The National Forum will partner with the Carnegie Foundation to perform a strategic communications and network analysis with KFLA (Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance).
Amy Puffenberger, Project Manager at the National Forum, reports that KFLA uses algorithm-based social networking to map communications trends. According to Amy, KFLA will contact the members of the National Forum’s network and conduct a communications survey to better understand and construct a sophisticated communications and networking infrastructure for ongoing and future Forum work.
Amy suggests that “we want to reach those people who are ‘hubs,’ or have numerous contacts in the network, and get them involved (in the work at the Forum).”
The National Forum has already compiled a database of local, national, and international collaborators and contacts in an effort to organize the numerous partners and allies accrued over the years. This database will be the first step towards a more sophisticated understanding of the National Forum’s network – an understanding that KFLA will seek to expand on.
Dr. John Burkhardt, director of the National Forum, has extensive experience collaborating with KFLA. For seven years he worked for the organization as program director for leadership and higher education. As he states in his biography on the Forum’s website, he “led several major initiatives focused on transformation and change in higher education and participated in a comprehensive effort to encourage leadership development among college students.” KFLA serves as a “network hub” connecting fellows and alumni, providing leadership development programs and opportunities for 1,500 fellows, as stated on their homepage, kfla.org.
Regarding the current collaboration goals, Burkhardt explains that KFLA and other leaders met January 21-23 “to review patterns of interaction and communication and to launch several experimental projects to determine if the frequency or intensity of collaboration can be increased through planned interventions.”
“The Kellogg Fellows Leadership Alliance (KFLA) is using a sophisticated method of social network mapping to analyze patterns of interaction between individuals selected and trained by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation through various leadership programs over thirty years,” Burkhardt explained. “This initiative is part of a long commitment by the Kellogg Foundation to optimize the impact of their grant making through innovative use of technology.”
The National Forum is eager to continue to build connections and utilize the resources and connections it possesses to maximize the reach and impact of its research. The network analysis will be an invaluable building block for the Stormcenter, an online resource for higher education leaders experiencing opposition related to undocumented students.
Forum Director John Burkhardt was recently a guest of the Kettering Foundation for their 2012 Winter Retreat.
The event was recently written up in Kettering’s newsletter, The Commons:
Discussion at our Winter Retreat (Jan. 18-20) focused on higher education in democracy. To inform that discussion, a number of people joined us, including:
During a big-picture discussion, Chris Gates made an observation that sparked a lot of conversation. He said that social media has completely reframed the relationship between citizens and institutions, including higher education. Gates shared what he has learned from his experience, that the “DNA” of social media is transparency and democracy and that there is no longer any legitimate reason for a gap between citizens and experts in terms of data, decision making, etc. Gates noted that this technology also eliminates the need for intermediaries, such as institutions; citizens can speak for themselves. A challenge for institutions in aligning themselves with the work of citizens is that many people in government, nonprofit, and higher ed institutions still see themselves as intermediaries. Eventually, as executive editor of NIF issue books Brad Rourke noted, institutions and social media will have to learn to productively coexist.
Jenny Small, alum of the CSHPE and a Forum Legendary Musician published a book exploring college students’ spiritual identities. Congrats, Jenny, for this important contribution to the field!
http://www.hamptonpress.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=978-1-61289-048-7
This book provides a long overdue alternative to current literatures about the religious and spiritual lives of college students with their over-reliance on Christian frameworks for faith development.
Through research-based illustrations, the volume calls on higher education professionals and academics to more effectively and completely consider a multi-faith frame to view the impact of faith diversity on college campuses. It considers the marginalizing impact of unexamined religious privileging and provides an alternate way of understanding faith and spirituality, with the potential to influence both research and practice in higher education, in the United States and other countries, as well as the lives of religious minority college students.
In their own words, college students explain why faith diversity must be one element of treating all students in a just manner, one that honors their individual needs as learners and community members. The volume is an invitation to those educators who have not yet considered this situation to begin conversing on the topic with those who are already convinced of the need.
Contents: Foreword, Edward P. St. John. Prologue. THE PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK. Introduction to the Current Book. The Questions That Guide Me. Definitions of Core Terms. Religion, Spirituality, and Faith in the Higher Education Context. The Purpose and Organization of this Work. My Perspective. THE DISTINCTIVE FAITH FRAMES OF FOUR GROUPS OF STUDENTS. Christian Faith Frame. Jewish Faith Frame. Muslim Faith Frame. Atheist/Agnostic Faith Frame. Faith Frames Compared. Conclusion. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH FRAMES AND DISCOURSE IN INTRA- AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE. Dialogue and the Christian Faith Frame. Dialogue and the Jewish Faith Frame. Dialogue and the Muslin Faith Frame. Dialogue and the Atheist/Agnostic Faith Frame. Exceptional Discourse Moves: Post-Hoc Positioning and Post-Hoc Face Saving. Summary of Relationships between Faith Frames and Discourse. Conclusion. HE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FAITH FRAMES AND STUDENTS’ AWARENESS OF RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGE AND MARGINALIZATION. Three-Tiered Structure of Religious Privilege in American Society. Religious Marginalization Awareness and the Christian Faith Frame. Religious Marginalization Awareness and the Jewish Faith Frame. Religious Marginalization Awareness and the Muslim Faith Frame. Religious Marginalization Awareness and the Atheist/Agnostic Faith Frame. Religious Marginalization Awareness Scale. Benefits from a Closer Examination of Religious Diversity and its Relationship to Privilege. Conclusion. THE IMPACT OF THE COLLEGE ENVIRONMENT ON STUDENTS’ DIVERSE FAITH IDENTITIES. Catalysts for Positive Growth in Faith. Catalysts for Shifting Growth in Faith. Conclusion. IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATORS WORKING WITH STUDENTS OF DIVERSE FAITHS. Utilization of Faith Frames as an Educational Tool with Individual Students and in Intrafaith Settings. Utilization of Faith Frames as an Educational Tool with Multiple Students and in Interfaith Settings. Additional Implications for Morality and Equity in Practice and Research. Conclusion. Appendix. References. Author Index. Subject Index.
John Burkhardt and Dean Deborah Ball
On Thursday evening, December 8, 2011, the National Forum joined the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan for the third in a three part series examining public education. The focus of the third panel was public education for the higher good.
The distinguished eight-member panel was moderated by Dr. John Burkhardt, director of the National Forum. Attendees numbered nearly 100 at the Alumni Center in Ann Arbor, and several hundred online.
The panel begin with an introduction by Deborah Ball, dean of the School of Education at the University of Michigan. Dean Ball recapped the previous two sessions and then provided some framing remarks for this third, and final, session on public education for the public good. After several panelists gave additional opening remarks, Dr. Burkhardt invited questions from those present, and from those attending online.
The participants asked challenging, and sometimes vexing, questions to which the panelists responded from a variety of perspectives. A number of the questions and comments looked at the way is public higher education is open to, or averse to, innovation. Panelist Adriana Rasche Phelan highlighted the challenges presented by the disruptive innovation of online education. She noted that online courses have greatly increased in recent years, which demands that educators and policy makers work to understand this new medium. Hubert Rast spoke about the challenges teachers face in putting new educational policies into effect. Dean Ball highlighted not only the central place of public education in creating citizens for US democracy, while also noting the difficulty faced by those who seek to create innovations at various levels of public education.
Dean Ball visiting with attendees
As with the previous two panels, participants left the evening hungry for more, with numerous questions remaining about how best to provide education for our citizens. However, there was also a general feeling of satisfaction that the panel had addressed a wide variety of topics and had raised numerous considerations to enrich future discussions.
The National Forum is thankful to CSHPE doctoral student and Forum research assistant Joanna Frye for her role as organizer, and to the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan for the opportunity to assist with the event. We look forward to future collaborations with the Alumni Association, as we work together to further the public good mission of higher education.
Reinventing Public Education Panelists
Panelists included:
Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Education, where she is also the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor.
Cynthia H. Wilbanks, Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Michigan.
William (Nick) Collins, Executive Director of the Center for Educational Outreach at the University of Michigan.
Adriana Rasche Phelan, Vice President for Public Policy at the Michigan Community College Association
Janet Lawrence, Associate Professor of Higher Education at the University of Michigan.
Hubert Rast, foreign language and history teacher at Northville High School and lecturer in the Department of German at the University of Michigan
RPE Panelists visiting after presentation
Joseph Serwach, Managing Director, Communications for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
John Burkhardt moderating RPE panel
RPE Panelists
Student attendees
Educating for the Public GoodThursday, December 8, 7 p.m.
Alumni Center (corner of Fletcher and Washington)
Register at: alumni.umich.edu/get-informed/lifelong-learning/leaders-and-best-seminars
This event is free and open to all current students, faculty, and staff and members of the UM Alumni Association
Join us for our culminating event on Education for the Public Good! Building on the ideas discussed in our previous sessions, we will conclude our series on Reinventing Public Education with a dialogue on educating for the public good. Is education a concern only for educators, administrators, and students, or does the public have a stake in this issue? We will explore whether a “public” perspective on education still exists, beyond that represented in funding and organizational structures, and how this public perspective may change in the future. Through this deliberative dialogue we will also discuss how parents, citizens, and businesses can get involved in strengthening and improving education for the future of their families and communities, while it also prepares citizen leaders, future workers and consumers.
Opening Remarks:
Deborah Loewenberg Ball, Dean of the University of Michigan School of Education, where she is also the William H. Payne Collegiate Professor and an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor.
Event Moderator:
John C. Burkhardt, Clinical Professor of Higher Education and the Director of the National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good at the University of Michigan.
Panelists:
Cynthia H. Wilbanks, Vice President for Government Relations at the University of Michigan.
William (Nick) Collins, Executive Director of the Center for Educational Outreach at the University of Michigan.
Adriana Rasche Phelan, Vice President for Public Policy at the Michigan Community College Association
Janet Lawrence, Associate Professor of Higher Education at the University of Michigan.
Hubert Rast, foreign language and history teacher at Northville High School and lecturer in the Department of German at the University of Michigan
Joseph Serwach, Managing Director, Communications for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.
Charles Wilbur, Senior Policy Consultant with Public Policy Associates in Lansing, Michigan.
Visit alumni.umich.edu/get-informed/lifelong-learning/leaders-and-best-seminars to register for this event, available in person on campus, from your home via live-stream or live stream via mobile device.
Forum director John Burkhardt, Susan Dynarski, Joe Schwarz, Betty Overton, and Dilip Das.
On Thursday evening, November 17, 2011, the National Forum joined the Alumni Association of the University of Michigan for the second in a three part series examining public education. Tonight’s focus was on higher education, and gave special consideration to the challenges and opportunities faced by institutions of public higher education in the state of Michigan.
Dr. John Burkhardt, director of the National Forum, moderated the panel and framed questions from attendees, which numbered roughly 75 in the Alumni Center and roughly 200 online. The distinguished panelists were first given the opportunity to respond to some questions that referred to each person’s specific area of expertise, such as economics, public policy, or the relationship between public and private institutions in the state of Michigan. After about 20 minutes of responses from the panelists, Dr. Burkhardt began taking questions from those in the room.
Susan Dynarski and Joe Schwarz meet with an attendee after the panel
Attendees asked numerous questions related to the economics of higher education, including the perceived rising costs of higher education (Dr. Das noted that during the 2010-2011 academic year UM students from families with less than $60,000 in annual income had no loans in their financial aid packages; they received grants-in-aid to cover their need); the growing divide between the wealthiest and poorest in our society; and the role of higher education in strengthening the Michigan economy. Dr. Burkhardt also included numerous questions from online participants, including whether or not faculty tenure has outlived its utility; the impact of Michigan’s Prop 2 on admissions; and public policy challenges faced by legislators responsible for funding higher education.
While it would be unfair to expect a 90 minute panel to solve all of the challenges facing higher education, those present seemed to agree that the panelists offered wide-ranging and diverse points of view across an impressive range of issues. In addition, the Alumni Association and Dr. Burkhardt provided an excellent integration of attendee questions and concerns, which made for an engaging panel presentation.
The three-part RPE seminar series concludes on December 8, 2011, with a panel focusing on Educating for the Public Good.
National Forum director John Burkhardt and students visit with Irish visitors
On Monday, November 14 and Tuesday, November 15, the National Forum hosted visitors from the Center for Irish Programs, from the Irish Institute at Boston College. Hosted by Robert Mauro, Ph.D., director of the Irish Institute, and Ellen Brennan, assistant director, a dozen officials from Irish institutions of higher education came for a visit to the University of Michigan. During their two-day visit, various members of the Forum welcomed our visitors and shared with them about our work promoting the public good aspects of higher education, especially at a major public institution like the University of Michigan. Our guests were treated to several tours of the facilities, including the Michigan League; the Law Quad; the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education; the School of Education, and the Big House, the nation’s largest college football stadium. The visitors had a chance to visit with both master’s and doctoral students, to sit in on a course on philanthropy in higher education (taught by John Burkhardt, director of the National Forum), and to spend some time visiting Ann Arbor.
BC’s website describes the Center for Irish Programs: Working under the auspices of the Center for Irish Programs, the Irish Institute makes use of cross-campus and local resources to facilitate rewarding personal, corporate, and professional educational exchanges with the goal of promoting a more lasting peace on the island of Ireland. The Irish Institute hosts officials and policymakers from Ireland and Northern Ireland for professional development programs in areas such as government, non-profit, business, and education.
National Forum doctoral students visit with an official from Ulster
Dilip Das, Assistant Vice Provost for Academic Affairs
Susan M. Dynarski, Associate Professor of Public Policy, Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy; Associate Professor of Education, School of Education
Betty Overton-Adkins, Provost, Spring Arbor University
John J.H. “Joe” Schwarz, Visiting Lecturer at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy and former Michigan Senator and member of Congress
Moderated by John C. Burkhardt, Director, National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good, Clinical Professor, CSHPE and Special Assistant to the Provost for University Engagement
Join the UM Alumni Association, School of Education, and National Forum on Higher Education
for the Public Good for the second event in our series on “Reinventing Public Education.” This
session will explore how colleges and universities in the United States have evolved in their
missions, complexity and influence within society, focusing particularly on how the higher
education system has diversified and changed over the last generation. While the role of
higher education as an economic engine and a path to social mobility has been broadly touted,
it should also continue to support the civic and intellectual advancement of our society. In
light of pressures on public resources and the continuing rising cost of college attendance,
education experts, community leaders, alumni, and others are forced to critically examine the
purpose and success of our higher education system. Are we educating enough of our citizens?
Are we educating too many? Who should go to college, and who is college for? What are the
benefits of a college education, and is higher education worth the cost?
Through an interactive panel discussion we will exchange ideas about how a college
education, especially one that is offered by a great public university, should prepare students
for work and life. Our panelists and participants will also examine the roles that colleges and
universities play in community life, in setting a research agenda for the nation, preparing
leaders, maintaining access to the professions, and the many other ways in which higher
education has been charged with serving society and promoting the greater good.
This event begins promptly at 7 p.m. Eastern time at the Alumni Center, 200 Fletcher St. (the corner of Fletcher and Washington) in Ann Arbor. Visit alumni.umich.edu/get-informed/lifelong-learning/leaders-and-best-seminars to register for this event, available in person on campus or via live stream from home or your mobile device. Save the date for our final seminar on December 8! Email jrfrye@umich.edu if you have any questions.
Title: Reconciling Federal, State, and Institutional Policies Determining Educational Access for Immigrant and Undocumented Students
Location: ASHE Conference, Charlotte, North Carolina, Westin Hotel 212 AB
Link out: Click here
Description: The Forum’s Lara Kovacheff Badke, Noe Ortega, Angela Vidal-Rodriguez, and Chris Nellum present at ASHE 2011.
Start Time: 12:45
Date: 2011-11-17
End Time: 14:00
©2011 The National Forum on Higher Education for the Public Good
Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education
