A LOOK BACK, A LOOK FORWARD: SNL TRANSITIONS TO SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

By Abigail Pickus / June 13, 2019 / Posted in: CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY Facebook

SNL celebration 2019

On May 31, DePaul hosted a gala celebrating the School for New Learning and its transition to the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

 (Diane M. Smutny/DMS Photography)


The School for New Learning was founded nearly half a century ago. As the newly branded School of Continuing and Professional Studies, it continues to offer adult learners innovative programs that meet their needs.

When SNL opened its doors in 1972, the nation was in the midst of what came to be known as the nontraditional student movement.

“This meant the student came before the institution. That sounds basic now, but up to that time, the questions were always ‘what did the institution think’ not ‘what did the student think,’” recalls SNL founding Dean Howard Sulkin in a 1998 documentary DePaul produced in honor of the school’s 25th anniversary.

With professionally oriented degree programs, recognition of life experiences, emphasis on applied liberal studies and commitment to community, SNL offers working adults a pathway to higher education in a way that meets their needs.

“SNL was built upon educational principles that value students’ prior learning from experience, their workplace-based knowledge and skills, and their perspectives as older students that traditional students wouldn’t learn about in textbooks. This is what makes adult learning such a fascinating and exciting project,” says Interim Dean Don Opitz. Don Opitz

Interim Dean Don Opitz shared remarks during the spring gala. (Diane M. Smutny/DMS Photography)

For Associate Professor Susan McGury, producer of the anniversary documentary, SNL is like no other place for adult learners. From its inception, SNL has placed students from the working world in command of their learning pathways.

“This method of education puts the student in the driver’s seat while surrounding them with lots of supports and resources. Add to this the lifelong-learning element, which is about building skills, and the result is the confidence to know that you can teach yourself anything,” she says.

Having graduated its 10,000th student this past summer, SNL continues its commitment to serving a unique learning population, even as it pivots to respond to changes in its market.

According to recent studies, SNL students are older, average age 36, work more hours than other DePaul students, 68 percent work 30 or more hours per week, and attend part time, 87 percent. They also express greater satisfaction with their advising and academic experiences. Also, the proportion of SNL’s African-American students is significantly higher than the same demographic for adult learners across DePaul.

SNL continues to reinforce its commitment to the larger community.

“Students who come to our programs are already very much engaged with their communities. This is something that DePaul values and SNL especially emphasizes,” Opitz says.

This summer, SNL will officially become the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.

Building upon its strengths in online and flexible degree program options, the school will become even more competitive in an already competitive marketplace by offering more specialized degrees. This includes new undergraduate degree programs in business administration, computing and health care administration in partnership with the College of Science and Health.

“These developments will enable us to reach a wider net of students and be more successful. I’m excited about us being more innovative as we explore new degree programs and engage in the business of certificates and stackable credentials,” Opitz says.

Looking ahead to a future under the SCPS banner means both change and consistency.

“One thing is sure: The school is proudly advancing its unique mission of engaging adults in learning that connects their academic studies with endeavors at work and in the community,” Opitz says.​

Source: DePaul Newsline, June 13, 2019

School for New Learning - The Future

A FUTURE FOR THE SCHOOL FOR NEW LEARNING TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO EDUCATION

Photo credit: Jamie Moncrief

Over the past 18 months, DePaul has invested time and resources to thoroughly examine the adult learner landscape— and the School for New Learning’s role in it—to determine what must be done so DePaul can continue to lead in this competitive area.

This study involved comprehensive review from the independent Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, as well as two internal task forces that included SNL faculty. SNL has a 45-year history that commanded respect and careful consideration from those serving on the task forces. I thank everyone involved for their thoughtful participation in these studies.

Yesterday, I joined SNL Dean Donald Opitz to share with SNL faculty and staff a general plan that is built around the results of those studies. The research and recommendations have made it clear that the best way forward is for DePaul to adopt a unique, new model that will build upon the strengths of SNL and yet expand its mission and scope of operations to be more responsive to new markets.

Over the next year, SNL will undergo a large-scale reorganization, renaming, and rebranding; a broadening of its mission and function; and changes to its faculty and staffing structure. The name approved by Faculty Council, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), will go into effect July 1, 2019.

SCPS will be a bold departure from the current SNL model. The new model will move away from offering competency-based, individualized degree options and move toward the growing adult market for credit-hour based, market-responsive professional studies degrees and stackable credentials.

It will offer a comprehensive, innovative approach to continuing and professional education, making available programs and delivery modalities to provide access to a broad range of students within SCPS and other DePaul colleges and schools. Its unique infrastructure will leverage cross-college collaborations to promote existing college-based, adult friendly degrees and certificates. It also will house a university-wide Office of Prior Learning Assessment and will coordinate summer programs aimed at high school students and summer session at DePaul.

The school, as restructured, will include a faculty and staff model—yet to be finalized—that provides the flexibility the unique SCPS model demands. To achieve this model, existing SNL tenured faculty will be offered a voluntary buyout and retiree-eligible staff will be offered an early retirement incentive. When details of these voluntary programs are available, they will be shared with eligible SNL faculty and staff members.

Currently enrolled SNL students will be supported throughout the completion of their degree programs.
A dean will continue to provide leadership for the school, and a Faculty Advisory Board will be formed drawing on faculty from participating colleges to support cross-college collaboration and curricular development.

In the months ahead, we will continue to work on details of the SCPS structure, a plan for the integration of new elements, a marketing plan, and the faculty and staffing model. Updates from the dean or the Office of Academic Affairs will be shared as more answers are available.

I am grateful to Dean Opitz for providing leadership during this transition. As a participant in both task forces that provided input into this decision, he is well-positioned to work with his long-time colleagues as the reorganization of the school progresses.

I am confident that when the reorganization is complete, SCPS will build on the university’s and SNL’s longstanding commitment to providing adult learners access to higher education through curricular structures that serve lifelong learning needs.

Source: Newsline, Provost Marten denBoer  /  September 7, 2018  /  Posted in:  CAMPUS AND COMMUNITY