At the University Innovation Alliance, we believe that innovation and change are best sustained through a movement that brings inspiration, community, and purpose to the difficult daily work of redesigning higher education.
2022 was a year of transition and reemergence for the UIA. Our board, staff, and network convened in person for the first time in three years. Four new universities joined the alliance, bringing with them new energy and ideas. We released two new playbooks designed to share learning from national multi-year scale projects on proactive advising and the college to career transition. Our podcast is poised to broadcast our 100th episode, and our newsletter tripled in subscribers. We welcomed new colleagues and partners to the University Innovation Lab, offering new resources, tools, and community to student success innovators within and beyond our member campuses. Read more in our 2022 annual report.
The UIA was designed to improve student success across higher education, and, in turn, drive social and economic mobility across our country. As we approach the 10-year anniversary of our first gathering, I am grateful and humbled that this movement has expanded and evolved to challenge and inspire so many institutions and student success leaders beyond the UIA. It is an honor to share what we’ve learned and to hear from others how you’ve built upon those lessons to improve your own institutions.
We know that when universities collaborate, students win - and when students win, our country’s future is bright. Thanks for being part of our innovation community this year.
Network Updates
2023 has already been a busy year for the UIA!
On January 17th, NC A&T hosted UIA Central team members for a campus visit. The day’s agenda was packed with meetings from senior leadership to advisors and campus success partners as well as students. All in all, the trip was a success providing a great opportunity for the UIA team to learn firsthand about how NC A&T supports Black student success.
In collaboration with Tyton Partners, the Institute for Innovation in Large Organizations, and the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program, the UIA hosted a first-of-its-kind retreat for UIA Presidents, Chancellors, and Provosts in Scottsdale, Arizona on January 22-24. The retreat, sponsored with generous support from ECMC Foundation, focused on exploring how senior leaders can align their institutions for greater innovation on behalf of students.
Next month, catch the UIA at the National Resource Center’s 42nd Annual Conference on the First Year Experience in Los Angeles. On Saturday, February 4th, UIA Director of Strategic Learning and Impact, Danielle Santos, and ASU UIA Fellow, Amanda Voigt will present a session on “Innovations for Black Student Success.” Come by and say hello if attending the conference!
Popular Content from the UIA
Must Reads
- Check out this engagement framework for transformational change (Kinetic Seeds)
- A brief, important look at the barriers Black men face in getting mental health care (NPR)
- Nadia Owusu’s analysis on power structures inherent in philanthropy (Medium)
- How U.S. rural colleges and universities are dealing with declining enrollment (Hechinger Report)
- Learn how to utilize role mapping to help your team clarify their scope and priorities for the new year (Medium)
- A holistic approach to reshaping the value of higher education for Gen Z (D2L)
Stuff We Love
- Use an eco-friendly reusable notebook to store your meeting notes.
- Upgrade your wall art with inspiring photos you’ve taken on your phone.
- This durable standing desk mat supports your back and helps you stay active.
- Upgrade your work space with a surprisingly affordable custom neon sign.
- If you ever work from your couch, this sneaky plug can help.
Upcoming Events
- February 3 - 6, 2023: NRC Annual Conference on The First Year Experience, Los Angeles, CA (Deadline to register: February 6, 2023)
- March 6 - 9, 2023: SXSW EDU Conference & Festival, Austin, TX (Deadline to register early: January 5, 2023)
- March 9 - 11, 2023: AAC&U Conference on Diversity, Equity, and Student Success, Henderson, NV (Deadline to submit proposals: November 7, 2022)
- April 1 - 5, 2023: NASPA Annual Conference, Boston, MA (Deadline to register early: December 16, 2022)
- April 13 - 15, 2023: ACE Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. (Deadline to submit proposals: October 30, 2022)
- April 17 - 19, 2023: ASU + GSV Summit, San Diego, CA (Deadline to register early: April 16, 2023)
- May 1 - 2, 2023: National Conference on Diversity, Race & Learning, Columbus, OH
- May 10 - 12, 2023: National Student Parent Support Symposium, Columbus, OH
- June 25 - 27, 2023: NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education, Kansas City, MO (Deadline to register early: April 28, 2023)
“You can’t always do things perfectly. But if you do things with as much thoughtfulness as you can before you let them go out the door, people always remember that." - Brian Blake, President of Georgia State University, Innovating Together podcast.