About UCEA

President's Letters

Institutions Make Interesting Partners

I recently returned from spending two days in Chicago, where I joined 50 other UCEA members at the Executive Assembly. This networking event pulled together a collection of sessions that were both informative and provocative. Two of these sessions focused on defining principles for developing successful partnerships with community clients, corporate entities, and even with competitors.

Although I have had many experiences with partnering over the years, I found myself at these sessions considering the qualities of good partnering from a different perspective. This was primarily because three days earlier the Provost at my institution (Southern Oregon University) had stated it was critical for the continuing education unit to be a "full partner" in the educational enterprise. Since this was said at a retreat with all of the continuing education staff, President, and academic deans present, that statement stayed with me.

We often pride ourselves on our expertise in partnering with organizations outside our institutional borders, but what does it really mean to effectively partner with one's own institution? Perhaps defining the nature of our relationship within our institutions in this manner has the potential to transcend the old "centralization vs. decentralization" arguments, move us beyond simply seeing ourselves as serving the institution, and could result in something more meaningful than becoming "mainstreamed" into higher education.

If we apply the principles of good partnerships, which I heard eloquently stated at the Executive Assembly, to our relationships with our institutions, then it means we need to fully engage with our institutions to understand what they expect and need from us. Often this may be money, which is certainly a valid need in these tight budget times, but it can also include taking a leadership role in connecting new students and community members with the institution's educational resources who would not otherwise be served. We can also provide expertise in marketing and customer service to help our institutions understand that many of our students have become sophisticated shoppers looking for convenience, not necessarily quality. They are approaching higher education just as they would any other consumer good and will keep shopping until they find what they want. There is much valuable expertise within continuing education. So the challenge for us in continuing education is to find out what we can offer that will be important to our institutions.

Since good partnerships are mutually beneficial, we also should be clear about what we need in return from the institution. Minimally, this usually involves access to the institution's brand and credibility, the infrastructure in which we operate, and the institution's faculty. Explicitly recognizing what each partner provides and having a process in place to candidly and regularly evaluate how well the needs are being met could go a long way in sustaining a fruitful partnership between continuing education and the parent institution.

While applying partnering principles to the relationship between continuing education and the institution may sound somewhat simplistic, seeing ourselves as full and valued partners in the academic enterprise could have a positive impact on some of our negotiations or resources within our institutions. To succeed, we need to effectively articulate the value we provide to the students we serve and the communities with which we partner in terms that our institutions and the higher education community as a whole can understand and appreciate. That is a challenge for all of us and something UCEA can help us do.

Fall has arrived, which means new beginnings for higher education and regional meetings for UCEA. So I look forward to meeting many of you in October and the insightful conversations we will have about partnerships and other relevant topics that support us in the important work we do.