Latest news with #ComprehensiveLearnerRecord
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
UT ends Flag courses requirements, including diversity; plans new model. Here's why.
The University of Texas will end its Flags program effective immediately, eliminating its graduation requirements for cultural diversity, global cultures, ethics, quantitative reasoning, independent inquiry and writing courses, the university announced Monday. Interim President Jim Davis and newly appointed Provost David Vanden Bout authorized retiring the program after reviewing the preliminary results of a Flags Review Committee, which drew from data and faculty, student and employer perspectives. It affirmed the value of the Flags program and its purpose but recommended reforming it to better align graduation requirements with program outcomes, regularly review skills for current career and world preparedness, implement an alternative administrative model, and better communicate the value of these skills. On its website, UT says its Flag program prepares students "to communicate effectively, engage in ethical decision-making and independent problem-solving, and understand the diverse, data-dense world." In an exclusive interview with the American-Statesman on Monday, Art Markman, senior vice provost for academic affairs, said UT will launch a new skills-based approach called a Comprehensive Learner Record project in fall 2026. It will take 36 skills from six categories, as determined by both academics and employers, and "infuse" them into its curriculum. Without the Flag requirements, students will have more agency over which skills to acquire, he said. More: Texas House bill proposes to ban DEI in required university curriculum UT's decision to eliminate its Flags program comes at a time when lawmakers are considering bills to bar diversity-related core requirements and are pressuring universities to comply with the "spirit" of Senate Bill 17, a 2023 state law that banned diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring, support offices and programs at all public universities and colleges. The law, which went into effect Jan. 1, 2024, explicitly exempted DEI in academic courses and research. Republican lawmakers who are pushing bills to end diversity requirements say their proposals will prevent "indoctrination" and better prepare students for the workforce. Opponents of the proposals, however, say they will invite government censorship into higher education and harm students. Markman said the Comprehensive Learner Record has been in the works for years, and the timing of its rollout as lawmakers are weighing curriculum bills was "unfortunate" but not related. "The Comprehensive Learner Record approach is the right way to ensure that our students are maximizing their value of a college education," Markman said. "Even if it leads to some perceptions that it's being done in a reactive way, what we're doing is actually very proactive and something that we think is going to be an enormous benefit to our students." More: What are 'flags' at UT, and why is the school reviewing them? Senior Vice Provost explains The state has its own core curriculum requirements, but Flags were created about 20 years ago to prepare all UT graduates with skills that are valuable for civic and professional life. Former UT President Jay Hartzell announced that the university initiated a review of its Flag program to lawmakers during an interim Senate Higher Education subcommittee hearing in November, saying UT would ensure the core requirements were timely and did not impede with graduation rates. At a UT Faculty Council meeting in March, some faculty members asked the Flags Review Committee's chair pointed questions about the need for an expedited review of the program and why the university was targeting skills and experience instead of pushing for producing knowledge. The Comprehensive Learner Record seeks to simplify curriculum and streamline paths to graduation by allowing students to consider what skills to learn that will directly affect their future careers without subjecting them to university requirements, administrators said. Markman said UT is piloting the new project now — by connecting skills that are already being taught to evidence that students are acquiring them — to better communicate the value of such education to the public and employers. "This is really something that we see as helping to transform a university education, and so we're very excited about this approach," he said. "At a time when we know that there is growing concern and sometimes even mistrust about the value of a college education, it's important for universities to step up and really demonstrate the critical value of a four-year college education." The university's decision to end the Flags program was announced Monday because it's the first day of fall course registration, Markman said. The six categories in the new program are communication; quantitative and empirical research; global awareness and social awareness; creativity and innovation; leadership, ethics and collaboration; and critical thinking and problem solving. The 36 skills derived from these categories that will be infused into the school's curriculum will change over time, however, to align with changing workforce needs, Markman said. More: Texas senators threaten no new university funding until schools fully comply with DEI ban He said the university values cultural diversity and global cultures and its relation to the workforce, but the shift will allow students to decide for themselves to take such courses. "The university continues to believe that an understanding of the world, an understanding of the global marketplace, and global society is crucial for the success of our students," Markman said. "We recognize that this is extremely important but really want to make sure that it is infused through the curriculum in a way where students are aware of the skills that they're developing and the value of those skills." At a Senate Finance Committee meeting Feb. 6, Sen. Brandon Creighton, a Republican from Conroe who chairs the Senate Education Committee, asked Hartzell, the school's former president who was UT's chief at the time, about the "likelihood" of university flags being eliminated. For "courses that have very few students applying and they don't have an equivalent value in the workforce, and is that what the University of Texas chooses to offer or should offer?" Creighton asked. At that hearing, Creighton touted decisions by the University of North Texas removing mentions of diversity from its curriculum and Texas A&M University eliminating its LGBTQ minor and 51 other minors and certificates for low enrollment as complying with the "spirit" of SB 17. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: University of Texas ends flag courses requirement, including diversity
Yahoo
20-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
University of Phoenix Leadership to Participate in 2025 PESC Data Summit
Vice Provost Marc Booker to speak; Directors Hillary Halpern and Monterey Sims to hold key roles PHOENIX, February 20, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--University of Phoenix is pleased to share that Vice Provost of Strategy Marc Booker, Ph.D., will be a featured speaker at the 2025 Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) Data Summit. The event, which will be held on March 19-21 in Arlington, VA, provides a platform for leaders in education, policy, and technology to explore emerging trends and innovations in data standards. In addition to Dr. Booker's participation, Senior Director of Program Deployment Hillary Halpern, serving as PESC Program Committee Chair, and Director of Admissions and Evaluation Monterey Sims, a member of the PESC Board of Directors, will play significant roles in shaping the summit's agenda and discussions. Booker will lead the keynote conversation "Leveraging the CLR/LER Infrastructure to Give Students Value Today," on Thursday, March 20 at 10:30 a.m. ET. The discussion will center on the foundational role components of a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) and Learning and Employment Record (LER) can play in creating more value for learners utilizing micro-credentials in an increasingly tech-driven world. "The PESC Data Summit offers a fantastic opportunity to explore how data standards and emerging technologies can drive innovation in higher education at scale," states Booker. "I am eager to share how University of Phoenix has intentionally developed our CLR/LER strategy to provide increased value for our students and support their career aspirations while the market continues to evolve in embracing these new technologies." Each year, the PESC Data Summit features leading experts and visionaries in the field of education data. Speakers represent a diverse range of perspectives, from higher education institutions and government agencies to technology providers and policy organizations. Booker's session is part of a robust lineup of speakers sharing their insights on opportunities in data management, interoperability, and the use of data to improve student outcomes. As Vice Provost for Strategy at the University of Phoenix, Booker oversees critical path academic initiatives to improve the student experience such as learning platform implementations, curricular enhancements, and developing empathetic solutions to drive improved student outcomes through data. Booker's work in higher education has been recognized by several associations as he was the 2024 recipient of UPCEA's Business and Operations award for operational excellence, was honored with a 2024 Thomas A. Bilger award for his service from the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), and in 2020 Booker received a Hall of Fame recognition from Blackboard for his contributions in providing thought leadership and innovation in education. Halpern has been with University of Phoenix for 18 years and currently serves as the Senior Director of Program Deployment, where she has leveraged her in-depth insights from her student support and process improvement background to develop, improve, and maintain the University Program Lifecycle (UPL) process. Recognized with the "Rookie of the Year" examiner award in 2017 from Southwest Alliance of Excellence (SWAE), she has served as a lead examiner for the SWAE and as a speaker on process improvement at regional and national conferences. Halpern has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Arizona State University, and a Master of Business Administration and Graduate Certificate in Human Resource Management from University of Phoenix. She recently co-authored a University of Phoenix white paper on establishing a skills ecosystem at a career-focused higher education institution. Sims serves as a Director of Admissions and Evaluation at the University of Phoenix and volunteers on the Postsecondary Electronic Standards Council (PESC) Board of Directors. During her 30-year career at the University, she has participated in a variety of process improvement initiatives including implementation of Electronic Transcript Exchange (ETX) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Sims is directly responsible for the Office of Admissions Document Processing division which includes overseeing the acquisition and processing of admission documents and transcripts from prior attended institutions for University applicants. She also serves on the AACRAO Standardization of Postsecondary Education Record Electronic Data Exchange (SPEEDE) Committee and the eTrans California Steering Committee. Booker, Halpern and Sims are key members of the University of Phoenix's dynamic leadership team, which is frequently invited to share their expertise at prestigious national conferences and events. In the coming months, University leaders will participate in the AACRAO Annual Meeting, ASU + GSV Summit, 1EdTech Learning Impact Conference, SXSW EDU Conference, and PESC Data Summit. These engagements underscore the University's commitment to innovation and thought leadership in higher education, providing valuable insights and fostering collaborations that drive the future of learning. Learn more here about the 2025 PESC Data Summit. About University of Phoenix University of Phoenix innovates to help working adults enhance their careers and develop skills in a rapidly changing world. Flexible schedules, relevant courses, interactive learning, skills-mapped curriculum for our bachelor's and master's degree programs and a Career Services for Life® commitment help students more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit ABOUT PESC Since 1997, PESC Members have come together to identify, research, develop and promote the adoption of interoperable data standards and methods across the postsecondary education P20W ecosystem. Our work includes the development and reuse of common data schemas leveraging XML, EDI, JSON and JSON-LD. PESC advocates for the widespread adoption of automated connections that enhance data efficiency. These connections ensure secure and repeatable interchange across specialized administrative, financial, and academic domains. PESC is annually sponsored by AcademyOne, National Student Clearinghouse, Parchment, EducationPlannerBC, AACRAO, and ECE. 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