the solutions initiative transforming lives, transforming society one student, one idea at a time
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The Solutions Initiative
Transforming Lives, Transforming SocietyOne Student, One Idea at a Time
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The Goal: Sustain Postsecondary Capacity to Serve Community and
National Interests
• Increasing real wages• Addressing workforce needs• Reducing international skills gaps• Sustaining technological
advancements• Serving communities
• Sustaining economic growth
3
The Challenge for Higher Education
• Need to increase -- not just maintain --access, affordability and success
• Long-term structural budget challenges at State and Federal levels
• Public perceptions about higher education as a public priority
4
Listening to the Public
• Focus groups to test public perceptions, language, and messages about…
-notions of the public good
-what will motivate people to support higher education as a public policy priority
-perceptions of higher education
-what warrants public support
5
Public Perceptions of Higher Education
• Perceived primarily in terms of “colleges” and credentialing• Viewed as private economic good - not equated with broad array of social, economic, service benefits
• Concern about rising costs, productivity, accountability
• Remote from public engagement
• Strong positive view of importance
6
Criteria for public support
Public
Need
Basic necessityfor a decent life
Personal relevanc
e
This affectsmy daily life
New age
politics
Everybody is Better off if more
People have it
Public benefit
Accountable andEfficient
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Public skepticism - Esp tuition/value
Public skepticism for higher education
on all four dimensions
Public
Need
Not as pressingas other issues
Public benefits
Colleges benefit thePeople who go to
them
Personal
Relevance
This isn’t about me
New era
Politics
8
Connecting to the public
• Testing messages that are credible, and connect
• Connection to future, solutions for society, credible and positive
• International comparisons seen as self-serving
• “Crisis” language a turn-off
• Deficit language not believed
9
Solutions for AmericaExpanding the conversation…
FROM
An individual responsibilityFor the privileged few
Not accountable Politically correct
ExpensiveExpendable
TO INCLUDE
A public investmentBenefits all of societyPublicly responsive Intellectually open
AffordableAn investment in the
future
10
Project Messages
• Building for the future
• The investment at risk
• The payoff to society from higher education
11
Target Audiences
• The voting public• Parents of college-age students• Alumni• Business leaders• Community-based
organizations• Opinion leaders • Public policy makers
12
Layers of Campaign
• National
• State
• Campus
13
Metrics of Success• Increase in importance of issue with influential
opinion leaders• Change in language (editorial pages, speeches,
talk shows) about public purposes and social investment
• Successful engagement of public discussion (op ed pieces; radio talk shows; TV spots)
• Improved statewide collaborative capacity within higher education
• Successful engagement of business leaders at state and national levels
• Improve public policy climate for higher education, including strengthened commitment to funding for institutions and for student aid
14
How can SHEEOs help
• Help us keep this on message: public purposes, serving the future, improving performance
• Work with institutions to engage campaign at state level -
• Data about state-level performance• Audience analysis
15
For more information
The Solutions ProjectC/o American Council on Education
One Dupont CircleWashington, DC 20036
202/939-9426
OR…..Stanley O. IkenberryStanike@uiuc.eduJane V. Wellman
Jane_Wellman@ace.nche.edu
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