May 5, 2008

U. of Phoenix Draws Big Names to Advisory Panel on New Center on Teaching Adults

The University of Phoenix, which specializes in education for working adults, has nabbed some well-known names in higher education to advise it on a new research institute that it is establishing to study which teaching methods work best for nontraditional students.

Phoenix’s new National Research Center, as the institute is called, will be led by Jorge Klor de Alva, a past president of the university who now carries the title senior vice president for academic excellence.

The university has recruited as founding advisers for the research center David W. Breneman, a former dean of education at the University of Virginia (who has both praised and criticized the institution in books and articles); Carol B. Aslanian, a consultant on learning and a former official with the College Board; and Patrick M. Callan, president of the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education.

In addition to studying new adult-focused approaches to teaching and the use of educational technology, the university said in a news release, the center will focus on “issues of student achievement and retention, accountability, affordability, access, and inclusion.”

In a departure for an institution that has historically focused on hiring a practitioner faculty and providing “real-world education” to its students, the new center will also seek to enhance the university’s support of faculty and student research.

With 330,000 students, the university, owned by the Apollo Group Inc., is the largest private institution in North America.

Comments

1. Is there a stipend attached to the service? That could explain the change in position.

   — Fellman    May 6, 09:46 AM    #

2. It’s about time! The University of Phoenix also hosts a couple of peer reviewed journals now. They’re very solid. I see the new leadership doing big things. The University has a huge battle ahead of it with its associated stigma though.

   — BG    May 6, 10:20 AM    #

3. And just where is this Phoenix University or at least its administrative offices, physically located? Seems to be a big secret.
   As a holder of three degrees from brick and mortar institutions where one could really meet and talk with fellow students, teachers and administrators, I remain very suspicious of all these degrees being handed out.
   One Ph.D. is enough for me even if another can only take a few months of sitting at my computer.
   Of course I’m a cranky old guy still trying to figure out Power Point.

   — AW    May 6, 10:35 AM    #

4. What about online courses that you’ve paid your money for and recieved inapproate advisment. The type of advisment that made you feel as if you were set up for failure to enroll at the online University.

   — Gloria Hearne    May 6, 10:57 AM    #

5. The University of Phoenix’s main campus is located in Phoenix. I have been there. As an employee at another location of the University of Phoenix, I can say that I talk with faculty, students and administrators on a daily basis. Only about 1/2 of the stuents are online, the other 1/2 are ground students in 42 states, at about 120 campuses. Incidentally, it takes 4 years to earn an online doctorate at UPX, the same amount of time it took me to earn mine at a brick and mortar institution.

   — Shelley Howell    May 6, 11:45 AM    #

6. Just a correction to a comment. I was at a presentation by one of their administration and it was stated that, “started online programs in 1989 and now 80% of their students are online students”. A minority, 20% or less are ground students.

   — MA    May 6, 12:18 PM    #

7. Anything you wish to know about the University of Phoenix, including where they are located – which is no mystery- can be found on www.phoenix.edu. Additional information is located at http://upxnewsroom.com. It’s all there for the world to see.

   — DM    May 6, 01:28 PM    #

8. A note on academic advisement, the University of Phoenix has approximately 1,500 full-time academic advisors focused on making sure students get the most out of their education and graduate in a timely manner. From the great majority of student responses to them it appears they are doing a great job. I hope the one that failed Gloria (#4) has been weeded out.

   — JA    May 6, 02:28 PM    #

9. This is fast emerging as a case of the tail wagging the dog! For a few decades now, mainstream academics have looked down on entities like the UoP, only to watch in utter disbelief that the UoP is now the largest university in the country. Let’s suppose this were an industry (think personal computers) and there are established majors (like IBM, HP etc). Then comes along an “upstart” called Dell that proclaims that it is happy just to target buyers willing to serve customers “brave” enough to buy via direct-mail (first via toll-free numbers and later online). You get the drift. Dell has now proved all its detractors wrong; it offered an alternative model and foresaw the shift called “commoditization” of computers. Likewise, UoP, by choosing to serve non-traditional learners seems to have made the right “bet” — what with traditional, 18-24 year-olds becoming the minority of learners. Consider this: we have 80% or more of our tax dollars focused on educating a segment that is fast becoming a minority using faculty who have no appreciation for efficiency and who think, just because they are intellectuals, society owes them a privileged perch. That’s why the tail will continue to wag the dog. Time and demographics are on its side. For those of you truly curious about what drove the founder of UoP, Dr. Gene Sperling (PhD, Cambridge), the link below should be ample food for thought. Meanwhile, if you’re a traditionalist, enjoy the sunset.

   http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/68/sperling.html?page=0%2C0

   — CR    May 6, 05:41 PM    #

10. UoP’s founder is Dr. John Sperling.

    — CR    May 6, 06:35 PM    #

11. Wow… this is an interesting discussion. At first site of “UoP”, many people think online. But the reality here is that UoP was founded as a B&M school and still is. It just happens that UoP has a very strong online component. So the comment made by AW (#3) was heavily opined and baseless.

    UoP has recently begun a Ph.D. program in Higher Ed Admin. I see where this new “institute” will come in handy.

    — BG    May 7, 03:31 PM    #

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