Positioning CE for Success in a Radical Change Environment

1. Positioning CE for Success in a Radical Change Environment Robert J. Hansen, Ph.D.

2. Overview of Presentation “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.” - Rahm Emanuel

3. Overview of Presentation • Large scale economic and political trends • How trends are changing higher education • Today’s CE Units: Weaknesses and Threats • Positioning CE for Success: Strengths and Strategic Opportunities • Is the Golden Age of CE coming? Questions to ask yourself in order to thrive in a radical change environment

4. Large Scale Economic & Political Trends

5. Large Scale Economic & Political Trends • Macro economic factors: • GDP back near pre-recession levels • 6 million fewer workers • 11 million more people • Profits soar • Housing a drag • Boomers and entitlement infrastructure • Inability to find common ground on solutions

6. Large Scale Trends (Cont.) • Need to compete in global economy • Growing understanding of need to increase number of adults with degrees and certificates • More focus on workforce development and literacy—traditionally role community colleges

7. Large Scale Trends (cont.) • Cost of university degree too high. Obama: “I’m putting you on notice!” • Problem of value exacerbated by poor graduation rates and other outcome measures • Increased scrutiny of for-profits • Accountability, metrics, outcomes not going away

8. How Large Scale Trends Are Re-Shaping Higher Education

9. How Large Scale Trends Are Re-Shaping Higher Education • New normal is perpetual culture of budget cutting • Presidents expected to do more with less—better job of: • Access • Meeting economic development needs of region, state • Retention, graduation, learning outcomes, job placement • Keeping costs down as health care costs soar

10. How Large Scale Trends Are Re-Shaping Higher Education Cont. • Focus on mission and margin to survive • Growth in online learning a massive socio-economic phenomenon in response to above factors • More competitive environment with rise of for-profits • Students start at community colleges to save $

11. How Large Scale Trends Are Re-Shaping Higher Education Cont. • Community colleges converting to 4 year degrees • Open Education Resources (MIT-X) • Presidents and provosts and senior leadership are ill-equipped to compete in this Wild West environment • Leadership churn

12. Today’s CE Units: Weaknesses and Threats

13. Today’s CE Units: Weaknesses and Threats • Still the junior partner of traditional colleges and schools • Draconian budget cuts an existential threat to CE which lack faculty firewall • Leadership pipeline in CE is aging

14. Today’s CE Units: Weaknesses and Threats Cont. • Field weak on research, information and formal networking • Profession lacks coherence of identity • Adoption of adult mission by core at Regional universities threatens special niche of CE

15. Positioning CE for Success: Strengths and Strategic Opportunities

16. Positioning CE for Success: Strengths and Strategic Opportunities • Adept at change and change management • Often less hampered by faculty resistance to change • Continuing educators are “bi-lingual” • Architects and leaders of online education

17. Positioning CE for Success: Strengths and Strategic Opportunities • Market prowess in adult market • International market complex business • Rise of professional certificates in wheel house of CE • More proficient at leveraging vendor innovation

18. Positioning CE for Success: Strengths and Strategic Opportunities Cont. • More willing to work with community colleges • More nimble in leveraging transfer credit, including credit for prior learning • Potential as spinoff for-profit (Cornel) • Well positioned to leverage shift toward outcomes based learning

19. Is this the Golden Age of Adult & Continuing Education? Questions to Ask Yourself

20. Are you ready for the Golden Age?Questions to ask yourself • How can I bring more value to the main campus so that my unit is seen as indispensable? • What changes are being considered at my university, or what changes do I see on the horizon? • How can I reposition my unit to leverage those changes for the benefit of the larger organization (and in the process, for my unit)?  • How can I help lead discussions about possible outcomes or futures?

21. Are you ready for the Golden Age?Questions to ask yourself (cont.) • How can I identify and develop talent to thrive in this environment? • What tools and external resources do I need to succeed? Hint: UPCEA! • Research and Information • Networking • Professional Development (conferences, webinars, even credentialing?) • Advocacy