The document discusses the complexities of writing higher education policies, emphasizing the need for thorough research, stakeholder involvement, and adaptability to foster student success and community impact. Key learning points include the importance of financial considerations, interdepartmental collaboration, and ongoing evaluation to ensure policies benefit current and future students. The document also highlights the growing necessity for online education and the challenges of funding in creating equitable access to higher education.

1. Vera Discussion:
This was a really interesting class and writing policy
much more complicated than I had ever dreamed. With each
assignment, we learned that every move and the intended
outcome had a consequence. Some were good and others not as
positive. Below are some of my learning moments. If I am in a
position to write a higher education policy, I now know that I’ll
need a lot of research, a solid plan, and a committee with
representatives from all stakeholders.
1. Higher education is vital to the community and a college
policy can affect change in a town or region. A downturn in
enrollment, modification in coursework, or an infrastructure
upgrade will be felt in the surrounding area.
2. State and Federal funding must be considered in the policy.
Crafting policy to benefit the institution must not damage the
ability to obtain funding. Monies to the college come from
many sources but governmental funding is vital.
3. Staffing and operations must be thought through carefully. If
enrollment or courses change it affects the faculty and staff.
When faced with the loss of employment or salary changes a
policy can become unpopular rapidly.
4. Change must be monitored and measured. The policy may
seem successful but there are so many potential hurdles that
crop up along the way.
5. The ability to adapt, flex, and make modifications if
important to any new plan. Things will not go exactly as
planned. Be prepared for some failures, fix them, and move on
with the outcomes that do work.
As I look at the greater picture of higher education, I
think tuition, access, and retention continue to be issues that
need resolution. The high student debt cannot continue. An
emphasis on quality college and pathways to higher education

2. access for all has long been our countries goal but we are not
accomplishing that currently (Mitchell & Gauner, 2020). The
online and distance learning scenario has become even more
necessary over this last year. This shift has accelerated the need
for and use of virtual platforms. While schools may go back to a
more normal pace in the coming months, many things will
change and technology will improve in these areas (Fuscaldo,
2019).
I believe change will come but I’m not sure in what
form. More government support for higher education seems
unlikely soon, and the move towards performance-based funding
is underway. While this scheme’s success is not yet known, the
political environment makes it very popular. It may drive
institutions’ towards changing admissions criteria to be even
more selective in hopes of producing better quality results
(McLendon & Hearn, 2019). This is the exact opposite direction
to the desire for inclusion and diversity, and hopefully, the push
for free or cheaper tuition will offset this trend. Federal and
state funding in the future should work to make it more
accessible to all students. The current methods are allowing
tuition to rise too rapidly and not contributing to factors that
help students obtain gainful employment. We have much work
to do and hurdles to overcome in the future of higher education.
I hope you all have a great summer!
Vera
Fuscaldo, D. (2019, September 11). What Will Higher
Education Look Like 5, 10, or 20 Years from Now? Retrieved
June 07, 2020, from
https://www.goodcall.com/education/future-of-higher-
education/
McLendon, M., & Hearn, J. (2019). The Resurgent Interest in
Performance-Based Funding for Higher Education. Retrieved
June 07, 2020, from https://www.aaup.org/article/resurgent-
interest-performance-based-funding-higher-education

3. Mitchell, B., & Gauner, R. (2020). Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved
June 07, 2020, from
https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2020/04/03/advice-
colleges-dealing-financial-issues-brought-pandemic-opinion
Emily Discussion:
Policy creation and implementation is a long and sometimes
difficult process that should never be taken lightly, especially in
higher education. Policies and regulations that are enacted today
can greatly impact future students, employees and institutions.
Over the course of the past 10 weeks, we have learned about
how the implementation of different policies have impacted
institutions, states and other areas of higher education. New
policies should be created to foster and empower future student
growth rather than inhibit student learning and access. Five of
the most important things that I have learned that I believe will
be applicable to my career in higher education are:
1. Consideration of environmental and political factors that will
influence public policy at a given institution. Even private
institutions must consider how these factors will influence state,
federal or institutional regulations. Students come from all over
the world and how the institution addresses these factors will
end up affecting the learning, residential and cultural
environment of the institution.
2. Ensuring that a policy is adaptable to future
concerns/goals/issues. Many states enacted policies that were
not sustainable for long term use. Creating a policy that is not
only sustainable but also adaptable is key to the long-term
success of the policy.
3. Interdepartmental communication and leadership.
Communication between departments and area leaders is
essential to the overall success and implementation of the
policy. If an institution is crafting a policy that is focused on
Academic Affairs, it is not just up to the Academic Affairs area

4. to ensure it is successful. Student Affairs and other department
leaders should be involved to assist in the creation and
implantation of the policy as it will ultimately affect other areas
on campus. Plus, the other individuals may be able to offer a
viewpoint that professionals in the Academic Affairs area may
not think about.
4. Financial impact. New policies require financial investment
in order to be successfully implemented; funding to finance the
new policy could come from grants, federal aid or private
sources. Again, multiple avenues need to be explored in order to
finance a new policy. Some aspects could possibly be covered
with restructuring, but ultimately the policy would have to be
supported (not just with initial funds, but also other forms of
support) by various stakeholders in order for it to be a lasting
beneficial policy.
5. Evaluation of effectiveness. Institutions should evaluate the
new policy to ensure that it is benefiting the current students
and positively impacting future generations. Some states and
institutions enacted policies that were never evaluated and
ended up hindering students rather than benefiting them.
Evaluations of the institution can also identify other issues or
concerns that institutional leaders may not be aware of.
As issues surrounding financial aid, access and diversity
continue to be discussed in higher education circles, policies
addressing these topics and concerns will continue to be crafted
and adapted. These areas continue to be a major concern for
many students, parents/guardians, professionals and employees;
more and more institutions are working to address the lack of
action with these specific issues and how their institution can
change to support students rather than hinder them. I believe
that trends in federal and state funding will be at the forefront
of the movement. Institutions are hesitant to invest large sums
of money that may not guarantee immediate success; federal or
state funds need to be available to empower institutions to
actively change admission, financial aid, multicultural services
and residential facilities. Ultimately, financial change will need

5. to begin on the federal level before higher education as a whole
sees major changes.
Hope that everyone has a safe and healthy summer! Thanks for
the past 10 weeks!
Running head: EDUCATION POLICY 1
EDUCATION POLICY 1
Education Policy
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Education Policy
Education policies play an essential role within the
educational filed as the enable education institutions to be in a
position to develop rules as well as regulations that promote the
provision of quality learning standards and the safety of the
students and the teachers. The education policy also guides the
best approach to recruit, retrench, and hire qualified instructors
("Education policy and planning," 2020). Five major aspects
that stood out in this week's readings is the ability of the
education policy to oversee five major aspects of education to
ensure quality education is provided. These aspects include the
content of the education, environment for learning, management
of learning institutions, preconditions for students, and funding
and organization. The information identified in the five aspects
may contribute to the improvement of my future career by

6. enabling me to understand more on ways to improve education
provision to be able to effectively meet the diverse learning
needs of the diverse student population.
Information technology is an essential area in higher education,
as identified in policy analysis. Developing educational policies
that support advanced information technology will allow the
schools to effectively incorporate new learning approaches that
meet students' diverse needs. I envision trends such as online
learning will have a significant impact on the education industry
as they will be required to develop new policies that support
online programs ("7 great education policy ideas for
progressives in 2018," 2018). The online program has not been
widely accepted around the world. It will soon be accepted all
over the world, which means the education policy will be
altered to include all the student s learning from remote areas
effectively. The federal and state funding towards the education
industry will allow the high education institution to develop
policies that meet the various changing needs in the high
education system.
References
7 great education policy ideas for progressives in 2018. (2018,
March 28). Center for American
Progress. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/education-k-
12/reports/2018/03/28/448156/7-great-education-policy-ideas-
progressives-2018/
Education policy and planning. (2020, January 30).
UNESCO. https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-policy-
planning