SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
The Alexander N. Charters
Library of Resources for
Educators of Adults
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
The Alexander N. Charters
|
|
Alexander N. Charters
Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education
Syracuse, NY
© 1996
The author gives permission to reproduce this monograph, in part or whole, as long as the copyright notice is held intact.
Contents
Adult Education, as a relatively new thrust into the higher education enterprise, is continually striving to be recognized as a field of study and practice. As a way to foster this development, Syracuse University made a conscious commitment to mold Adult Education into the very essence of the university. This effort is called mainstreaming.
This monograph describes my reflections about the mainstreaming of University College and other Continuing Education Programs into the academic life of Syracuse University. It is recognized that the term "mainstreaming" is frequently limited to special education but is used in a more generic way in this monograph.
This is being written at a time when Syracuse University is recognizing the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Evening Session in 1918. It records my reflections of one who was Assistant to the Dean (1948-1950), Assistant Dean (1950-1952), Dean of University College (1952-1964) and Vice President for Continuing Education (1964-1973). All of this occurred when mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University was a major thrust of the University. In general there has been some movement toward the mainstreaming of Adult Education in many agencies, but at Syracuse University there has been a conscious commitment to this development.
In this monograph Adult Education is used in a generic sense to include all educational programsand activities of the University related to the education of adults. It is used interchangeably with other terms such as extension, continuing education, training and human resource development. Continuing Education Programs includes the Adult Education programs, and activities (including University College) which were in the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education (1964-1973).
Preparation of this monograph was based on an assumption that it is useful to analyze the past in order to understand the present and to plan for the future. Some principles, statements and generalizations about mainstreaming of Adult Education in universities are illustrated or clarified by specific reference to the Syracuse University experience. It is recognized that an example or illustration does not necessarily validate a point, but it may indicate direction. In order to preserve continuity in the description of the historical background and the elements of mainstreaming, the number of references and other sources are limited. The intent is to cite some selected examples that were significant to the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University. The materials of the Continuing Education Programs and of my papers and publications as well as the extensive Adult and Continuing Education Research Collection have been thoroughly processed by Syracuse University Library and are accessible to readers and scholars who wish to delve further.
Sources of funding are stated for each program but amounts are provided only to indicate the general magnitude of funding. Likewise the numbers of participants are cited only as examples of the scope of the programs. Additional statistics and other information are available in annual reports and other documents. Some materials are taken from The Hill and the Valley1, a monograph about developments at University College.
This monograph should not be construed as a history of University College and other Continuing Education Programs. However, it cites many items to support my reflections about mainstreaming into the academic life of Syracuse University.
This monograph includes six sections:
Section I describes the role of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University.
Section II provides some historical background about Adult Education in universities.
Section III traces changes in universities that facilitated the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the university. Some of these changes were made as universities evolved, not necessarily to enhance Adult Education.
Section IV describes the establishment of the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education.
Section V identifies and discusses some elements of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University.
Section VI provides a list of selected achievements of Adult Education at Syracuse University andsome concluding remarks.
Some of the administrative and financial aspects of the Continuing Education Programs are important to support the academic milieu, and the mainstreaming of them can have a positive effect on mainstreaming Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University and are referred to in this monograph.
Comments are provided at various places throughout this monograph. They are not necessarily generalizations about the field of Adult Education taken from the material in this monograph. They are my reflections developed from the experiences at Syracuse University, from my role in some national and international associations, from UNESCO related activities, and from colleagues in over 40 countries which I visited.
Mainstreaming requires competent persons who are able to discuss academic programs on an equal basis with colleagues in other academic schools and colleges of the University. Accordingly it was by commitment and design that imaginative and academically qualified persons were appointed to lead and direct Continuing Education Programs. These leaders required the ability to identify needs of potential students and to develop programs from which adults are able to learn in order to meet their individual and group needs. The staffs of the Continuing Education Programs are listed individually in an Appendices B through D, pp. 81-85. They functioned as a team and therefore they are not identified in the text of the monograph with particular programs and activities. This monograph is only a partial record of their commitment and accomplishments in the field of Adult Education at Syracuse University. It was through their demonstrated academic competence that new programs and modifications in existing ones were focused on the adult part-time students. In a university, an essential ingredient is the faculty. They are the essential ingredient in assisting students to learn how to get access to knowledge and how to learn. Almost every faculty member of Syracuse University was an active participant in the academic programs of the Continuing Education Programs. Their contributions are gratefully acknowledged with thanks and appreciation.
In the appendices are lists of people who date back to The Evening Session and of the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education. They include Chancellors, Deans and Directors; Program and Support Staffs of Continuing Education Programs; Academic and Administrative Officers; and Deans and Directors of Academic Schools, Colleges and Other Units. These colleagues were active in the mainstreaming of Adult Education and I can recall specific contributions of virtually every one of these Syracusans. The listing in this monograph is a meager recognition of their significant and essential contributions but they are acknowledged with appreciation.
Ms. Linda Pitonzo has been essential in setting the format and style of the monograph and making the many revisions. Her efforts are recognized and recorded with great thanks.
Mrs. Jane Frost is a graduate of Syracuse University Class of 1929, a part- or full-time employee in Extension since then, has been my secretary beginning in 1957 and has continued part-time even to the present day. This experience enabled her to provide a critical perspective to this monograph and is recognized with appreciation.
Anyone who has been associated with Adult and Continuing Education recognizes the ever present contribution of Margaret. Her great abilities are evident to anyone in the field of Adult Education at Syracuse University, in the Syracuse community as well as nationally and internationally. We were married three months before I became Dean of University College. Our children Bill, David, John and LouAnne also lived through this period and were involved in our careers and, of course, our total life. The time, effort and few setbacks were rewarded with many happy experiences which are here joyfully recorded. Margaret and I are also so grateful for the many associations and friendships nationally and internationally that came our way.
The Faculty Computing and Media Services division of Computing and Media Services at Syracuse University, and Mr. Jeffrey Bittner, provided assistance in the publication of this monograph in paper and electronic form.
It is appropriate to recognize the many unsolicited words of thanks and appreciation that continue to be expressed by the learners who have been associated with Adult and Continuing Education at Syracuse University. Their comments are hereby indirectly passed along to the faculty and staff.
This monograph records the contribution of many colleagues who assisted in the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University. However, I accept full responsibility for the accuracy of all data which are, in some cases, rather tentative. I also recognize that some of the data are based on observations and recollections and are thus subject to interpretation which is also my responsibility. Likewise, the comments recorded in the monograph are my sole responsibility.
The mission of adult education is to assist adults to obtain further control of their current circumstances and future destinies.2
Syracuse University was founded by The Methodist Episcopal Church in 1870. University College of Syracuse University began with the establishment of the Evening Session in 1918. A landmark in the development of Adult Education was the appointment of Dr. William Pearson Tolley as Chancellor of Syracuse University in 1942. He had a firm and imaginative commitment to the university as an academic enterprise. Over the years he was to develop Syracuse University so that in 1951 it was invited to membership in the American Association of Universities. The Chancellor set the tone and direction for Adult Education and later expressed it when he said:
.. . . first-rate program of continuing education is a university-wide responsibility. . . . it should be clear that adult education is now one of the primary functions of a modern university. Adult education is no longer a peripheral activity. It is an indispensable service of the greatest significance. The promotion of adult education must be a major aim. Perhaps the rural university can take a different view, but it is difficult to see how an urban university can serve its area or discharge its function as a university without a first-rate program of continuing education.3
Soon after Dr. Tolley arrived in Syracuse, he indicated his commitment to the education of adults and changed the Extension unit into an academic college, naming it University College. He also changed the title of the head from Director to Dean. These changes made explicit that Adult Education had an academic base and avoided such terms as extension, service, auxiliary and administration. This change in leadership signaled the beginning of the mainstreaming of University College the Adult Educationcollege into the academic life of Syracuse University.
The mission of Syracuse University is to promote scholarship, learning and research. Since its inception the primary client group of the University has been youth. The objective of University College is to promote the mission of the University but with a client group of adults. University College made it possible for adults to engage in instruction and other aspects of academic life, drawing on the resources of the University. Reciprocally it also made a substantial contribution to the advancement of the University.
In 1964 all of the Adult Education activities at Syracuse University were designated as Continuing Education Programs in the newly established Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education.
Adult Education along with elementary, secondary and higher education is an important aspect of the continuum of lifelong education. In some instances the term lifelong education is inappropriately usedsynonymously with Adult Education.
When one examines the long developmental history of Adult Education, the field may be considered to be in the third stage of development, the knowledge-based. The stages are as follows:
The first stage, called the indigenous stage, extended over many centuries and embraced all the components of the society: education, families, occupations, religions, as well as social and cultural activities the entire community. It was indigenous to people and society.
The second stage might be called the institutionalized stage. A special institution for educating young people was established the school and gradually most educative functions were stripped from the other components of society and transferred to the school and other educational institutions. Compared to the traditional society, the school was knowledge-rich for the foreseeable future.
The third stage of Adult Education into which the world is now moving toward what might be called the knowledge-based stage. It is not to consider knowledge as a product but knowledge as the basis for knowing. Knowledge encompasses all aspects of learning and it behooves all adults to continue to learn in areas and at levels appropriate for them. As in the indigenous stage, all the components of society are once again considered to be educational.4
It may be assumed that knowledge provides access to power and thus it is a means for adults to achieve the mission of Adult Education as previously stated.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: It may be that, as education becomes more knowledge-based, knowledge as now categorized into the disciplines, programs and departments may not be appropriate. New areas and configurations of knowledge may evolve or develop within schools and colleges and may be cooperatively and jointly provided by two or more colleges.
The rationale for mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University was to ensure that adult students were able to have access to learning experiences appropriate for a university-level education. It was intended that Continuing Education Programs meet the same standards of quality as the remainder of the University. However, in some cases the standards go beyond those set for full-time students. Accordingly, there must be modifications in the policies and procedures of the University, that are related to the academic life of part-time students, in areas related to programs, faculty and students. Input by and on behalf of part-time students is important and necessary. The advocacy role on behalf of the part-time students is a responsibility of all faculty and staff but particularly of the administrators of Continuing Education Programs. In order to be effective and to be respected, they must maintain their own high academic standards in order to have credibility with their peers on the faculty.
Being an active participant in the academic life of the University also enabled University College and other Continuing Education Programs to develop programs especially for adults, and thus obtain funding from external sources such as business, government and foundations. It is observed that government, foundations and other organizations nationally and internationally make grants for the development of innovative programs that have a strong academic thrust.
Over the years conscious planning caused University College and other Continuing Education Programs to engage in mainstreaming. There was, however, no clear design stated, but progress was made with much ambiguity, and even a sense of humor. Mainstreaming meant moving these Continuing Education Programs from a somewhat independent or separate status toward becoming integral parts of the University. In this monograph,mainstreaming is used in the present tense to indicate that it is an ongoing process. Mainstreaming is based on the philosophy that a university should devote its primary effort to a goal that can be adhered to and enhanced by all of the parts and participants. That goal is scholarly activity. Mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life assists in making the University an integrated body and thus contributes to preserving the integrity and image of the total University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: When the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life is further achieved, it may be that the Adult Education will be characterized by proactive thrusts that will affect all of the clientele of the universities.
II. HISTORICAL ENVIRONMENT: A NEW CLIENTELE FOR UNIVERSITIES
Universities began in the Middle Ages; the first ones began about the 12th century at places such as Salerno and Bologna. They were considered as institutions set apart from educational and other institutions and they assumed or accepted functions to develop knowledge, teach and profess. For a few centuries universities functioned in their traditional ways, but gradually they became more enlightened. This change became particularly noticeable in the United States in the late 19th century when universities began to proliferate. The more mature universities, including Syracuse University, realized that they were in the business of education and not just in perpetuating culture and tradition, accordingly they were to become active participants in the new and changing environment.
In this environment the Evening Session at Syracuse University was established in 1918 near the end of World War I, purported to "Save the world for democracy." It was one of the extension divisions of universities that was to thrive and develop in an era of change characterized by the League of Nations, disarmament, economic boom and crash on Wall Street, and then recession and depression. Unfortunately the world was not saved for democracy and World War II ensued.
Peace after World War II ushered in a revolution in social, cultural, economic and political organizations and systems. There was also some fluctuation, perhaps not of basic moral, religious beliefs and values, but certainly of related standards of conduct. Internationalism, peace and diversity were three concerns that emerged worldwide.
Universities had been disrupted by World War II and after the war, challenged by the influx of adults matured by both realistic and idealistic experiences, some of which were of an educational nature. This new clientele knew, often better than educators, that adults could continue to learn, that they not only needed education but were highly motivated, could demand appropriate learning opportunities. It was an encounter where adults learned at universities and where universities learned about adults.
A strong commitment to the education of adults gradually became evident. For example, after World War II, the GI Bill in the United States resulted in an influx of veterans and other adults into higher education institutions. Syracuse University was among the institutions to welcome thousands of these adults as part-time and full-time students. The distinction between education of youth and adults was to become somewhat
obscured. At Syracuse University students of whatever age who enrolled for 10 credit hours or more on the main campus were designated as full-time students. All adults and other students registered in credit courses for less than 10 credit hours, enrolled in conferences and courses, and enrolled in any programs away from the main campus were under the administration of University College and later the Office of Vice President of Continuing Education, were designated, with a few exceptions, as part-time students. The division into full-time and part-time students was an administrative decision that was appropriate for both University College and the other schools and colleges at that time.
It was assumed that part-time students, in general, who were also engaged full-time in a career or other activities, such as family, had some other responsibilities and commitments of a political and social nature. Since these students have different lifestyles than full-time students, it was necessary to have different policies and procedures for University College and other Continuing Education Programs to provide appropriate adult learning opportunities.
While the initial influx of veterans chose full-time study, other veterans wishing to enter the labor force and have time for family, chose part-time study. The numbers of part-time students were augmented by spouses and by women and men who had entered the labor force during the war and who were beginning or continuing a previously interrupted university education. In addition, they were joined by people who recognized that they must up-date their new knowledge and skills. They knew that the development of knowledge was accelerating and that the world was becoming more urban and more international. The number of part-time students also increased in many Adult Education agencies other than universities.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As universities enroll older (e.g., over 25 years) full-time students and as more younger full-time students acquire part-time jobs to pay university expenses and often to support partners and raise families, these full-time students in many ways exhibit life patterns similar to part-time students. Accordingly, the distinction between part-time and full-time students may become more obscure and less meaningful. It may be a further indication of commitment to lifelong learning.
There were an increasing number of educators who realized that education for eight years(elementary), then four years (high school), and followed by about four years more (colleges, universities and professional and vocational schools) must be supplemented by continuous study over the life span. The concept of lifelong learning was becoming accepted at Syracuse University as well as other universities. Universities are complex, dealing with research, undergraduate and graduate education, and accordingly, new patterns and priorities of education for adults had to be developed. The phenomenon of the new adult clientele had to be assimilated into and recognized for their contribution to the University. The task certainly could not be ignored and was engaged, with varying degrees of commitment and enthusiasm, but none-the-less engaged.
In addition to having an adult clientele, universities had to adjust to an expanding knowledge based particularly in science and technology. Universities have had a strong and clear commitment to learning and have lived with diversity and ambiguity for centuries and so the post-war situation was generally taken in stride, representing only a modest increment in such diversity and ambiguity.
The development of the Adult Education thrust beginning with University College at a downtown location in Syracuse became an integral part of Syracuse University. As with every other academic unit, its
purpose was to build on the existing programs and resources and to make a unique contribution to the total University. As stated, the mission of Adult Education is to assist adults to acquire further control over their current circumstances and future destinies.5
If adults are to develop the capacity to control their own destinies, they must have learning opportunities to enhance their knowledge base as well as the ability to learn. These learning opportunities were provided by Adult Education in many agencies including universities of which Syracuse University was a leader.
To the extent that the concept of Adult Education is accepted as an integral function of Syracuse University then mainstreaming into the academic life will proceed.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As universities accept the concept of lifelong education it is incumbent upon them to modify policies and practices to integrate Adult Education into the statement and practice of their mission.
III. CHANGES FACILITATING ADULT EDUCATION IN UNIVERSITIES
This monograph records some of the changes that have taken place in policies, procedures and practices of universities and the larger community with illustrations from Syracuse University, that have influenced Adult Education. It describes how one institution SyracuseUniversity engaged in the task of responding to change and the ways it changed to develop further an Adult Education thrust. Similar changes may have taken place in other institutions but perhaps in different ways.
A retrospective review of these changes indicates that there was no stated grand design or plan and in many ways there was some ambiguity in the development. Some guidelines however were evident. One guiding principle was that university education should be made accessible to adults. A second principle was that the quality of education for adults should be consistent with the standards of the institution. A third principle was that through Adult Education, universities were to be pro-active and thus develop new initiatives.
Decisions about institutional changes had bases in accordance with all of the following: charter; legal and policy statements; government regulations; unilateral action by an administrator; faculty support and action; and leadership of presidents and chancellors as well as the educators of adults.
Some changes in universities have had a profound influence on the development of Adult Education but are not necessarily applicable only to Adult Education. Some of these changes are discussed separately in this monograph, but they are interrelated, and in some cases may appear to be more tokens, but the extent of their influence may be more significant.
It is assumed that if a major new priority Adult Education was to be added and nourished in universities, then basic and major, not cosmetic, changes had to be made in such areas as commitment, policy, administration, programs and a wide range of support arrangements for the academic programs. There were also changes in relationships of universities to other educational institutions and to the community. The nature and extent of change is continuous, and it is through these changes in Syracuse University that further mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University was facilitated.
A. Articulation of Elementary, Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools with Admission to Universities
Concurrently with the development of universities and beginning particularly in the 19th century, private and public schools were developed for the education of children and youth. It followed that a qualification such as completion of a designated school program, either private or public, was to become a consideration or even requirement for entrance to universities.
The distinction between colleges and universities has become somewhat confused over the years. The term "universities" is generally used for institutions of higher education that have a component of research and graduate study. They may have within their organization colleges designated for the study of specific disciplines or professions. In this monograph the term "university" is used broadly to include colleges.
The development and acceptance of compulsory education at the elementary and secondary schoollevel sometimes with a leaving age option, e.g., 16 years became common in the United States. Then the junior high schools and middle schools in various forms were developed bridging the elementary and high schools. The development of further or post-secondary education followed and took forms such as normal schools for the training of teachers, other teacher training institutions, academies, polytechnics, junior colleges and community colleges. These developments were often included in the term "upward extension of the secondary school." In this way some students were prepared for subsequent entrance or transfer to universities with programs leading to a baccalaureate degree. Some of these institutions along with universities are often considered as part of the higher education system.
Over the years through policy and practice the elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools developed an articulated relationship with universities. The relationship became clarified and formalized particularly in the past century and thus most of the confusion was alleviated. The relationship extended beyond the entry to universities of full-time students to include adult part-time students. This articulation arrangement when extended to part-time students facilitated the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As the concept of lifelong learning becomes more universally accepted, the currently used levels of elementary, secondary and higher education may be less discrete and necessary in an operational sense. In the knowledge-based stage optional levels or categories of knowledge may develop to accommodate stages in the learning process of adults.
B. The Universities in Relation to Their Constituencies and Communities
The involvement of universities in Adult Education grew somewhat by happenstance. When it began it was particularly related to people of the geographical community in which the university was located and to the constituency which sponsored the university. It may be useful, therefore, to look at the past relationship of universities to the community.
In the early years of universities throughout the world, the scholars and students were somewhat independent and isolated and there was little need for them to be involved with the community. The primary contact with the outside world was with scholars and particularly students who came for a period of timeand then left. The residents of the community were sometimes invited to religious, liberal and cultural activities such as lectures, debates and concerts. As the faculties grew, there was a need for university personnel to seek residence for themselves and their families outside of the universities. In this way the faculty and staff became involved in the affairs of the community and in some ways together they functioned as corporate entities. If the community was to accept and respect university people, it seemed reasonable for the university to accept and respect community people.
When people who had an experience in a university left the university, they often retained a sense of belonging to or retained an affinity for the university. These people became a constituency of the university, later to be called alumni and became a special segment of the community.
Thus the communication between universities and communities became two-way and the town and gown phenomena began in earnest. To varying extents adults were able to participate in cultural and academic activities of the universities and at times activities were planned especially for them. In this way, some early efforts in Adult Education developed even though they may not have been called by this term.
This town and gown relationship was to move from a somewhat adverse role to one of active cooperation in improving the community adjacent to universities. In this regard, University College of Syracuse University became very much aware of its location in the inner city and was pro-active particularly in regard to physical presence and appearance, security, responsiveness to needs of the University community, and other related matters.
This flexible university-community relationship and the acceptance of adults from the community into university activities were important factors, both in attitude and practice, in the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of this University.
C. Agencies of Adult Education and Educators of Adults
There are many agencies of Adult Education in addition to universities which are designed for, or have assumed, a role to meet the needs of adults and society. The concept of Adult Education has been broadening beyond the types of agencies labeled as such. After the end of World War II, the public schools and the extension divisions of universities were the two main agencies providing Adult Education but they were followed by a rapid proliferation of organizations which identified with Adult Education. The agencies of Adult Education include the following types: business and industry; communication enterprises; galleries and museums; government agencies; international organizations; labor organizations and unions; military; post-secondary institutions; religious bodies; schools; correctional facilities; special groups (elderly, handicapped, minorities, illiterates); sports and recreation organizations; vocational and professional associations; and voluntary (not for profit) bodies.6
Apart from the Adult Education programs sponsored by these agencies, there is a vast array of book clubs, hobby groups, political and other groups that have been formed by adults with kindred interests. Some of these groups may later become associated with sponsors and some of them may form networks with similarly formed groups or spawn similar groups. They are in many ways the contemporary equivalents ofgrassroot movements.
The many agencies in Adult Education in their efforts to reach adults may at times compete, overlap and duplicate but in general they cooperate and complement each other in providing learning opportunities for adults. The amount of time and effort wasted in duplication, however, seems minimal especially when the extent of learning opportunities that are provided is compared with the number of adults who are unreached by any agency. On the other hand, competition may also motivate agencies to become more efficient and effective in their Adult Education programs.
Because no agency can meet all of the needs of all adults in society as a whole, it behooves each one to select objectives that they can meet in terms of its philosophy, clientele and resources, while recognizing that Adult Education is an integral part of the broader concept of lifelong education. Each agency can then identify its competencies and develop unique characteristics so that its selected mission may be achieved and the field of Adult Education may be enhanced. Particularly in the 1980s, there was a tendency by some persons to identify Adult Education in universities and some other agencies as Continuing Education and Adult Education in public schools and other agencies as Adult Education. The development of unique roles or functions of agencies should not be confused with the desire to impress by elitist practices such as using different words for the same or similar functions. Universities have by design, policy or practice become agencies of Adult Education. The acceptance as policy of this additional role as an Adult Education agency has facilitated the move of Adult Education from the periphery into the mainstreaming of the academic life of the University.
The expansion in the organizations that are engaged in Adult Education meant that universities were able to transfer some requests and pressures from its alumni and other constituencies to these organizations. It enabled universities to focus on programs more appropriate to their missions while knowing that other agencies were available to focus on other programs more appropriate to their goals.
As the number and type of agencies expanded, so also did the number and types of educators of adults associated with them,. The educators of adults teaching, administering and otherwise associating with Adult Education in these agencies have a variety of titles including: administrators; supervisors; deans; directors; advisors and counselors; members of the clergy; librarians; media specialists and other support personnel; tutors; facilitators; faculty and students in the field of adult education; community developers and community educators; research workers; consultants; policy makers; elected officials; and board members of agencies.6
The significant increase in the number and types of agencies and the number of educators of adults has enabled Adult Education to focus more exclusively on university level programs and thus facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University. There has been accompanying mainstreaming of Adult Education into the lives of adults and into the broader society and environment.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As education becomes more knowledge-based, all segments of society will in effect become agencies of Adult Education. Likewise, as adults become more self-directed they will become increasingly responsible for their own learning and, in many cases, responsible for assisting other people to learn and so in effect become educators of adults. While stating in principle that everyone is an educator of adults and that all segments of society are agencies of Adult Education, in practice it is helpful to use and to create new specific terms and categories in order to focus on specific activities.
D. Internal Changes in Universities
Beginning in the early decades of this century, there were a number of internal changes at Syracuse University, and perhaps at other universities, that facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life. Some of these changes resulted in additions to or modifications of some policies and procedures.
One factor facilitating mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University was the change in the time pattern of study which permitted students to interrupt the traditional four year period of study in universities.
An early characteristic of universities was the awarding of degrees as formal recognition for completion of a program of study. The standards for the baccalaureate degree were set by the university, and the so-called "value" of a degree was directly related to the standards and prestige of the granting institution. In the United States the baccalaureate degree was usually awarded after continuous full-time study for four academic years which excluded summers. Gradually the plan throughout the country was modified so that students could pass or fail one year at a time, and thus, a failed or interrupted year could be repeated and the degree might be awarded after a period of five or six years. Later the year sequence was further divided into semesters, trimesters or quarters. This change made it possible for students, including adult students, to alternate between study, work or other activities. The myth was thereby renounced that so-called full-time study for a given number of years was the only way to study properly or to earn a degree, although serious study and scholarship have to remain regardless of format or time periods.
This change was intended initially for traditional undergraduate students. The option was, however, enthusiastically welcomed by an increasing number of adults because it enabled them to pursue university education on a part-time basis and be awarded degrees.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: With the movement to the knowledge-based stage of education and the focus on the learner as a self-directed individual, the period of time required to acquire a degree, or other forms of recognition, may increasingly become more a function of individual achievement and accomplishment as determined by the learner, and less a function of time, as determined by the University.
A second external factor facilitating mainstreaming of Adult Education was the development of the Carnegie Unit in the 1930s. The Carnegie Unit changed the form of recognition of achievement from terms and years into credit hours. One credit hour was defined as one sustained period of 50 minutes of class instruction for 15 weeks. There were no specified hours of study required to complement class instruction forone credit hour. The year sequence was divided into semesters of 15 weeks although a quarter system option equated to the semester model was also developed. A total of 120 semester credit hours was typically required for the baccalaureate degree. It enabled students to take one or multiple credit hour courses with the common currency for a course becoming three credit hours which could be passed or failed. A part-time student could take courses for three or six credit hours a term and, in that way, over a period of time obtain a degree. The required and elective course pattern for degrees was initially the same for part- and full-time students.
This new unit for measuring educational achievement was a significant development which facilitated the recording of periods of study shorter than a semester. It was a unit which is recognized by most universities in the United States and which made more flexible the transfer of students between universities. In effect, it became a unit of academic currency that was particularly acceptable for part-time students because it enabled them to study for degrees at a pace that was within their time and financial constraints.
The use of the credit hour became closely linked with grades which were usually designated by an alphabetical system of A through D with F designated as failure. The alphabetical form was often equated with numerals (e.g., A=4, D=1) and the grade point average was the total number of grade points divided by the total number of credit hours.
The addition of the credit hour system was a significant factor that provided understandable and flexible currency applicable to all students, but particularly convenient to part-time students and thus facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The credit hour is currently the widely accepted academic recording device, although some degree programs developed especially for adults, for example the Baccalaureate of Liberal Studies at Syracuse University, used optional forms such as examinations and assignments. This new focus on recording devices may be the beginning of a trend to optional forms of recognition for learning that may in turn render the credit hour model less acceptable, at least in Adult Education.
3. Recognition for Adult Learning
A third factor that facilitated mainstreaming involved the changes in forms of recognition for learning. While learning is difficult to evaluate directly, some indirect standards were also developed and accepted over the years as measures of learning.
It seems to be a characteristic of Americans to want some tangible recognition for their accomplishments which many adults may consider as a reward for time and effort as well as achievement. In universities, historically speaking, the recognition has been in the form of degrees and later sub-units called credit hours as discussed above. As a variety of programs for adults developed, it was not always appropriate to offer credit hours nor was there always a demand by adult students to receive credits for learning. As a practical matter it seemed inappropriate to record fractions of a credit such as .1 or .3 or .5 credit hours for short courses or conferences. Accordingly, in addition to the degrees and credits, other types of recognition were developed including letters, certificates, plaques, diplomas, dinners/banquets and even a handshake by the Chancellor or another official.
In 1950 it was recognized that a person enrolling for the first time on a part-time basis could anticipate many years of study to obtain a baccalaureate degree. Accordingly, series of certifications were developed for shorter periods of study, especially 30 credit hours of study. In addition, Advanced Certificates became available for an additional 30 credit hours for a total of 60 credit hours and later the Advanced Certificate was changed to Associate Degree. These awards, available part way toward a baccalaureate degree, provided more immediate recognition for learning. About the 1960s the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) was developed at the national level and it is awarded in multiples for completion of courses, conferences and other activities which were usually shorter than one credit hour but without comparison or reference to it. In some cases various forms of recognition were given retroactively for experiential learning.
When the Bachelor of Liberal Studies for adults was first developed and approved at Syracuse University, the credit hour form of recognition and resident requirements were not used. Thus an alternateform competency-based was accepted in lieu of credit hours for degree oriented programs.
For lack of an appropriate term in the early years, some programs were called non-credit, a term which carried a negative connotation but made explicit that the accepted standard of credit did not apply and would not be awarded. It was generally interpreted by faculty, students, staff, administration and the public that they were in some way not meeting academic standards and so labeling them in this way divorced them from the academic programs and reputation. In the 1950s by design at Syracuse University the term non-credit was eliminated. In many universities Registrars are inclined to accept credit as the only standard and are prone to separate courses and programs into credit or non-credit. The Registrar at Syracuse University in the 1950s was pro-active in assisting University College and other Continuing Education Programs to break this dichotomy and the term non-credit was dropped. Courses were developed by the Humanistic Studies Center or as conferences and seminars with appropriate input from faculty and were offered as Continuing Education Programs only if they met University standards. Forms of recognition other than credit hours were used.
It is noted that the same degree (e.g., B.A. ) accepted over the years may still be awarded but the content, methodologies and recording devices may have drastically changed.
In the final analysis the worth of any type of recognition depends on the reputation of the university as viewed by faculty, students, the public, and licensing, credentialing, and accrediting agencies. The change by Syracuse University to accept various forms and types of recognition as mentioned above provided more flexibility, and thus further enhanced mainstreaming of Adult Education into its academic life.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: New forms of recognition for learning to complement the credit format provide flexibility for learners and sponsors. As these forms develop, it may be necessary to provide some type of recognizable currency so that they will be understandable to and accepted as credible by students and faculty as well as by sponsors and other publics.
As American universities developed a body of research, the idea of applying it to fields of agriculture and home economics particularly in rural areas was implemented through the Smith Lever Act in 1914. The Cooperative Extension Service began as a cooperative arrangement among federal, state and county governments as well as between researchers and practitioners to extend new research results to adults in the community. It had its base in the Land Grant Colleges of the States.
It was not long before publicly supported universities other than Land Grant became aware of the educational programs being developed for farmers, homemakers and other vocationally oriented people. They developed the idea of offering a wide range of activities and courses different from the above, under the aegis of General Extension as distinct from Cooperative Extension. It grew rapidly to meet the educational needs of a wide range of publics.
Likewise the private universities soon realized that they also could contribute through extension to the education of adults in their constituencies and communities. The idea of extension had its antecedents in England and had some early development in America in the late 1800s but was not generally developed here until after World War I. It was soon realized that if educational courses for adults could also be appropriately promoted it would build good will for the university. Besides often resulting in acquisition of gifts and other resources for the universities, extension activities also generated additional income.
Extension Centers were created, as courses and programs expanded, in many towns, schools and other locations and credit for these courses became designated as extension credit to distinguish it from residence credit, but it did have the same currency for transfer. Most of the enrollees were adults concurrently working or otherwise engaged on a full-time basis.
Beginning before World War II the provision of extension credit through courses offered off of the main campus by universities including Syracuse University enabled the part-time students to take courses ina program leading to a degree and thus assisted in the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life.
5. Phasing Out of Extension Credit
Extension credit accumulated at extension centers was the vehicle by which part-time students away from the main campus were able to participate in university study. It became possible for adults to accumulate enough courses and extension credits to satisfy the core and elective requirements for a degree. The mystique of on-campus presence and study however remained strong. Accordingly, it was stipulated that students were required to spend some time on campus frequently to obtain the last 30 credit hours of an undergraduate degree. To meet this requirement students registered on the Main Campus but they usually continued to work, live as families, but did not change their residence. Rather, they sometimes commuted to the main campus often to take the same courses from the same faculty members as at the Extension Center. As libraries and other resource materials, full-time faculty members, and appropriate administrative staff arrangements were developed at Extension Centers, the essentials of a learning environment were comparable to those on the main campus. Thus, the distinction between credit earned on campus and at extension centers became less clear, and pressure to eliminate this distinction came from some students, faculty and administrators.
The designation on the transcript for extension course taken at University Colleges was an 'X.' In the early 1950s, it was noted by the Dean of University College that the 'X' was not appearing on transcripts of some University College students. Upon questioning, the Registrar who was a supporter of Adult Education, made the improbable statement to the Dean: "There is no way to make a designation of 'X' with the new IBM equipment." It was rumored that the change resulted from suggestions from some administrative and academic officers. There appears to be no evidence that any other action was taken by the administration or any academic body such as the Senate. As in so many cases, the time was right for a simple administrative action to accomplish what everyone wanted but which previously was not easy to resolve.
This action marked the end of extension credit for graduate or undergraduate degrees and the requirement for attendance on main campus in order to qualify for a degree at Syracuse University. The phasing out of extension credit enabled adults to complete all requirements for degrees at University College and other geographical locations without having to leave jobs and homes or be otherwise inconvenienced to travel to the main campus. When extension and residence credit were put on an equal basis, the term "extension credit" ceased to be used. Since there remained only residence credit, the term "residence" was redundant and accordingly it was also phased out.
With the expansion of University College downtown in Syracuse and the elimination of the extension residence requirement, it was increasingly possible for adults to obtain all of the courses required for a degree on a part-time basis. Even if some courses were not offered at University College, adults who coordinated scheduling were usually able to take a course on the main campus. In some cases where there were not sufficient enrollees for a course to be offered either on the main campus for full-time students or at University College for part-time students, courses were offered by University College and full-time students were enrolled under the tuition transfer plan.
The elimination of the residence requirement, and the blending of extension credit and residence credit into simply "credit" facilitated the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life.
A closely related factor to residence was the requirement that transfer students had to be in attendance for a set period of time, usually stipulated as a certain number of credits. Irrespective of credit, some universities including Syracuse University require students full-time andpart-time to spend some minimum time in attendance or at least registered at the University. The State Education Department in New York State also has some such requirements. In practice it meant that students could transfer a specified number of credits from another university but take, for example, the last twenty credit hours at SyracuseUniversity in order to be awarded a degree by Syracuse University. The tuition for these credit hours registered at Syracuse University were paid to Syracuse University. In a departure from regular practice the Bachelor for Liberal Studies program in 1967 developed a specific tuition payment plan based on competency areas of time periods of involvement. Income from tuition is essential to a tuition driven university, but tuition based on credit hours may be replaced by yearly or other fees. By this action the requirement to be registered for a set number of credits at Syracuse University was in effect eliminated, which further facilitated mainstreaming into the academic life.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: With the development of new methodologies and programs such as special degrees and distance education, the requirement for students to be registered for a fixed number of credits at a university may be reconsidered as was done for example with the Bachelor of Liberal Studies. New forms of recording in Adult Education may in turn necessitate new patterns and packages of payment to replace the course tuition rate based on credit hours. The new rates may be related for example to contracts or forms of recognition.
6. Recommendations of Recipients for Degrees and Other Forms of Recognition
The authority to award degrees may be given to a governing body by a variety of organizations or individuals including royalty, church, and government. At Syracuse University the awarding of degrees is the prerogative of the governing body known as the Board of Trustees. In the United States, degrees are usually regulated by some body such as the State Department of Education in New York State. In some states, however, some degrees are awarded by not-for-profit or profit organizations which may or may not have been approved by any other body.
In a university, a program of study leading to a degree is usually initiated and approved by an academic department, school or college within the university. The program of study is then approved by the faculty Senate or other senior academic body and then by the state. When the approved program of study is successfully completed, the student/candidate is eligible for a degree. The certification that a candidate meets the requirement is usually made by the registrar or some other administrative officer and then presented to the faculty of the school or college for its official action. The procedure is that the candidate is recommended to the official academic body, the Senate, for formal action and finally to the Board of Trustees, which awards the degrees.
Following the above process, University College in 1952 developed a General Education Program leading to an Associate of Arts degree and submitted it to the Senate for approval. This action established University College as an academic college independent of other colleges that could develop programs leading to a degree. So far as is known, the program leading to a degree was one of the first in the United States to be recommended by an Adult Education college or division of a university. It was further indication of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
University College in the 1960s developed a program in Liberal Studies leading to a baccalaureate degree. This program, the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) was one of the pioneers in the world in the development of a world-wide degree program and will be discussed later. After funds were obtained and the BLS developed and before action by the Senate, the decision was made by University College to have the program submitted through the College of Liberal Arts. It should be made clear that there was no pressure from any dean, faculty member or other administrators to take this course ofaction in fact most if not all of the inquiries questioned why University College did not choose to act on its own. While the content was packaged differently, it was basically the same and the professors were mostly the same, accordingly the differences were specially related to the adult client. University College had very effective and collegial relationships with all of the colleges, and there was no reason to develop duplicate faculties when the goals of Adult Education could be achieved by cooperation. Even though University College was not designated as a Branch College nor an Institutional Branch, it nevertheless did appoint some faculty members. This will be discussed later in this monograph. University College decided not to have a faculty of its own but had arrangements to use the faculty of other schools and colleges of Syracuse University. Subsequently, other degree programs were developed with other colleges under the title Independent Study Programs. This policy decision relating to degree programs for adults in cooperation with other academic colleges enhanced the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
Mainstreaming may be facilitated when innovative programs which incorporate newelements such as knowledge, formats and methodologies are developed and approved by appropriate academic bodies. These programs are considered as an entity or package, and, as with all other programs do not permit variations by administrators or faculty members without following due process. Likewise, other approved programs do not permit variations even if the administrators of Adult Education consider them desirable.
The policy and procedures for awarding other forms of recognition for achievement should adhere to the same ones as for credit. Evaluation of adherence to standards for each form of recognition has been similar for part-time students and for full-time students. The assurance of quality as determined by the University is the final criterion for each form of recognition. By conforming to these policies and practices, mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life was facilitated.
The credit hour and degree system developed by universities have a firm place in history. Particularly during recent decades they have yielded to other sponsors and forms of recognition. Such competition may result in reconsideration of the dominance of the credit hour and degree system.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Programs leading to degrees and other forms of recognition may be developed independently by Adult Education but also jointly by colleges within a university. These programs may be available to full-time and part-time students. These and other programs are necessary to keep pace with changing developments in society and to provide the quality of programs appropriate for the designated clientele in a knowledge-based society.
While technology including that related to education is not new, it has been changing at an accelerating rate particularly since World War II. The changes resulting from technological development have an impact on education in two ways. There is an expanding body of knowledge about emerging technology itself that is to be transmitted to adults. Another impact is that technology is increasingly useful in identifying and filtering appropriate knowledge for adult learning. In addition to coping with a mass of knowledge about technology, learners use technology such as computers, fax, and telecommunications as tools for learning. These tools have expanded the diversity of methods which enables some part-time students to have access to knowledge which, for whatever reason, they were not able to access through previously used methods.
In some respects technology has facilitated learning by devices to complement teachers and print materials. In other ways it has enabled part-time students to be more self directed after they have learned how to use the devices. Such adaptations often included under the term distance education have also opened up opportunities for learning in almost every place where a part-time student is located and at almost any time.
The appropriate use of technological developments assists full-time and part-time students to bemore effective learners and thus facilitated their mainstreaming into the academic life of the university.
8. Financial Aid to Part-Time Students
There has always been a shortage of financial aid to help students pay tuition and other expenses while attending a university. While it was a serious problem for full-time students, the direct aid for part-time students was minimal and practically nonexistent until after World War II.
After World War II, veterans were financed under the GI Bill, so that they could continue or begin university studies. The funds were made available to part-time and full-time students. Later so-called Pell Grants, Stafford loans and other financial aid became available to part-time students. Tuition and other financial aid from sources such as corporations, the military, and private not-for-profit organizations have become increasingly available to part-time students. Financial and other aid enabled part-time students without resources to get access to the University, and thus mainstreaming was further enhanced.
9. Intra-University Transfer of Credits
Syracuse University, similar to many other universities, does not permit students to transfer credit courses from another university unless they have a "C" or above grade. They may, however, transfer within Syracuse University all course credits from one program or college to another one.
In the 1950s, LeMoyne College, a post-war Jesuit College established in Syracuse, decided to discontinue its program for part-time students and University College became aware of the decision when part-time students from LeMoyne enrolled in a spring term. University College decided to give these students an opportunity to transfer courses with a "D" grade in the same way as inter-college transfer in the University. It was an action that prevented penalties to part-time students for a decision beyond their control. The decision to transfer also applied to the transfer of part-time students to full-time status at Syracuse University. While only a few students were affected by this one arrangement, it is an example of the commitment of Syracuse University to make appropriate adjustments for part-time students.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Some Continuing Education Programs which began with an eye toward mainstreaming of Adult Education, are now an integral part of the University. Some of these changes, such as elimination of the distinction between residence and extension credit, forms of recognition, methods of instruction, and time periods for completion of degrees may be forerunners of other changes that will characterize universities of the future.
As discussed previously, the changes in periods of time for study, credit hours, extension residence credit, forms of recognition and technological devices permitted students to obtain degrees by study at any location where the appropriate programs were offered by Syracuse University. A problem was that because
of the practice to offer only courses that were financially viable in many locations all of the required courses as well as electives for degrees were not offered. Syracuse University responded by establishing Institutional Branches which required a commitment by sponsors and the university to offer complete programs and to provide resources such as finances and libraries.
In New York the State Education Department developed regulations to permit universities, including Syracuse University, to offer degree programs at locations away from the main campus. By petition for an amendment to the charter of a university, universities here may obtain approval to offer in-residence instruction at an off campus center, usually called an Institutional Branch. All of the study requirements of the approved degree may be completed at a Branch. By design, only part-time students were enrolled in the Institutional Branches of Syracuse University, although full-time students were eligible to participate.
In addition to University College one or more other academic colleges, as well as the Library and the Graduate School, were involved in preparation of the petition for each Branch. Each Institutional Branch, established in the early 1950s, enabled the resources of the University to be made available in a specific location for a designated purpose. There was an on-site review by officials from the State Education Department of each Branch and University officials were interviewed. All aspects of the Branches were reviewed but the major focus was on faculty, library, other instructional resources and finances. Each Institutional Branch will be described later in this statement.
The downtown-based Syracuse Program of University College was an integral part of the University which limited its clientele to part-time students. Since it was geographically adjacent to the main campus, it was not necessary to duplicate the existing faculty, programs and laboratories, and library. Therefore it did not petition for Institutional Branch status.
The authority to amend the Charter to establish Institutional Branches at Endicott, Poughkeepsie, Rome, Albany, Chautauqua and Corning all in New York State resulted in major changes in the nature and direction of Syracuse University. They facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University and also enabled substantial new academic thrusts for the University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The development and provision of degree programs for adults by for-profit organizations have provided viable optional arrangements that have eased much of the need by universities to make structural or charter changes such as the establishment of Institutional Branches and thus enable them to devote more effort toward their unique academic mission.
IV. OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION
A major development to facilitating mainstreaming of Adult Education at Syracuse University was the establishment of the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education in 1964.
University College had developed increasing acceptability within Syracuse University and was recognized nationally and internationally. It was then decided to further strengthen Adult Education and its identity by appointing a Vice President for Continuing Education. It was the first senior officer appointed for Adult and Continuing Education at a university. The Dean of University College was the first to fill the position and a successor was appointed as Dean of University College and who then reported to the VicePresident for Continuing Education. The position of Adult Education in the administrative and academic structure is important only as it indicates its priority and so the creation of and the placement of this office in the central structure indicates further mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University. It was decided to make Adult Education independent of administrative and financial vice presidents whose main focus was not on academic programs. In 1964 the Vice President for Continuing Education became a member of the Cabinet that consisted of the Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs, Business (treasurer), Public Relations, and Student Affairs, and was presided over by the Chancellor. The senior officers are listed in Appendix C.
In this monograph and in practice, all of these activities for part-time students at Syracuse University are referred to under the general term Adult Education. The Continuing Education Programs in the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education were University College, Division of Summer Session, East European Language Program, International Management Development Department, Bureau of School Services, Army Controllership Program and Division of International Programs Abroad (formerly Foreign Studies Program). Since Utica College was a Branch College and it conducted its own Adult Education program, it was not designated as a part of the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education. University College, however, continued to offer the graduate programs at Utica College. Since the Vice President for Continuing Education was also professor and the chair of the Graduate Program in Adult Education in the School of Education, there was a close working relationship between academicians and practitioners. The Vice President had also developed Syracuse University Resources for Educators of Adults (SUREA) and Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education (SUPCE) originally as part of University College, and they became a function of the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education.
As previously stated, the Continuing Education Programs included all students registered for less than ten credit hours, in the University Regent Theater, in conferences, short courses and seminars; and in any program off of the main campus. In practice the Continuing Education Programs included all adult students who in this monograph are referred to as part-time students.
The grouping of the academic Continuing Education Programs into one office enabled the University to present Adult Education as a viable entity to adults, sponsors, the public and other interested groups. Internally it made for more uniformity in policies and procedures concerned with registration, admission, payment and other relations with faculty, assessment for General University fund, and funding for new program development all consistent with the policy and procedures of the appropriate schools, colleges, offices and divisions of the University. Policies and procedures were stated in writing for each of the Continuing Education Programs. As referred to elsewhere many policies and procedures had to be changed university-wide to relate to this clientele.
The appointment of a Vice President for Continuing Education responsible for all Adult Education was a major thrust toward the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The place of Adult Education in the structure of a university is significant in that it indicates its priority. The main mission of a university centers on the academic program and accordinglyAdult Education should be in an academic component along with undergraduate and graduate colleges as well as research in order to be mainstreaming into the academic life. Placement of the Dean of University College and the Vice President for Continuing Education Programs in the academic structure of Syracuse University was important in that it gave Adult Education appropriate visibility and priority to enable it to develop as a viable comprehensive thrust into the academic life and thereby meet the needs of the adult constituency of the University.
In the preceding sections mainstreaming has been considered in the context of changes in universities that were related to Adult Education, and, to clarify them, meaningful examples and illustrations were cited from Syracuse University. The discussion will now be focused on some elements of mainstreaming as they relate to the Continuing Education Programs at Syracuse University.
At Syracuse University some elements evolved from specific actions and policies, and some elements developed or evolved as spin-offs from previously accepted elements. As previously stated mainstreaming is not static but implies movement, and likewise the elements of mainstreaming imply movement. This monograph on the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University follows the evolution of the following interrelated elements.
Some Elements of Mainstreaming
A. Focusing on the adult learner
B. Committing to the mission of Adult Education
C. Keeping pace with change
D. Strengthening standards of quality
E. Developing faculty, staff and other personnel
F. Providing support services
Many of the elements may apply to other universities but the citing of examples from Syracuse University provides evidence of inclusiveness of the Adult Education development at this University. University College is referred to more often than other Continuing Education Programs because the philosophy, policies and procedures of this major Continuing Education Program were being developed for about 20 years before the other ones were designated as Continuing Education Programs.
A. Focusing on the Adult Learner
Focusing on the learner was a major element of mainstreaming of Adult Education. In a university, learning is a principal objective and therefore focusing on the adult learner was fundamental because adults can and do learn as individuals and, furthermore, only the individual learns. Accordingly all learning opportunities which in this statement are called programs were designed to assist adults to learn. From an academic point of view, activities of the Continuing Education Programs are relevant only if they support thisbasic element of focusing on the adult learner.
Several factors contributed to the rise of interest in the adult learner. In the late 1940s many students were veterans who had extensive life experience as adults and accordingly the attitude at University College was to treat them and others with dignity and with a minimum of regimentation. There was a pronounced effort to consider adults who enrolled at University College not just as students but as clients or customers. This attitude was encouraged in the Continuing Education Programs.
Another factor that gave the part-time students a sense of identity concerned the diploma. Diplomas for degrees are signed by the dean of a college (e.g., Engineering, Arts and Sciences), authorized to certify the programs and by the Chancellor. In the early 1950s the Registrar, who was responsible for certification of all degree requirements, initiated a provision whereby the Dean of University College would sign the diplomas for students completing their degree programs at University College in addition to the Deans of the other schools and colleges involved. The signature of the Dean of University College on the academic diploma was a further indication that University College was accepted and recognized as an academic college in the University. Since the Dean of University College was the only Dean that most if not all of them had encountered at Syracuse University, this change was much appreciated by students as well as by faculty and administrative staff.
Following this action in the early 1950s, each graduate completing a degree at University College, along with a guest, was invited to a dinner immediately prior to Commencement. At the event there was a guest speaker and the graduates were individually recognized. As appropriate, other Deans were invited and later the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and other Vice Presidents were included. The attendance at the event indicated an appreciative response to their individual recognition by the Dean of University College. Similar events recognized recipients in Institutional Branches and some other Continuing Education Programs. In later years other academic colleges of the University followed this custom of having college convocations.
Over a period of time, universities have assumed the role of in loco parentis. They also developed social and service functions that were quite apart from their instructional role. These include the provision of health care, travel bureaus, food and lodging, social fraternities and sororities, social and religious activities, athletic events, and sometimes small department stores.
These services may be important and relevant to the goals of full-time students who are making university life their full-time endeavor. The general understanding of parents, students and community people was that these activities are an integral part of university life. Some faculty and community people had the same perception, therefore a diploma often reflected more than the successful completion of a program of study. Full-time students have associations with classes, dining halls, dormitories and the activities mentioned above. After graduation many alumni continue their ties to the University often through social and athletic programs rather than the academic programs.
The Chancellor was anxious to remove the impression that part-time students were second class as compared to full-time students. The above services did not imply either first or second class citizenship and accordingly received little consideration. Part-time students do not engage in many of the activities of full-time students because such activities are not appropriate to their lifestyles or because they are not readily accessible. It was clear the goal was mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life but there was also the lesser goal of achieving acceptance of Adult Education by faculty, students and the community. Acceptance or lack of it is perhaps only perception and may be expressed in a variety of ways. In any case, University athletics were of such strong interest, that the Athletic Department established policies and procedures to permit part-time students to obtain student tickets to the intercollegiate games. Further, because many adults did not have health care available to them, provision was made through the Student Health Services for these services. After all of the effort, very few part-time students participated, but the case was nonetheless made that part-time students were not second class.
While a few picnics, dances and other social activities were arranged by students from time to time, there was no great enthusiasm for them. As Adult Education became more credible and accepted within and out of the University, social, athletic and other non-academic activities became of less interest to part-time students, and perhaps more remote from their new image of a university. Also it seemed evident that as part-time students realized that they were at the University for academic reasons, and since they were receiving increased attention in this regard, their interest in social and other activities could be well met outside of University College.
Syracuse University was invited to form a chapter of Alpha Sigma Lambda, a fraternity founded with an academic purpose for part-time students who had a specified grade point average. The counselors and some staff members of University College thought it resembled the social fraternities for full-time students and so the matter was not pursued.
The concern for the learner was expressed in overt action but also in lesser and even subtle ways, and it gradually pervaded University College and other Continuing Education Programs. Focusing on the adult learner as an academic person facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As the age of full-time graduate and undergraduate students increases, as many of them have spouses or partners, as they work part-time and as there are more international students, thedistinction between them and part-time students may be less evident. The result may be that all students will become more self-directed and that the pattern of behavior of students and the environment will become more focused on the academic realm and less on the so-called extra-curricular activities.
B. Committing to the Mission of Adult Education
1. Central Administration and the Board of Trustees
The commitment of the Chancellor to the mainstreaming of Adult Education in the academic life of Syracuse University was a crucial element. It is the Chancellor who sets the attitude, tone, policies and resources and it was this modus operandi which gradually reflected in all University operations, upward to the Board of Trustees and outward to the Community. The pervading concept was that Adult Education is a positive and urgent priority for a university in contemporary times and as such it was an integral and identifiable component of the University. This focus had deep roots in the history of universities and in the historyof Syracuse University. It was this concept of Adult Education clarified by Chancellor William Pearson Tolley that was to pervade its development in the University, following in a tradition begun by Chancellor James R. Day in 1918 with the establishment of the Evening Session
Another significant action was the creation of the Paul Helms Library in 1958. The late Mr. Helms, a graduate of Syracuse University, was Vice President of the Fund for Adult Education (FAE) and when he died the FAE asked his family to designate a beneficiary of a gift which it would make. The family suggested Syracuse University and the Chancellor selected the proposal for an Adult Education Library from a list of proposals submitted by various schools and colleges. As with all academic affairs, the Board of Trustees in 1958 approved the creation of the Paul Hoy Helms Library for Liberal Adult Education. A further commitment to Adult Education was the appointment of the Vice President for Continuing Education as Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees, 1964-1972.
Two other examples are cited which indicate the special priority being given to Adult Education. One was the meeting of the Board of Trustees in Reid Hall of University College in 1958perhaps the first time at least in recent decades that the Board of Trustees met in an academic college building. It was at that meeting that the Dean of University College made one of the few presentations made by an academic dean to the Board. The other example of action taken by the Board was to create the William Pearson Tolley Medal for Distinguished Leadership in Adult Education which is awarded to educators of adults selected worldwide. The recipients are designated by the Board of Trustees.
Further indications of priority for Adult Education were revealed by improvements in physical facilities. During World War II there were no new buildings nor major renovations to existing buildings. Following the end of the War there was considerable use of pre-fab buildings left from the war to accommodate the influx of veterans under the GI Bill and the backlog of young people who were engaged in war activities. The remodeling of Peck Hall, formerly the College of Medicine and used by Extension since 1937, was the first major renovation to a permanent building. Later in 1958, the adjacent Reid Hall, which had been the Syracuse Dispensary, was renovated for University College. During the late 1940s and early 1950s additional property was acquired and developed into parking lots to accommodate the cars of part-time students.
The personal commitment of the Chancellor to the field of Adult Education was expressed by his endowment of the Tolley Medal and his actively presiding as chair of the Board of the Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults (CSLEA), which usually was composed of practicing Deans and Directors of Adult Education.
As previously mentioned, the establishment of the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education by the Board of Trustees was tangible evidence of commitment to the mission of Adult Education and of mainstreaming of it into the academic life of the University.
One of the primary actions taken by the University to enhance the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life was taken in 1946 when the name of the School of Extension Teaching and Adult Education was changed to University College and the title of Director was changed to Dean. The significance was that the title, Dean, implies an academic position. Some heads of the Continuing Education Programs were titled Directors when merged into the Office of Vice President of Continuing Education. A further indication of strengthening the academic presence of Adult Education was that successive Deans, Assistant Deans and Directors of the Continuing Education Programs reporting to the Vice President of Continuing Education, with few exceptions, had doctoral degrees. This terminal degree enabled most of them to be given academic rank and to teach in their respective academic fields.
The Dean of University College met with the Council of Deans and Directors and later the Council of Academic Deans, chaired by the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
The Academic Deans and Directors of the Schools, Colleges, and Library were active supporters of Adult Education. It was the policy of University College and other Continuing Education Programs to have all courses, conferences and other activities reviewed by other appropriate academic Deans and faculty members. All proposals to sponsors, foundations and governments were developed jointly with other schools, colleges and appropriate offices. The same policies and procedures were followed for all programs whether offered for degrees, diplomas, certificates or other forms of recognition. Participation by members of the Council in the development of Continuing Education Programs helped to ensure consistency with academic standards as developed by the other schools and colleges.
A commitment was expressed overtly when National University Extension Association (NUEA) held its annual meeting at Syracuse University in 1959. Each of the Deans, Directors and Vice Presidents of Syracuse University hosted a table of NUEA members at a luncheon where the Chancellor also spoke.
The rationale for keeping University College as an integral part of the University derived from the notion of utilizing and building upon the resources of Syracuse University, which was geographically contiguous. There seemed to be no reason to duplicate the existing resources but rather to set policies and make arrangements to adapt the existing academic resources to a part-time student clientele. Had the decision been otherwise, i.e., an Institutional Branch, then University College would have appointed faculty members and otherwise operated as an independent academic college similar to Utica College and Triple Cities College of Syracuse University. University College not only used the existing resources but contributed to the University by expanding and increasing the academic resources in fields new to Syracuse University.
The commitment of the members of the faculty of Syracuse University to Adult Education was significant and continuous. The members were active participants in the planning of all the academic activities and of the Continuing Education Programs. At least one faculty member had a planning or instructional role in each of the programs. In addition to this essential role, they willingly assisted in the academic counseling of students, participated in their own continuing education and assisted in the many other activities requested of them or for which they volunteered. The commitment and participation of the faculty were essential elements in enhancing the quality of the academic programs.
Advisory committees and planning groups were established for several programs. In 1963 University College developed, with the College of Liberal Arts, a proposal to develop a Bachelor in Liberal Studies program for Adults which was submitted to the Carnegie Corporation. Following funding, a committee of six department chairs, chaired by the Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts, met weekly for a semester to develop the program. Another Committee of faculty was appointed to make selections for the Paul Hoy Helms Library in Liberal Adult Education. An Advisory Committee of Deans was also appointed for the Foreign Studies Program (later the Division of International Programs Abroad). An Advisory Committee from the College of Business Administration was appointed for the International Management Development Department; an Advisory Committee consisting of members from the University and from external organizations was appointed for the Clearinghouse in Adult Education by Educational Resources Information Centers (ERIC); and a Council of Associates for Continuing Education from the community, chaired by a member of the Board of Trustees, was appointed to the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education.
The actions in the above four areas have been selected for citation because they indicate the commitment to Adult Education of the faculty, Deans, senior officers, Chancellor and Board of Trustees, all of which permeated the University. They set the environment for the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As Adult Education continues to develop new academic programs, the philosophy and structure of the University may accommodate these new thrusts, which in turn facilitate further mainstreaming of adult education into the academic life of the University. A concurrent development is that Adult Education may be mainstreaming further into the academic life of each of the schools and colleges within universities.
Keeping pace with change is the element that pertains to the development of learning opportunities for adults that assist them to keep related to the changing needs of the learner and society.
Since their inception, universities have adapted to change which primarily resulted from: the increase in knowledge and information; the changing qualifications of students; and the demand of the public for better qualified persons to give leadership to all aspects of the life of citizens living in an international environment.
The response to change is in effect the history of Syracuse University since its establishment by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1870. The creation of the Evening Session in 1918 was likewise a response to the growing demand for Adult Education on a national as well as local level.
Keeping pace with change meant that programs were appropriate, current and accessible so that adults had an opportunity to learn what they chose to learn.
All Continuing Education Programs were conducted under the jurisdiction of Syracuse Universitynot sponsors, organizations nor individuals external to the University. The subject matter and the faculty were all approved by the Dean or Director of the Continuing Education Program whose decision was final. The decision regarding the selection of participants was also in final analysis the decision of the Dean orDirector of the Continuing Education Program. All attendees including spouses and friends of faculty members were required to be registered as participants and engage in the program.
The following items are selected and cited to indicate the comprehensive thrust of the Continuing Education Program in keeping pace with change.
- New and innovative courses offered for credit in the Syracuse Program and at Community Centers.
- Programs developed to support national priorities; e.g., Peace Corps and Head Start.
- Programs for newly targeted groups, e.g., Center for Continuing Education of Women and Retired Professionals.
- New programs in cooperation with other universities; e.g., University of Buffalo (Social Work), New York University (Public Administration), University of Poitiers (Foreign Studies Program).
- New degree programs such as Social Work, Liberal Studies and Television.
- New degree programs designed especially for adults; e.g., Bachelor of Liberal Studies.
- New outlets for creative conferences at Conference Centers at Pinebrook, Sagamore, Minnowbrook and at the Finla G. Crawford Continuing Education Center (Vincent Apartments) in Syracuse.
- New relationships with corporate sponsors in Syracuse, and at Institutional Branches, (Endicott, Poughkeepsie and Corning); e.g., Engineering and Science, Business Administration.
- New relationships with New York State Government; e.g., Graduate Program in Public Affairs in Albany and with the Federal Government; e.g., Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome.
- New approaches to the Fine Arts and Humanities; e.g., Chautauqua Institution; Arts and Crafts program in Syracuse; and the pottery laboratory in Reid Hall.
- New thrusts into drama and cultural programs; e.g., at the University Regent Theater and at the Syracuse Repertory Theater.
- New approaches to methodology; e.g., the Discussion Leadership Program and use of developing technology.
- New approaches to financial arrangement; e.g., full cost accounting and major efforts in fund-raising.
In response to a changing society, universities over the years have undergone substantial changes in academic programs, and many of the changes are reflected in the development of the Continuing Education Programs at Syracuse University.
It was the policy of Adult Education at Syracuse University not only to develop new programs but to move some programs into other schools and colleges of Syracuse University. In some cases programs were taken over by educational institutions other than Syracuse University. Because Adult Education is sensitive to societal changes, it is always a challenge to be continuously developing new programs, modifying existing programs, and discontinuing some programs.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: In a dynamic, knowledge-based stage of society, especially with technology suggesting new instructional resources for that society, Adult Education is in a constant stage of flux and thus requirescontinuous analysis of needs and the input of new resources for investment into new program thrusts. It follows that some programs require revision, some deletion and some addition to meet the emerging needs of society. An essence of Adult Education is to assist academic programs in keeping pace with change.
The programs in Continuing Education were not developed in any discreet chronological order but rather began concurrently over a few decades within the overall mission for Adult Education.
The variety of approaches used by the Continuing Education Programs to adapt to the changing educational environment has been listed above. The full flavor of the comprehensive thrust of these new and innovative responses in keeping pace with change can be further appreciated through a brief description of the programs. Descriptions of each Continuing Education Program and their components have been provided in length and details have been recorded and published in other materials. The items were selected for this monograph because they particularly relate to mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life.
All of the following programs were administered by the Dean of University College.
The Syracuse Program began as the Evening Session under the aegis of the Summer Session in 1918. It has expanded the offering of courses and activities virtually in all academic areas and included programs leading to degrees, certificates, diplomas, letters of completion and other forms of recognition. It was possible to complete in the Syracuse Program most undergraduate degree programs, and many of the advanced degree programs offered by Syracuse University. In addition there were a number of short courses and seminars offered in cooperation with other schools and colleges of the University. In the Spring semester of 1963-64, as an example, about 4,950 part-time students were enrolled.
The Syracuse program was supported largely by tuition and fees which were at the same credit hour rate as the other schools and colleges. In some cases students who audited paid a lower tuition. The Course Program was able to have a difference of income over expenses budget mainly because most faculty were paid on overload basis, an amount less than the rate paid as part of load.
In the 1940s University College had a number of Extension Centers where credit courses were offered by Syracuse University faculty members. Their name was changed to Community Centers to reflect more participation from the communities, often arranged in cooperation with local Superintendents of Schools. One of the larger centers was in Auburn where a Community College was later developed. Where appropriate, Adult Education programs were developed by other sponsors in communities and the Community Centers of Syracuse University were gradually phased out.
Students paid the regular tuition rate which permitted payment of faculty at regular rates and further provided travel expenses. Facilities were provided in schools or other community buildings at no cost to the University.
In the first semester of 1950, about 300 students were registered.
c. Syracuse Conference Program
The Syracuse Conference Program began in the early 1950s when the search by University College for additional ways to provide programs for adults coincided with an increase in community needs especially of specialized and professional groups for academic programs at the University level. The University Tax Conference sponsored by the College of Business Administration, the College of Law and University College was a one-day session held on the Syracuse University campus where current experts on Tax Law spoke to lawyers, CPAs and businessmen from the extended Onondaga County area about changes and updates in tax laws. This annual conference was to become a model for conferences which lasted for a single day or a weekend but also for residential periods of up to two or three weeks.
Another notable example of this type of program was The Graduate School of Sales Management and Marketing established in 1950 in cooperation with the College of Business Administration and the Sales and Marketing Executives International, a program which continued to be associated with Syracuse University for over 25 years.
Conferences were initiated either by University College program administrators, by faculty of academic departments, or by an outside group. In some cases sponsors arranged to hold conferences for their members and in other cases programs were developed by University College and the participants were recruited from many sources. All aspects of the programs were under the control of University College, including the selection of faculty and participants. University College developed programs cooperatively with virtually every other academic departments, school and college of the University. The programs were usually under contract with sponsors and were self-supporting.
The conferences were held in University Living Centers and sometimes at hotels and motels off campus. In the 1960s, the Vincent Apartments were acquired by the University as a conference facility, and classrooms and dining facilities were added with University Food Service providing the food service. With its recreational space, parking space, and access to University and city bus service, it was a full service conference facility. In 1966, the apartment complex was named the Finla Goff Crawford Continuing Education Center and was the focus of many Adult Education activities including the International Management Development Department (IMDD), Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse on Adult Education (ERIC) and the Library of Continuing Education (LCE).
All conference participants were required to register with the University and no one was permitted to attend classes unless his/her name appeared on the list of participants. In recent years, Continuing Education Units (CEUs) were awarded to registrants who have completed programs in certain areas of instruction.
In the decade ending in 1974, there were over 200 conferences attended by over 30,000 people for over 160,000 participants days.
d. Adirondack Conference Centers
While the Syracuse Conference Program was being developed in Syracuse, there was a similar program being developed at the Adirondack Conference Center. In 1948 Carl M. Loeb gave Pinebrook, the Adirondack camp on Upper Saranac Lake, to Syracuse University. It was assigned to University College for programming. University College modified it for conferences by making changes to conform to health, fire and other regulations and made other changes to provide classrooms and other educational facilities. There were fine recreational facilities particularly centering around the boathouse and dock and it was a facility usable from late spring through early fall. At this time the faculty in art were interested in training students to be teachers. Since there was a need for an appropriate facility and since Pinebrook was not booked, residential camps for children were scheduled and programs for adults soon followed. In all cases Syracuse University faculty participated in the planning of instruction. The services of buildings and grounds, food services and other departments from the University were utilized. Only faculty and registered participants were permitted to stay at the Center.
In 1952 Minnowbrook on Blue Mountain Lake was given to the University by the Holingshead Corporation, and in the same year Sagamore on Raquette Lake was given by Margaret Emerson, widow of A. G. Vanderbilt. Sagamore and Minnowbrook, year-round facilities, were linked with Pinebrook and operated as the Adirondack Conference Centers, under the same guidelines as described above for Pinebrook. Here were held many programs, designed for special groups such as business, government and not-for-profit organizations as well as an Alumni College.
The buildings required many substantial modifications including electric, water, heating and other services. In a few years they were all self-supporting. The policies and procedures for the Centers were consistent with each other and were developed with a strong academic thrust. In time all were taken off the tax rolls of the towns in which they were located.
In 1963-64 there were about 2,000 participants registered for about 13,500 participant days.
The Centers provided a fine instructional resource which was utilized by the faculty and administrators to develop new programs and thus provided new thrusts that enabled further mainstreaming into the academic life of the university.
e. The Graduate Program in Public Administration
The Graduate Program in Public Administration was a joint effort developed in 1947 by the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs of Syracuse University and with New York University to provide a program leading to a master's degree in Public Administration. It was offered in Albany, the New York state capital, for government employees, although other people were permitted to participate. Library and other financial resources were provided by the State. In 1957 the program was taken over by the State University of New York. Several courses were offered each term by professors from New York University and Syracuse University.
The Institutional Branches were established at Endicott (1952), Griffiss Air Force Base (1952) and Poughkeepsie (1954) to provide master's level programs in Engineering and Science. The College of Engineering, the College of Liberal Arts (Mathematics) and the Graduate School combined with University College to provide education for engineers and scientists engaged primarily in research. Full cost analyses were made and the full cost was paid by International Business Machines, the U. S. Air Force, and later by other sponsors. In 1965 the Corning Center for graduate study in Business Administration was established in cooperation with the College of Business Administration. Students paid tuition and the deficit was paid by the Corning Glass Corporation. An amendment to the Charter of Syracuse University was required to establish each Center for in-residence instruction. With few exceptions, instruction was provided by Syracuse University faculty members as part of load. In the first semester of 1963-64, 1,056 students were registered at the three graduate centers.
In 1951 the Chautauqua Institution invited Syracuse University to offer courses during the summer at Chautauqua to replace the educational activities which had previously been offered by New York University. It enabled University College to provide programs in Art, Music, Drama and Liberal Arts to balance the programs for business and industry, as reflected in the establishment of the Institutional Branches in Engineering and Science. The School of Art, School of Music, the Drama Department, the School of Education and the College of Liberal Arts were active participants.
The Syracuse University faculty had an opportunity to teach as well as to have an exciting professional and cultural experience during the summer in residence on the Chautauqua grounds. Chautauqua Institution assisted in providing accommodations to faculty at minimum rates, giving gate tickets to faculty and providing classroom and studio rooms. It was some years before the Center became self-supporting. When Triple Cities College of Syracuse University became a private college named Harpur College, its library was given to the Chautauqua Institution. Despite the fact there were 350 participants in the summer of 1963, the Chautauqua Center was discontinued apparently as not financially viable by the Dean of University College in 1965.
h. Graduate Program in Social WorkThe reverse of the establishment of an Institutional Branch by University College was the development of the Graduate Program in Social Work at University College as an unofficial Institutional Branch of the University of Buffalo. Part-time students were enrolled in University College and the students received both credits and degrees from the School of Social Work of the University of Buffalo. Gradually faculty and resources were expanded at University College, with a grant of $143,000 from the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation in 1955. As a result, the Social Work Program was accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and the Secondary Schools and the Association of Social Work in 1956. This approval enabled the School of Social Work to be established as an independent School at Syracuse University in 1957. At the time there were about 40 matriculated students. It is somewhat ironic that later this program was informed by the accrediting body for Social Work that part-time students were not be enrolled; however, in due time part-time students were again permitted to enroll. The development of the School of Social Work made a significant contribution to the academic life of the University
i. Degrees Designed for Adults
In 1950 University College of Syracuse University developed a program in General Education especially for adults. It consisted of six courses, integrating seminars and two elective courses, all of which had been designed by the staff of University College, faculty members of Syracuse University, and some adjunct faculty members. The program, leading to an Associate degree, was submitted directly by University College to the Syracuse University Senate, which approved the program. The program was promoted and students did matriculate. Because of staffing problems, the program was not very active for a few years; however, it was reactivated in 1959. As usual, this program had to be registered with the State Education Department. The case for an Adult Education division to develop the program independent of other colleges was made without any questioning of turf jurisdiction. So far as is known, this was the first degree program at Syracuse University and perhaps any university that was designed especially for adults with candidates for degrees proposed by an Adult Education college.
In 1964 University College developed a program in Liberal Studies leading to a baccalaureate degree. This program, the Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS) was developed under the initiative and direction of University College by a group of six department chairmen from the College of Liberal Arts and chaired by the Associate Dean of University College. During the development of the BLS program and before action by the Senate, the decision was made by University College to have the program submitted through the College of Liberal Arts. It was clear that there was no pressure from any dean, faculty member or administrators to take this course of action; in fact most, if not all of the inquiry questioned why University College did not choose to sponsor the program as it had done with the Associate Degree Program in General Education. University College had effective andcollegial relationships with the other colleges and there was no reason to develop duplicate faculties for these special programs when the goals of Adult Education could be achieved by cooperation. University College was not designated as a branch college nor an institutional branch, so it appeared that mainstreaming of Adult Education would be further enhanced through this policy decision. The mainstreaming of Adult Education was further enhanced by the development of degree programs especially for adults in cooperation with other academic colleges. The Syracuse University program was funded by the Carnegie Corporation. There were about 35 participants in the first group.
The Brooklyn College program leading to a Master's degree, the Goddard College and University of Oklahoma programs especially for adults preceded the Syracuse University baccalaureate program in liberal education.
j. The University Regent Theater
The purchase of the Regent Theater by Syracuse University in 1958 led University College serendipitously to become engaged in music and drama programming for adults. Because of its interest in community outreach and its financial viability, University College was assigned to develop the program. It included a wide range of programs including seminars, film programs, performing artists' series with the cooperation of the Drama Department and other units, all of which enhanced the drama and music thrust of the University. It was a facility that was also used cooperatively by community groups such as the Skaneateles Lyric Theater. Support was provided for a Children's Theater and Children's Concert Theater with about 500 children in each program.
The Syracuse University Repertory Theater was established in 1960, with participation of professional actors, community artists and Syracuse University Drama Department students. The name was later changed to Syracuse Stage and programmed under the aegis of the Syracuse University Theater Corporation. This separate, not-for-profit corporation, related to Syracuse University, enabled the University, largely a non-union institution, to work with the Actors' Equity Association.
The Experimental Theater and parking facilities were added to the complex in 1965. Some external funding, such as a grant of $70,000 given by the Rosamond Gifford Foundation, was received, for the Community Repertory Theater but it took several years before it became fully self-supporting. The University College Reserve Fund had been established for program development but the Office of the Treasurer used the funds to pay off the debt on the Experimental Theater building. In 1964-65 the attendance was about 60,000 people.
k. Center for Continuing Education for Women
A Center for Continuing Education for Women was begun in 1963 under a grant from the Carnegie Corporation. This Program was one of the first to be developed to prepare womenfor careers for entry or re-entry into the work force, when they decided that it was appropriate in terms of their families and other responsibilities. The Center provided information about University courses, counseling, evaluation of past credit and some special courses and workshops. Career areas included Education, Nursing, Library, Social Work and Home Economics.
The Prototype Teacher Training Program for Mid-Career Women was developed for women holding a baccalaureate degree to assist their study for a Masters degree and certification in elementary education. As a team, two teachers received an appointment to one full-time position so that each one could work part-time. Another program, the Institute for Teacher Re-Entry provided refresher courses for previously certified teachers and obtained one appointment for a team of two. These two projects were jointly sponsored by University College and the School of Education and were funded by the State Education Department.
In 1958 the Fund for Adult Education (FAE) made a grant of $255,000 to University College to establish programs in liberal education for adults. In associating primarily with the College of Liberal Arts, a number of innovative programs were developed that gave a significant thrust to liberal education. It was during a period of the Cold War, and there was strong competition between the east and west powers in areas of science, engineering and technology. The liberal education programs helped to give some balance to the programs in science. Gradually these programs and later some others became centered in and named the Humanistic Studies Center.
A stipulation in the FAE grants was that funds were not to be used for the development of degree programs. Partly as a result of FAE policy, there seemed to develop nationally the idea that liberal education for adults, featured as education for education's sake and not degree oriented, was superior to degree related programs. University College did not share this view but continued to receive grants from FAE.
In the Spring semester of 1965-66, there were about 450 registrants.
m. Discussion Leadership Center
The Discussion Leadership Center emerged as part of the grant from the FAE to develop Liberal Education Programs for adults. It had a strong focus on the study-discussion method which was becoming popular nationally, largely through FAE efforts. Because of the need for people to lead these discussion groups, University College developed a Discussion Leadership Center in 1964. Participants interested in many types of instructional groups also enrolled. Participants enrolled as individuals, sometimes representing an organization. Some businesses and other organizations contracted for programs for their employees, programs which were offered either at Syracuse University or on-site at those organizations. The Center had a relationship to the Department of Speech and Drama in the College of Liberal Arts, where the newly appointed Director of the Center held academic rank. Inaddition to the initial grant from the FAE, grants were received by the Center from corporations such as General Electric totaling about $60,000.
There was considerable variation in the number of participants over the years. In 1967 there were over 400 participants in the Discussion Leadership Center.
Syracuse University was one of the early respondents to the Peace Corps Program initiated by the U. S. Government. University College made an initial proposal for training of volunteers to go to Tanganyika. The program began with a ceremony at University College June 30, 1962 with recognition by representatives from Tanganyika, London, Washington and the United Nations.
The scope and involvement of the University is indicated by the six areas of study and activities by the trainees: Area study - Swahili language; American study and world affairs, physical conditioning and recreation, medical studies and personal hygiene, nursing procedures and techniques, and administration.
This program was enthusiastically supported by the academic departments, particularly because Syracuse University was also developing a program of study and research known as the East African Regional Program centered in the Maxwell School of Public Policy and Citizenship.
Because of short notice the trainees for the first program were housed in a hotel but soon moved into University housing. Over the years trainees were prepared for such countries as Tanganyika, Tanzania, Malawi, Somalia, Nysaland, Liberia and Peru. The program was totally funded by the Peace Corps. The trainees attracted much interest, particularly because they moved as a group around the city and university on bicycles which were loaned to them by the Peace Corps program.
The program made a contribution to the U. S. international effort and also contributed to the academic resources of the University by the appointment of additional faculty, obtaining library and other resources, and adding to the international image.
In 1966 in the final year of the program at University College, there were about 450 volunteers and the contract was for approximately $1,200,000.
The chief clientele of the Continuing Education Programs were adults, but on occasion the participants in programs were children and youths. In 1965 the National University Extension Association ( NUEA), an association of extension divisions of major public and private universities, was contracted by the United State Government to administer a program called Head Start, designed to assist pre-school disadvantaged children to prepare for entrance to public schools. While the program was referred to positively as "head start," it was also designed to assist them in getting caught up before entering school. I was Vice President of NUEA in 1965. Because of this association and the educational contributions of the program, University College contracted to provide a program in cooperation with county organizations in the Syracuse area.
p. Graduate Program in Television
Following World War II television was developed with great rapidity. A graduate Program in Television was developed by the faculty members at Syracuse University in 1950 as the first Masters degree program in Television in the United States and perhaps in the world. When the class of 12 full-time students arrived at Syracuse University, there was the question of the basis for registration, because no college or unit had been designated. The Director of the Program asked the Dean of University College to enroll the students at University College and it was done. The M. S. Program in Radio-Television was subsequently administered directly in the Graduate School of the University. While University College was involved only minimally, this highly visible program is noted to indicate that the University was giving credibility and academic respectability to Adult Education and facilitating its keeping pace with change.
q. University Council on Education for Public Responsibility
The demise of Fund for Adult Educators (FAE) was a result of the discontinuance of its funding from the Ford Foundation. FAE wanted to perpetuate its interest in education for public responsibility beyond its own existence and accordingly in 1964 it made $100,000 grants to each of eleven universities who were to continue programs that encouraged responsible citizenship. Chancellors of these universities became University Council for Education for Public Responsibility members, with the Deans of Continuing Education at these schools serving as unofficial associate members. Chancellor Tolley gave leadership to the Council as its Chair for three years.
The Council did develop a constitution and by-laws. The interest of the Chancellors seemed to wax and wane, and the Program Committee, consisting of associates, did develop some conferences and meetings which were held at several universities. Programs like "Metropolis" were developed. Even after several modifications in structure, by 1975 the University Council ceased to be a viable organization and through lack of interest it just faded away. The Council is perhaps an example of a program that did not keep pace with change.
r. Continuing Education Center for Public Service
As a private institution, Syracuse University has demonstrated a major commitment to the public service. The establishment of the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs in 1924 by a gift from George H. Maxwell embodied this commitment.
After World War II universities with federal, state and local support became engaged in programs of public service, and University College became proactive in developing programs for public officials and government employees as well as citizens.
A concerted effort provided a range of public forums, discussion groups, seminars, and conferences, with the general objective of improving civic literacy within the community and assisting public and civic leaders in analyzing and resolving community problems.
In addition to the programs listed below and elsewhere, there were Vista Training and Training for East African Youth Leaders, Refugee African Students, Federal Aviation Executives, and Hospital Head Nurses. The programs were supported by contracts with government as well as public and private organizations.
Some other projects of the Center were:
1. Community Leadership Conference
Each spring beginning in 1963, University College conducted the Community Leadership Conference at its Minnowbrook Conference Center. The agenda provided an intensive two-day examination of one major issue or problem affecting central New York, planned with advice from chief local elected officials, key business executives, and civic leaders. The mayor of Syracuse and the Onondaga County Executive were regular participants, joined by approximately 65 other community leaders.
2. Thursday Morning Roundtable
The best known of Syracuse University's public service forums, Thursday Morning Roundtable (TMR) was started in 1965 and has become an important channel of communication and cooperation between the University and the community. Its 200 members, selected by an advisory committee, represent a mix of Syracuse area business, government, and civic leaders most of whom are chief officers of their agencies or companies. Their regular participation facilitates improved understanding of public issues and problems as well as planning for civic events and developments. The weekly attendance has averaged about 150.
3. Institute for Retired Professionals
Since 1971 the Institute for Retired Professionals (IRP) has provided an opportunity for retired men and women to meet twice monthly for lectures, reviews, films, and socialization. IRP encourages retired people to stay intellectually and socially active, and well informed on current issues and problems. In addition, IRP taps a valuable resource in the community by providing a means for retired persons to remain involved in public issues. There were about 200 members.
Each year since 1978, volunteer members of the Onondaga Citizens Leagues Inc. (OCL) conduct an intensive study of all aspects of one major problem or issue confronting citizens and leaders of the Syracuse area. For about six months, a committee meets weekly to hear testimony from experts andauthorities, to study reports, and to debate issues relevant to the study topic. Each final product is a report generated for use by legislators and other interested groups. Each report also offers specific recommendations for resolving the problem or improving the situation in Onondaga County.
5. Community Action Training Program
A Community Action Training Program was established in 1964 for people training in low income organizations. It was funded for about $375,000 in the first year by the Office of Economic Opportunity.
Through the above programs as well as the National Issues Forum, organized through the Maxwell School, and public radio station WAER, Syracuse University demonstrates the idealistic and the practical value of providing civic education for the adults in its community. They were on the forefront of change.
The development of a comprehensive array of academic programs for the public service was tangible evidence of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University.
2. Division of International Programs Abroad
Early in the history of Syracuse University there was a strong interest in international affairs. One evidence of this interest was the Syracuse in China Program, which began in 1919, the year after the Evening Session was established in 1918, and continued through 1939.
The Foreign Studies Program was begun by University College as a summer crafts program for adults in Tasco, Mexico, in 1949. Later some faculty members who had directed tours for travel agencies were engaged to offer credit courses through University College. The faculty were paid at the same schedule as paid to faculty in the Summer Session, in addition to travel expenses. Travel arrangements were made by travel agencies and all participants registered in courses for which tuition was paid, although some participated as auditors. As new ideas developed, the Foreign Studies Program took over the development of the international instructional programs of the University. University College was designated as the home for this program due to its administrative experience off campus, its concern for innovative programs, its experience in facilitating interdisciplinary and intercollege cooperation, and its financial flexibility.
A program in Florence began in 1959 as a semester program for undergraduates from Syracuse University, but later students from other universities also participated. The purpose was to give students an in-depth foreign cultural experience extending over a semester as part of the growing international concern of the university. The students were given sufficient language study in advance to communicate in Italian homes where they lived. The program was designed to give cultural immersion to the students, and accordingly they were not to leave the city nor to have visits by friends during the semester. This pattern changed so that at some Centers students selected their own residence and were free to travel as they wished. The program concluded at the Center abroad at the end of the semester so that students were free to travel and return home on their own and at their convenience.Similar programs were developed in Amsterdam, with cooperation from the Netherland-American Institute and the University of Amsterdam; in Poitiers, France, where students lived in dormitories and studied at the University of Poitiers, later transferred to Salzburg in France; at Guatemala City, Guatemala and then to Bogota, Colombia with the cooperation of the University of Colombia; and in London, England, with the participation of Bedford College and the University of London. Summer programs continued in a number of countries including Japan, France and England. Instruction was provided by Syracuse University faculty members who were complemented by some adjuncts from host countries.
These semester programs were offered by University College with the cooperation of the College of Liberal Arts, School of Business Administration, School of Architecture, School of Social Work, College for Human Development, Newhouse School of Communications, School of Information Studies and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. In the initial stages we expected that professors would do research related to the country of a particular Center. It was soon realized, however, that the professors were often making only a first or second visit to a Center themselves and like students, they had some cultural shock. They needed time to adjust and to make family arrangements; hence, with a few notable exceptions, little research was conducted. It was also expected that the Centers in other countries would be a base for recruiting students for Syracuse University and otherwise be a focal point for other Syracuse University activities. These functions were not realized to any major extent.
In 1964 the name of the Foreign Studies Program was changed to Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA). The number of participants in 1970-71 were Florence, 134; Poitiers, 40; London, 76; and Amsterdam, 139. The number of participants varied from semester to semester.
With changes in international developments and new interests of faculty and students, the locations of the Programs were changed. Further, while foreign language study was declining on the main campus, these programs helped to maintain the international image of the University. It is an example of how Adult Education was keeping pace with change by providing a new thrust to mainstreaming the academic life of the University.
In 1970 the Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA) was moved from the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education to the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.
3. Division of Summer Sessions
The Division of Summer Sessions at Syracuse University has a unique role in the history and development of the University. As early as 1876, just five years after the University's opening, a summer program titled "Normal School of Drawing and Painting" was conducted. By 1902, summer programs were being offered on a regular basis.
Summer Sessions organized the first Evening Session in 1918. Later, the name Evening Session was changed to the School of Extension Teaching and Adult Education and separated from Summer Sessions. In 1964, the Division of Summer Sessions came under the auspices of the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education and thus joined the other Continuing Education Programs. While associated with this office, the Division continued to offer programs in cooperation with all colleges, schools and departments of the University as well as the Graduate School and the Graduate Program of the School of Education.
By the time the University celebrated its Centennial in 1970, the Division of Summer Sessions had grown in scope and complexity. Course offerings from virtually every academic department in the University were found in the Summer Sessions catalogue of subject matter offerings. In addition to the regular courses of instruction, scores of special summer workshops, institutes and conferences were scheduled.
The Division of Summer Sessions in effect took on the significant responsibility of managing and administering the academic programs for the University in the summer. It included budgeting, scheduling courses and programs, employing the faculty and making arrangements including promotion and publicity, student housing, food service, and other responsibilities. Essentially, the Division served as the administrative arm of the University between spring commencement and the beginning of the academic year in the fall.
Not only is Summer Sessions an extension of the University in the summer, it plays a special role in the operation of the University by providing flexibility and opportunity for experimentation and innovative programming. Some of the special programs developed and offered through Summer Sessions included: The Urban Teacher Preparation Program that provided opportunities for supervised teacher and administrative internships in inner city schools; The Reading Conference for the development of specialists in reading and language arts; The Washington Seminar, in cooperation with The Maxwell School of Public Administration that enabled students to experience on-the-scene academic experiences in various federal government departments in Washington, D.C.; and The Newspaper in the Classroom, bringing together professional educators and journalists to upgrade the quality of journalism programs in high schools.
In 1970, Summer Sessions, in cooperation with the College of Liberal Arts, proposed, developed and implemented the first African-American Studies Program in the University, from which evolved the regular program of African-American Studies. A unique, pre-college program for high ability high school students programmed by Summer Sessions in the later 1960s was the forerunner of "Project Advance," whereby high school seniors can enroll in Syracuse University credit courses at their respective high schools during their regular high school year. Currently these programs can be found in high schools throughout New York State. The innovation and program experimentation through the Division of Summer Sessions made a significant contribution to the University.
Other contributions to the University by Summer Sessions included bringing to the campus noted artists, musicians and scholars who offer special workshops, clinics, seminars and courses not available during the regular academic year. For example, in 1969, the late famous violin educator, Shinto Suzuki, was brought from Japan by Summer Sessions to conduct his renowned program for teaching young people the violin. Many nationally respected artists were contracted by Summer Sessions to paint murals and conduct seminars for our art students. Many of the works of these artists murals, paintings andsculptures can be found in the University archives and throughout University classrooms and academic buildings. Respected musicians gave recitals and concerts and held clinics for summer music students under special Summer Session arrangements.
One of the more noted artistic treasures on campus was the mural on the east wall of the H. B. Crouse Building on the main quadrangle. In 1969, Summer Sessions commissioned the world famous artist BenShahn, to supervise Italian artists in the creation of a mosaic mural of his painting, "The Trial of Sacco and Venzetti." The mural was dedicated that year in a Summer Sessions ceremony with Ben Shahn in attendance. The mural is regularly viewed by students and visited by people from home and abroad who marvel at its power and ability to provoke profound thought and discussion centering on one of the more controversial happenings in American history.
Summer Sessions provided other social and cultural programs such as student and faculty receptions, social gatherings and dances, classic films and tours of historical Central New York, New York City and greater New York. Many summer students were from out of State as well as foreign countries and these activities coupled with quality academic offerings provide a full and rewarding experience for the summer student at Syracuse University. Participants in the Division of Summer Sessions at Syracuse University numbered about 5,000 each year.
A recognition of the high quality and unique nature of the Syracuse University Division of Summer Sessions was its invitation in 1968 to membership in the Association of University Summer Sessions, a limited membership organization of university summer sessions representing the nation's most prestigious colleges and universities.
The income of the Division of Summer Sessions was more than the expenditures and the difference went to the General University Fund. The payment to faculty was less than payment as part of load which resulted in income exceeding expenses.
As indicated above, the Division of Summer Sessions contributed to the academic and other resources of the University and to the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
4. East European Language Program
In 1951 during the Cold War Syracuse University was contracted by the United States Air Force to train personnel to become fluent in East European Languages. The project was closely associated with the Department of Slavic Language and Literature of the College of Liberal Arts but the faculty were mostly adjuncts who had immigrated from the countries which were selected by the Air Force.
The trainees resided in self-contained facilities that provided sleeping accommodations and food service. The instructional facilities were in the same building area and had then state-of-the-art electronic equipment. Instructional materials were developed by the faculty. Although the Program was under Air Force security, it did not impose any restrictions on Syracuse University. The contract was on a full cost basis.
The languages of instruction were Polish, Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, and Serbo-Croatian. The total number of trainees was about 300, usually enrolled in nine-month terms.
In 1970 the Air Force consolidated the number of centers nationally and the one at Syracuse University was eliminated.
This program was an indication of Syracuse University keeping pace with change at the time of the Cold War and it was also a measure of Adult Education mainstreaming into the academic life of the University.
5. The International Management Development Department
The International Management Development Department (IMDD) at Syracuse University was formally established in the Summer of 1960. Its primary mission was to train international executives and officials in management by bringing together the resources of the community and the University in order to provide a total integrated training experience for the participants. From 1960 through 1985 more than 2,700 participants enrolled in the programs. Approximately one-third of this number registered in special programs of the department, while the balance registered in the Graduate School and other colleges of the University.
IMDD also served as the major liaison between Syracuse University and the Office of International Training of the Agency for International Development (AID). In this capacity it functioned as a clearinghouse for AID-sponsored degree candidates at Syracuse University.
In its early years IMDD was an adjunct part of the College of Business Administration. In 1952 the College of Business Administration contracted with the International Cooperation Administration to bring teams of industrialists from the United Kingdom and France to Syracuse University for productivity/management training. In the mid-fifties multinational Work-Study-Training for Productivity (WSTP) teams studied at Syracuse University and worked in Central New York industries.
In 1958 the College of Business Administration undertook its first overseas project, a two-year program of technical assistance to the Industrial Development Center of the Philippines for the purpose of developing management training programs and consultation on marketing.
As part of its expanding role in the Alliance for Progress, in 1962 IMDD and the College of Business Administration undertook a six-year program of technical assistance to the fledgling Escuela de Administracion y Finanzas y Instituto Tecnologico (EAFIT) in Medellin, Colombia. It later became EAFIT, and today is a highly respected institution of higher learning, offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in management and engineering. Under this contract ten Syracuse faculty members served in Colombia, and fifteen members of EAFIT's faculty completed advanced degrees at Syracuse University. Financed by funds from private industry and tuitionit did not receive governmental subsidiesEAFIT is one of the few work-study schools of Business Administration in South America.
Beginning in the 1960's two regularly scheduled executive development programs were offered by IMDD. One of them, Financial Management for International Executives, was a thirteen-week program offered from September to December each year. It was designed to meet the needs of foreign executives engaged in accounting, finance, budgeting, auditing and banking operations in both governmental and private enterprise organizations. Planned and organized to meet individual needs, the program embodied group participation concepts and combined the values of field observations with those of classroom study and discussion.
The second annual program, offered in May and June, was a six-week program, Management Dynamics for International Executives. It was developed and updated regularly as a result of consultations with international executives in multinational corporations and members of the College of Business Administration.The program format consisted of three separate two-week modules. Part I focused on accounting and related quantitative controls and decision-making tools. Part II was concerned with operations management, marketing management and human resource management. Part III emphasized the additional skills and understandings required when an enterprise became global in its operations.
In 1964 IMDD became a Continuing Education Program in the Office of Vice-President for Continuing Education.
IMDD participants came to Syracuse University from many countries; almost all participants were multilingual and came from a wide variety of social backgrounds, jobs and organizations. They came under the sponsorship of AID and other governmental agencies, foreign as well as American. Other participants came through the United Nations and multinational corporations, domiciled both within and outside the United States, and still others came on their own initiative and at their own expense. They were responsible, mature executives and officials who came to study, observe, inquire and participate in the total process by which administration and management take place in the United States.
IMDD facilitated another thrust into the international sphere for many schools and colleges of Syracuse University. It facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
The Evening Session established in 1918 evolved into Extension Teaching which provided classes for teachers and other adults to complete study for a degree in evenings and on Saturdays. It expanded its scope in 1929 and changed its name to the School of Extension Teaching and Adult Education. As the title implied, the School of Education provided a significant part of the Adult Education program of the University.
When University College was established in 1946, it was given responsibility for the Adult Education activities of all of the Schools and Colleges. However, apparently because of the resistance by the then Dean, the School of Education did not participate with the other Adult Education activities and developed a separate Bureau of School Services. When the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education was established in 1964, the Bureau of School Services became one of the Continuing Education Programs reporting to that Office.
The Bureau of School Services developed a close working relationship with most of the school superintendents in upstate New York, and its courses and degree programs were offered in Syracuse and in many schools in Upstate New York. Many professors in the School of Education were consultants to school districts, sometimes through the Bureau and sometimes independent of it.
The School Board Institute was created in 1946 as a pioneering effort to in effect provide Continuing Education to members of School Boards, and local Boards of Education, who voluntarily participated as institutional members. In addition, the Central New York School Study Council was developed out of the Institute. Many surveys and other projects were conducted by Boards of Education under auspices of the Study Council. The Institute and Council were administered by the staff of the Bureau but had separate budgets.
The substantial number of the activities of the Bureau of School Services contributed tomainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
7. Army Controllership Program
The United States Army had a need to train officers engaged in controllership and contracted with Syracuse University to provide an Army Controllership program that began in 1951.
Originally under the administration of the College of Business Administration, in 1964 it became a Continuing Education Program in the Office of the Vice President for Continuing Education. The first director was from Syracuse University, and later retired generals from the U. S. Army were appointed as Directors. The faculty members were from Syracuse University. There were about 30 participants in each class, including both civilians and officers who came to Syracuse and enrolled for full-time study. Successful participants were awarded a Masters degree after completion of the 14-month program.
It is another example of a program contributing to the appointment of faculty, to the library and other academic resources of Syracuse University and, as such, facilitated the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
Two colleges developed out of extension centers, demonstrating not only mainstreaming but new institutional forms of legitimacy.
In 1933 the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University established an Extension Center in Utica, New York, that was soon to be known as Emergency Utica Collegiate Center and became authorized by the State Education Department. It was supervised by the Extension Department of the State College of Forestry with the cooperation of the School of Extension Teaching and Adult Education of Syracuse University. A full-time Director of Extension was appointed in Utica in 1942. In 1945 the Center was transformed into a two year College of Syracuse University; the following year it became a four year program as Utica College of Syracuse University. The program produced its first two graduates in 1948; and in 1949 the students who completed the four-year program at Utica participated in the graduation ceremonies of Syracuse University in Syracuse. The relationship of the School of Extension Teaching and Adult Education, later renamed University College and the Extension Department of the College of Forestry at Utica College was later discontinued, but Utica College continued to enroll part-time students. University College was later to offer graduate programs at Utica College.
Utica College is an example of the way that Adult Education facilitated the establishment of a Branch College for full- and part-time students. University College had made its contribution to Utica College and it was appropriate that Utica College should become independent of it.
b. Triple Cities College Triple Cities College had its beginning as an Extension Center in Endicott, New York, in 1932. Following World War II, it became a Branch College of Syracuse University which had in many ways a parallel history to that of Utica College. As with Utica College, Triple Cities College developed programs for full-time students but continued to offer programs for part-time students. It became private under the name of Harpur College in 1950 and severed its relationship with Syracuse University. Later it became the liberal arts college of the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton. It continued to offer programs for part-time students.
As described elsewhere, an Institutional Branch of Syracuse University for graduate study in Engineering and Science was later established in the same geographical area and known as Endicott Center of Syracuse University.
The development of Triple Cities College was another example of the nourishment of a program by University College that in due time was to become independent of Syracuse University.
The development of Continuing Education Programs described above is the essence of the third element of mainstreaming which is keeping pace with change. Since the changes in the needs of adults and society are inevitable, flexibility is a major factor in the development and conduct of academic programs in Adult Education. At Syracuse University, keeping pace with change has been characterized by the increasing willingness of schools and colleges to develop new programs jointly with each other. In an evolving knowledge-based stage, there is constant need to develop new Adult Education programs. It may be that Adult Education moves in cycles or circles but it may also move in spirals, i.e., upward or forward in the direction desired by sponsors and learners. Such was the case at Syracuse University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As Continuing Education Programs have been keeping pace with change, Adult Education has been mainstreaming into the academic life of the University. To continue to do so Adult Education requires financial and other investment for development. It is essential to maintain quality academic activity and in this way move forward toward achieving its mission: to assist adults to obtain further control over their present circumstances and their future destinies.
D. Strengthening Standards of Quality
Strengthening standards of quality is the fourth element to be considered in the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the university.
Quality of learning is determined by the nature of the learning opportunity, usually called a program, accessible to learners and the response of the learner to it. The standard developed for each of these two factors is to a large extent determined by the person who sets, regulates or otherwise controls the standards. The following are some of the organizations that control such standards: sponsoring institutions including universities; accrediting associations; government departments of education; licensing bodies; professional and vocational associations; and funding sources. The nature and extent of influence by each controller ofstandards varies with the program. In the final analysis, the program is designed and delivered by one or more persons, who may be called, for example, teacher, professor, trainer, computer programmer, radio or television program producer or media writer. In a university the faculty and staff are the producers of programs. They are the key elements in strengthening standards and thus determining the extent of mainstreaming into the academic life of the University.
The section "Keeping Pace with Change" described how the University responded to change by the development of academic programs. Programs are developed to meet the perceived needs of adults and become the potential learning opportunities for them. Learning takes place when students respond to the programs in order to achieve their objectives and then integrate the learning into previously acquired learning.
In addition to the accessibility of programs, learners must have access to information about them so that they are able to decide on the appropriateness for them.
The development and maintenance of the quality of Adult Education depends on the academic programs which were provided by the Continuing Education Programs and the ability of students to learn from them.
The strengthening of standards of quality is achieved by providing academic counseling services, appropriate library resources, enrichment of a resource environment for study, evidence of adult achievement and national recognition.
Academic counseling was provided to assist part-time students in making decisions about their programs of study. It was a significant support strengthening the achievement of standards and was one of the first support services provided by University College beginning in 1946. The purpose was to assist adults to select courses and activities for which they had a need and interest and to assist them in considering the times, and places, of offerings.
The policy of University College was to give adults a first, second or even third chance for a university education. University College was interested in both recruiting students and retaining them, and accordingly recognized the good business practice which indicates that it costs less to retain a customer or student than to recruit one. The drop rate after enrollment at University College in the early years was often well over 20%. It was proposed to the Vice Chancellor that if additional professional counselors were added for counseling before registration and after enrollment, that the drop rate could be reduced and thus retain students in academic programs. It was also observed that if more students could be retained, refunds would be reduced, thus offsetting the cost of counselors. It followed that the counseling staff was increased particularly at registration by part-time counselors; in one semester the attrition rate was reduced to about 7%, which meant that more students were continuing their learning the basic purpose of Adult Education.
Regular attendance at class was difficult for some students because of variations in work schedules and family responsibilities. If a student missed two consecutive weekly classes it often meant an absence of three weeks. The University had a procedure for keeping attendance partly because it was required to certifyattendance of veterans under the GI Bill, but University College decided that if adults did not want to attend classes they should not and so the keeping of attendance was discontinued. However, faculty were requested to report two or more absences from class to the counselor. The counselors then phoned the students to encourage them to return and to suggest ways to make up, sometimes scheduling appointments for follow-up meetings. It was a simple way to help students to continue their learning.
It was also our policy to have a counselor initial the registration form of every student and thus discourage enrollment in inappropriate courses because it was considered that enrollment in the appropriate course was directly related to retention. Yet the choice of the student was alwaysfinal even after counseling, and as it turned out, very few students made inappropriate decisions. Meetings of counselors and students were encouraged during the period of study in order to facilitate communication, provide feedback about the academic courses, programs and other matters.
There was always a concern by administrators and faculty about the quality of performance by students. It was accepted by University College that if part-time students wished to continue to enroll in any courses, they should be permitted to do so. They should be the judge of whether or not they wished to continue to spend time and money even if they were not meeting the standards of the University and their own sense of achievement. It was the position of University College that students who were failing would screen themselves out because they would not want to spend time and money if they were not progressing. The academic record of each student in a degree program in Syracuse University was reviewed by a panel that included the Counselor of Students. There were some cases when the counselors had to take some action. At one stage, students who were dropped from main campus enrolled for part-time studies at University College and thus were able to continue to participate in extra-curricular activities of the University. The decision was made to refuse registration at University College to the students dropped from the main campus, and thus improved the image of University College from the point of view of faculty as well as part- and full-time students. It was the policy of the Continuing Education Programs to avoid any pressure on the counselors to enroll any applicants only for the purpose of obtaining tuition and other fees.
It was recognized that it may be somewhat threatening for an adult to walk into University College for example and to express interest in taking a courses. All members of the faculty and staff were made sensitive to the situation. The Dean or one other member of the administrative staff was in the hall during registration to speak kindly and to indicate the procedure for registration. It also became the custom when an individual was leaving to talk with him or her for a few minutes and to suggest perhaps another continuing education agency such as the public school, a business school, a church or employer. It was recognized that if a person had enough interest to enter a University College building and then, apparently not be satisfied, to walk out there was a serious concern. These walk outs were not likely to return and, even worse, not approach another adult education agency.
A prime reason for beginning the Metropolitan Syracuse Committee on Adult Education in 1967 was to assist potential students to obtain information about programs in all Adult Education agencies in the area. Accordingly, a list of Adult Education agencies was developed with the name and phone number of a counselor or other person where a potential student might phone to obtain a sympathetic response. Adult Educationat Syracuse University considered that it was primarily in the business of lifelong learning and not making money.
By being pro-active about academic counseling in the development and maintenance of standards, mainstreaming into the academic life was facilitated.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: It is an objective of Continuing Education Programs to assist their part-time students to become lifelong learners. It means that students do not limit themselves to simply taking classes at Syracuse University but would get involved with other universities and other Adult Education agencies. The goal of the Continuing Education Programs is to retain adult learners in their programs and assist them to become learners throughout their lives.
Another factor that influenced the attainment of standards of achievement was the library, the unit which arranges for the identifying and delivering an array of resources for learning. It included books and other printed materials, audio and visual tapes and cassettes, as well as information search and retrievable programs. Funds for library materials are arranged for or budgeted in each Continuing Education Program. In this pro-active move, arrangements were developed as follows:
Syracuse. Main Library and branch Library at University College.
Community Centers. Local public libraries. In some cases, professors took books to classes and loaned them to students.
Institutional Branches. Research libraries of sponsors. Additional items were bought if recommended by professors.
Adirondack Centers. Basic reference materials with additions for specific conferences. Some other materials related to the geographical area.
Foreign Study Programs (Division of International Programs Abroad). Resources for courses and reference material appropriate to national setting. Arrangements made and paid for if necessary at public and private libraries at national locations of Centers.
Syracuse Conferences. Main Library and branch Library at University College. Included materials related to particular conferences, e.g., Peace Corps.
East European Language Program. Materials in languages of nations being studied.
International Management Development Department (IMDD). Materials at Finla G. Crawford Continuing Education Center and at Medellin, Colombia - the site of a joint program.
Bureau of School Services. Main Library and Public School libraries.
Division of Summer Sessions. Main Library.
Army Controllership Program. Main Library.
The development of Library Resources was a recognized means of mainstreaming Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
3. Enrichment of Resource Environment for Study
In addition to the library, there were other provisions for helping to set an intellectually stimulating and culturally diverse environment. Some minor activities may illustrate the effort. To add to the intellectual life, a Book of the Conference program was operated for a couple of years whereby a book was placed on the bed of each person registering for a residential conference in Syracuse and the Adirondack Centers. One sponsor asked to have the book withdrawn, but withdrew the request when informed that the sponsor would have to accept responsibility for entering the bedroom and removing the book. For a couple of years, paperback books were selected by University College and placed on a shelf in each classroom. Students were invited to exchange any paperback for one on the shelf. When Reid Hall was remodeled, a Bookstore was added and contained in addition to textbooks and supplies, a wide selection of paperbacks. During a semester part-time students usually met only one or two professors who, in some cases, were relatively young in age. At times a senior professor was appointed to be in the lounge, snack bar, library or in the halls of Peck and Reid, to be available for casual visits with students. A collection of framed prints was accumulated by purchase and were made available for loan without charge by the University College Library to all enrolled students. A substantial number of phonograph records, including the relatively new 33 and 45 rpm versions were also purchased and loaned free of charge. There was also an annual exhibition of art work by enrolled students, and tuition scholarships were awarded to the winning artists. The impact of these activities on learning was not evaluated, but the number of transactions was extensive and certainly evoked discussion and comments about the interest of University College in the intellectual and cultural life of the part-time students.
These resource related activities helped mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
It is important to adults as well as the university that there be some evidence of achievement and that the achievement be made known to them.
As with other students of the University, conformity to standards by part-time students was by meeting the expectations and requirements of individual courses and activities. Assignment of grades by the faculty was the accepted form of measuring and recording achievement of students. Various other methods and techniques such as surveys, interviews and projects were sometimes used to measure learning and to provide feedback. There was little evidence to judge whether the standards in the University were at the same level from department to department or college to college, and likewise there was little evidence for comparing achievement of full-time and part-time students.
A Statement of Policy and Procedures was developed for each Continuing Education Program, and, while there were appropriate variations, each one was consistent with the other programs in the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education.
There was a concerted effort to maintain the standards in each Continuing Education programirrespective of credit or other forms of recognition. Since part-time students are busy people and spend money and time to learn, it was the accepted obligation of Continuing Education Programs to deliver high quality programs to them. The fact that participants continued to enroll was some evidence that they had a sense of achievement and accomplishment of their own objectives.
The Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools included a component on Adult Education when they visited Syracuse University in 1956 and again in 1968. The reports of review of the Continuing Education Programs were positive, and the programs were accredited with no restrictions nor need for further reports. The accreditation of the University implied, if not confirmed, that Adult Education programs met the same standards as other academic programs.
The evaluation of learning is a haunting concern in Adult Education particularly in a market-oriented society. Since measurement and other forms of evaluation are not adequate to directly measure learning, indirect techniques such as those mentioned above were used.
Strengthening standards of quality for part-time students was a means for mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The task of providing accountability to students, sponsors, faculty and providers of learning in Adult Education remains an elusive goal and a continuing challenge to Adult Education in universities as well as in other agencies. Additional pressure for evaluation may come from both learners and sponsors as they become more cost conscious and seek value for their investment of effort and money.
The receipt of awards as national recognition is not necessarily a standard for evaluating student achievement. Such awards were, however, a recognition by colleagues and peers of their judgment of quality of Adult Education at Syracuse University in relation to comparable programs in other universities. The only two national surveys or studies rating adult and continuing education programs during this period placed Adult Education at Syracuse University as follows:
a. In 1957 University College of Syracuse University received the most top votes from deans and directors of university extension and adult education programs who were polled by the late Robert Love, New York University, to nominate in rank order the best adult and extension divisions in the United States and Canada.
b. In 1968 a national funded study cited Syracuse University as one of the top three national pace-setters of Adult Education in universities and colleges. The late A. A. Liveright, who directed the study, based the citation upon Syracuse University's comprehensive program, which includes besides University College and the other Continuing Education Programs: the Library of Continuing Education; Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse on Adult Education (ERIC/AE); Publications in Continuing Education; as well as the graduate programs in Adult Education. The other two selected leaders were the Statewide Extension Divisions of the University of California and the University of Wisconsin.
These two recognitions informed the faculty, students and administrators of Syracuse University ofthe rating of their Adult Education at the national level. It assisted, at least in attitude, to the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
E. Developing Faculty, Staff and Other Personnel
The next element of developing faculty, staff and other personnel plans for each group is considered along with their leadership and continuing education. Adult Education recognized that personnel were responsible for having the competence to be effective but should be proactive in assisting them to develop their competency.
1. Faculty for Continuing Education Programs
When University College was established in 1946, there were plans to develop a separate faculty; and, in fact, some faculty members were appointed either part-time and full-time in areas such as economics, mathematics, citizenship, Spanish and geography. The purpose was to provide more autonomy to University College, but it was soon realized that there were better ways for University College to have autonomy and control over the academic programs. Accordingly in 1950-51 it was proposed by the Dean of University College that there should not be a separate faculty at University College. In a university striving to improve its standards, it did not seem prudent to have duplicate departments, for example, a Department of Mathematics in Liberal Arts and another in University College. The policy was accepted by other Deans and Department Chairs and by the faculty.
The policy eliminated the faculty at University College and provided that funds from University College be transferred to other academic units for instruction provided by faculty as part of load. The basis for transferring funds was set by University College and other Continuing Education Programs as 12 credit hours per semester or equivalent in laboratory and studio courses as constituting a full-time teaching load.
Under this policy, University College agreed to accept some faculty as part of load after selection jointly by the department and University College. This arrangement also gave flexibility to departments to have funds, for example, to add a scholar in a special area who might not teach at University College. The number of faculty teaching at University College as part of load was agreed upon for each semester, summer session, or other term. The selections were jointly made by program administrators of University College and department chairpersons with the provision that University College could reject faculty members proposed by department chairpersons but that apparently occurred only twice.
This policy of having some instructors as part of load helped strengthen the academic programs of other colleges as well as University College. The policy was later applied to the other Continuing Education Programs in the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education. It assisted in mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
2. Teaching Loads and Overload
An area providing much discussion was whether faculty should be allowed to teach on an overload basis and thus receive additional pay. Basic to this issue is the definition of teaching load which varied within departments and among departments and colleges. A twelve-credit hour load or equivalent in laboratories and clinics was typically one accepted. However, the total load of a faculty member includes the extent of research, consulting, committee activity and professional leadership and responsibilities. It is consistent with the principle of self-directedness in Adult Education that the decision about overload teaching in Continuing Education Programs should be made by the faculty members in terms of their individual career development plans.
Instruction as part of load scheduled in Continuing Education Programs is transferred as a fraction of total instructional load and the amount of transfer. The amount of transfer is computed on the basis of the university salary of each faculty member. Faculty members scheduled on an overload basis got paid on another formula that was usually a lesser amount per course and was in addition to base salary. The differentials for payment of faculty on a load or overload basis was a budget consideration.
Tenure is granted by universities to protect the faculty from penalties which might be imposed on them for expressing themselves freely. Full-time faculty appointed in the various academic units of the university may be granted tenure after being appointed for a designated number of years. Syracuse University faculty teaching as part of load or overload in Continuing Education Programs and who have tenure are protected in these circumstances. Adjunct professors from outside of the university, not in the tenure track and teaching in Continuing Education Programs, were accorded the same type of academic freedom. Complaints about University personnel or community people teaching in Continuing Education Programs were carefully examined but even after investigation in no case was any faculty member reprimanded for his or her academic expression during the period described in this monograph.
Payments on overload schedule made it possible to offer courses to part-time students that because of budget considerations might not have been possible otherwise. In a way, the faculty were subsidizing learning of part-time students and thereby contributing to a worthy cause. Pay schedules based on the University salary of the professor were developed for payment to faculty who taught on an overload basis.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: As universities become more concerned with cost effectiveness, the pattern of remuneration of all faculty and other personnel may be reexamined. As a matter of principle there should not be a differential in pay schedules for faculty teaching full-time or part-time students. It may therefore be necessary to adjust the remuneration plans for faculty providing instruction of both full- and part-time students. In the meantime pressures from faculty and staff and from licensing and accrediting bodies may raise questions about pay differential. If the matter is raised, it may be resolved as a budget consideration rather than a matter of principle.
There has been little discussion about tenure for part-time faculty in Adult Education and such avoidance may be appropriate. Indeed, the matter of tenure for all faculty may be reconsidered. In some ways, tenure and faculty remuneration are related to job security. Tenure has somewhat shifted from freedom of expression to include other aspects of job security, and faculty remuneration has moved more toward overall financial security. It may be that they will be examined at the same time.
Most adjunct instructors in Continuing Education Programs often hold full-time positions out of the university, but there seems to be little concern about the effect of additional work either on their teaching orprofessional career. Adjunct instructors are considered to be teaching on an overload basis and are assigned a salary appropriate to the University department in which they are appointed.
The payment of adjunct instructors is less than regular faculty and thus there is a budget incentive to appoint them especially when universities are experiencing difficulty in balancing budgets.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Adjunct instructors contribute specific information gained from particular experiences. They usually do not have the breadth nor depth of appointed faculty. The extent of instruction provided may influence the overall integrity of a certifying department and may also raise questions by accrediting bodies.
3. Administrative and Secretarial Staff
The Administrative staff members were an indispensable component of Continuing Education Programs and enhanced the mainstreaming into the academic life. They entered the field of Adult Education from varied backgrounds and with diverse educational qualifications. They constituted the front line in working with Deans and Department Chairpersons, heads of staff members in other areas of the University. Those administrators who had direct responsibility for the development of the academic programs were called program administrators and were the people who worked cooperatively with sponsors as well as with faculty and other administrators. An important aspect of their work was to assist in the selection and orientation of faculty and to arrange for instructional resources.
Most of the program administrators of University College and heads of other Continuing Education Programs held doctoral degrees and were given faculty appointments in the appropriate departments. In addition to keeping abreast of developments in their fields, these professionals needed also to develop competency in Adult Education. They did so by participating in the faculty development seminars and by participating in meetings of state, national and international Adult Education organizations. Many developed leadership roles in organizations that helped to enhance the new and emerging field of Adult Education although they attended conferences primarily to learn. According to University College policy their travel and other expenses were paid irrespective of their presenting papers or holding office.
The qualifications of program administrators enabled them to be accepted as peers on the faculty and thus facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life.
There was also a concerted effort to assist secretaries and other staff personnel to continue their career and personal development. Encouragement was given to staff members to participate in and give leadership to organizations such as Professional Secretaries Association International. It held its first annual conference for the Syracuse area at Sagamore when the three-days of instruction were led by members of Syracuse University faculty and guest presenters.
Remitted fees were also available for faculty and staff to participate in all courses offered for credit by the schools and colleges.
4. Continuing Education for Faculty and Staff
Consistent with a principle of self-directedness, Adult Education faculty and staff members wereencouraged to accept responsibility for their own continuing education. Administrators and staff of Continuing Education Programs also had a commitment not only to continue their own education but to assist faculty in their career development.
Faculty appointed to the University had qualifications as judged by their peers in particular fields of study, but there was little evidence except their own experiences as former students that they were qualified to teach youth; there was even less evidence that they had any qualifications to teach adults.
As Continuing Education Programs expanded, the need for both full-time and adjunct faculty increased. Some of these people had knowledge and experience as teachers in schools and universities, but many of them needed assistance in applying their past instructional experience and principles of education to the teaching of adults. Accordingly, it was necessary for Continuing Education Programs to be pro-active in assisting faculty to teach adults and a commitment was made to the continuing the education of faculty and staff.
It was assumed that the principles of learning were the same for children, youth and adults. It was recognized, however, that adults in general had a more extensive and a wider range of experiences than other age groups. It was also recognized that as adults mature, they usually move further along on its continuum from being other-directed to self-directed. These and other considerations suggest that while the principles of education are the same, practice reflects differences in techniques for adults than from these children and youth.
A plan for the continuing education of faculty and staff was developed, which meant that Adult Education was practicing what it was preaching to other adults and sponsors. To meet the need for qualified faculty, University College, with some initial support from the Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults, developed in-service conferences, meetings and seminars. One example was the annual weekend conferences on instruction provided for faculty at an Adirondack Center. The invited participants were full-time and adjunct faculty members who taught at University College, and faculty members sometimes remarked that the full-time students benefited more than part-time students from those experiences with faculty. The University supported its faculty and staff to continue their education by remitting fees for courses offered by the University and thus affirmed a basic commitment to Adult Education.
There were also seminars and meetings of groups of faculty members on various aspects of Adult Education and there was continuous interaction between faculty members and program administrators, who typically were also teaching as faculty members with professorial rank or as instructors. Peer relationships developed, providing opportunities for discussion for the improvement of instruction. These activities also provided open lines of communication which gave Continuing Education Programs feedback from the faculty for the improvement of ongoing programs; at the same time, development of new programs was encouraged. These and other activities designed for the improvement of the quality of instruction were continued over the years.
Earlier we observed that the Dean of University College and some Deans and Directors of other Continuing Education Programs were members of the group called Deans and Directors. Attendance at the regularly scheduled meetings, the annual weekend conferences, provided a forum for the Continuing Education Deans to be involved with the Deans of other Schools and Colleges in the discussion of plans for the future. It also was a forum for the other Deans to become better informed of developments in Adult Education. In 1958 a weekend conference of the Chancellor, the Senior Officers and academic Deans was held at Minnowbrook and was entirely devoted to Adult Education. With support from the Center for the Study of Liberal Education for Adults (CSLEA), University College also sponsored a conference on Adult Education which was attended by Continuing Education Deans and the counterpart Deans of Liberal Arts from about 15 universities in the Northeast.
These forums facilitated the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the planning of academic life of the University.
6. Concern for African-Americans, Women and Other Minorities
As University College and other Continuing Education Programs developed and expanded, there was a pro-active commitment to enroll women, African-Americans and other minorities well before the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. Care was taken in promotional materials, counseling, registrations, and other areas not to state or imply preference in terms of race and gender. As far as is known, there was no discrimination of any kind in Continuing Education Programs. This commitment was also reflected in appointments to University College. The first African-American person to be appointed as a faculty member at Syracuse University received a doctoral degree from Syracuse University and the first African-American persona womanto be recruited to the faculty from outside of the University was appointed as a faculty member in the Social Work Program at University College. Likewise, the first full-time African-American secretary at the University was appointed at University College and the first African-American member of the Security staff of the University was appointed to University College. In 1964 about one-third of the administrative staff of University College were women, although the Deans and Directors of the other Continuing Education Programs were men.
University College was active in formation of, and participation in the work of the Urban League of Syracuse. It also developed programs for African-Americans to assist them to cope with new civil rights developments. University College also was the recipient of a grant from the Carnegie Corporation for development of one of the first Adult Education programs to prepare women for entry or reentry into careers.
The concern for and activities related to African-Americans, women and other minorities by Adult Education also was prominent in the commitment of the University and thus facilitated mainstreaming of Adult Education into its academic life.
7. Resources for Leadership and Faculty and Staff Development Resources
The premise for assisting in developing faculty and staff was that they should be self-directed in their own continuing education. Our goal was to assist the members of the faculty and staff, as well as all others inthe University, to continue their own learning about Adult Education and other areas of their career development. As with most adults, it was a challenge to help them become motivated and follow through on commitments to learn. The opportunities to learn about Adult Education were provided by Continuing Education Programs as part of their commitment to assist all participants in the development and practice of Adult Education, and contributed further to mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
The following leadership and faculty and staff development resources were arranged or developed:
a. Graduate Program in Adult Education
The Graduate Program in Adult Education had its beginning in 1938 in a course Philosophy of Adult Education, which was taught in the School of Education. Upon this foundation, a master's and a doctoral program were developed in 1952. The Ed.D. programs were approved by the School of Education and the Ph.D. program was approved by the Graduate School the same year. The purpose was to develop researchers and practitioners in the emerging field of Adult Education.
Three strengths of the institutional environment made the operation of a graduate program possible with a minimum number of faculty with the following small number of courses not all of which were required: Survey, Program Development, Administration, Problems, Internship and Research. First, the Graduate Program encouraged its students to draw upon the range of university resources. Many of the students in Adult Education enrolled in courses in other areas of the School of Education and in many departments of the university, particularly Sociology, Psychology, Anthropology and Public Administration. Breadth and variety were needed because Adult Education had a wide scope and was still an emerging field.
Second, the Graduate Program in Adult Education was able to use the talents of persons of outstanding accomplishment from many states and nations who were visiting Adult Education activities of the University. In this way other disciplines and specialized activities were made available to the graduate students in Adult Education.
Third, the Graduate Program received from special projects, resources that enriched and extended the opportunities for both faculty and students and which provided assistantships and other financial aid for graduate students in Adult Education. These special projects included the Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse on Adult Education (ERIC); the Library for Continuing Education; the Syracuse University Resources for Educators of Adults (SUREA); the Archives of Continuing Education; and Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education (SUPCE); as well as grants given by the Carnegie Corporation, Fund for Adult Education and the Ford Foundation. One of the by-products of such projects and resources has been the presence on the campus, for brief or longer periods of time, of outstanding scholars, researchers, and teachers who met both faculty and students.
The establishment of a graduate program signaled acceptance of Adult Education asan emerging field of study, thus giving more credibility to the Continuing Education Programs within the academic life of the University. Continuing education of administrators, faculty and support personnel from a number of Adult Education agencies became widespread with resulting improvements in the quality of Adult Education in many agencies.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: The discussion continues as to whether or not there is sufficient knowledge and research in the field of Adult Education to award master's and doctoral degrees. The amount of research is increasing, but the quality and rigor may be questioned by some educators of adults. Resources for study are also increasing. For example, Syracuse University acquired and processed the most comprehensive Adult and Continuing Education Research Collections of materials in the English language. Complementing this resource is Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education (SUPCE) which has over 400 titles in the field of Adult and Continuing Education. These two and other resources are available to support the study of Adult Education in various colleges. Study in the field of Adult Education continues to be supported by research in areas such as psychology, sociology and in other areas of education. As Adult Education becomes an integral part of disciplines and fields of study of other schools and colleges of the University, it may be appropriate for them to provide courses and programs for educators of adults in their respective fields jointly with other colleges.
b. Adult Education Associations and Organizations
Associations and organizations formed by educators of adults and by organizations identified as Adult Education agencies serve to enhance the field of Adult Education and to assist members to continue their own education development as educators of adults.
They provide conferences and seminars on various topics which increase the knowledge and abilities of educators of adults and these face-to-face meetings also provide opportunities for sharing knowledge and experiences. Some of the organizations encourage research and publish reports of educators of adults in newsletters, journals and books. Particularly in the past decade some organizations have initiated teleconferencing and the production of audio and video cassettes as well as sponsoring other forms of technological communications.
Syracuse University encouraged its faculty and staff to actively support these organizations by providing travel, registration and other expenses on a full reimbursement basis. Secretarial and other support services were provided when faculty and staff have volunteered or been elected to serve in leadership roles.
The Adult Education operation at Syracuse University not only encouraged its staff and faculty to participate as learners but also played a significant leadership role nationally and internationally in the field even in establishing some new organizations.
The International Congress of University Adult Education (ICUAE) was founded at Sagamore Conference Center in 1960, and I served as Treasurer for many years. I was also a founder of the International Council for Adult Education and served on the Board of Directors for a few years and was chair of the Board of Directors of the Center for Study of Liberal Education for Adults (CSLEA). I served as President of the Association of University Evening College in 1957-58 (AUEC) (later ACHE) and of the National University Extension Association in 1965-66 (NUEA) (later NUCEA) and was a U. S. representative to the UNESCO International Conference on Adult Education in Tokyo in 1970, a representative of ICAE and ICUAE conferences in Paris in 1985. The Coalition of Adult Education Organizations(CAEO) was begun in 1964, when University College received a grant of $349,000 from the Office of Education to develop the Library of Continuing Education. The author invited the heads of all Adult Education organizations to a conference to seek advice for the appropriate use of funds to provide leadership for educators of adults. CAEO continued to meet and later sponsored, under my chairmanship, the Galaxy Conference of Adult Educators, which was a joint meeting of 18 organizations in 1969. I was also a member of the United States National Committee for UNESCO. While I was involved in these activities, the contributions of other members of the staffs of the Continuing Education Programs was significant by service on committees, making presentations and was otherwise recognized in leadership roles.
c. Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education (SUPCE)
Syracuse University Publications in Continuing Education (SUPCE) was organized in 1967. The purpose was to bring together various series and single publications in Adult Education that had been initiated by University College and other Continuing Education Programs, the ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult Education and several other schools and colleges of Syracuse University.
Soon after SUPCE was begun, the funding for the Fund for Adult Education (FAE) was discontinued by the Ford Foundation. As noted earlier, FAE had provided funds for Adult Education at Syracuse University. It arranged for the publications and other assets of two of its grantees, namely the Center for Study of the Liberal Education for Adults (CSLEA) and the American Foundation for Continuing Education (AFCE) to be transferred to SUPCE. In addition to its own publications, it gave several thousand dollars to support SUPCE and SUREA. It also facilitated a grant of $100,000 from the Ford Foundation in 1964 to commission and publish other publications in the field of Adult and Continuing Education. For a brief period, SUPCE was also the distributor of back copies of publications of the Adult Education Association of USA and other organizations.
In 1979-80 the publications associated with SUPCE were categorized and entered intoSULIRS, the Syracuse University Library Catalog. The publications numbered over 400 and the program was recognized as a world leader in publications of research and practice in Adult Education in the English language. SUPCE was a resource for the Graduate Program and has attracted scholars and practitioners nationally and internationally.
The extensive publication program of SUPCE was a major contributor to mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University and other universities.
d. Archives in Continuing Education
Archives in Continuing Education consist of manuscripts and materials collected from individuals and organizations in the United States as well as in other countries. The materials are processed by the University Library with supplementary funds obtained from foundations and individuals. The Collection consists of over 800 lineal shelving feet of publications and is administered as an integral part of the George Arents Research Library. It is readily accessible to students, faculty and research workers of Syracuse University, and to educators of adults from many Adult Education agencies in many countries. It is probably the most extensive collection of English language Adult and Continuing Education archives and manuscripts in the world.
e. Syracuse University Resources for Educators of Adults (SUREA)
In the early 1950s, when University College was developing and expanding, it was useful to collect materials in the field of Adult Education for the use of the staff as well as the faculty and students enrolled in the graduate program of Adult Education. The Fund for Adult Education soon recognized the Adult Education collection by making an award of $10,000 to develop the Paul Hoy Helms Library for Liberal Adult Education. It was followed in 1957 by the significant gift of the entire library of the Fund for Adult Education which has been discontinued. The gift included printed materials, tapes, records, films and photographs as well as furniture.
In 1964, a grant of $249,000 was obtained from the Office of Education to develop the Library of Continuing Education as a national model for the field of Adult Education. Prior to the completion of the three-year project the Educational Resources Information Clearinghouse on Adult Education (ERIC) was established in relation to the Library of Continuing Education at Syracuse University. In the fall of 1973, the resources of the Library of Continuing Education and remaining ERIC materials were moved to and incorporated into the Bird Library and became known as Syracuse University Resources for Educators of Adults (SUREA). There was an effort to provide linkages with other Adult Education Collections in other countries and languages through Associated Resource Centers in Adult Education.
In 1971, the State Education Department (New York) funded the Clearinghouse of Resources for Educators of Adults (CREA). It worked with SUREA developing a collection of materials primarily for educators of adults who were administrators and teachers in the Adult Education programs of the Public Schools. Upon request, materials were loaned and distributed primarily by mail. In 1973 there were about 300 requests for materials with a budget of about $50,000 which was fully paid by the State Education Department.
Developing faculty and staff of the Continuing Education Programs is a key element in that it addresses the people who develop academic programs and are responsible for the conduct of them. They assist in the integration of all programs into a comprehensive body and thus facilitate the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
The provision of effective and efficient support services such as the areas discussed below facilitate mainstreaming of Adult Education to the academic life by enabling the Continuing Education Programs to be conducted in an environment that is conducive to learning.
1. Arrangements for Physical Facilities
It was policy for the central administration to pay for the acquisition of buildings, major renovations, demolition of buildings and paving of parking lots as well as insurance and legal fees. Heat and electricity as well as remodeling and maintenance on facilities assigned to them were usually a direct charge to facilities assigned to Continuing Education Programs. Lounges, snack bar and vending machines were also provided, but their income was not credited to Continuing Education Programs. Facilities that were rented for use by University College and the other Continuing Education Programs were budgeted by the Continuing Education Programs.
The facilities used by Continuing Education Programs included (1) Syracuse - Peck Hall and Reid Hall; University Regent Theater; Finla G. Crawford Continuing Education Center; dormitories and buildings on main campus; (2) Community Centers - various schools and other buildings at the Centers; (3) Adirondack Centers - Sagamore at Raquette Lake; Minnowbrook on Blue Mountain Lake; Pinebrook on Upper Saranac Lake; (4) Utica - Utica College; (5) Division of International Programs Abroad (formerly Foreign Study Program) - Syracuse University renovated a house on University campus; Syracuse University buildings in London, Florence, Amsterdam and other rented or loaned buildings. Some classes were held at times on board ships when traveling.; (6) Albany - State Library Building; (7) Chautauqua - Chautauqua Institution; and (8) Institutional Branches - IBM buildings at Poughkeepsie and Endicott and some other buildings of sponsors; Griffiss Air Force base at Rome; and rented buildings at Corning.
In order to increase the assets of Syracuse University a development plan encouraged gifts and purchase of properties. Many of the parcels of acquired properties which were not adjacent to, nor usable for main campus operations were assigned to Adult Education. In addition some properties were purchased to meet specific needs of Continuing Education Programs, e.g., buildings in Florence, London and Amsterdam and properties adjacent to Reid and Peck Halls. It was a general policy to develop programs and then to acquire or remodel buildings and facilities to meet the program needs. However, some property acquisitions such as the Regent theater and the Adirondack Centers were received before programs were in place. They were assigned to University College because it had the financial flexibility and the ability to convert them for the academic programs and in this way they could be removed from tax rolls.
The buildings and facilities were almost continuously being remodeled to be more appropriate to the particular program even though some of the buildings and facilities such as World War II buildings were of a make-shift arrangement. When Peck Hall in 1948 and Reid Hall in 1957 were remodeled, particular attention was given to the rooms used for the classes and programs which were supplied with state of the art equipment of the times. Lounges, snack bar and vending machines were also provided. All of the facilities forprograms wherever located were modified for accessibility by physically handicapped but the changes in laws required continuous update. According to plan, parking spaces were gradually increased by the purchase of property in Syracuse, and likewise parking was provided at the Crawford Continuing Education Center and arrangements made at other locations of Continuing Education Programs.
The Continuing Education Programs relied on the expertise and resources of University departments to provide auxiliary service for food service, buildings and grounds, printing, purchasing, security, personnel, accounting and other business affairs. Only when the University departments could not provide the services would Continuing Education Programs seek out commercial and other sources outside the University.
The building arrangements enabled Continuing Education Programs to schedule courses at times and places most convenient to the students, although the schedule of Continuing Education Programs in Syracuse and the Institutional Branches being taught by faculty as part of load were consistent with main campus schedules. Coordination was also required with employers for employees to attend classes; with weather such as at Adirondack Centers; with main campus schedules to permit some students to transfer for a course to the Syracuse Program of University College; with local, national and international holidays and vacations; and with other related activities of students and sponsors. To provide flexibility for Continuing Education Program, changes were made in many of the University operations and schedules.
Continuing Education Programs had a budgeted line item which enabled a transfer of funds to the General University Fund. In general it was an equitable arrangement insofar as it permitted the Continuing Education Programs to pay their fair share of physical plant expenditures and overhead and yet continue to retain funds that were essential to develop new and innovative academic programs. The provision of physical facilities and services equivalent to and often superior to those on the main campus itself contributed to the mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of the University.
2. Tax Exemption
Tax exemption is important because it enables the University to retain control particularly of the Continuing Education Programs and other academic functions without having to depend on each program or activity. It is a support service in that it gave protection from government and other bodies that might limit its freedoms particularly for the faculty to profess what and how it wished.
Syracuse University is a not-for-profit tax-exempt institution,. As such, it was necessary for each program and activity in every building, property and facility to be used exclusively for educational programs. Continuing Education Programs insisted that each program be under the control of Syracuse University; each program had participation by Syracuse University faculty and staff; all students be accepted by Syracuse University; and only program participants be allowed to attend courses and programs and to reside in the University facilities children, spouses and friends stayed elsewhere.
Syracuse University is chartered by the Education Department of the University of the State of New York as a not-for-profit institution. As such it must not operate any activities for which it charges and makes a profit. From time to time the status of Continuing Education Programs is subject to scrutiny by government and business organizations. It seemed to follow that if universities were to offer Adult Education Programsfor profit that commercial organizations might question the not-for-profit status of universities.
In a free enterprise system, currently called a market economy, when competition is a way of life there is certainly a place for sponsors of Adult Education programs which make a profit. There are many examples of commercial enterprises in the field of Adult Education, many of which are also exemplary in meeting the educational needs of adults. It should be clear, however, that the University should only offer programs that are appropriate to its academic mission. If it wishes to offer programs of lesser academic quality or to produce profit, it should separate from the University and not detract from the overall academic image of the University. It is not uncommon for universities to operate commercial enterprises in a for-profit basis and pay appropriate taxes. For example, Syracuse University owned and operated the University Building in downtown Syracuse and paid taxes and other items on it as a business organization. It also arranges for some taxes or fees to be paid on non-university events in the Carrier Dome. In 1957 Syracuse University helped to establish the Syracuse University Research Corporation and thus separate academic research and commercial research. Later it became completely independent of Syracuse University and became taxable.
Over the past decades universities including Syracuse University have provided some services such as security, snowplowing and trash disposal but they have not been directly regarded in lieu of taxes.
Syracuse University acquired properties including the Adirondack Centers (Pinebrook, Sagamore and Minnowbrook), the University Regent Theater, buildings for Division of International Program Abroad (DIPA), and other properties which University College developed as bases for academic programs. After academic programs were developed and sometimes after legal action they were taken off of the real estate tax rolls. Tax-exempt status of Adult Education in universities may become a significant issue in the future and accordingly further discussion of the experience at Syracuse University may be appropriate.
As previously stated, in 1972 Syracuse University was assessed and required to pay real estate taxes on some properties primarily used for Continuing Education Programs. The University appealed and the Court ruled for the University and the City of Syracuse returned $513,740.94 with interest. Explicit and implicit by this ruling, the Court legitimized the Continuing Education Programs as a part of the academic mission of Syracuse University. By mainstreaming of Adult Education into academic life, it was not required to pay taxes.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Business and other for-profit organizations have entered the field of Adult Education and offer many Adult Education programs and activities. Because they pay taxes they may view not-for-profit agencies as competitors and question the tax exempt status of university programs not integrated into the academic life of the University. There are suggestions in the United States and plans in other countries that might make some non-academic Adult Education programs taxable, perhaps in the form of sales tax. The tax may also take the form of requiring employees to report to the Internal Revenue Service the so-called fringe benefits which are in the form of tuition or fees for Adult Education provided by employers. In such a ruling an option might be to exempt courses that are part of a degree program of an employee. In the case of Syracuse University, the Internal Revenue Service might rule that tuition-free courses for employees and dependent spouses and children as taxable. Programs which are administered in divisions separated from an academicbase, which show more income than expense, and which do not receive funds for development and operation as innovative programs may have little justification as an integral part of the academic life of a university. As such they may be considered commercial and therefore taxable. If such developments occur, it may be that Continuing Education Programs that are mainstreamed into the academic life of the University may remain tax-exempt. An additional major concern is that if there is a tax levied on one operation of the University it may follow that other programs and operations may become taxable. Universities and other Adult Education agencies may anticipate such developments.
a. General University Fund and Reserve Fund
Adequate financial arrangements are important to Continuing Education Programs to develop academic programs without limitations on quality and freedom.
The financial arrangements for Continuing Education Programs at Syracuse University provided flexibility that enabled it to develop and nurture academic programs. However, it did not begin that way.
It was commonly accepted that Adult Education was considered a money maker and such a policy was alluded to by the Chancellor in 1918. The Director of Summer Sessions had proposed an evening session to the Chancellor who responded by cable from Europe, "Good idea. . . . It will help to build a new Law School."
There seemed to be an attitude among educators of adults that the administration confiscates all excess income over expenditures from Adult Education programs and furthermore, there also seemed to be an attitude that no external funds were available for program development. Continuing Education Programs at Syracuse University did not share these views.
The School of Extension Teaching and of Adult Education, both before and after the name changed to University College, had an expense budget and all income went to the General University Fund. In the 1950s it was decided that 20% of all income would go to the General University Fund and that any excess of income over the expense including the 20% to the General University Fund could be used by University College during the budget year. After one or two years, the Vice Chancellor commented that it was unfair to University College because some of its programs were new and could not be expected to pay the 20%. Accordingly it was agreed that a fixed amount for the General University Fund should be included as a line item in the budget of University College and that amount was agreed to as a line item in the annual budget.
Any income in excess of budget was available to University College. It was sometimes well into the budget year before University College knew of the amount of excess and could not reasonably spend all of it. The Dean then raised the issue with the Chancellor who agreed that 50% of the excess of actual income over actual expense would be put into a reserve fund to be used exclusively for program development at University College with the other half going to the general operating fund of the University. After other Continuing Education Programs were assigned to the Office of Vice President for Continuing Education each budget included a line item for General University Fund and one for new program development.
It was because of this budget arrangement that University College and later other Continuing Education Programs could develop programs that could not generate enough income to pay operating expenses especially in the initial stages. Examples were Chautauqua Center, Foreign Study Program, Adirondack Centers, General Studies Program (Associate degree), University Regent Theater as well as individual department programs such as painting, sculpture, and foreign languages that had small enrollments and/or required special facilities and equipment. It also enabled the appointment of additional counselors, the purchase of audio visual equipment, the payment for continuing education of faculty and staff. In addition it was possible to pay faculty and expenses incurred up front for the development of new programs and activities.
While income from tuition and fees for programs and activities provided a substantial base for Continuing Education Programs, it was deemed necessary to obtain additional income to provide a diversified base.
The Institutional Branches for graduate engineering and science at Poughkeepsie, Endicott, Griffiss Air Force Base and for business administration at Corning could not be supported by tuition alone and Syracuse University took the position that it could not subsidize International Business Machines (IBM), the United States Air Force (USAF) and other companies. Accordingly plans were developed for assessing additional charges to sponsors and University College moved toward full cost accounting as a basis for setting fees and other charges. A contract was negotiated initially with IBM whereby it would pay full cost of all expenses including faculty, travel, pro-rated share of library in Syracuse, salaries and expenses plus an overhead figure. Full cost contracts were later negotiated with other sponsors. Other contracts for research and projects in Adult Education included an item which Syracuse University had negotiated as an overhead figure with the United States Government.
Some companies resisted full cost contracts. In Syracuse, for example, General Electric stated that it could pay regular tuition rate but not more than what other graduate students in the same class would pay. Syracuse University raised the tuition rate for graduate courses in engineering which General Electric paid for their students while other students such as the ones registered on main campus who were paying their own tuition were given a scholarship to pay the difference. This arrangement put into focus the fact that regular tuition and fees do not pay the full costs of the educational expenses. It is added that for a period of time the full cost and the income for each course-conference and other Continuing Education programs were recorded. The fees and other charges for Continuing Education Programs may be based on full cost accounting. The reason for offering a course or program may be to meet the requirements of student programs or to develop a new program and therefore may be offered even though not cost effective. This procedure provided the difference between full cost and income and indicated when the subsidies were being made. In this way full cost accounting by Continuing Education Programs was a basis for negotiating fees and contracts but also as consideration for internally budgeting the amount of the General University Fund.
All payments by individuals and sponsors were budgeted by University College which in turn was assessed for the General University Fund as well as for making transfers to other units of the University in payment of its direct additional expenses such as payment of faculty for part-of-load. University College wasallowed to speak to the request of other colleges but University College was not permitted to make any substantial payment directly to or on behalf of other colleges. This procedure was followed to protect the General University Fund for the university and to prevent individual colleges and University College being involved in internal financial discussions.
It was the flexible financial arrangements that enabled University College and other Continuing Education Programs to develop innovative programs. It could conduct them and gradually make them self-supporting as well as contributing to the General University Fund.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: To develop high quality Adult Education programs it is necessary to have funds in addition to regular tuition and fees. It may not be appropriate for a private university even with high tuition rates to subsidize Adult Education for business, government and other institutions and accordingly various contracts and other types of funding may be negotiated. The fees for Continuing Education Programs may be based on full-cost accounting. The programs must be of high academic quality or sponsors may develop and control their own Adult Education programs.
c. Additional Sources of Funding
Several additional sources of funding were identified and actively pursued by Continuing Education Programs.
Soon after Syracuse University established the Chautauqua Center, a two-week course on fund-raising a rare course in those days was offered. The Dean decided to take it in order to get introduced to fund raising. Comments by foundation personnel over the years were helpful, e.g., the Dean was told by foundation people, "You always do your homework before coming to us and you deliver." "I like getting proposals because my job depends on my submission of proposals to my Board." "Once you have convinced me to give you money then we have to help you write the proposal." All such information, advice and encouragement spurred University College into seeking funds for program development.
After World War II the Fund for Adult Education (FAE) was established by the Ford Foundation. Several grants as reported elsewhere were received. It drew extensive interest in developing proposals not only to it as a source of funds, but reminded educators of adults that other foundations and government were sources of funding.
As reported elsewhere in this monograph University College and other Continuing Education Programs received many grants from U. S. Department of Education; the Regional Medical Program; the Educational Resources Information Center; the Agency for International Development; the Center for the Study of Liberal Education of Adults; the Ford Foundation; the Carnegie Corporation; the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Foundation; the New York State and federal government offices; as well as other organizations. These grants of over a million dollars also gave additional credibility and status to Continuing Education Programs within the University.
In the development of the financial arrangements it was recognized that Syracuse University is largely a tuition-driven institution. It was appropriate then that the Continuing Education Programs should be proactive in seeking complementary financial support. As a still emerging field of study Adult Education required funds to develop new and innovative programs in a changing world with an accelerating increase inknowledge. Syracuse University strove to be a leader in the knowledge-based stage of Adult Education.
Obtaining a diversified and broad base of funding enabled Adult Education to move further into mainstreaming into the academic life of Syracuse University. From this movement it may be inferred that the Continuing Education Programs were only trying to reach University standards. However, Continuing Education Programs in many instances were proactive in financial and other affairs that resulted in new programs, resources and other activities for the enhancement of the total academic thrust of Syracuse University.
In the above description of financial arrangements University College is used as a primary example but when other Continuing Education Programs were moved to the Office of Continuing Education they also developed similar policies and procedures.
AUTHOR'S COMMENT: Similar to other enterprises, Adult Education can be innovative when it has adequate venture capital and funds for operation especially in the initial stages of development of programs. Commercial producers of Adult Education require capital investment and so do universities. Funds are available for Adult Education if proposals are sound and if they project high academic quality. A major priority may be given to identifying and obtaining sources of funds and other resources for Adult Education programs in the universities.
The main campus offices of the Dean of Students, Admissions, Registrar and Financial Aid developed confidence in University College. Over a period of time it was possible to arrange what was called "one-stop registration." The functions of admission, registration, financial aid, tuition, fees and other payments as well as counseling were all provided at registration in the auditorium at University College. It eliminated the need for students to move back and forth from one location or office to another either at University College or on the main campus. This procedure was applied to all programs and activities of University College whether they were Syracuse, Institutional Branches, Community Centers, Conferences, Foreign Studies Programs or other places, and to all other Continuing Education Programs. It also enabled the part-time students to have a more coordinated package as they prepared to study in their selected areas.
After World War II recruitment of students in Adult Education became even more proactive particularly to inform veterans of the opportunities for part-time studies as well as to inform various specific publics about the increasing opportunities for part-time study.
The recruiting of students was a continuous and continuing task of Continuing Education Programs. Adult Education was competing for the time of adults who had options to go to movie theaters, sporting events, and cultural, political and social events. Furthermore, after the early 1950s, adults did not have to go out of their homes to watch events television had moved into the home and was being marketed with compelling vigor.
Although few educators seemed to realize it, Adult Education had to be promoted in the hard senseof the word. University College however had the flexibility to break with accepted customs of promotion and public relations in the early 1950s, much to the friendly questioning about its commercial stance by colleagues in Syracuse University and educators of adults in other institutions. Later on marketing of Adult Education became an accepted term and activity.
Most of the recruitment of students centered in what was called the Public Relations Office which began in 1947. To assist in the effort to develop a recruitment place, University College engaged a public relations firm to develop the advertising program. As far as was known, this was the first Adult Education program and one of the first universities to engage a commercial firm for such purposes. It was a successful venture partly because the advertising firm was anxious to obtain clients in the field of education to give a balance to their business clients and accordingly may have given unusual attention to this account. It is noted that commercial firms were able to obtain discounts from vendors such as the media and printers and the savings were passed along to University College.
In the early 1950s University College stopped the publication of the catalogue of courses, which was the traditional marketing media and substituted brochures of a few pages for specific programs or audiences. It also gave up its mailing list accumulated over the years and substituted names of students from only the previous term and from mailing lists obtained often at a price from business or organizations. University College bought into modern radio advertising even to the extent of a jingle and into the emerging field of television.
With these new approaches, University College and other Continuing Education Programs were able to project the appropriate image of the University. Several awards were received for direct mail and other publicity materials. These techniques and other aspects of the public relations program resulted in increased enrollment and with substantial cost savings through the promotional plan. The public relations program consistently identified the Continuing Education Programs with Syracuse University.
The financial arrangements such as: General University Fund; the Reserve Fund; additional sources of funding; full cost accounting; coordinated one-stop registration; and public relations program facilitated mainstreaming into the academic life of Syracuse University.
VI. SUMMARY OF SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS AND CONCLUSION
It may be useful to review and highlight some of the contributions of Continuing Education Programs previously described. These developments were selected from the many ongoing activities which were the base of the Continuing Education Programs.
This monograph is a description of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University. It is a comprehensive analysis of the process which extended over about 25 years when I was Dean of University College 1952-64 and Vice President for Continuing Education, 1964-73. The analysis is divided under six elements considered pertinent and essential by the author to the process of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University. These elements include 1) focusing on the adult learner; 2) committing to the mission of Adult Education; 3) keeping pace with change; 4) strengthening standards of quality; 5) developing staff, faculty and other personnel; and 6) providing support services. The information provided for each element in most cases included my reflections. The continuity of the narrative is not interrupted by footnotes and other references, but the basic documents are accessible in the Syracuse University Archives in my papers, the Continuing Education Programs as well as in the manuscripts of the Adult and Continuing Education Research Library. All these are carefully processed in the George Arents Research Library. Examples and illustrations have been selected on the basis of their contributions to mainstreaming. The theme has been to identify and analyze the overall comprehensive movement toward mainstreaming of Adult Education.
The movement into the knowledge-based stage of Adult Education and the expansion of technology has enabled access by adults to knowledge at an accelerated rate. During this period there were also changes
in all aspects of society and at all levels including the global. The challenge in the decades covered in this monograph was for the Continuing Education Programs at Syracuse University to capitalize on this fluid situation to develop programs that met the needs of adult students and enhanced their learning.
Five major shifts in programming strategy seemed to characterize the process of mainstreaming Adult Education into the academic life at Syracuse University.
1. In the early years of University College, there were concerted efforts to adapt the existing programs of the other schools and colleges to the needs of adults who enrolled as part-time students. The courses and programs were mostly oriented to the baccalaureate degree, but as the university developed programs leading to a Masters degree they became available to part-time students. Courses and programs were offered later at University College which occupied the former Medical College buildings in downtown Syracuse and were remodeled for Adult Education beginning in 1946. Laboratories and classrooms on the main campus were also used.
2. While these programs met the needs of part-time students to obtain degrees, it was recognized that there was an increasing need for programs of shorter duration in formats such as conferences and seminars. The topics covered a wide range including business, professions, careers, humanistic studies and international affairs. They primarily used the faculty and other resources of the university but also looked to the community for adjunct faculty and other resources. The programs were offered at University College and other university buildings in Syracuse. They were also made available in settings on university property administered by University College. These included the Finla Goff Crawford Continuing Education Center, the University Regent Theater and the Adirondack Conference Centers.
3. The University broadened the reach of its Adult Education to locations beyond the campus. From the early years Adult Education recognized the need to reach beyond the main campus to extension centers within commuting range for faculty. Two of these centers, Utica and Triple Cities, were spun off and developed into independent four year colleges.
In response to other requests, Adult Education developed in-residence centers whereby all the studies for designated masters degrees could be completed off campus. By amendment to the University Charter and with the approval of the New York State Education Department, Syracuse University developed Institutional Branches at Albany (public administration) and Poughkeepsie, Endicott and the Griffiss Air Force Base (engineering and sciences). The faculty were usually paid as part of their regular load. After full-cost analysis the cost of these programs was paid by government, corporations and other sponsors. The institutional branches made significant financial and other contributions to Syracuse University by enabling the appointment of additional faculty, funding research and in other ways.
A third type of outreach to the broader community was the Continuing Education Center for the Public Service. The program was offered primarily at the Finla Goff Crawford Center for the Public Service.
4. Another development in the process of mainstreaming was the integration of courses started for part-time students and moved into the main campus academic life for full-time students. Graduate courses in Social Work were first offered at University College. Following their accreditation, the degree program remained in the University, moved to campus and operated as the School of Social Work independent of University College. Similarly courses in television were initially offered through University College and developed into a full fledged Department of Television, one of the first in the United States, within the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communication.
Adult Education was also a pioneer in the development of special degree programs for adults. These programs were initiated by Continuing Education Programs and developed by grants from foundations.
5. Another strategy was a response to the societal thrust towards globalization. In response to a growing concern for international affairs, not only by faculty and students but by the community, Adult Education, beginning in 1949 offered tours in other nations for adults during the summer. In 1956, the Foreign Studies Program [later Division of International Programs Abroad (DIPA)] began to offer semester programs for undergraduate students. They were begun as a cultural immersion experience for students and were designed to enable students to obtain full academic credit for the semester. Programs were offered in Guatemala, Colombia, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
While DIPA was providing education in international affairs by providing Syracuse University students and adults with an experience outside the United States, other Continuing Education programs such as IMDD and the EELP were providing experiences in the international sphere by bringing adults to the Syracuse University campus to study in specially designated areas.
Four ingredients were pervasive throughout this mainstreaming process and were crucial to the success of program development. They were:
1. Focus on the primacy of the adult learner and provision of the attendant facilities, academic resources and technology which often required willingness to adjust university administrative policies and procedures.
2. The involvement of faculty in the planning and design of programs for adults and in their own continuing education.
3. The identification of needs of society, profit and not-for-profit organizations, and adults and then molding them into a comprehensive array of programs to be offered through various methods and formats.
4. The flexibility and creativity of the funding mechanisms provided under the administrative leaders in the Continuing Education Programs.
This monograph was intended to record some reflections of the process of mainstreaming of Adult Education into the academic life of Syracuse University. It records an adventure in learning by thousands of adults and as such, it does not have a beginning nor an end because it relates only to a place in a continuum of learning that is lifelong for each adult. An adventure in learning is individual because adults learn only as individuals and because only the individual feels the invigoration and excitement of learning. Throughout this process the focus was always on the mission of Adult Education which was, as previously quoted "to assist adults to acquire further control of their current circumstances and their future destinies." The extent of achievement of this mission is only decided in the minds and souls of adults.
This account also reflects the time and effort of hundreds of people within the University and outside its walls. They included the central administration, deans and directors, faculty, heads of support services, clerical and secretarial staff and scores of qualified and dedicated people who created and developed ideas and innovative ways of doing things as well as following through on day to day activities.
It was an adventure in Adult Education developed in the context of changes in a knowledge-based society and changes in the commitment and practice of Syracuse University.
1 Charters, Alexander N. (March 1972). The Hill and the Valley: The Story of University College at Syracuse University Through 1964. SUPCE.
2 Charters, Alexander N. (April 19, 1986). "Some Perspectives on Lifelong Education." SUPCE, p. 1.
3 "New Directions for Adult Education," in Proceedings: Conference of Administrative Officers and Deans of Syracuse University, April 18-20, 1958. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 1959, p. 4.
4 Charters, Some Perspectives, pp. 3-4.
5 Charters, Some Perspectives, p. 1.
6 Alexander N. Charters (1987). A Primer of Adult Education. Surveys and Studies, Literacy, Adult Education and Rural Development Division, UNESCO. ED-87/WS/10, Paris, France, p. 55.
7 Charters, Primer, p. 2.
8 Alexander N. Charters (February 1972). "Real Estate Tax Exemption for Continuing Education Programs." Occasional Papers No. 26. SUPCE, p. 92.
The Syracuse University Faculty and Staff listed in these appendices include full-time Deans, Directors, Program Administrators andother Program Staff.
The author regrets any spelling errors, omissions or other inaccuracies.
THE EVENING SESSION THROUGH UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, 1918-1973, INCLUDING CHANCELLORS, DEANS AND DIRECTORS 1918- Chancellor James R. Day
Dr. M. Ellwood Smith, Director of Evening Sessions
1920 - 1929 Chancellor James R. Day (to 1922)
Chancellor Charles Flint (from 1922)
Dr. Floyd Fiske Decker, Director, School of Extension Teaching
1926 - 1930 Chancellor Charles Flint
Dr. William T. Melchior, Director, Education Extension
1929 - 1 941 Chancellor Charles Flint (to 1936)
Chancellor William P. Graham (from 1936)
Dr. D. Walter Morton, Director, School of Extension Teaching and of Adult Education
1941 - 1943 Dr. A. Blair Knapp, Acting Director, School of Extension Teaching and of Adult Education
1942 - 1943 Chancellor William P. Graham (to 1942)
Chancellor William P. Tolley (from 1942)
1943 - 1946 Chancellor William P. Tolley
Dr. Kenneth G. Bartlett, Acting Director, School of Extension Teaching and of Adult Education
1946 - 1952 Chancellor William P. Tolley
Dr. Kenneth G. Bartlett, Dean, University College
1952 - 1964 Chancellor William P. Tolley
Dr. Alexander N. Charters, Dean, University College
1964 - 1970 Chancellor William P. Tolley (to 1969)
Chancellor John C. Corbally, Jr.
Dr. Alexander N. Charters, Vice President for Continuing Education
Dr. Clifford L. Winters, Jr., Dean, University College
1970 - 1973 Chancellor John C. Corbally, Jr. (to 1971)
Chancellor Melvin A. Eggers
Dr. Alexander N. Charters, Vice President for Continuing Education (to 1973)
Dr. Frank E. Funk, Dean, University College
PROGRAM AND SUPPORT STAFF OF CONTINUING EDUCATION PROGRAMS, 1964-1973
Office of Vice President for Continuing Education, 1964-1973
Alexander N. Charters, Vice President
University College
I. Professional Staff of University College, 1948-1964 II. Administrative Staff, 1973 (provided by University College) Division of International Programs Abroad
Division of Summer Sessions
Eastern European Language Program
International Management Development Program
Bureau of School Services
Army Comptroller School
Graduate Program in Adult Education
Syracuse University Publication in Continuing Education (SUPCE)
Syracuse University Resources for Educators of Adults (SUREA)
Education Resources Information Clearinghouse (ERIC)
Clearinghouse of Resources for Educators of Adults (CREA)
ACADEMIC AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS, 1948-1973
Chancellor William P. Tolley
Chancellor John Corbally
Chancellor Melvin A. Eggers
DEANS AND DIRECTORS OF ACADEMIC SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND OTHER UNITS, 1948-1973
(includes full-time and acting)
College of Applied Science/College of Engineering
Deans:
School of Architecture
Directors:
College of Fine Arts/School of Art
Directors:
Visual and Performing Arts
Dean:
Business Administration/School of Management
Deans:
School of Education
Deans:
New York State School of Forestry
Deans:
President:
Graduate School
Deans:
Hendricks Chapel
Deans:
College of Home Economics
Deans:
School of Journalism
Deans:
College of Law
Deans:
College of Liberal Arts/College of Arts and Sciences
Deans:
School of Library Science
Deans:
Syracuse University Libraries
Directors:
Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs
Deans:
College of Medicine
Dean:
School of Music
Deans and Directors:
School of Nursing
Deans:
Radio and TV Center
Director:
School of Social Work
Deans and Directors:
Speech and Dramatic Art
Deans and Directors:
Syracuse University Research Institute
Director:
Utica College of Syracuse University
Deans:
Presidents:
Jane B. Frost, Secretary
Listed in The Hill and the Valley by Alexander N. Charters, pp. 82-86.
Frank Funk, Dean
Thomas F. Cummings, Jr., Assistant Dean
Lucius R. Kempton, Business Manager
Lee Smith, Assistant Dean, MidCareer Programs
Lee Porter, Director, Syracuse Course Programs
Mary Iversen, Program Administrator
Susan Staub, Program Administrator
Robert Belge, Program Administrator
John Simonaitis, Counselor of Students
Nancy Gelling, Counselor
Robert Mullane, Counselor
Helen Buck, Counselor
Frederick Pettingill, Director, Off-Campus Center
Ruth Funk, Director, ISDP
Nirelle Galson, Director, ISDP
Marty Fass, Director, Public Relations
Kit Sine, Assistant Director, Public Relations
Rex Henriot, Director, Syracuse Reperatory Theatre
Aubrey Rauss, Art Director
Leigh Armstead, AV Director
James Moore, Facilities Director
Ellie Ludwig, Director, Conferences
Elbert McCullum, Graphics Director
Laurence Martel, Director, Project Opportunity
Paul Hartley, Assistant Director, Project Opportunity
Willis Clark, Assistant Director, Project OpportunityHarold Vaughn, Director
John Vanderwater, Assistant Director
Nirelle Galson, Assistant Director
Michael Cato, Assistant Director
Arlene Wells, Support Staff
Lauralee Buchanan, Support StaffWilliam Cruickshank, Dean
James Manwaring, Dean
Leonard V. Costantini, Assistant Dean
Ester Dewey, Support Staff
Pauline Rowland, Support Staff
Margot Fuller, Support Staff
Hazel Genton, Support Staff
Pauline Cowglen, Support Staff
Cynthia Spriggs, Support Staff
Dorothy Banger, Support Staff
Barbara Garrow, Support Staff
Amy Willis, Support Staff
Mary Kuc, Support Staff
Cheryl Nagel, Support Staff
Joyce Batzold, Support StaffFrancis Kramer, Director
Alan Dickerman, Director
William Phipps, Assistant Director
Sarah Dollard, Support Staff
Elizabth Ruddock, Support StaffJames Manwaring
Harold Rankin
Mary Francis, Support StaffWilliam Lynn, Director
James Quill, Director
Lola Workman, Support StaffAlexander N. Charters
Harlan Copeland
Robert Blakely (adjunct)Doris Chertow, Editor
Sue Rubins, Support Staff
Beatrice Marks
(formerly Library of Continuing Education - LCE)
Betty Jane Vaughan, Director
Lucille Burrill, Support Staff
Beth Ruddock, Support StaffBetty Jane Vaughan, Program Staff
Diane Ironside, Assistant Director
Roger deCrow, Assistant Director
Stanley Grabowski, Assistant Director
Edith Bennett, Support Staff
Gabby Hendley, Support Staff
Alice Smith, Support Staff
Janet Gilson, Support Staff
Beth Ruddock, Support Staff
Lucille Burnell, Support Staff
Miscie Bronson, Support Staff
Lloyd Young, Support Staff
Julie Browen, Support Staff
Edith Bennet, Support Staff
Gaby Hendley, Support Staff
Alice Smith, Support Staff
Henna Patel, Support Staff
Rhabaga Khoury, Support Staff
Lillian Fields, Support StaffDonald P. Holmwood, Director
William Riveria, DirectorFinla G. Crawford, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
John Frederick Olson, Vice President and Assistant to Chancellor
Kenneth G. Bartlett, Vice President and Dean of Public Affairs
Frank P. Piskor, Vice Presidet for Academic Affairs and Dean of Faculties
Newell W. Rossman, Vice President for Development/University Relations
Eric H. Faigle, Vice President and Dean of Liberal Arts
Francis A. Wingate, Vice President and Treasurer
Clark Ahlberg, Vice President for Administration and Research
Alexander N. Charters, Vice President for Continuing EducationRalph A. Galbraith, Provost, Vice President for Personnel
Clifford L. Winters, Provost, Assistant Chancellor for Administration
Victor J. Colway, Vice President for Business Management/Vice President for Personnel
John C. Honey, Vice President for Governmental Affairs and Research/ Sponsored Programs
John Prucha, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
Jim G. Carlton, Vice President and Dean of Student Services/Student Affairs
Melvin A. Eggers, Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Ronald W. Brady, Vice Chancellor for Administrative Operations
Robert Leberman, Vice President for Development
Harry E. Yeiser, Jr., Vice President for Development
Alexander N. Charters, Vice President for Continuing EducationAdditional officers to above
Donald Kibby, Vice President for Research and Graduate Affairs
M. Jane Stanicki, Vice President for Residential Life
Harry W. Peters, III, Vice President for Admissions and Records
David D. Jones, Vice President for Student Affairs
Michael O. Sawyer, Vice Chancellor for Student Programs
Charles V. Willie, Vice President for Student AffairsLouis Mitchell
Ralph A. Galbraith
James A. LukerLemuel Dillenbeck
D. Kenneth Sargent
Charles J. CroomNorman Rice
Merlin F. Pollock
August FreundlichAugust Freundlich
Thomas Carroll
John Harriman
Robert Stone
Morris Hurley
Karl Vogt
Robert Cox
Harry Allen
L. Richard OlikerHarry S. Ganders
Virgil Rogers
Robert Stewart
David KrathwohlJoseph Illick
Hardy Shirley
Edwin JohnEdwin D. Palmer
Harry S. Ganders
John Harriman
Carl Bye
Frank P. PiskorCharles Noble
John McCombeM. Eunice Hilton
Barbara Griggs
Bernice WrightM. Lyle Spencer
Wesley Clark
Henry SchultePaul Andrews
Ralph Kharas
Robert Miller
Robert AndersonFinla G. Crawford
Eric Faigle
Frederic J. Kramer
John J. PruchaWharton Miller
Wayne S. Yenawine
Edward B. Montgomery
Rober C. Greer
Robert TaylorWharton Miller
Wayne S. Yenawine
Warren Boes
Metod MilacFinla G. Crawford
Paul H. Appleby
Harlam Cleveland
Clark Ahlberg
Stephen Kemp Bailey
Alan K. CampbellHerman G. Weiskoten
Ernst Bacon
Arecander Capurso
Kirk Ridge
Howard BoatwrightEdith H. Smith
Gladys VanBenschoten
Sibyl NorrisKenneth G. Bartlett
Howard B. Gundy
John R. Hartnett
Walter M. Beattie, Jr.
Kermit K. SchoolerRobert F. Oxnam
Eric H. Faigle
Ray L. IrwinWilliam C. Wheadon
Ralph F. Strebel
James HarrisonJ. Kenneth Donahue
Ambrose J. deFlumere
|
|
|
|
|