In 2002 President Martin Jischke initiated a new era in strategic planning at Purdue. Under his leadership, strategic planning became a centralized activity with unit plans aligned to the university plan. Strategic goals were designed to have maximum impact, which would be measurable through metrics. Strategic planning at Purdue would be an…

From its inception, Penn State has played a role in Pennsylvania's economy. As a land-grant university, it has functioned as a change agent, transferring research and knowledge to increase farm yields, encouraging business and "the mechanic arts," and transmitting technology to the general population. While the university still does those things…

Loyola University Chicago had long used the tag line, "Chicago's Jesuit University," to highlight the institution's local origins and its ties to a 450-year tradition of academic excellence. By the turn of this century, this reference was unfamiliar to a large percentage of prospective students, particularly adult students, and the Chicago focus…

Although the boundaries of academia have blurred, the individualistic and disinterested nature of universities remains unique. Three areas of change face university continuing education: the use of for-profit institutions as benchmarks, better application of the philosophy of independent thought, and promotion of the ways in which a university…

Lifelong learning is being promoted as a necessity for economic development, increasing the demand for postbaccalaureate education. The Internet expands universities' reach into this market. Institutions must determine the place and scope of lifelong learning within their mission. (SK)

Knowledge work today is entirely different, and knowledge professionals such as faculty must be allowed to engage in scholarship, teaching, and service cyclically, not simultaneously. Institutional mechanisms must support social integration of knowledge as they now support research and teaching. (SK)

Discusses how a fundamental disagreement between the values of distance education and traditional academics could be bridged by a mutual commitment to education driven by quality, access, integrity, responsiveness, and a central role for faculty. Notes adoption of distance education could be enhanced by integrating theories of organizational…

In place of the negative connotations of marginality in the relationship of continuing education and its parent institution are offered three new images: continuing education as learning network; intellectual front parlor, a place for dialogue and idea exchange; and missionary vision. (SK)

Models through which higher education provides outreach include centralized, decentralized, and hybrid. The latter, academically integrated and administratively decentralized, meshes continuing education programs with the academic mission while maximizing cost effectiveness. (SK)

Lifelong education, particularly personal development activities, as a sanctioned undertaking of universities is controversial. However, commonalities between the goals of universities and lifelong learners make colleges an ideal place to provide intellectual enrichment to adults through informal learning. Continuing educators can help strengthen…

Outreach is defined as one of six types of public service, along with inreach, university service, professional service, community/civic service, and consulting. Outreach is part of the academic core, cross-cutting teaching, research, and service. Its integration into the university mission changes the focus of continuing higher education. (SK)