As the need to provide opportunities for underserved populations becomes more pressing, trustees face an important choice: Should they focus on increasing access to education for a more diverse range of students, or should they focus on reaching more of the students they have traditionally served? Trusteeship asked Jeffrey S. Russell, PhD, vice provost for lifelong learning and dean of continuing studies at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, to share insights from launching his institution’s first fully online undergraduate degree program.
What does increasing access mean and why is it important for boards of trustees?
Access starts with an institution’s mission and identity. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is a publicly funded, land-grant institution founded to educate citizens, particularly farmers and workers, who would otherwise be unable to go to college. That original identity still resonates, so educating as many people as possible is an obvious goal. However, we are also a major research institution committed to educating the next generation of leaders and creating new knowledge. These goals inspire us to increase access in different ways. One approach is to launch an online undergraduate degree program aimed at adults who are capable of rising to the challenge of a rigorous course of study but who, for financial or personal reasons, have not been able to complete their education. Another approach is to nurture programs like the Odyssey Project, which helps non-traditional students overcome poverty, homelessness, and incarceration through education. Trustees at other institutions will chart their own course. The important thing is to ask who your institution should serve, and then determine if you are doing it in the best possible way.
What have you learned as you’ve planned for your school’s first fully online undergraduate degree?
I’ve definitely learned the value of gleaning all you can from academic institutions that have already established successful online undergraduate programs. My team and I met with generous educators and administrators at more than 20 institutions. Motivated by our shared goal of increasing access for a diverse student population, they offered invaluable advice on topics ranging from course development to marketing to defining student success. Learning everything you can about potential students is essential so you can precisely target your intended audience. It’s also important to start with a desirable but modestly sized degree program to use as your pilot; for us, that means starting with personal finance rather than business or engineering. Finally, while geography does matter in the online market—online students typically live within 250 miles of the school in which they are enrolled—you can’t assume the brand that attracts traditional students to your institution will be meaningful in the online realm. There’s significant competition from other online brands, so you’ll need to reconsider your marketing approach.
What access-related issues will affect American higher education over the coming years?
Data show that we are failing to meet the needs of today’s students. According to a report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, U.S. college enrollment has decreased every year for the past eight years. And, as David Kirp shows in The College Dropout Scandal, 40 percent of students who do enroll fail to complete their degree. Meanwhile, Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott explain in The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity that children in Western countries have a 50 percent chance of living past the age of 105. Clearly institutions have an opportunity—I would call it an obligation—to reach students in ways that work for them over their entire lifespan. What’s more, land-grant universities like ours are charged with educating a workforce that can adapt to the evolving, increasingly technical nature of work. Access to education will help new learners create productive and meaningful lives for themselves, their families, and their communities, while giving them the tools they need to help solve the problems of our ever-changing world.