Agenda

Course Activity and Digital Microcredential

Each registered participant will develop one activity that employs various concepts and strategies introduced in the course. Participants will be asked to complete assignments between the course segments that support the learning objectives and will receive feedback and constructive critique from the instructors on how to improve and shape their work. Participants who successfully complete the entire activity will receive an EDUCAUSE digital microcredential recognizing their accomplishment.

Schedule and Assignments

Session 1: COVID-19 vs. the Great Recession: How Should Higher Education Respond?

May 6, 2020, 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET

In this session, we will contrast the likely financial impact of COVID-19 to the last economic downturn higher education faced—the Great Recession of 2008. Particular emphasis will be placed on levers available to institutions as they seek to move from an immediate response to COVID-19, to a period of recovery through fall 2020 and, ultimately, to the creation of new sustainable business models.

Assignments

Participants will debate the following: Could COVID-19 be a disrupting event that allows higher education to make needed long-term change? How might that change be accomplished?


Session 2: Moving from Spending to an ROI Lens

May 13, 2020, 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET

In this session, we will examine the shift from traditional budget models focused on spending to a new approach based on return on investment. We will explore how the ROI approach better responds to changes in the external environment. Case studies will be used to demonstrate the application of an ROI lens. These case studies will examine academic portfolios, student success initiatives, and administrative services.

Assignments

Participants will debate the following: (1) Is higher education ready to adopt an ROI lens? (2) How different is the ROI approach? (3) What would change at your institution as the result of a shift to an ROI approach?

Participants will also capture what they consider to be the top 3 best practices when shifting to an ROI lens.


Session 3: Creating an ROI Action Plan in Response to COVID-19

May 20, 2020, 1:00–2:30 p.m. ET

Participants will build on the skills from sessions 1 and 2 to consider an action plan for applying an ROI lens as they respond to the financial impacts from COVID-19. The facilitators will share pitfalls to avoid and strategies for implementing change management approaches.

Assignments

Participants will begin creating an action plan for implementing an ROI lens at their own institutions.