Building Bridges: Co-ops, Consortia and the Collaborative Economy

Editor’s note: The following are open invitations to members and potential members to the SCUP 2017 North Atlantic Regional Conference: Building Bridges: Co-ops, Consortia and the Collaborative Economy, March 5–7, 2017, at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
From Annie Newman, regional chair for the North Atlantic Region of SCUP.
Welcome to Worcester Polytechnic Institute!

Annie Newman

Greetings to all of you planning to attend or hoping to attend the North Atlantic SCUP annual spring conference. Even if you are not yet a member I hope that you will come to the conference so you can see first hand the added value of membership in action. SCUP is a wonderful networking organization and a great resource for those of us charged with planning our campuses. The conference chairs and I are very excited to bring the SCUP North Atlantic Conference to Worcester and WPI.

Home to nine institutions of higher education, and more just beyond its borders, Worcester is a great example of how higher education can help cities that have struggled in the past. Worcester has transformed itself into a progressive and vibrant city with an active diverse culture, multi-billion dollar public/private investment, a robust healthcare and biotechnology industry and nationally recognized colleges and universities. A five-time recipient of the All-American City Award, Worcester offers its residents the resources and exciting attractions of a metropolis, balanced with the more intimate, livable scale of a mid-size city. One is hard pressed to find another city of comparable size with a greater concentration of world-class colleges and universities. This unusual concentration of intellectual capital and proximities to the best medical facilities and teaching hospitals – combined with streamlined business siting and permitting, robust economic development programs and strong political support – has helped Worcester to become a world-renowned center for research and development in biotechnology and the life sciences.

WPI is a dynamic institution and a great exemplar of our conference theme. WPI is known for its ground breaking “Plan” for project-based learning. In 1970 “The WPI Plan” was a bold experiment. Today, it’s a proven and highly effective model for undergraduate learning that’s both adaptable and rigorous. Through “The Plan”, students learn how to learn by applying their classroom experiences in projects that challenge them from a proficiency, social, and global perspective. 81% of alumni surveyed reported a positive impact on “functioning effectively in the real world” due to their project experiences.

Our theme, “Building Bridges: Co-ops, Consortia and the Collaborative Economy” came out of a discussion at the regional council planning retreat, where the new realities of the collaborative economy had us wondering about higher education’s role. How do colleges and universities prepare their students to engage locally, globally, and collaboratively? How do they respond to student’s (and parent’s) desire for “real world” experiences? How do they prepare students to be ready to work within multidisciplinary teams upon graduation? This theme will be addressed by our plenary speakers, concurrent sessions led by speakers from across our region, and tours.

Learn from your peers. Attend a special session on the history of planning at WPI, given by Judy Nitsch, alumna and former trustee. Tour WPI (we will offer mini tours of WPI throughout the conference as well a more comprehensive optional tour) and take part in optional tours at Clark University, College of the Holy Cross and Assumption College.

We hope to see you there!

—————————————————

Mike Moss

From the Desk of Mike Moss, president at SCUP in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Welcome,

As leaders in the higher education, you recognize that building relationships across your campus and community is critical to your institution’s success. Whether through strategic alliances, public-private partnerships, or cross-departmental collaboration on your campus, a strong relationship is essential to driving positive change.

SCUP’s North Atlantic regional conference is driving this conversation on March 5-7 at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. The theme is “Building Bridges: Co-ops, Consortia and the Collaborative Economy”. Leaders from across higher ed will be presenting case studies, tools, and models to help you and your institution effectively address emerging issues such as:

  • Creating satellite or remote campuses
  • Creating partnerships with like-minded or even complementary institutions
  • Creating and sharing on-line content
  • Sharing academic and non-academic resources
  • Aligning with industry partners
  • Offering adult workforce education
  • Creating internships and/or co-operative work opportunities for students
  • Engaging with and providing economic and academic support within local communities

Your North Atlantic regional council leadership has assembled a fantastic roster of presenters and we look forward to seeing you there. For event information, please visit our website at www.scup.org/na_2017.

The ability to address the non-stop emergence of new trends on a campus through a responsive planning process is critical for all institutions, regardless of size or current financial standing. In the absence of good planning, even the largest of endowments can suffer quickly if the campus culture is reactive to change. Through the construction of strong cross-functional relationships anchored with the desire to support the greater good of a campus, all institutions will be ready for whatever issues come their way.

To learn more about SCUP and how we can help you to improve your integrated planning approach for your higher education environment, please visit www.scup.org today or contact me directly at [email protected] or by phone at 713-824-7358. Thank you for all you do for higher education and I look forward to our next opportunity to chat.

Michael D. Moss is president at Society for College and University Planning in Ann Arbor, Michigan.