online blended learning in multiple languages, continuing education can expand its global outreach in the Spanish speaking world and transform societies socially--especially impacting women by lowering the STEM gap for the new emerging middle class in parts of Latin America. How are leaders in professional, continuing, and online education driving growth and innovation and creating deeper learning journey’s in our competitive global markets? What are the key opportunities, challenges, and strategies to realize the growth and social impact? This presentation will discuss the history of professional online learning at MIT Professional Education and describe the anatomy of its global learning strategy that builds upon its strengths and brand of mens et manus (mind and hand) learning by doing in order to impact the world for the better—mind/hand/heart.

• Clara Piloto, MIT

Moderator: Elizabeth Valencia-Borgert, St. Cloud State University

Alternative Credentials Research Study Results and Announcing the New UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence in Credential Innovation
Commonwealth AB | Track: Program Planning and Implementation
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
Following UPCEA successful launch of Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership, and Hallmarks of Excellence in Professional and Continuing Education, a national task force recently completed its report on Hallmarks of Excellence in Credential Innovation.  As the marketplace continues to shift, and the demand for alternative credentials (micro-, nano-, stackable) rises, this session will unveil this new framework, led by a panel of members of this task force, along with the results of a recent UPCEA survey of 176 institutions on the role that alternative credentials plays in their portfolio of programs. The survey, sponsored by Mindedge, will share actionable data of those members involved in alternative credentialing efforts, in what areas, and with what results. 

• Jim Fong, UPCEA
• Jay Halfond, Boston University
• Jenni Murphy, California State University, Sacramento
• Rovy Branon, University of Washngton

Moderator: Bob Hansen, University

Changing with the Times: Can Traditional Non-Profit Universities Compete in the World of Mega-Universities
Grand Ballroom D | Track: Business and Operations
Level: Foundational | Format: Presentation
This session examines the competitive pressures faced by traditional, campus-based online and professional education programs in a market dominated by large, private online education providers.  As the market for traditional 18 to 22-year-old students tightens, campuses look toward adult and lifelong learners as a new enrollment and revenue stream. However campus-based programs are not typically as agile and competitive as the online mega-universities, as they face challenges in marketing, recruitment, lead conversion along with competitive scheduling and compensation models. We will consider these challenges from both a public and private non-profit university perspective, and share strategies that have aided these institutions and programs to grow in a highly competitive environment. The presenters will solicit challenges from the audience and also share strategies adopted on their respective campuses to address these challenges.

• Steven Tello, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• Nancy Ludwig, University of Massachusetts Lowell
• John Wells, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Moderator: Eric Turner, Lasell University

Conference as Professional Development: Personal Action Plan, Reflections, Next Steps, Takeaways
Commonwealth C | Track: Career Development
Level: Applied | Format: Workshop
Designed for first-time attendees, this workshop will offer informal ways for participants to reflect on their conference experience, including exploration of personal and professional goals, skill development, and intentional take-aways, with a focus on actionable next steps. Attendees will be guided in small-group conversations around their own highlights from the conference, learn and share strategies for extending their learning and the utility of conference attendance, and encouraged to create an action plan to employ after the event.

• Stevie Rocco, The Pennsylvania State University
• Laurel Hogue, University of Central Missouri
• Greg Milton, Tarragona Associates
• Chelsea McNeely, Southeast Missouri State University

Moderator: Amy Heitzman, UPCEA

Leveraging Internal Structures for Strategic and Sustainable Online Initiatives: Case Studies in Shifting Organization Models and Institutional Revenue Sharing
Grand Ballroom C | Track: Online Administration
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
This session will share two case studies, each highlighting a specific challenge and the strategies undertaken by administrators to align internal structures to support online learning development and delivery. The first case describes how leaders of the digital learning organization at Middlebury undertook a paradigmatic shift from a service to a partner model, with the goal of being positioned to provide leadership in support of the institution’s new strategic framework including an emphasis on developing new online programs. We will share specific examples of how the partner model was infused into faculty professional learning, project work, and instructional design processes, and invite participants to reflect on what their organization would need to drive a similar shift. The second case shares several different internal revenue sharing models used to support the design, development, and delivery of online education at West Virginia University and The Pennsylvania State University. We will explore the pros and cons of each model, while engaging participants in sharing ideas of what an “ideal” revenue sharing model might look like within various institutional contexts.

• Amy Collier, Middlebury College
• Sarah Lohnes Watulak, Middlebury College
• Ann Taylor, The Pennsylvania State University

Moderator: Barbara Macaulay, MCPHS University

NYU Real World: A Degree in "Jobs That Don't Exist, But Will "
Stone | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Strategic | Format: Case Study | Tag: Diversity & Inclusion
We don't know the future of work. What we do know is that right now, today, graduates change careers, not just jobs, four to five times over the course of their working lives. With rapid advances in AI and bio-technologies, entire industries may become obsolete within just a few years. How do we prepare students for jobs that have yet to be invented, entire industries that don’t yet exist? By putting students in the real world. NYU Real World, a flagship initiative at NYU School of Professional Studies, brings in A-list outside organizations from across industries—Instagram, Porsche, Nike, JetBlue, Ace Hotel, ESPN, The Atlantic—who engage directly with students from different degree programs to solve real problems in real time, and with no answer key. Delivered in a flipped-classroom format, the entire process is experiential, collaborative, and competitive. Right and viable solutions get implemented. Real World is now one of the hottest programs at NYU, and a key result: we are producing human beings who graduate immediately ready to navigate new environments they've never encountered before, and solve problems.

• David Hollander, New York University
• Miguel Ortiz-Crane, New York University

Moderator: Scott Weimer, Virginia Tech

Universities Meet Demand for 21st Century Skill Building with The Greater Washington Partnership CoLab: Three Universities, Three Approaches
Marina I | Track: Community and Economic Engagement
Level: Strategic | Format: Presentation
In one of the fastest growing tech regions in the nation, the Washington Capital Region, 14 companies and 12 universities got together to create one of the very first industry-backed, university-aligned Digital Technology Credentials. Targeted specifically at the liberal arts student, this unique collaboration expands the pipeline for tech-savvy talent without drawing on traditional IT and engineering students who already capture a premium in the labor market. This conversation showcases the work of three very different, high-visibility Universities (American University, George Mason University and Georgetown University) and how their Continuing Education divisions adapted to industry needs, delivering the Digital Technologies Credential in three very distinctive ways. This session offers participants a glimpse into how public / private partnerships can work to deliver skills and micro-credentials of the future.

• Jill Klein, American University
• Marc Austin, George Mason University
• Kelly Otter, Georgetown University

Moderator: Eric Bullard, University of California, Los Angeles