Regional university leaders gathered late last year in Puerto Rico for the 2024 Annual Conference for Presidents and Chancellors hosted by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU). The focus of the conference was Building Bridges: Uplifting Communities Through Collaboration.
Jay Hatcher, Risepoint President of New University Partnerships, who participated in the conference, said, “With innovative public-private partnerships and collaboration with employers an increasing focus for state universities, attendees came away with insights on ways to help strengthen these essential institutions.” Also attending the conference from Risepoint was Susan Dukes, President, University Partnerships.
Embrace innovation while emphasizing student success
Jay Hatcher gave introductory remarks before the conference’s President-to-President lecture, The Power of Adaptation: Higher Education’s Journey Through Disruption, presented by Old Dominion University President, Brian O. Hemphill, Ph.D.
Dr. Hemphill gave this guidance for universities to follow in overcoming the disruptive changes in contemporary higher education:
- Double down on student success efforts
- Create robust online learning experiences
- Level up on digital instruction and learning
- Have a mobility mindset across modalities
- Diversify revenue streams
Dr. Hemphill’s recommendations on elevating the educational experience for online students align with research findings from the Risepoint 2024 Voice of the Online Learner. This 13th annual industry report summarizes the survey responses from 3,400 online students across the U.S. It outlines current preferences of online learners, many of which center on program affordability, flexibility, workforce relevance, and asynchronous learning.
The survey results indicated that one opportunity for enriching the online experience and supporting student success might lie in introducing limited synchronous elements. The report notes: “While surveyed respondents have little interest in going to campus, 74% expressed willingness to log in synchronously once or more per course to participate in online discussions or lectures and to seek instructor guidance and peer interaction.”
“The majority (66%) of those want to spend that time with the instructor to explain complex topics and/or answer live questions. Others want to build community and connection with classmates (41%), build a professional network (37%) and learn from peers during group work (33%).”
Accelerate community impact and ROI with online education
Following the theme of the conference, Risepoint university partners shared their strategies in filling workforce gaps through career-focused online education that builds sustainable growth in the panel discussion, The Impact of Access: How Online Degrees for Working Adults Create Stronger Communities.
Panelists for the concurrent session, moderated by Jay Hatcher, were Dr. Ken Tucker, President, University of West Alabama, Dr. Kelly Ryan, President, Eastern Oregon University, and Dr. Todd Shields, Chancellor, Arkansas State University.
The discussion focused on their institutional successes in offering accelerated online education for working adults. They concluded that online programs designed in collaboration with employers to fulfill workforce needs are not only advantageous for the students, who report favorable ROI, but also crucial for universities in rapidly reaching expanded audiences and growing enrollment.
AASCU serves a vital network of U.S. state colleges and universities and their education partners who function as engines of economic impact and social advancement for their communities. Led by President Charles L. Welch, AASCU strives to advance and reimagine student success and institutional transformation across the nation and globally.
