The Solutions Initiative Transforming Lives, Transforming Society One Student, One Idea at a Time

2 The Goal: Sustain Postsecondary Capacity to Serve Community and National Interests Increasing real wages Addressing workforce needs Reducing international skills gaps Sustaining technological advancements Serving communities Sustaining economic growth

3 The Challenge for Higher Education Need to increase -- not just maintain --access, affordability and success Long-term structural budget challenges at State and Federal levels Public perceptions about higher education as a public priority

4 Listening to the Public Focus groups to test public perceptions, language, and messages about… -notions of the public good -what will motivate people to support higher education as a public policy priority -perceptions of higher education -what warrants public support

5 Public Perceptions of Higher Education Perceived primarily in terms of “colleges” and credentialing Viewed as private economic good - not equated with broad array of social, economic, service benefits Concern about rising costs, productivity, accountability Remote from public engagement Strong positive view of importance

6 Criteria for public support Public Need Basic necessity for a decent life Personal relevance This affects my daily life New age politics Everybody is Better off if more People have it Public benefit Accountable and Efficient

7 Public skepticism - Esp tuition/value Public skepticism for higher education on all four dimensions Public Need Not as pressing as other issues Public benefits Colleges benefit the People who go to them Personal Relevance This isn’t about me New era Politics

8 Connecting to the public Testing messages that are credible, and connect Connection to future, solutions for society, credible and positive International comparisons seen as self-serving “Crisis” language a turn-off Deficit language not believed

9 Solutions for America Expanding the conversation… FROM An individual responsibility For the privileged few Not accountable Politically correct Expensive Expendable TO INCLUDE A public investment Benefits all of society Publicly responsive Intellectually open Affordable An investment in the future

10 Project Messages Building for the future The investment at risk The payoff to society from higher education

11 Target Audiences The voting public Parents of college-age students Alumni Business leaders Community-based organizations Opinion leaders Public policy makers

12 Layers of Campaign National State Campus

13 Metrics of Success Increase in importance of issue with influential opinion leaders Change in language (editorial pages, speeches, talk shows) about public purposes and social investment Successful engagement of public discussion (op ed pieces; radio talk shows; TV spots) Improved statewide collaborative capacity within higher education Successful engagement of business leaders at state and national levels Improve public policy climate for higher education, including strengthened commitment to funding for institutions and for student aid

14 How can SHEEOs help Help us keep this on message: public purposes, serving the future, improving performance Work with institutions to engage campaign at state level - Data about state-level performance Audience analysis

15 For more information The Solutions Project C/o American Council on Education One Dupont Circle Washington, DC / OR…..Stanley O. Ikenberry Jane V. Wellman