General Sessions

2022 Central Region Conference

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September 28 | 1:00 PM

Revisiting the Community Conversation on Mental Health Support for Online Learners

Prior to COVID-19 faculty and student services providers working closely with online populations were struggling with how to support “students of concern” in online populations. The sudden pivot to remote learning, the prospect of modified operations for the foreseeable future, and the stress and strain placed on students and faculty created even more challenges. Emergency regulatory actions during the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic did allow easier access to telehealth and other remote services, but those changes were often temporary and limited in scope. Join us for the next participant-driven discussion on the challenges, limitations, and opportunities for designing mental health services for online learners. This session will build on contributions made by colleagues at OLC Accelerate 2019 and 2020 as well as at UPCEA’s Regional and Annual conferences.

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September 29 | 8:30 AM

The Alternative Credentials Landscape 

In this dynamic, facilitated panel discussion, learn from PCO leaders how they are building the case for alternative credentials on their campuses, leveraging legacy structures and policies, partnering internally and externally to address workforce needs, and cultivating quality across non-degree credentials. Audience questions will play a critical role in this conversation—bring yours!

 

• Lisa Templeton, Oregon State University Ecampus
  
  
  
  
  

• Andrea Carroll-Glover, St. Mary’s University of Minnesota
  
  
  
  

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  Robert Griffiths, Ohio State University
  
  
  
  
  

Moderator:

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  Bob Hansen, UPCEA

 

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September 29 | 10:00 AM

Supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the UPCEA Central Region

Join us for a look into the big picture of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in higher education as presented by an esteemed group of Central Region member organizations. This general session will provide an opportunity to hear from leaders as they share insights and experiences on institutional DEI strategies, overall trajectory (where they've been and where they're headed), challenges, and opportunities, along with their ideas for the future of DEI in higher education. Following the panel presentation, this session will include time for facilitated table-based conversations as well. 

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  Yolanda Zepeda, The Ohio State University
  
  
  
  
  

• Sarah Pettingill, Bellarmine University
  
  
  
  
  

• Jerry Rhead, Michigan State University

 

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September 29 | 3:15 PM

Planning in a Changing Environment with Imperfect Data

The pandemic has forced Professional and Continuing Education units to change quickly and in many different ways. PCE leaders must make many decisions quickly about how to best proceed in the new changing environment. Leaders must address questions such as should programs be offered online, hybrid, or in person? Will changing remote work practices impact our programs? How should we update our program portfolio to meet learner needs? Leaders often need to make decisions and act without complete or perfect data—they need to make their best guess and improvise. Yet, leaders can and do draw on their own experience and the experience of others to help navigate these uncertain waters. In this interactive session, we will solicit and share practices that participants have found to be helpful approaches to planning and implementation in response to the many uncertain challenges we face.

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  Ryan Torma, University of Minnesota
  
  
  
  
  
  

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  Suzanne Rovani Northwestern University
  
  
  
  

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September 30 | 11:00 AM

The New Adult Learner: Actionable Insights

In the post-pandemic world, the New Adult Learner will be the difference on whether colleges and universities thrive or survive. To better prepare our members, Jim will present the results of a meta-analysis UPCEA and corporate partner sponsored research on the New Adult Learner. The research will show the complexities of the adult learner and the breadth of segments they represent. Jim will offer insights on motivating factors, delivery and credential preferences, support services and needs and how these might relate to marketing, recruitment and retention. In a competitive market, understanding the differences of the many adult learner segments is critical to institutional success.

• Jim Fong, Founding Director
  UPCEA Center for Research and Strategy

Jim Fong is the founding director of UPCEA’s Center for Research and Strategy. In his role, Jim has analyzed demographic, occupational, technological and societal trends and data to help the higher education community better serve the adult and corporate learner. As the Center’s director, he works closely with dozens of colleges and universities annually in new program development initiatives, enrollment management and marketing process analyses and the review of online and continuing education portfolios.

Prior to joining UPCEA, Jim worked as a higher education strategic marketing and CRM consultant and researcher for two firms and prior to that was the Director of Marketing, Research and Planning for Penn State Outreach. At Penn State Outreach, he was responsible for strategic marketing, marketing management, research, creative and database teams. Jim played a major role in the early launch of Penn State’s World Campus by assessing new program needs and the development of marketing strategies and systems. 

Jim holds an M.B.A., an M.S. in Applied Statistics and a B.S. in Mathematics, all from The University of Vermont. In 2004, UPCEA awarded him the Adelle Robertson Award as its Continuing Professional Educator for the year. That year, he also received the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Distinguished Service Award.