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2007 Annual Conference 

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At-a-Glance
Speaker Highlights
Registration Form (PDF)
Hotel Information
Please note that as of April 6, 2007, new registrations and purchases of additional tickets can only be made on site.

Preconferences
Deans Institute
Ed Technologies
Int'l Symposium
Civic Engagement/
Liberal Learning
Assessment

Conference
Wednesday, 4/11 (PDF)
Thursday, 4/12 (PDF)
Friday, 4/13 (PDF)
Saturday, 4/14 (PDF)

Conference Tracks

Vancouver Info

Entire Program (PDF)

Exhibits
List of Exhibitors
Exhibit Prospectus (PDF)

Conference Home Page

UCEA 92nd Annual Conference

Preconference Workshop

Civic Engagement/Liberal Learning Preconference

How University Continuing Education Is Making a Difference in the Civic Life of Communities

Download this page as a PDF file here.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Preconference Chair: JEFFREY ROSEN, Loyola University

Teaching, research, and community service are the three chief guideposts that describe faculty life and form many of the social commitments of our institutions. University Continuing Education, with its roots in outreach and external affairs, has long been associated with extending the academic mission of the University into diverse communities. Yet our effort to develop innovative curricula or to cultivate fresh audiences often takes over our focus, and civic engagement becomes less a driver for our strategic planning than an unintended consequence of our programmatic success. By contrast, this session examines programs that are designed to promote civic engagement as the primary organizing principle which makes the new and innovative possible.

1:00–2:15 p.m.

WELCOME

JEFFREY ROSEN, Dean, Loyola University and Preconference Chair

Tapping the Skills of Retiring Boomers to Address Community Needs

Presenter: MARC FREEDMAN, founder and President, Civic Ventures

With more people living longer and healthier lives, traditional visions of retirement as leisure are becoming increasingly obsolete. Recent U.S. surveys confirm that a majority of baby boomers aspire to continue working after retirement, at least part-time. Freedman believes that employers would do well to develop flexible job positions and that higher education institutions can play an important role by creating continuing education programs that prepare retirees for new careers. All in all Freedman views the aging baby boomer generation as a huge, potential asset for society. In this session, he will discuss how to identify community needs and create appropriate responses that take advantage of boomers' skills and experience.

2:15–2:30 p.m. BREAK

2:30–3:45 p.m.

Purposeful CE: Putting Civic Engagement in Continuing Education

Panel: HUI CHEN, Dean, Princeton Theological Seminary; DANIEL SHANNON, Dean, University of Chicago Graham School; SONDRA STALLARD, Dean, University of Virginia; BEA GONZÁLEZ, Interim Dean, Syracuse University

Historically, both public and private university continuing education organizations have embraced a community engagement mission. The programs that emanate from this mission are varied in approach and curricula. What many have in common, however, is a strong commitment to collaboration between university and community experts in order to promote the quality of life in their communities. How are continuing education organizations choosing to engage with community? And what impact are they having? CHEN will discuss Princeton Theological Seminary's CE organization's efforts to bring law enforcement professionals, teachers, church leaders and social workers together to address gang violence in the community. SHANNON will explore why adults enrolled in the University of Chicago's Basic Program of Liberal Education for Adults in the Graham School find that the classic works of Western culture have continuing relevance, and that reading and discussing them with a knowledgeable instructor helps them to develop their own responses to some of society's enduring issues. He will also address the Graham School's connection to important civic partnerships, including the N.E.H. sponsored "Odyssey Project," and the University's Civic Knowledge Project. STALLARD will discuss the holistic approach adopted by the University of Virginia's School of Continuing and Professional Studies' in an effort to enhance the school experience of students in the state's 132 school districts. Stallard's organization has created an array of degree and professional development programs with the aim of improving the performance of all school personnel who have the potential to contribute to students' success, including administrators, teachers, and support staff.GONZÁLEZwill discuss the Citizens Academy, jointly sponsored by University College, F.O.C.U.S. Greater Syracuse, Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse. By informing citizens about how local government is organized and how services are funded and delivered, the Academy seeks to encourage citizens' involvement in the community to help sustain quality-of-life for present and future generations.

3:45–4:30 p.m.

Telling Their Stories: Giving Voice to the Community

Presenter: TOM RANKIN, Director of the Center for Documentary Studies, Duke University

For the last decade, Duke University's Center for Documentary Studies has been an important resource for teachers, youth, and citizens wishing to learn or develop documentary skills. The Center promotes documentary work that cultivates progressive change by amplifying voices, advancing human dignity, engendering respect among individuals, breaking down barriers to understanding, and illuminating social injustices. CDS focuses on documentary work grounded in collaborative partnerships and "values documentary work that balances community goals with individual artistic expression." Rankin will discuss how the Center selects its projects, the value of providing continuing education courses to citizens interested in acquiring documentary skills, and how storytelling and visual literacy can help people come together to make their communities better places to live.

Note: This Preconference Workshop is open to Deans, Directors, and Associate Deans. However, separate registration and fee are required. See registration form.

For more information, contact: Liz Lear, UCEA Conference Director, at llear@upcea.edu, or phone 202.659.3130.