2014 APLU Annual Meeting Videos

The following videos are general sessions from the 2014 APLU Annual Meeting held in Orlando, Florida. Nov. 2-4, 2014. To see more information from the annual meeting, CLICK HERE!

McPherson: White House's College Opportunity Commitment by APLU, AASCU, and AACC will Position Public Colleges and Universities for the Future

By Peter McPherson, President, APLU

I had the great honor of attending the White House College Opportunity Day of Action yesterday. It was great to be with President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden, and higher education leaders from across the country as we all discussed ways to increase college access and success. Leading up to yesterday’s summit, the White House sought pledges and commitments from institutions and organizations on ways they would strengthen postsecondary success.

As part of that effort, APLU and the two other presidential public higher education associations—the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC)—formally pledged a new commitment to collaboratively work together to support and accelerate college completion efforts on our member campuses. Our member institutions represent nearly three-quarters of all college students in this country so the impact of our efforts has the potential to be profound.

INFOGRAPHIC: Public Higher Ed Associations Commit to Increasing Certificate & Degree Completion Levels

As part of their commitment, AACC, AASCU, and APLU pledged to work together to facilitate and accelerate efforts to reach important national educational attainment goals. Collectively, the associations can better assist their member institutions in tackling obstacles that impede students from earning a degree or certificate in a timely and cost-efficient manner. See the full story here.

SLIDESHOW: 2014 APLU Annual Meeting

Here are select photos from the 127th APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. More than 1,300 public higher education leaders, policymakers and industry representatives convened Nov. 2-4, 2014 for sessions and meetings built around the theme of Progress Through Partnerships. Attendees discussed the latest challenges and opportunities facing public universities, and developed new ideas and initiatives to further strengthen our work while engaging with federal and state governments, the business community, K-12 systems, community colleges, students and families, faculty, other institutions. Check out our Annual Meeting blog post to see more.

Press play to view slideshow

Recap: 2014 APLU Annual Meeting

Did you miss any of the 2014 APLU Annual Meeting? We've compiled some of the key moments right here. Please check out the articles, videos, photos, social media and blog postings below and share them widely. 

NEWS at #APLU2014:

• Three Universities Win USU Innovation Pitch Challenge
• Virginia Commonwealth University Wins C. Peter Magrath University Community Engagement Award
• University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Florida State University Win APLU’s Second Annual MVP Project Degree Completion Awards
• APLU Selects Four Public Research Institutions for 2014 Innovation and Economic Prosperity University Awards
• APLU Announce Winners of the 1890 University Teaching, Research and Innovation Awards
• University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emily Auerbach and former Penn State Vice Provost W. Terrell Jones to Receive National Distinguished Service Award
• Cooperative Extension & USDA Award Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity
  

SOCIAL MEDIA: Day 3 from #APLU2014

Here are a few of the final comments and pics from Day 3 of the APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Continue to post on Facebook and Twitter using #APLU2014.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Day 2 of #APLU2014

Check out some of the comments and pics from Day 2 of the APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla. Continue to post on Facebook and Twitter using #APLU2014. See you socially.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Day 1 of #APLU2014

Check out some of the comments and pics from Day 1 of the APLU Annual Meeting underway in Orlando, Fla. Continue to post on Facebook and Twitter using #APLU2014. See you socially.

SLIDESHOW: Framing the Conversation at #APLU2014!

We're making great memories at the APLU Annual Meeting as we work to strengthen public higher education.  Did you make it into the frames? Check out these great sports who did. And be sure to find us Monday during each of the breaks to help us "frame" the conversation.  Be sure to tag your tweet and Facebook postings with #APLU2014.

**Having trouble viewing photos on your mobile device, click this link to view the slideshow!

Three Universities Win USU Innovation Pitch Challenge

University of Louisville, University of Houston and Cleveland State University won the USU Innovation Challenge Pitch session at the 127th APLU Annual Meeting underway in  Orlando, Florida. Each university received $10,000 to support their economic engagement efforts on their campuses.

Sponsored by the Lumina Foundation, the pitch competition was conceived as a way to address one of the biggest challenges facing both higher education and the economy to address the seeming lack of alignment between what a student learns and what employers need. University representatives pitched innovations on ways to strengthen the university-employer/labor market relationships to a panel of judges. And those ranked highest received the seed money to prototype the idea, explore feasibility, scale the idea or launch it.

University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emily Auerbach and former Penn State Vice Provost W. Terrell Jones to Receive National Distinguished Service Award Honor Comes from Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Commission on Access, Diversity, and Excellence

APLU's Commission on Access, Diversity and Excellence (CADE) named University of Wisconsin-Madison Professor Emily Auerbach and the late Pennsylvania State University Vice Provost W. Terrell Jones as the 2014 co-recipients of the CADE Distinguished Service Award for significant contributions to increasing diversity and access in the public higher education community.

Auerbach is the first tenured faculty member to be honored with the Distinguished Service Award while Jones is the first person honored posthumously during the ceremony this afternoon at APLU’s 127th Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

See the full story here.

Cooperative Extension & USDA Award Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity

Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today named Robert Kallenbach of the University of Missouri the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Extension Award, and Cesar Asuaje from the University of Florida this year's National Extension Diversity Award. Both awards were presented during the 127th APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.

The Excellence in Extension Award is given annually to one Cooperative Extension professional who excels at programming, provides visionary leadership, and makes a positive impact on constituents served. Five regional awards will also be presented. The National Diversity Award recognizes significant contributions and accomplishments in achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism. NIFA and Cooperative Extension have sponsored the awards since 1991.

See the full story here!

The #APLU2014 App is Live. Download Now!

For the fourth straight year, APLU is offering a mobile app for Annual Meeting attendees. We've once again teamed up with CrowdCompass to develop a standalone native app for both Apple and Android users and on
the mobile web for Windows and Blackberry devices.

The Annual Meeting app allows you to network during the Annual Meeting, plan your schedule, bookmark activities, find locations in the hotel, follow and contribute to social media feeds, and much more.

To download the app, visit the Apple App Store or Google Play and search for "APLU".  After launching the app, log in by creating an account with CrowdCompass or link to an existing social media platform.

FAMU Alumnus John Michael Lee Jr. to Deliver Keynote at University’s Homecoming Convocation

Florida A&M University (FAMU) alumnus John Michael Lee Jr., vice president for the Office of Access and

Success at the Association for Public & Land-grant-Universities, will serve as the 2014 keynote speaker at its homecoming convocation on Friday, Oct. 31, 2014 in Gaither Gymnasium. Lee is a 2003 FAMU graduate with a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering from the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.

“I am so deeply humbled to have been chosen as the homecoming speaker this year. Attending FAMU was one of the best transformative decisions in my life, and my FAMU experience developed me into the leader that I am today,” said Lee. “I would not be where I am without the love and charity of the FAMU-ly! ”

APLU Secures Overflow Hotel for 127th Annual Meeting

With just a few weeks to go until the start of the 127th APLU Annual Meeting, the room block at the Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek (headquarters hotel) is sold out. An overflow hotel has been set up at the Wyndham Grand hotel. It's about a three-minute drive or a 14-minute walk from the headquarters hotel.

The information for booking rooms at the overflow property is below:

Wyndham Grand
14651 Chelonia Parkway
Orlando, FL 32821
Reservations: 1-800-996-3426
Hotel: 407-390-2300

Rate: $199 per night
Resort Fee: $10 (Resort Fee includes complimentary internet & Disney Shuttle)
Note: All reservations must be guaranteed for late arrival to an individual’s credit card plus a non-refundable deposit of one night’s room and tax.

Check-in: 4:00 pm
Check-out: 11:00 am


For more information on the 127th APLU Annual Meeting and to register, visit www.aplu.org/AnnualMeeting

University of California Irvine Releases Parody "Chemists Know" Video

Just when you thought Disney's megahit movie "Frozen" had gone cold, think again. A group of faculty and students in the University of California Irvine's Department of Chemistry recently released this parody video set to the music of the movie's main theme song. It's a really fun take on the importance of science and well--chemistry. Check it out and share.

Jared C. Avery Joins APLU’s Office for Access and Success

To help support the growing efforts underway in the Office for Access and Success, APLU recently welcomed Jared C. Avery, Ph.D. as the new Associate Director for Access and Success Initiatives to provide comprehensive support around equity, access, and educational excellence for college student populations and minority-serving institutions. Avery will also manage a collaboration of partnerships and initiatives; create and support original research; and engage in a host of other activities that support the mission of the office.

"Working for APLU's Office for Access and Success is a tremendous opportunity and one that aligns closely with my own interests of broadening and improving the educational pipeline for underrepresented groups at the pre-college and college levels," said Avery. "I am extremely excited to begin this journey and connect with others that share these interests."

Holistic Admission Policies Has Positive Impact on Class Diversity, Student Success Across Health Disciplines

A new national study finds that health professions schools report an overall positive impact from the use of holistic review – a university admissions process that assesses an applicant’s unique experiences alongside traditional measures of academic achievement such as grades and test scores. The report, Holistic Admissions in the Health Profession, was released today during a panel discussion at the National Press Club.  The report is the first large-scale study to examine the prevalence and effectiveness of holistic review across multiple health disciplines at universities nationwide.

(From L to R) M. Roy Wilson, President, Wayne State University; Marc Nivet, Chief Diversity Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC);  Greer Glazer, Co-Principal Investigator, Associate Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, College of Nursing, University of Cincinnati; Yvonne Maddox, Acting Director, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD); Darrell G. Kirch, President and CEO, Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC); and Neil D. Theobald, President, Temple University.                

APLU's Jim Woodell Discusses State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) Conference

The State Science and Technology Institute (SSTI) is an organization serving those involved in technology-based economic development (often called “T-BED”), including universities, state and local economic development organizations, and venture development organizations. The organization’s annual conference was held September 14 – 16 in Chicago, with the theme “Regional Prosperity Through Innovation.” The meeting provided a fantastic opportunity to see old friends and colleagues and to meet new ones.

On September 15, I had the great pleasure of moderating a panel on “New Approaches to Commercialization.” The session featured Rick Huebsch from University of Minnesota, who talked about UMN’s new “Minnesota Create” and “Minnesota Try and Buy” programs which simplify the technology licensing process for industry partners.

We went to Chicago’s 1871 incubator and co-working space for a reception. APLU member University of Illinois has a presence at 1871 and other universities are also engaged, engaging students in startup opportunities.

Also on the panel was Wiley Larsen, who presented ASU’s Furnace Technology Transfer Accelerator, which licenses university technologies to entrepreneurs and helps get their startups going. The UMN and ASU programs are going a long way toward helping to accelerate innovation and simplify what can sometimes be a too-cumbersome process of getting university discoveries to market.

Before leaving Chicago, I had a great lunch at Chicago landmark Harry Caray’s with colleagues from Washington State University, including Assistant Director of Economic Development Alexis Holzer.

AACC, AASCU, AND APLU Announce Post-Collegiate Outcomes Initiative

The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), in partnership with the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), will collectively develop a strategic framework to guide discussion and the creation of measurement tools for reporting student outcomes after college completion. This Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded initiative will create a framework that will enable colleges and universities, policymakers, and the public to better understand and talk about post-collegiate outcomes in areas such as economic well-being, ongoing personal development, and social and civic engagement. The development of a framework is an important first step toward the creation of metrics and data elements institutions may be able to report on in the future. 

“Most post-collegiate outcome studies have focused solely on areas where data are more readily available, such as economic success metrics related to employment and wages. These outcomes are important, but they are just one part of how we should measure success,” APLU President Peter McPherson said. “This comprehensive framework will also tell us how a college education enhances a person’s capacity to continue learning and increases their involvement within community organizations and charities.”

APLU by the Numbers: $41B

 

 

APLU member institutions are leaders of groundbreaking research in key areas such as the sciences, agriculture and humanities. Learn more about the work of our members at our website.

APLU: By the Numbers--6 Million

APLU represents a diverse number of higher education institutions from all over North America. Together they educate millions of undergraduate and graduate students aiming to be the next scientist, entrepreneur, artist, president or prime minister. Learn more about them here. 

APLU By the Numbers: 235

Did you know APLU's membership is made up of 235 public research universities, land-grant institutions, state university systems, and affiliated organizations? The membership includes a unique blend of institutions, including 205 campuses and 24 university systems of which 75 are U.S. land-grant institutions. There are 23 historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) (21 are black land-grant institutions). Six related higher education organizations are also members, including the American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC), which serves the interests of the nation’s 33 American Indian land-grant colleges. On the international side, APLU has five Mexican and seven Canadian member institutions that complete the 235 total. 

Learn more about APLU members here.

VIDEO: HBCU Administrators Discuss highlights from APLU's Student Success Summit

IN THIS VIDEO: Attendees of the 2014 HBCU Student Success Summit discuss the impact of the conference and the ideas they are taking back to their campuses to improve student retention outcomes. Sponsored by APLU's Council of 1890 Universities, the event drew more than 225 attendees, including senior level campus administrators and professionals throughout the education community to Atlanta, Ga. June 19-21, 2014. Check out additional content, including videos, photos and presentations by visiting www.aplu.org/2014HBCUSummit.

APLU in the News

 It’s been a busy week of news stories about important issues and initiatives we are focusing on at APLU. From the launch of a new planning grant, to designating an inaugural batch of member universities economic innovation hubs, to announcing the latest Golden Goose Award winners, check out these news links to see APLU in action.

Innovation and Economic Prosperity Universities

• Lubbock Avalanche Journal: Texas Tech recognized for innovation, economic impact: School designated an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University
• The Technician: APLU recognizes NCSU for innovation and development
• Houston Examiner: UH named ‘Innovation & Economic Prosperity University’
• Pittsburgh Business Journal: Pitt named among top U.S. universities for economic development
• Rapid City Journal/Associated Press: South Dakota State University named innovation, economic prosperity univ.
• Triangle Business Journal: NCSU named among top universities for innovation and economic development
• Lubbock Avalanche Journal: Tech Recognized For Innovation and Economic Prosperity by National Organization
• Pittsburgh Business Journal: Pitt named among top U.S. universities for economic development
• Daily Toreador: Tech receives designation

APLU Interns Take On the Supreme Court

By Claire Stieg
2014 APLU Summer Intern for Congressional & Governmental Affairs

(L to R) Olivia Nouaihetas-Baneth; APLU Senior Counsel Jim Turner;
Claire Stieg; Carlos Zelya, Shalin Jyotishi; and
APLU Vice President John Michael Lee

Early this month, current APLU interns had the opportunity to tour the Supreme Court of the United States. Jim Turner, senior counsel in the Congressional & Governmental Affairs Office, arranged the tour for a group of engineers from the University of Virginia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was kind enough to invite Carlos, Claire, Olivia, and Shalin to join in on the experience!

2014 HBCU Student Success Summit Meeting | June 19, 2014

 

Friday, June 20

8:30 a.m. — 10:00 a.m. PLENARY SESSION IV | HIGH TECH, HIGH TOUCH: TECHNOLOGY, DATA AND INTERVENTIONS FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

10:00 a.m. — 10:15 a.m. Networking Break

11:15 a.m. — 11:45 a.m. Concurrent Sessions

Noon — 1:45 p.m. LUNCHEON | REPOSITIONING HBCUs FOR THE FUTURE:  A CONVERSATION WITH FOUNDATIONS

1:45 p.m. — 2:00 p.m. Networking Break

2:00 p.m. — 5:15 p.m. Concurrent Sessions

Dept. of Ed Delays College Ratings Proposal; APLU Continues to Push Its Alternative Proposal

Georgia Southern University's Class of 2014.
Photo credit: Georgia Southern University
Creative Commons License

Last week the U.S. Department of Education announced a delay in the release of its college ratings proposal, citing ongoing conversations with higher education stakeholders on the scope and design the new federal system will take. The original timeline called for a mid-2014 release, but department officials say sometime this fall is more likely.

“The scope of responses, complexity of the task, and importance of doing this thoughtfully and usefully led us to decide that it is worth taking more time before publishing a proposal for comment,” said Jamienne Studley, deputy under secretary of the U.S. Department of Education in a blog post. “We are continuing conversations with educators, families, leaders and researchers. We are on track to come out with a proposal by this fall and a final version of the new ratings system before the 2015-16 school year.”

While APLU agrees with the administration’s goal of increasing transparency and accountability at higher education institutions, the association is advocating for an alternative it developed to the administration’s ratings plan. APLU supports making essential and accurate information, such as the Student Achievement Measure (SAM), about all higher education institutions widely available to students and their families. In addition, APLU proposes tightening up the Title IV federal student aid eligibility process and measuring institutions, after adjusting for the nature of the student body, against key metrics. These measurements should have real consequences, which would be in keeping with the president’s goals to protect students and better use federal resources.

Back in January the association formally sent its alternative proposal to Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan. A month later APLU presented recommendations on providing greater value to students and the public at a symposium on the ratings plan, formally known as the Postsecondary Institution Rating System (PIRS). APLU will use this new delay in the administration’s development of its ratings plan to further push for its alternative proposal.

Slideshow: Cooperative Extension Centennial Celebration

Cooperative Extension celebrated its 100th anniversary last week with a convocation in Washington, DC on May 7&8, 2014. The centennial coincided with the signing of the Smith-Lever Act, which created the national Cooperative Extension network.

Learn more about Cooperative Extension's year-long celebrations at www.Extension100Years.net

President Carter Congratulates Cooperative Extension

President Jimmy Carter recorded a special video message for the audience attending the Cooperative Extension centennial convocation on May 8, 2014. The 89-year-old is a 4-H'er, peanut farmer, public servant and statesman. He comments on the importance of Cooperative Extension in his family and his life as well as the important role Extension will play in the future to feed the world. The video is made possible by the University of Georgia.

IFIC Executive Director Reflects on Cooperative Extension's Centennial

After viewing the Smith-Lever Act on display at the National Archives, Kimberly Reed, executive director of the International Food Information Council (IFIC), reflects on the personal impact Cooperative Extension and 4-H has had on her life:

In 1980, when I was nine years old, I lost my mother to cancer. My grandparents Avis and Max Reed took it upon themselves to help my father Terry raise my brother Mark and me. I soon found myself living on their farm in rural Upshur County, near Buckhannon, West Virginia. My grandmother (“Mommers”), who served as a 4-H leader when my father was growing up, quickly enrolled me in 4-H. I soon found myself – a shy, bookish girl – thrust into a group of outgoing kids. I signed up for cooking and sewing projects and was “highly encouraged” (“led by the hand” might be a more accurate term) by Mommers to participate in the county public demonstration contest. As a fourth grader, I had no appreciation that this meant teaching a room full of strangers and three “tough” judges (including a school principal!) how to make homemade hot cocoa. I had no idea that the judges would hurl unanticipated questions at me like “what are the nutritional benefits of your hot chocolate?” I was terrified, but, somehow, I got through my first-ever public speaking experience and even won first place!

Read Reed's full blog posting...

SLIDESHOW: APLU Hangs out with Smith, Lever and Knapp

Look who stopped by APLU to help commemorate the 100th Anniversary of Cooperative Extension. It's (from l to r) Sen. Hoke Smith, Sen. Asbury Lever and Seaman A. Knapp, the father of Cooperative Extension. APLU staffers had fun taking pictures with them as you'll see below. Learn more about them and Cooperative Extension's year-long centennial celebrations at www.extension100years.net.

 

APLU Discusses Study Abroad at White House Meeting

Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
APLU President Peter McPherson (seated on the bottom left)
listens as President Obama discusses his new 100,000
Strong in the Americas initiative.

APLU President Peter McPherson joined NAFSA President Marlene Johnson and others at a White House meeting on advancing "100,000 Strong in the Americas," an initiative focused on expanding educational opportunity and exchange  between the people of the Americas.

The roundtable discussion, which coincided with “Cinco de Mayo” (May 5, 2014), laid out President Obama's plan to bring 100,000 students to the United States to study each year, while also increasing the number of Americans studying abroad in the Western Hemisphere to 100,000.

McPherson emphasized APLU's support for incentive grants to colleges and universities to leverage institutional commitment to study abroad. Such grants would allow institutions to expand study abroad through innovative partnerships and collaboration, removing on-campus barriers to study abroad, and diversifying and integrating opportunities for all students, regardless of their major or socio-economic status, to study abroad.

The group also discussed how the private sector is playing an increasingly important role by investing in international education. By working together with private sector and academia, we can continue building to scale an exchange program that draws on the unparalleled attributes of our colleges and universities, while ensuring that our educational initiatives help develop the skills that can lead to employment and increased competitiveness. 

Read more about this event on the White House’s Blog

New Infographic on Closing the Innovation Deficit Released

Did you know that China's research and development spending could surpass the United States’ by early 2020? Or that the U.S. is now 12th among developing countries in its share of young adults with college degrees?   Check out this new infographic (designed by The University of Arizona) that helps visually explain the innovation deficit and why it needs to be closed.

APLU continues to help lead the call to close the innovation deficit with increased federal investments in research and higher education.   Read more about it at www.innovationdeficit.org or on Twitter at #InnovationDeficit.