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Federal Policy Update: A New Era for Higher Education and the Federal Government
Grand Ballroom D | Business and Operations | Strategic | Tag(s): Policy
As higher education has faced and will face a pivotal year in federal policymaking, this session will examine the latest legislative and regulatory changes shaping the landscape for online and professional continuing education. Join national policy experts for an in-depth review of recent and anticipated developments—from Title IV regulations and financial aid changes to accreditation standards, workforce funding initiatives, and emerging compliance requirements coming from recent negotiated rulemaking. Designed for senior administrators and policy leaders, this strategic-level discussion will explore the practical implications for U.S. universities, providing the context, analysis, and foresight you need to align institutional priorities with the new era of federal engagement in higher education.
- Jordan DiMaggio, UPCEA
- Bridget Beville, University of Phoenix
Moderator: Corina Caraccioli, Louisiana State University
Realities Re-Imagined: How Universities are Thriving Through Reassessment
Churchill C1 | Business and Operations | Strategic |
The landscape of higher education is shifting rapidly, demanding bold reassessment of how institutions deliver value, serve learners, and remain sustainable. Enrollment challenges, shifting demographics, AI, alternative credentials, and new competitors are reshaping realities once thought fixed. This panel brings together higher education leaders who have embraced reassessment as a catalyst for thriving. Panelists will share practical strategies for rethinking tuition models, online and hybrid portfolios, workforce education, student engagement, and organizational structures. Attendees will gain candid insights into what works, what doesn’t, and leave with strategies to re-imagine operations, partnerships, and learner-centered pathways aligned with the future of work.
- Brian Harfe, University of Florida
- Melissa Mahan, The University of Texas at San Antonio
- Nico Rose, University of Florida
Moderator: Abby Wernicki, CSU Global
The Senior CE Leader As CEO: Positioning and Practicality
Churchill B2 | Business and Operations | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
It’s been said (often with much angst) that the senior CE leader’s position is akin to one of CEO. Is this fact, or fiction? Whatever the title, Dean, Vice Provost/Chancellor, COLO, etc., this individual’s experience in innovation, multi-stakeholder management, financial leadership, culture development, talent management and enterprise-scale strategy is directly relevant and valuable for CEO roles in both education and non-education sectors. Senior CE leaders bring a unique blend of entrepreneurial orientation, adaptability, and mission-driven leadership qualities, and often have to manage through complexity, crisis and politics. Drawing on the experiences and insights gained over a 25-year career in nontraditional higher education, this presenter will unpack the realities of the role and offer specific advice for navigating this rewarding yet challenging career path.
- Nancy Coleman, Harvard University
- Rob Bruce, Rice University
- Richard Russo, University of Califorina, Berkeley
Moderator: Amy Heitzman, UPCEA
Roundtables
Grand Ballroom AB
In this session, attendees will have the opportunity to engage with up to two different topics during small-group, 30-minute, table-based guided discussion around a specific and timely topic, question, or issue. Roundtables are designed to provide space and time to important but particularly nuanced topics which deserve attention, and presenters will promote the sharing of thoughts, solutions, and questions among their respective table’s attendees.
Moderator: Jill Boatright, Loyola University of New Orleans
CLARA: Centralized Lifecycle Automation for Resource Administration
Business and Operations | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
Montclair State University presents CLARA (Centralized Lifecycle Automation for Resource Administration), an enterprise operations framework for deploying specialized AI Agents to transform financial aid operations—reducing processing time by 40% while improving student retention. The session contrasts CLARA's modular, agentic AI approach with traditional LLM solutions, demonstrating how focused agents can be rapidly deployed, easily modified, and scaled across the enterprise. Attendees receive actionable CLARA blueprints, ROI models, and governance frameworks to replicate this success in enrollment management and beyond, from HR to registrar operations.
- Wendy Lin-Cook, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
- David Chun, Montclair State University
Course Mapping: A Strategy for Timely and Supported Course Delivery
Business and Operations | Foundational | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Policy
This session will demonstrate SMUMN's dual approach to course mapping and readiness. The session will outline workflows, reporting tools, cleanup strategies, formulas, and, the reports, the cleanup strategy, formulas used, and inter-department communication. The session will also demonstrate an alternative process by which faculty can import content themselves. Participants will also learn about tutorials and help guides that were created to walk faculty step-by-step through the Canvas Import function. These two processes ensure that faculty receive their course content promptly, with sufficient turnaround time for cleanup before students gain access to courses.
- Garey Gill, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
Creating An In-House OPM - Strategies For Success
Business and Operations | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Faculty, Graduate Education
This talk will introduce the online OPM partnership landscape in UK higher education and then outline why University of the Arts London is building this capability in-house. The presenter will discuss what universities might consider as they grow and scale their internal provision, and strategies for ensuring that online and professional education remains a high priority within our organisations.
- Anna Wood, University of the Arts London
One Team, One Voice: Reimagining Your Marketing Team for Scalable, Sustainable Marketing Operations
Business and Operations | Foundational |
Navigating tightening budgets and growing complexity, NC State's marketing and communications team reimagined a shared services model for its Continuing and Lifelong Education, and Digital Education and Learning Technology Applications divisions. This bold move aligned brand voice and maximized resources. By strategically shifting staff, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and adopting a flexible "one-team" model, they streamlined operations, built trust, and reduced vendor reliance. This session will showcase how they optimized processes and invested in professional development without sacrificing creativity. Attendees will receive actionable frameworks for redesigning marketing departments, enhancing collaboration between enrollment and marketing teams, and scaling talent development in lean environments.
- Jennifer Kendall, North Carolina State University
- Katie Bean, North Carolina State University
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Building a Culture of Philanthropy, Part II: From Vision to Action in Continuing and Professional Education
Marlborough B | Business and Operations | Strategic | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity, Faculty, Graduate Education
This session explores how UVA SCPS advanced from vision to implementation in building a culture of philanthropy. Dean Melissa Lubin and Jessica Robertson share strategies, lessons, and tools for embedding fundraising into the fabric of continuing and professional education.
- Melissa Lubin, University of Virginia
- Jessica Robertson, University of Virginia
Moderator: Dean Gething, Carnegie
AI in Action: Leading People and Transforming Operations with AI Intelligence
Prince of Wales | Business and Operations | Applied | Tag(s): Engagement and Opportunity
AI is transforming how higher education operates, from student services to internal collaboration. But success depends on both the tools we adopt and the people who lead their use. This session combines an institutional case study and workforce-focused perspective to help leaders harness AI effectively. Cal State Channel Islands will share how it used chatbots, Airtable AI, and other tools to streamline operations, improve student support, and make data-informed decisions despite limited resources. Element451 will then explore how every staff member—across admissions, advising, and beyond—must learn to delegate to AI “teammates” with clarity, context, and trust. Together, these perspectives provide a roadmap for integrating AI sustainably while building a culture of confidence and leadership in AI adoption.
- Ty Fujimura, Element451
- Lenell Hahn, Southeastern Missouri State University
- Jill Leafstedt, California State University, Channel Islands
- Jaime Hannans, California State University, Channel Islands
- Jaqueline Connell, California State University, Channel Islands
Moderator: Anne Tai, Rice University
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