Dallas Integrated Higher Education Network Joe D. May Chancellor Dallas County Community College District

Making Our Communities Future a Reality Creating a higher education network

Why An Integrated Network To equip students for successful living and responsible citizenship in a rapidly changing local, national and world community. To ensure Dallas County is vibrant, growing and economically stable for future generations.

DCCCD’s Role In the Community DCCCD assumes the fundamental responsibility in our community for the following: Preparing our community to succeed; Helping businesses to prosper; Inspiring individuals to achieve; Improving the quality of life for all.

Current CC Model Current comprehensive college model is built on the belief that each college is a stand-alone, separately accredited institution that is competing with other service providers in the same market.

The DCCCD will . . . . Provide leadership in developing a regional integrated network of talent, learning, and discovery resources that will fully address the problems faced by individuals, by employers and by communities.

Higher Ed Integrated Network A network is an organized system designed to connect individuals, employers, and other constituents and stakeholders efficiently and rapidly to the resources they need to solve their problems. The interconnections of a higher education network will allow us to better leverage the programs and services of other colleges, community-based organizations, universities, employers, and non- institutional education providers.

Networks - the Missing Piece Financial Resources Network Resources Physical and Talent Resources Innovation Ecosystem Adapted from: “The Rise of Innovation Districts” by Bruce Katz and Julie Wagner

Why Networks Matter Almost all innovations are the result of financial, physical, talent and networking assets. When these assets combine with a supportive, risk-taking culture, they create an innovation ecosystem. This is about creating and leveraging a synergistic relationship between individuals, institutions, businesses, non-governmental agencies, government and a place that facilitates idea generation and accelerates problem solving. Adapted from: “The Rise of Innovation Districts” by Bruce Katz and Julie Wagner

It Starts with Us Before we can change our community, we must first change ourselves. We can begin by creating a higher education network that focuses on solving the problems of individuals, employers and communities. By using a network approach combined with our other resources, we will create an innovation engine that will enable us to change our communities.

Networks are the New Heroes “When telling stories of transformation and turnaround, it is tempting to shape them into personal stories about heroes,” the authors write. “[But] this search for the lone superhero, or one lone team of superhero buddies, is misguided. Metropolitan areas are so big, complicated and diverse that they don’t need heroes. They need networks.” Rebecca O. Bagley, Forbes, July 15, 2013, “Brookings: Regional Networks Are The New Heroes”

DCCCD Today

DCCCD of the Future

DCCCD Will Be Known . . . . . . not by whom we exclude, but rather by whom we include and how we connect them to the resources they need to succeed.

Utilizing the connections of a network, DCCCD will identify and deliver solutions to real-life challenges faced by individuals, employers and communities.

Snapshot of Where We Are We have the resources to start the network that includes talent, physical resources and financial resources. We have created a system for bringing together individuals, companies and others to think like a network – compression planning. Our Board, Foundation and colleges are now focused on the same goals.

Creating a Higher Ed Integrated Network Merit Focused High quality programs and services Accountable for outcomes Focus on managing internal systems Comprehensive Colleges Relationships with key partners, usually k-12 and universities Externally focused on needs of individuals, employers, and communities Relationships with community organizations, businesses, and other educational providers Integrated Network

Merit-Focused Colleges: Offered programs and services for individuals. Students had to demonstrate prior ability – the expectation was that students would arrive prepared to learn. The “best” students survived the experience and earned a degree. It was up to the college to provide the faculty. It was up to the student to learn. All interactions and engagements were initiated by the individual student.

Comprehensive Colleges: Accept increased responsibility for student learning. Require advising. Mandate developmental education. Offer transfer, technical, workforce, adult education and continuing education courses and programs. Offer expanded institutional financial aid to include loaning books, short-term loans and flexible payment plans. Demonstrate the importance of student retention and completion. Partner with K-12 and universities. Expand programs and services for adult learners.

Integrated Higher Education Network Leverage: Existing district resources including talent, facilities and faculty and staff will be efficiently leveraged to solve problems. Alignment: Through partnering with public schools, universities, businesses and communities, DCCCD will be centered on the needs of individuals, employers and the communities. Entrepreneurship: By the design of the network, ideas will be exchanged in a manner that facilitates and encourages innovative solutions to solving the problems of students. Scale: Through a network approach, DCCCD will expand services to individuals, higher education non-consumers, employers and communities in greater numbers while improving efficiency. Success: DCCCD will invite CBOs, other colleges and non-institutional providers into the network if they are committed to ensuring the success of each unique student. Personalization: Through a combination of technology and high-touch talent, DCCCD will leverage network resources to create personalized programs and services to meet unique needs. Embedded: The network requires that DCCCD connects with communities through mutually beneficial partnerships. Globalization: Given the global economy, the network cannot be limited. Therefore, DCCCD engages with people and issues locally, nationally and internationally. Accessibility: Fundamental to a successful network is ensuring accessibility to members of our local community, including those that do not see themselves as higher education consumers.

Considerations for Next Steps Organizational structures Budget and finance Training Credit and non-credit programs Student services Financial aid Marketing Systems (both existing and those that need to be created) Technology Communications