CONFERENCE NEWS & FEATURES

SCUP 2012 Pacific Regional Conference: Leadership for the 21st Century Campus March 25–28, 2012, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA

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Concurrent Sessions are now posted – click on the “Agenda for the Day” to view the conference program. Here are just a few of the topics selected from more than 60 submissions this year:

Shared Campuses - More Than the Sum of Their Parts

Leadership in the Pacific Century—The Agricultural Eco Valley Master Plan

READY, SET, GO: Envisioning, Funding, and Realizing a Leadership Campus

21st Century Campus: From Silos of Specialization to Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Leadership for Instructional Change: Using Systems Thinking and Student Success as the Cornerstones of Facility Redesign

Architect/Owner Partnerships—Leading the Way

Tours

This year’s tours include UC Campuses, Community Colleges, a Private University and

During the Google campus tour, we’ll explore some of the buildings, recreation spaces and uniquely ‘Googley’ elements of the company's Mountain View headquarters that exemplify a healthy, collaborative and innovative work environment. This spans from GARField, Google's seven acre outdoor recreational facility that enables Googlers to stay fit, recharge and connect year-round with net-zero energy consumption, to the 1842 Shoreline building (targeting LEED Platinum) that serves as a ‘living lab’ to pilot innovative solutions in office design, building materials, workstation layouts and systems to improve indoor air quality, to one of the 25 on-campus cafes where meals that are as local, seasonal, and organic as possible fuel knowledge sharing and a sense of vibrant community, to the 1.6 MW of solar panels that produce 3 million kWh of clean energy every year.

Visit the conference website for more details on this and all of the tours planned for this year’s conference.

Behind the Scenes

Each year, the Pacific Regional Conference offers workshops, tours, and sessions to give SCUP members opportunities to learn, share knowledge and experiences, and connect with colleagues all over the region. Planning for the annual conferences starts months, even years in advance and is only made possible each year by a dedicated group of volunteers that make up the local host and conference planning committee.

Over the next few issues, the 360 Newsletter acknowledges the contribution of these individuals, beginning with interviews with Conference Chair, Chris Shay, Manager, Capital Projects Stanford University, and Conference Communications Committee member, Jose Nunez, Vice Chancellor, San Mateo Community College District.

The 360 Newsletter posed a series of questions to each of our committee members.

Chris Shay

1. Tell us what first interested you in SCUP and why you became actively involved in the organization's leadership and program development?

[CS]: I became associated with SCUP after working for Nancy Tierney, a past president of SCUP. She was passionate about the importance of planning as a discipline. After having the opportunity to work for Niraj Dangoria, our future president, and with John Ruffo another past president, it was an honor to have a chance to give something back to the organization where great leaders have helped me grow as a professional. In short, leadership matters, and I am excited about the chance to learn more from this great organization on this topic. Hosting the conference is a way to bring everyone together to discuss a topic that I find of importance.

2. You are co-Chair for the upcoming conference at Stanford. What does that involve and how do you balance it with your duties at Stanford?

[CS]: Phil Simpson, the Palo Alto 2012 Program Chair, gave me great advice when we started planning this conference. He said that I should rely on the great team members that we recruit and allow them to succeed without undue interference. This could not have been a more true statement. We have some of the most talented group of people that I have been honored to be associated with running this conference. I am certain that the work/life/work/work balance will become more difficult up through the conference for all of us and for that, I hope that our fellow SCUP attendees will benefit.

3. What are some of the highlights of the conference that you are most excited about bringing to the membership?

[CS]: Our nascent connection to our colleagues in Hong Kong. Michael Fung at the Hong Kong Institute of Science and Technology is hosting a sister conference to the Palo Alto event. We are using the common technology to be able to share speakers, questions, and ideas in real time between the two event locations. We will have much more to share on this exciting opportunity over the next two months. Given the explosive growth in Asian higher education and our ongoing interconnectedness here on the edge of the Pacific Ocean, this sharing of ideas could not be more timely.

In addition to our Hong Kong connection, we are very pleased to have secured a fantastic grouping of speakers focused on the topic of leadership. Having a local hero in the Under Secretary of Education Martha Kanter will be the highlight, but we are equally excited about our other fabulous speakers, presenters, and workshop organizers.

Finally, I do not think anyone has had such a wide variety of tours available at any conference, National or Regional. I would highly recommend that everyone sign up early for the tours, starting with UC Berkeley, UC San Francisco, The College of San Mateo, Foothill Community College, Stanford University and finally Google on Wednesday. Look for speakers and topics from each of these institutions during the conference as well. There will be an amazing opportunity to see some of the crown jewels of the Bay Area local institutions.

4. What is the education mission of Stanford School of Medicine and what is your role in the organization?

[CS]: The Stanford School of Medicine strives to be a premier research-intensive medical school that improves health through leadership, collaborative discoveries, and innovations in patient care, education, and research. As part of the organization, we in the Office of Facilities Planning and Management are responsible for the physical implementation of the Dean’s vision for the School. We partner with our University colleagues to achieve the facilities goals required to meet this mission. Whether through the opening of our new School of Medicine front door, large capital construction projects or tenant improvements, we focus on the Dean’s vision as the goal line for our work. I will repeat our mantra throughout the conference, leadership matters. Setting goals and allowing us to succeed is a part of my own version of strong leadership.

5.What are some of the major initiatives underway you are involved in that might interest our members?

[CS]: The School of Medicine has just added two new facilities over the last year. The Lorry I. Lokey Stem Cell Research building is the world’s largest stem cell only facility and the Li Ka Shing Center, host of the SCUP conference, is the new home of the School of Medicine. The LKSC is fully functional training hospital center, student home, Dean’s office as well as technological wonder.

In the near future we are working on what it takes to use technology to effectively connect numerous offsite locations to ensure the full benefit of University collaboration. Finally, we are very pleased to have just wrapped up a major master planning effort associated with how vivarium services will be delivered here at Stanford over the next 30 years. Vivariums seem to be one of the most challenging business services to deliver at a University. We are also working on the replacement of a mid-century research complex on our main campus.

All of this and our neighbors are about to construct two new hospitals immediately adjacent to our campus. It should be an interesting 20 more years.

6.Any final thoughts?

[CS]: These conferences are impossible to host without sponsors and volunteers. They are the life blood of any event. I would like to personally thank our local host committee and our sponsors for Palo Alto 2012. Please sign up early to come enjoy the fruits of their effort. We are excited to discuss, probe and push around ideas surrounding leadership. We will see everyone soon here on campus.

Jose Nunez

1.Tell us what first interested you in SCUP and why you became actively involved in the organization's leadership and program development?

[JN]:I have been following SCUP’s myriad of programs for several years primarily due to their prominence in highlighting planning in higher education, sustainability and new concepts. Secondarily, the ability to comingle, meet and network with individuals regionally in from both higher education and in the built environment.

2.What is your role in organizing the upcoming conference at Stanford? What does that involve and how do you balance it with your duties at San Mateo County Community College District?

[JN]: I’ve devoted a little of my time to help with the planning of the event, specifically the regional tours.

3.What are some of the highlights of the conference that you are most excited about bringing to the membership?

[JN]: First of the all, the ability to hear the keynote speaker Martha Kanter, Under Secretary of Education speak to the conference on Leadership and Innovation. Martha is one of our local talent having served in a myriad of education positions in the Bay area, most notably as Chancellor of The Foothill De Anza Community College District prior to her appoint by President Obama. Secondarily, the ability to showcase some of the premier institutions of higher learning in the San Francisco Bay area, specifically, UC Berkeley, Stanford University and the College of San Mateo.

4.What is the education mission of San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCD) and what is your role in the organization?

[JN]:The mission of the San Mateo Community college District is to 1) prepare students for transfer opportunities to the four year universities, and 2) prepare student for the workforce via technical (Medical, Dental, Automotive, Cosmetology and Fitness) certification and licensing programs. My specific responsibilities are to provide guidance, direction and leadership on the day to day maintenance and operations of the campus, to include Facilities Planning, Construction, parking and public safety.

5.What are some of the major initiatives underway at SMCCD that you are involved in that might interest our members?

[JN]:The District is undergoing a major renaissance of its three college campuses. The last several years has seen the transformation of 1960s era aging facilities to 21st century state of the art facilities comparable to Stanford, UC Berkeley, Santa Clara University and other four year institutions. We have created an education environment and corresponding facilities that promote learning and the will to strive for one’s life goals.

6.Are there any other thoughts you’d like to share regarding SCUP and the conference?

[JN]:Although bias, I would encourage all attendees to go on the tours and visit the premiere higher educational facilities in the SF Bay Area. You will not be disappointed.

SCUP 2012 Pacific Symposium
“Trends in Higher Education II: Where Are We Headed?”
January 19, 2012, Tempe, Arizona

The 2012 “one-day” Pacific Symposium on “Trends in Higher Education II: Where are We Headed? “ was introduced by Lauren Cooper, director of facilities planning, design and construction, San Diego State University and chair of SCUP Pacific Region’s Program Committee, as a continuation of the challenging and sometimes depressing conversation that started at the 2011 symposium in Claremont. Approximately 60 attendees gather to gain an in-depth perspective of the challenges, the changes and the opportunities facing higher education from four Arizona based speakers whose expertise covered the perspectives of public universities and community colleges, private for-profit universities and a focus on the impacts of technology.

Bruce Merrill, emeritus professor and senior research fellow at the Morrison Institute, Arizona State University, served as the moderator throughout the day and framed the challenges facing higher education in terms of the overall economic, political and demographic changes and on-going rate of change facing our society. “In essence”, he said, “with less money, facing far greater diversity, more rapid change, institutions of higher education are being asked to prepare young people to compete in an economy that will be totally different from today’s.”

The first speaker, Thomas K. Anderes, president of the Arizona Board of Regents started his presentation with a couple of stark realities:

• In one generation, the United States fell from 1st place in college graduation rates per capita to 12th place against other advanced nations in the world.
• Educational attainment drives economic success.

This reality of education as a critical economic driver is reflected in both President Obama’s challenge to reposition the United States as the leader in college degrees by 2020 and the State of Arizona’s political challenge to the leadership of the three State Universities – Arizona State University, the University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University. Working with the presidents of these institutions Anderes developed a new model of thinking that is moving and will move the universities from an “Agency Model” that better suited the industrial age, was focused on producing parts and relied on significant government subsidy to an “Enterprise Model” better suited to deal with exponential change through its focus on outcomes that demonstrate critical thinking to address local and global challenges with significantly reduced government financing. Their Enterprise Model set 4 Goals:

1. Educational Excellence and Access
2. Research Excellence
3. Workforce & Community
4. Productivity

To start the implementation process they also developed key tactical initiatives including lower cost pathways to university degrees through alliances with community colleges, on-line courses, low-cost tuition options and a focus on rigorous evaluation and identification of under-performing programs. Anderes stressed the political need for rigorous metrics to demonstrate progress towards the goals in order to justify maintaining support for the public investment - without much optimism that it could be increased any time soon. Sample metrics include number of BA degrees awarded annually, freshman retention, tuition cost as a percentage of median income, college enrollment rate from K-12, on-line enrollment and research dollars invested.

Maria Harper-Marinick, executive vice chancellor and provost of the Maricopa Community College System presented the community college perspective. While emphasizing her passionate belief that community colleges offer the cost effective access to success in higher education that is essential to achieve economic development both for individuals and for our society as a whole, Harper-Marinick also started with the extreme challenges they are facing on their eleven campuses. Enrollment has and is continuing to dramatically increase in these tough economic times at the same time that the State of Arizona’s contribution to the Maricopa CC Systems annual budget has dropped from a high of 29% to a mere 1%!

Some of the metrics addressing retention, completion and accountability that Harper-Marinick shared are truly disheartening:

• Nearly 50% of their students leave without a degree.
• Fewer than 3 out of 10 full-time students graduated with an Associate Degree.
• 60% of their students need remedial courses – so much so, that 14% of their students do not earn a single college credit in their first year!

Why is the picture so bleak?

• The demographic that community colleges serve is far more diverse – first generation to college, multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, economically challenged, etc.
• There is a lack of college preparation in public high schools (and they in turn would point to the lack of preparation in their students arriving from middle school, etc.)
• Even the limited social support systems such as child care centers that used to allow single and working parents to focus on their education are closing in these tough times.
• Only 25% full time students it is even harder for their students to become engaged learners.

Why does it matter? Community colleges are a uniquely American institution serving over 12.4 million students in 1167 community colleges across the country. Most importantly, with 42% of their students first generation college attendees, 45% minorities and 59% apply for financial aid, community colleges play an essential role in our democracy opening the doors to accessible and affordable higher education.

Harper-Marinick offered the following key strategies to address these challenges:

• Focus on Student Success.
• Focus on personalized remediation – maybe the student has a specific gap in their learning that won’t require a 16 week course.
• Work with the K-12 systems to reduce the need for remediation.
• Develop persistence supports and measure progress.
• Encourage and support completion.
• Develop communication and alliances between all levels of education.
• Develop Public/Private Partnerships – understand what business and industry is looking for from recent graduates.
• Recognize that the linear pipeline model of education is obsolete and that the new K-20 model will need to provide access at multiple points along a student’s life span as they return for different and/or advanced education.
• The accreditation boards will need to change so that their requirements are no longer an impediment to exploration and innovation.
• Develop new systems of accountability and longitudinal tracking to verify the efficacy and efficiency of new models of educational delivery.

Alan Drimmer, senior vice president academic affairs, provost of the University of Phoenix presented their approach to addressing these same challenges as leading innovators in the delivery of private higher education in the for-profit market sector. He set the stage by describing some of the features of the University of Phoenix:

• Approximately 50% of the degrees they award are Bachelor Degrees; the remainder is Masters, PhDs and Certificates.
• Approximately 2/3rds of their enrollment is on-line and 1/3 is in physical campuses.
• Their campuses are in 200 locations around the country.
• The majority of their students are women – many are single and/or working mothers.
• Many of their students delayed their entry into college, i.e. they are older, often facing family obligations, independent of their parents and career oriented.
• The majority of their students seek technology driven education.

Drimmer explained that their private sector approach is strongly driven by a continuous data loop – they collect data on each of their learners and programs, analyze the data to identify trends, recommend individual activities to fit each student’s needs, collect data on how each students assignments and assessments to feed back into learner profiles and programs. Their focus is on personalized learning with individualized pathways customized to each student. As a private institution they always have to consider student satisfaction. Recognizing that their students are adults who control their own investment in their education, they ask their students whether they would “recommend the University of Phoenix to their friends?”

Key strategies that the University of Phoenix is considering in order to respond to the challenges of the higher education marketplace include:

• Disaggregation - a service model that uses outside vendors for services that are not core to the academic mission while focusing their resources on faculty, teaching strategies and learning that are core to the mission.
• Public-Private Partnerships - University of Phoenix recently teamed with Carnegie Mellon University to conduct research into how people learn.
• Star Faculty – considering whether recruiting super stars will both enhance recruitment and elevate learning experiences.

Adrian Sannier, senior vice president Pearson Learning Technologies and past information technology director for ASU brought high energy, humor and great visuals to the final presentation on the impacts of changing technologies on higher education. . He found himself in the surprising position of agreeing with virtually all of what the prior speakers had presented both in terms of challenges and potential next steps. So he edited his presentation to focus on the scale and speed of change.

Starting with his complaint that technology has not delivered on its promise of flying cars that we had all looked forward to as children, Sannier made clear that technology has also delivered more and changed more than we could ever have anticipated. The smart phone we each carry with us today is a more powerful computer than the main frame computers that managed our nuclear arsenal only a decade or two ago. We are all so connected to the wealth of resources available on the web that Sannier’s work day was directly impacted when Wikipedia shut down for a day of protest (the conference tour of ASU’s Decision Theater had to be cancelled for similar reasons).

One of the most powerful images Sannier presented was a photograph of a sieve. What does a sieve have to do with higher education we all asked? And he made clear it was a perfect metaphor for the old model of higher education meant to eliminate students through testing along their course of education so that only the best were left at the end with their higher degrees. The sieve model of education was never intended to become a staircase to success for individual students. This process of elimination was designed to serve the goals of a society that needed many worker-producers and few leaders not a society that needs many self-directed, critical thinking problem solvers.

Sannier challenged us all to accept that “the ongoing and every increasing speed of change of technology and globalization cannot be accommodated through an evolutionary process of small steps – this is disruptive change that will require a whole new model. He went back to address a poignant question asked by one of the members of the audience – “Do we need to abandon, the vision of higher education as an opportunity for young people to explore learning and discover their passion?” to suggest that maybe we are now embarked on a lifelong interface with higher education in many different forms – in person, on-line, career focused, enrichment focused – rather than a single path. All we know is that change is inevitable and that the cost of letting our students fail is ultimately too risky for our society so we need new solution.

The quest for answers will undoubtedly engage SCUP for many more conferences and conversations.