What role does higher education have in business? Recognized higher education and entrepreneurial-based community development expert, Dr. Lee Vickers, PHD, weighs in with this brief Q&A. Read Q&A by Suzanne Bell for Karnopp Petersen
Dr. Lee Vickers, PHD will serve as the keynote speaker for the Spring 2012 Karnopp Petersen Business 20/20 executive seminar series, Counter Intelligence: Unraveling Central Oregon’s Higher Education Debate. The event will be held Friday, May 18 at the Tower Theatre in Bend from 7:30-9:30am. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased online at www.kpbusiness2020.com. Price includes breakfast, networking and attendance. Student discounts are available.
Dr Vickers on Education and Bend:
The Georgetown Center for Education and Work predicts that by 2018, 64 percent of the jobs in Oregon will require some post-secondary education. Moreover, Oregon, like many other states, has enacted legislation to significantly increase the number of baccalaureate and associate degree holders. Therefore, Bend, like other communities its size, is best served by having a four year degree granting university and a vibrant community college.
Question: What have you found are critical factors needed to create an environment where both educational and business organizations work together productively.
Critical to creating this innovative and dynamic environment is for leaders to collaborate and cooperate. A stakeholders group must establish a framework for sharing ideas, information and resources, and develop a vision for the future of the community. Leaders need to continually articulate and reinforce that vision to the community at large. This approach eliminates duplication of effort and wasted resources. By joining forces, embracing change and creating a sense of urgency, supporting bold leadership, and investing in the future, the opportunities are limitless.
Question: What other financial strategies have you seen that have helped support higher education without involving a great deal of new money or money from state and federal agencies.
There will never be enough resources from state appropriations, federal grants, and contracts to support the growing demand for higher education in this era of globalization, high-tech and intense competition. Consequently, there must be a collective investment in higher education. Cities, counties, businesses and corporations, civic organizations, private donors and foundations must collaborate to ensure that the educational resources are available in their communities to educate the workforce needed to be competitive in the 21st century.
With shrinking state and federal budgets, funding higher education will require creative and innovative approaches e.g., collaborative capital funding at regional universities can provide multi-use and shared facilities such as recreation centers, athletic facilities, housing and health care.
For more on this subject, attend the Karnopp Petersen Business 20/20 Higher Education Seminar. Attendees will hear Dr. Vickers and a team of influential local panelists discuss how higher education can help businesses nurture employee talent, and how Central Oregon can tap educational programs and build a competitive talent pool to fuel the economy. Local panelists include: Becky Johnson, vice president of Oregon State University- Cascades; Dr. Jim Middleton, president of Central Oregon Community College; Kurt Schueler, chief administrative officer, St. Charles Health System; Keith Shipman, president and CEO of Horizon Broadcasting; and Roger Lee, executive director of Economic Development of Central Oregon (EDCO).
About Dr. Vickers
Dr. Lee Vickers is an entrepreneur in higher education. Having served as a college and university president in three regional institutes for higher education, he has had extensive experience and success in expanding higher education’s role in regional economic development. His most recent appointment is as president of Dickinson State University in North Dakota. Previously, he served as President of both Francis Marion University in South Carolina and Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho. He served three terms on The Western Interstate Commission on Higher Education (WICHE). He is widely recognized for his efforts in linking higher education with community and regional development.
