Open SUNY: The Vision for
SUNY’s 21st Century Onlineenabled Environment
Third Biennial SUNY Retirees Conference
November 20, 2013
Regional engagement sessions
highlighted some key issues
Issues of concern
Resolution
 System Administration to grant degrees

Not a campus. Degrees will continue to
be granted by your institutions
▪ Business models (e.g., for cross-

Launching a cross-system committee
to address these issues building on
work to date

Continued faculty curricular control
while leveraging our diversity

Address together through the broader
Open SUNY effort, building on
important work to date around the
system
registration/cross-listing and Open
SUNY funding)
▪ Standardization or loss of individual
campus identities
▪ Ability to resolve current policy
challenges (e.g., financial aid)
▪ Short time frame before launch
▪ Online course quality
▪ Access to affordable broadband
▪ Student technical / computer skills
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Did you know…
56%
2X
Percent of New Yorkers do not have any
college degree
Unemployment rate of individuals without
any college experience versus those with a
Bachelor’s degree
>30%
Percent of higher education students in the
U.S. enrolled in at least one online course
>38%
Percent of students enrolled in college over
the age of 25
>12,000
Number of online sections offered across the
SUNY system
| 2
Just in New York, there are millions of
individuals that need access to a high
quality higher education
New Yorkers
Underserved
adults
At least a high school education,
but no college degree
6.9 M
Associate or bachelor’s degree
4.2 M
Current SUNY students
0.46 M
Other NYS college students
0.86 M
Juniors and seniors in NYS
0.39 M
Currently
enrolled
High school
students
Millions more potential students in other states and around the world
SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics, Current Population Survey
| 3
Open SUNY is focused on enhancing
SUNY’s role in supporting students’
access, completion and success
Students
▪ Improve the Access + Completion = Success
equation for students. Reach new groups of learners
and reach learners in a new way
Faculty
▪ Enhance quality instruction for their
students; develop professionally; use
cutting edge learning tools to improve
instruction; enhance profile
Colleges and universities
▪ Sustainably support each institution’s
unique student offering and experience by
expanding reach and student outcomes
State
▪ Meet the demanding needs of employers and society
by producing graduates capable for the 21st century
| 4
The Open SUNY vision
Open SUNY will provide students
with the nation’s leading online
learning experience. Open SUNY
will draw on the Power of SUNY and
support campuses and faculty to:
▪
Dramatically expand access to
higher education
▪
▪
Raise completion rates
Prepare students for success in
their lives and careers, and
contribute to the economic
success of New York State and
beyond
Source: 2013 State of the University Address: College Is Worth It, January 15, 2013; Interim Report of the Chancellor’s Online
Education Advisory Team, December 2012; SUNY Board Outlines Implementation of Open SUNY, March 19, 2013
| 5
Open SUNY is in an intensive period of
design that has involved gathering ideas,
opportunities and questions from across
the system
2009 +
Aug 2013 –
Dec 2013
Jan 2014 –
Aug 2014
Sep 2014 –
Jul 2015
Prepare and frame
Refine and design
Launch
Expand
•
•
Refine vision
•
•
•
Build business
case
Supports for
limited # of
programs
•
Design initiatives
•
Resolve major
policy issues
Add
additional
degree
programs
•
•
Develop the
launch plan
Expand set
of supports
•
•
Framing Open
SUNY
Developing initial
proposals
Building on a
rich history
•
Prepare for
expansion
1. Hear your thoughts / perspectives
2. Conduct targeted research
| 6
Based on our work and what we heard,
there is an emerging view on the key
elements of Open SUNY
Community
building
Open SUNY
Learning
Commons
Course
supports
Skill
development
Faculty
professional
development
in online
education
24/7 help
desk
Creditbearing
third-party
content
Competencybased
learning
Research
&
innovation
Experiential
learning
Innovative
learning
practices
Student
concierge
Open SUNY
Skill
remediation
Open SUNY
International
Campus and
system-wide
initiatives and
supports
Student
supports
General
education
Workforce
development
Institutional
pathways &
readiness
24/7
help desk
Online
academic
tutoring
Signature
SUNY
programs
Open SUNYpowered
offerings
Academic
initiatives
Faculty
supports
Student
services
hotline
High-needs
disciplines
Prior
learning
assessment
Affordable
broadband
for NYS
IT enablers
Open SUNY
infrastructure
Identification
& verification
SUNY
Library
and open
educational
resources
Student
computer
program
Educational
resources
ePortfolio
Universal
sign-on
OpenSUNY.edu
navigator
Student
online
experience
Monitoring
and
continuous
improvement
Online
Exploration
readiness
course
assessment
Potential
students
NY State
Stakeholder
engagement
and communications
Funders
and
partners
Policy
architecture
Revenue
and
cost
models
Legal and
compliance
policies
Credits
and financial
aid across| 7
campuses
We are moving aggressively toward a
targeted, high quality launch of
Open SUNY beginning in January
2009 +
Aug 2013 –
Dec 2013
Jan 2014 –
Aug 2014
Sep 2014 –
Jul 2015
Prepare and frame
Refine and design
Launch
Expand
•
•
Refine vision
•
•
•
Build business
case
Supports for
limited # of
programs
•
Design initiatives
•
Resolve major
policy issues
Add
additional
degree
programs
•
•
Develop the
launch plan
Expand set
of supports
•
•
Framing Open
SUNY
Developing initial
proposals
Building on a
rich history
•
Prepare for
expansion
| 8
Three things we asked Presidents to
do to benefit from and contribute to
Open SUNY
What you can do
Communicate
to your
campuses
Details
▪ Communicate Open SUNY to your campus
– Three meetings: Administration, Faculty, Students
– Use communications tools (to be provided)
– Reach out if you need assistance
▪ Expand the impact of your existing onlineShare an asset
enabled capabilities by sharing an asset with
Open SUNY
– Faculty supports (e.g., faculty training)
– Student supports (e.g., online remedial tutoring)
– Institutional supports (e.g., IP policies)
▪ Open SUNY launch will highlight a handful of existing
Nominate a
program
degree programs with distinctive Open SUNY elements
▪ The Open SUNY effort will provide support to
your degree program (e.g., visibility, faculty
supports) in exchange for your participation
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Launch programs and assets
We received . . .
63
• Degree
Nominations from
30 Campuses
45
• Asset
Submissions from
21 Campuses
• We are in the process of selecting launch programs and assets
Open SUNY milestones
January 2014
Unveil Open SUNY to the world
and showcase and demonstrate
its core principles
September 2014
Formally launch Open SUNY
at scale
September 2015 and beyond
Improve and innovate on
Open SUNY
In January, Open SUNY will be
introduced with…
▪ 6 high-needs Open SUNYpowered degrees, each with
dedicated student concierges,
guaranteed experiential learning,
and dedicated course refresh
teams
▪ Website and online degree /
course navigator
▪ 24/7 hotline with help desk and
online tutoring
▪ Establishment of a formal SUNYwide ecosystem for promoting
excellence in online learning
▪ 300 faculty and IDs designated as
online learning experts
▪ An announcement in anticipation
of formal launch in September
In September, Open SUNY
will be formally launched
with…
▪ Expanded additional highneeds Open SUNY-powered
degrees, with enhanced
supports and guaranteed
experiential learning
▪ Degree ladders and consortia
in high-needs areas
▪ Expanded student supports,
including additional
concierges
▪ A community college pilot for
prior learning assessments
After 2014, Open SUNY will
keep improving and
innovating with…
▪ Fully online degree ladders
for the top high needs
disciplines for NYS
▪ Open SUNY-powered
offerings in skill remediation
and workforce development
▪ Open educational resources
▪ Student computer program
▪ Additional pilots and eventual
roll-outs of PLAs, creditbearing third-party content,
and competency-based
learning
▪ Open SUNY International
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The January launch will focus on a
subset of Open SUNY elements
Community
= Not available
building
at launch
Open SUNY
Learning
Commons
Course
supports
Skill
development
Faculty
professional
development
in online
education
24/7 help
desk
Creditbearing
third-party
content
Competencybased
learning
Research
&
innovation
Prior
learning
assessment
Experiential
learning
Innovative
learning
practices
Student
concierge
Open SUNY
Open SUNY
International
Campus and
system-wide
initiatives and
supports
Student
supports
General
education
Workforce
development
Institutional
pathways &
readiness
24/7
help desk
Online
academic
tutoring
Signature
SUNY
programs
Open SUNYpowered
offerings
Academic
initiatives
Faculty
supports
Student
services
hotline
High-needs
disciplines
Affordable
broadband
for NYS
IT enablers
Open SUNY
infrastructure
Identification
& verification
SUNY
Library
and open
educational
resources
Student
computer
program
Educational
resources
ePortfolio
Universal
sign-on
OpenSUNY.edu
navigator
Student
online
experience
Monitoring
and
continuous
improvement
Online
Exploration
readiness
course
assessment
Potential
students
NY State
Skill
remediation
Stakeholder
engagement
and communications
Funders
and
partners
Policy
architecture
Revenue
and
cost
models
Legal and
compliance
policies
Credits
and financial
aid across| 12
campuses
Emerging view of
Open SUNY initiatives
Community
building
Open SUNY
Learning
Commons
24/7 help
desk
Course
supports
Faculty
professional
development
in online
education
FACULTY SUPPORTS
Skill
development
Research
&
innovation
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT FACULTY SUPPORTS?
▪ SUNY seeks to provide extraordinary professional
development opportunities for its faculty
▪ Innovative, world-class faculty are necessary for
providing high-quality online education to students
Faculty
supports
Open SUNY
WHAT WILL OPEN SUNY’S FACULTY
SUPPORTS ACHIEVE?
▪ Open SUNY faculty supports will
encourage and recognize faculty
engaged or interested in online
education
▪ Faculty will receive extensive support
regardless of their existing expertise in
online teaching
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF OPEN SUNY’S FACULTY SUPPORTS?
▪ A center for faculty professional development in online education that
establishes a world-class peer-to-peer network of faculty to encourage
innovation, develop knowledge, supporting course development, and build
community
▪ Open SUNY Learning Commons to enable faculty to connect and collaborate
with each other across the system
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▪ 24/7 Help Desk to provide technical assistance to faculty when needed
Emerging view of
Open SUNY initiatives
STUDENT SUPPORTS
Student
concierge
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT STUDENT SUPPORTS?
▪ Current completion rates for online students are lower than for residential, and
student supports are one key to improve completion
▪ Online students need and want certain supports for success, including:
– One place to turn for all their questions
– Access to and follow up from an actual person
– Technology that is easy and enabling
WHAT WILL OPEN SUNY’S STUDENT
SUPPORTS ACHIEVE?
▪ Improved completion
▪ More prepared students
▪ Faster path to an online degree
Open SUNY
24/7
help desk
Student
supports
Student
services
hotline
Online
academic
tutoring
Library
and open
educational
resources
Student
computer
program
Educational
resources
ePortfolio
Universal
sign-on
OpenSUNY.edu
navigator
Student
online
experience
Online
Exploration
readiness
course
assessment
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF OPEN
SUNY’S STUDENT SUPPORTS?
▪ A personal concierge who helps
students navigate online learning at
SUNY and who takes personal
responsibility for students’ success
▪ Easy, around-the-clock access to online
academic tutoring and help desk
▪ Degree navigator to discover learning
pathways
▪ Readiness assessment and exploration
course to test individuals’ aptitude for
| 14
online learning
Emerging view of
Open SUNY initiatives
ACADEMIC INITIATIVES
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT ACADEMIC
INITIATIVES?
▪ Academic initiatives are the heart of
what and how students learn
WHAT WILL OPEN SUNY’S ACADEMIC
INITIATIVES ACHIEVE?
▪ These initiatives hold the key to
expanding access, decreasing time to
degree, and increasing students’
success in the work place
▪ By incubating innovation and
incentivizing collaboration, the
academic initiatives will unleash the
power of SUNY’s systemness on behalf
of students
Creditbearing
third-party
content
Competencybased
learning
High-needs
disciplines
Prior
learning
assessment
Experiential
learning
Innovative
learning
practices
Academic
initiatives
Signature
SUNY
programs
Open SUNYpowered
offerings
Open SUNY
International
General
education
Workforce
development
Skill
remediation
Open SUNY
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF OPEN SUNY’S ACADEMIC INITIATIVES?
▪ Open SUNY-powered offerings are online degrees, courses, and services that receive OS-supports to
increase quality and provide wrap services to students and faculty
▪ Experiential learning will provide students with practical, hands-on training and support success
▪ Innovative learning practices will investigate new ways to ensure Open SUNY-powered offerings meet
the demands of working adults who will most benefit from Open SUNY
▪ Open SUNY International boosts overseas enrollment in SUNY offerings and connect US students to
|
overseas experiences
15
Emerging view of
Open SUNY initiatives
CAMPUS AND SYSTEM-WIDE INITIATIVES AND SUPPORTS
WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT CAMPUS AND SYSTEM-WIDE
INITIATIVES AND SUPPORTS?
▪ SUNY campuses require necessary enablers to better serve
students and improve outcomes
WHAT WILL OPEN SUNY’S CAMPUS
AND SYSTEM-WIDE SUPPORTS
ACHIEVE?
▪ Campus and system-wide initiatives
and supports will provide the
infrastructure, policy backbone, and
shared capabilities to let campuses
pay for and deliver Open SUNY
supports
Institutional
pathways &
readiness
Open SUNY
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF OPEN SUNY’S
CAMPUS AND SYSTEM-WIDE SUPPORTS?
▪ IT and other infrastructure
▪ Legal, financial, and other policies
▪ Robust centralized communications with all relevant
stakeholders
Campus and
system-wide
initiatives and
supports
Affordable
broadband
for NYS
IT enablers
Open SUNY
infrastructure
Identification
& verification
SUNY
Potential
students
NY State
Stakeholder
engagement
and communications
Funders
and
partners
Policy
architecture
Revenue
and
cost
models
Legal and
compliance
policies
Credits
and financial
aid across
campuses
| 16
Conversation and dialogue
• What opportunities do you, as SUNY retirees, see to
contribute to Open SUNY
– Student?
– Mentor/Advisor?
– Peer Reviewer of Open SUNY Textbooks, Open
Education Resources?
– Open Textbook/Education Resource Author?
• What about Open SUNY do you find exciting?
• What about Open SUNY do you find frightening?
• If you were to advise the Chancellor on this initiative,
what counsel would you provide?
To learn more and to share your
views and perspectives
http://open.suny.edu
| 18
Thank you!
Questions?