Rick Osborn's Continuing Education Blog

For seamless transfer.  Tailoring.  Seamless.  Badum-ching!

This is a result of legislation enacted with the hope of increasing college completion rates in Tennessee.  I think it's a good thing.  All academic majors in public colleges and universities would have the same first two years of required courses.  Numbered the same, as well.

TN colleges work to ensure that credits transfer
At colleges and universities around the state, plans are in motion to ensure that core classes — at least the two years' worth of course work for the most common majors — will be accepted without question, whether a student earned them at a technology center, a community college or any public university in the state. . . .By January 2011, the first 10 core transfer majors should begin being taught at schools across the state. Teachers will still have freedom to draw up their lesson plans and choose their own books, but all students taking, say, Accounting 101 at a public institution in the state wi…

Braaaains! The 10 essential zombie films

What students can teach us about iPhones

For Johnson City's Blue Plum Festival next weekend. We have a booth and ordered a bunch of these bandannas to give to visitors. We'll try to track the number of people we talk to by counting how many of these bandannas we have left over.

College, Inc. reports on Senator Charles Grassley's letter to high cost continuing education programs.

Taxpayers paid $17k a month for executive ed
Grassley said a recent graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows program at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government reported that the government had paid $17,500 plus travel expenses for a four-week course, and that tuition had just gone up to $18,300.

He said the government's own Federal Executive Institute, part of the Office of Personnel Management, charges federal agencies $18,375 for a four-week program called Leadership for a Democratic Society.

And the Center for Creative Leadership in North Carolina charges $6,200 to $10,600 for a five-day course (Grassley put the five-day reference in boldface), according to research by the senator's office.

In case you were wondering.

20 cell phones with highest radiation levels

Even in tough times, colleges and universities are still hiring. Here are some continuing education jobs from The Chronicle of Higher Education and HigherEdJobs.com.
University of Denver:Manager, Experiential Learning
Hillsborough Community College:Continuing Education Coordinator (Florida Studies Education Coordinator)
Portland Community College:Operations Manager, CLIMB Center
Harvard University:Program Coordinator, Executive Education
University of Utah:Academic Program Manager, Univ of Utah Job # 40000

Missouri Valley Adult Education Association
Annual Conference
The Winds of Change: Facing the Changes in Adult Education
Wichita, Kansas
June 15-17, 2010
Conference Schedule.

Register here.

When I grow up.  I can't plan ahead.

Preparing to Land the Hot Jobs of 2018
That means you could pick a job from the Labor Department's "fastest-growing" list when you enter college, only to find the field in a slump by the time you graduate. For example, a 2006 high-school graduate eyeing the government's 2004-2014 forecast for nursing at that time would have read about excellent job prospects, with "thousands of job openings" predicted because experienced nurses were expected to retire.

While that forecast is likely to hold for the long term, the job market for students graduating from college this year is headed in the opposite direction: Thousands of experienced nurses who had been inactive or retired have been re-entering the work force because of the recession.Similarly, a high-school grad in 2000 might have picked computer programming—No. 8 at the time on a government list of fast-growing, high-paying jobs—only to graduate to the aftermath of the …

I've talked before about niche continuing education professional organizations--small groups that focus on one aspect of the field like accelerated programs, non-traditional degree programs, and so forth.  If large organizations are struggling, I imagine these smaller ones are in dire straights. 
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this organization exists, but I received today an invitation to attend the National Association of College and University Mail Services Annual Conference in Albuquerque this summer.  It's at the Hotel Albuquerque, also the site of the ACHE Annual Conference and Meeting this fall.  It does look like a good conference.

Ironically, the brochure was mailed to me by mistake.  Wrong address, you see.

Of Upper Iowa University, a small, independent universty that is thriving.  Upper Iowa recently joined ACHE, and its large continuing education unit is led by former TACHE President Bill Duffy.  My favorite Duffy story is about the time he locked himself out on the balcony of his hotel room at the Park Vista in Gatlinburg, TN.  He had left his cell phone in his room as well.  He finally caught the attention of some other guests out on their balcony who called the front desk.  From College, Inc.  The blog, not the documentary.

Is the future of higher ed in Fayette, Iowa?
It is worth considering that the most rapid growth in demand for higher education may not be in the United States, but rather overseas in countries with a growing middle class, such as China and India, whose culture places a premium on higher education, and where there is less competition. We must find a way to capture a share of this growing international market in countries with friendly governments and trade-friendly …

I guess this is in honor of Sex and the City coming out.  I'm happy to say I've only seen one chick flick on this list.

Top 10 Worst Chick Flicks

We're experiencing growth with our summer school.  We're trying new marketing techniques, employing a part-time social media coordinator to keep updating our media.  Our summer school trends young and traditional, so we're marketing it differently than some of our other programs.

School's Not Out for Summer
Having a poor job market is something we correlate positively with,” said Richard Russo, director of summer sessions at the University of California at Berkeley. High unemployment drives nontraditional students to enroll in college at all times of the year, but a tough economy makes it more difficult for traditional-age students to find jobs and internships, or gives them greater awareness of the need to complete a degree as quickly and inexpensively as possible. “There’s more pressure; students are being pushed into the summer.”

The Association for Continuing Higher Education in partnership with Park University is pleased to announce our first professional development webinar.

From Battlefield to the Classroom: Facilitating Military and Veteran Student Transitions to Campus

June 25, 2010
12:00-1:30 CST

Registration Fees:
• Members- Free
• NonMembers- $10

About the Webinar

Significant numbers of demobilized servicemembers are returning from military service in Afghanistan and Iraq to their home towns and our college communities intending to use their education funding benefits to pursue post-secondary education. They are a unique population of adult learners who bring maturity, motivation, and team orientation to the classroom. Their observations, experiences, and personal stories can provide our college classrooms and communities with a wealth of knowledge and perspective as well as contributing outside the classroom in a myriad of ways: as mentors to other veterans entering college, as guest speakers to club…

If you're an ACHE member, it's time to vote!

The Association for Continuing Higher Education election is more than half over, and we'll be lucky to get more than a 10% voter turnout.  I know the stakes aren't enormous, except maybe to those running, but I'm always surprised by the low number of members who vote.  Is doesn't take much time.  I don't know if it's the electronic format or just the nature of professional organizations, but we fail to generate much enthusiasm for these elections.  And this year, the Home Office added a wonderful "meet the candidates" feature that highlighted the individuals running more than ever before.  It appears to have helped a little bit, but participation is still low.

In my state organization, TACHE, we vote only during our conferences and typically there is only one candidate.  Perhaps low turnout and low voter interest is due to a lack of interaction within ACHE.  Perhaps folks just don't know each ot…

“Scots and Scots-Irish in Appalachia” is the focus of a course to be offered by East Tennessee State University’s Appalachian, Scottish and Irish Studies (ASIS) Program during the first summer term (June 7-July 9). Taught by ASIS Director Jane MacMorran, the course will examine the cultural connection between Appalachia and two of its major progenitors, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Topics to be covered include history, cultural identity, music, narrative, material culture, foodways, and heritage tourism. Students will hear guest speakers and participate in field trips.
This year, several students from the University of Edinburgh, with which ETSU has a long-standing exchange agreement, will take part in the class.
“Their participation will bring an important perspective to our study of cultural traditions,” MacMorran said.
During even-numbered years, the course is taught on the ETSU campus, while in odd-numbered years, students travel to Scotland and Ireland to gain a unique perspective…

Tennessee went through this last year--an audit of state employee dependents to establish that benefits were going to appropriate individuals.  I had a little difficulty proving my spouse and I were married.  They kept asking for more documentation.  I finally had to dig up my marriage license from 1976 and fax that in.  You'd think the auditors could have just googled us.  This comes from Inside Higher Ed.

Ensuring Insurance
That's the case in Georgia, where the state's public college system has undertaken an audit designed to ensure that health insurance coverage goes only to those who are qualified to receive it -- and to shave as much as $4.6 million off the $290 million that the University System of Georgia spends each year on employer-provided benefits. The so-called dependent eligibility audit, after an "amnesty period," requires all employees whose dependents are covered under the health insurance policy to submit documents (such as marriage licenses, birth…

The Chronicle of Higher Education looks at small academic programs, often the target of budget reduction moves.  In Tennessee, we define low-producing undergraduate programs differently: as those producing an average of less than ten graduates a year over a five year period.  For most graduate programs, that benchmark is five graduates--although it is three for doctoral programs.  The Tennessee Higher Education Commission has been monitoring these programs for some time. 
Having a Multitude of Small Academic Programs Is Common—but Risky For example, at a majority of colleges examined, at least one-quarter of all academic programs each awarded no more than seven bachelor's degrees in 2007-8, the most recent year for which data are available, The Chronicle found. Some of the most common small programs are physics and Germanic languages.

My first wife's as well.

Chomp! Pac-Man, the arcade classic, turns 30

Bike to Work Day.It's Your Money asks:

How Much Can You Save by Biking to Work?

But these are certainly different.  I tend to think of places for adult students like Thomas Edison State College and Regents College.  From The Huffington Post.

The Top NON-TRADITIONAL Colleges

Even in tough times, colleges and universities are still hiring. Here are some continuing education jobs from The Chronicle of Higher Education  and  HigherEdJobs.com.
San Diego State University:  Project Director
Institute of Noetic Sciences:  Director of Education
University of Wisconsin Colleges:  Outreach Program Manager
Coastal Carolina Community College:  Business & Industry Training Director
Indiana Wesleyan University:  Director, Department of Continuing Studies for Teacher Leaders
Wheelock College:  Director, Continuing Education
Texarkana College:  Dean, Workforce Education and Business Development

East Tennessee State University’s Office of Professional Development will present the Buffalo Mountain Writers Workshop from June 8-15. The workshop theme is “Roots of Writing,” and courses will be taught by ETSU adjunct instructors Doris Wyatt and Cathy Whaley.

Designed as an innovative experience in writing for all genres and for authors from beginners to experienced writers, the workshop features special speakers Dr. Jack Higgs, ETSU Professor Emeritus and author of works on Appalachian literature and sports; Dr. Don Johnson, ETSU professor and Poet-in-Residence who is credited with numerous articles on Appalachian and American literature as well as books of poetry; Laura Higgs Kappel, former editor of Aruba Today and recipient of the Award for Excellence in Teaching at the University of New Orleans; and Elizabeth Hunter, former reporter and columnist for the Johnson City Press and now a columnist for Blue Ridge Country in addition to writing several works on the Blue Ridge Parkwa…

No, I said tatts....
Tattoonomics, Part I Who are tattoo-getters trying to signal to? Because tattoos are painful to get and close off some legitimate job-market opportunities, it isn’t hard to see why tattoos serve a purpose for people engaged in activities that make it likely they will eventually end up in prison. Most of the young people getting tattoos, however, aren’t on that path. Presumably they are mostly trying to signal something about themselves to potential mates. But it seems strange that a University of Chicago undergrad would want to signal, via a tattoo, that they are like the tough guy who ends up in jail. (An acquaintance of mine had a caduceus – the symbol of medicine – tattooed on his chest. He definitely felt it sent the right kind of message to girls at the beach. Just in case, though, he had it done all in blue ink, which is easier to remove.)Maybe a tattoo is a signal that a person is wild, impulsive, and likes risk. I suppose those are traits I once would have s…

No one from Tennessee on the list except Vandy.  Who says money can't buy happiness?

The 100 Happiest Colleges

Google-Fu:

The ability to quickly answer any given question using Internet resources, especially the Google search engine.

My Google-fu is strong this morning.  I've saved so much time I think I'll take a long lunch.

And graduation rates.  Last summer, the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research issued a report, Diplomas and Dropouts: Which Colleges Actually Graduate Their Students (and Which Don't).  Here's an excerpt on the southern region: The South has the dubious distinction of housing institutions with some of the lowest graduation rates in our sample. At the noncompetitive level, none of the five institutions with the lowest graduation rates in the region surpass 20 percent. At the less competitive level, schools like South University in Georgia and Edward Waters College in Florida graduate well under 15 percent of their students. Overall, of the seventy-eight schools in the South classified as noncompetitive or less competitive, only six (less than 8 percent) have graduation rates higher than 50 percent.
In contrast, not one of the twenty-nine schools rated highly competitive or most competitive failed to graduate half of their first-time students. There is considera…

Is a program for community colleges working with a growing population of older students.  It is "sponsored by the American Association of Community Colleges with a $3.2 million grant from The Atlantic Philanthropies."

Helping Older Learners Find Their Way
Jacquie Scarbrough admits that sometimes she felt her own career was “zig-zagging.”

In the last few years, she’s been a social policy and program planner, a developmental psychology Ph.D. student, an adjunct professor and a nonprofit organization founder. Scarbrough did not always see a linear direction in her career path.

But, as it turns out, her zigzag path was the perfect preparation for her current job as the advisor of the Plus 50 program—a national initiative administered by the American Association of Community Colleges—at Cape Cod Community College in Massachusetts. She counsels students age 50 and older on how to chart their academic careers. Scarbrough’s journey has helped her become a better student advisor for …

Without a raise.  Is it any wonder morale is down at many state colleges and universities?  Kristin Clarke, writing in ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership, offers some tricks to help, based on Bob Nelson's Keeping Up in a Down Economy: What the Best Companies Do to Get Results in Tough Times.

Three inexpensive ideas you can use to raise staff morale today
1. Have a clear, compelling direction, but be ready to "retool goals and make them more relevant to the current marketplace." "There's nothing more demotivating than to try to be reaching goals set last year when there's no chance of making them … and the same is true if goals are too easy," says Nelson.

2. Engage people at specific behavioral levels. Involve them in decisions and idea generation; communicate honestly and directly; and align business goals with what you need from them as a career strategy.

3. Follow up, recognize, and reward high performance. Nelson notes that one organiza…

In four years these days.

Path to a degree no longer a straight shot

I felt like Illinois had to be the front runner.

Most corrupt states in America

In Bell Buckle, Tennessee.  It's not too late to enter a float in the parade.

And find other unusual celebrations at Top 10 Quirky Local Festivals.

You can register now for the ACHE conference.
2010 ACHE Annual Conference and Meeting Albuquerque, New Mexico October 21-23, 2010
For information visit here.  To register, here.

From TargetX:

What makes a good message?
Young people today want the truth and have an uncanny ability to see through efforts to bend or enhance it. They crave authenticity, and that means it’s OK if you’re not the best at something. Instead, concentrate your messages on the things you do excel at. They’ll resonate with the prospective students who will truly fit in at your institution. And that’s the best way to ensure their happiness and your success.

Clemson University is sponsoring an upcoming Professional Development for Women conference in Asheville June 11, 2010 at the Grove Park Inn and Spa. For more information or to register online, visit here.

June 11, 2010
Grove Park Inn and Spa
7:30 am Registration to 4 pm
$225 for one and $195 per each for teams of four or more.

Tuition includes tuition, all workbook materials, continental breakfast, networking luncheon and all refreshments.

Moms, dads, and grandparents with questions about child development, discipline, effective communication techniques, special needs, and caring for a kid with an autism spectrum disorder may find the information they need during “College for Parents,” a weekend seminar series hosted by East Tennessee State University.

Three faculty experts from the Department of Human Development and Learning in the Claudius G. Clemmer College of Education will lead the sessions. All Friday workshops will be held from 6-9 p.m. and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturdays.

“Development” will be the theme of the first workshop May 21-22 led by Dr. Mary Langenbrunner, an ETSU associate professor who has been teaching developmental processes to parents and students for more than 30 years. Langenbrunner will instruct parents on ways to recognize and use development experiences within the home. She will explain normal child and family development and strategies to help children through essential transitions.

During “Commun…

ETSU recently received Tennessee Board of Regent’s approval to implement an eRate for out-of-state students enrolled exclusively in online courses and programs.

Students must be enrolled in only ETSU online courses, and fees are substantially less than normal out-of-state fees.  For more information:

Name: Adam Greever
Phone: 423-439-8611
Email: greever@etsu.edu

Some expert advice from NACADA about incorporating social media into the academic advising process.

Academic Advising & Social Media
1. First and foremost, one should appreciate the importance of face-to-face communication in academic advising and view any forays into Social Media Environments as supplemental to advising in brick-and-mortar environments.

2. As is the case with all communication taking place at a distance, the recipient of the information cannot be verified when posting information in Social Media Environments. Advisors should be familiar with your institution’s FERPA compliance or other student records standards and technology use policies, and as is the case with email and telephone, refrain from discussing these topics in uncontrolled, on-line environments.

3. Advisors should remember that Social Media Environments do not represent the university to most students. This being the case, allowing your students the option of interacting with you in these spaces and r…

By its teeth.  It'll be interesting to see if a for-profit snaps it up.

Lambuth's future may be decided next week

Economy down--moonshine up.  Buy your still and see more pictures here.

White Dog Rising: Why Moonshine is Having a Moment

Why is moonshine making a comeback? For the same reason absinthe did a few years ago. Because it's delicious. Because it's illegal. And because it's cool. Moonshine, both then and now, is whiskey as it comes out of the still: no oak barrels, no caramel color, no aging. It's just straight liquor from fermented corn or wheat mash. None of the luxury-tinged language that surrounds its grown-up siblings, like bourbon or Scotch, apply to the dog. There are no 12 years of "mellowing," no "complex vanilla notes." If you get one flavor out of a white whiskey you're doing well. Historically, you're doing well if you don't die or go blind after drinking it; the standards of moonshine manufacture, from George Washington's time forward, have not been especially high.

From Seth's Blog:
The circles (no more strangers)
Consider this hierarchy: Strangers, Friends, Listeners, Customers, Sneezers, Fans and True Fans. One true fan is worth perhaps 10,000 times as much as a stranger. And yet if you're in search of strangers, odds are you're going to mistreat a true fan in order to seduce yet another stranger who probably won't reward you much.

Let's say a marketer has $10,000 to spend. Is it better to acquire new customers at $2,000 each (advertising is expensive) or spend $10 a customer to absolutely delight and overwhelm 1,000 true fans?

Or consider a non-profit looking to generate more donations. Is it better to embrace the core donor base and work with them to host small parties with their friends to spread the word, or would hiring a PR firm to get a bunch of articles placed pay off more efficiently?

They canceled final exams?

40 Years Later, a Proper Graduation

Economists and others are questioning whether we need increasing rates of college attendance.  It's expensive and if you don't finish, you're saddled with debt and no diploma.  Finishing is vital, obviously, and student debt is troubling.  But if you select a community college or a reasonably-priced public university, that debt can be reduced.  And I always remember what an adult student told me years ago:  "Sure I had to borrow money, but it's no more expensive than a new car.  And that car only lasts me a few years.  My degree lasts forever."
4-year college degree might not be essential for success And while the unemployment rate for college graduates still trails the rate for high school graduates (4.9 percent versus 10.8 percent), the figure has more than doubled in less than two years.
"A four-year degree in business — what's that get you?" asked Karl Christopher, a placement counselor at the Columbia Area Career Center vocational program. &qu…

I attended the commencement ceremony for my youngest son at the University of Tennessee on Friday.  UT breaks the ceremonies into separate colleges, and I was at the College of Business ceremony.  I had a chuckle when the first speaker remarked that state law required him to outline emergency evaluation procedures--instead of, I assume, evacuation procedures.  I pictured us having to frantically complete surveys as the smoke billowed out.  It was a nice ceremony.  I was a bit surprised by the lack of diversity on the stage.  Not even a suntan on any of the white guys.

The WORST-PAYING College Degrees

Teaching Privacy: Friends Don’t Let Friends Post to Facebook

Even in tough times, colleges and universities are still hiring. Here are some continuing education jobs from the The Chronicle of Higher Education and HigherEdJobs.
Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College:  Associate Dean, Continuing Education - Criminal Justice
North Orange County Community College District:  Dean - SCE Instruction & Student Services - Two Positions
Ashland University:  Director of Professional Development Services
Harvard University:Assistant Director, Custom Programs
Villanova University:Assistant Director, Continuing Studies

Anna Maria College:Manager Graduate and Continuing Education Recruitment

Ohio Dominican University:Dean of LEAD

Claremont McKenna College:Assistant Director of Off-Campus Study - Posting #M895

Brandman University - Irvine:Learning & Development Specialist

University of Tennessee, Knoxville:Coordinator III, Connections for Education Outreach

I have a son working on one of these--a Ph.D. in history.  Our paths to the Ph.D. have been vastly different.  I needed mine for a union card; he needs his to enter the profession.  And he needs to enter with a splash.

The Long-Haul Degree

East Tennessee State University will offer a number of unique camps combining fun and learning this summer.
The Renaissance Child Camp for children ages 6 to 10 and Renaissance Challenge Camp for ages 11-13 provide age-appropriate science projects, problem-solving with math, numerous arts and crafts creations and various physical activities, including daily swimming at the Wayne G. Basler Center for Physical Activity.
The available dates for Renaissance Child Camps are June 21-25, July 12-16 and July 26-30, while Renaissance Challenge Camps are held June 28-July 2 and July 26-30.
Science and Forensics Camp, offered June 7-11 and July 19-23, is designed for ages 12-15. Campers will enjoy numerous science experiments focused around criminology and environmental forensics. Participants will also solve a mock crime scene and take a daily trip to the Center for Physical Activity where they may choose to swim, play basketball or racquetball, or participate in other activities.
Computer Camp for…