ALSHOUSE & ASSOCIATES 

               More Americans have now been killed in Iraq than on 9-11

                 Visit Merle Allshouse's blog at My Agora Place

                  Lest we forget - track the ongoing cost of the war in Iraq

                 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

                        Share the dream

                     

                         http://www.mlkonline.net/video-i-have-a-dream-speech.html

Allshouse & Associates is designed to respond to the unique needs of adult learning communities, especially Institutes for Learning in Retirement (ILR).*  Today there are more than 100,000 adult learners affiliated with more than 300 ILR/LLI programs. A&A has had extensive experience working with ILR/LLI programs and offers a range of services for the needs of both newly organizing and mature ILR’s.

* Note that many ILR's now refer to themselves as LLI's (LifeLong Learning Institutes). This site refers to both ILR and LLI -- the same thing.

U3A International Network

Elderhostel

Harrow U3A Database

Civic Ventures

Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes - National Resource Center

Consulting with Adult Learning Communities
Merle F. Allshouse (resume)
Merle F. Allshouse (experience profile)

The following are the principal areas of consultation that are available for either the newly organizing or the mature ILR/LLI:

Financial Development

Dues and fees are only one source of operating income for a successful ILR/LLI. A&A will help your ILR assess the potential for independent and institutionally related:

• annual fund campaigns
• capital campaigns for facility needs
• endowments for special and/or general support

Program Development

Designing an array of programs that meet the different learning styles and needs of members is a constant challenge and an ever-moving target. A&A will assist your ILR:

• assess/evaluate its current programs
• train program leaders
• assist in planning new programs

Distance Learning

“Distance learning” is an evolving learning system that combines both the best of face-to-face (synchronous) contact with the cyber tools that permit one to have contact with resources and other learning community members anytime, anywhere (asynchronous). This enhanced form of learning can become part of any ILR’s offerings and bring members even closer together in a new form of learning community. A&A will assist your ILR:

• assess its potential for distance learning programming
• develop on-line courses, modules, and training programs
• construct or modify a web site that it is truly interactive and a useful tool for external marketing and internal communication

Membership Development and Retention

Members are the lifeblood of an ILR/LLI, and a healthy membership requires a mix of backgrounds, talents and personalities. Recruiting, nurturing and retaining members is an ongoing process that requires special attention. A&A will assist your ILR:

• assess your current membership’s strengths and weaknesses
• develop a membership plan in three parts:
 recruitment
 involvement
 retention

Volunteer Management

Volunteers are a constant challenge. Too often they are over or under utilized with negative consequences. When well managed, volunteers provide energy and enthusiasm. A&A will assist your ILR/LLI:

• assess the need for a volunteer program
• evaluate your current volunteer program
• plan a volunteer program suited to your needs that involves:
 recruitment
 training
 management
 rewards
 evaluation

Becoming a "Value Added" to the Sponsoring Institution

Sponsoring academic institutions can measure the value of an ILR in different ways, in addition to the standard “public service.” Some ILR’s/LLI's contribute an added value through formal and informal connections with faculty and students, the academic curriculum, career and personal mentoring and much more. The result is a stronger, more permanent tie to the sponsoring campus. A&A will assist your ILR/LLI:

• evaluate your present campus contributions
• assess the potential for deepening and broadening campus contributions, including interviews with campus faculty and administrators
• design a program strategy for becoming a “value added” ILR/LLI

Communications

How, what, why and to whom we communicate is often the least self-examined part of an ILR’s life. Different generations, especially the boomers, expect and use different technologies and media to communicate and learn. An effective community of adult learners must serve many different types of learning styles, each with its own “community.” A&A will help your ILR/LLI:

• assess the current communication systems of your ILR/LLI, in the context of the campus communication systems
• design a communication system that makes relevant use of new technologies
• create a multi-level approach that coordinates learning styles with communication systems, leading to a variety of “communities,”   blending virtual and non-virtual communities

Community Outreach

Community outreach that moves a step beyond the usual “volunteer” approach can be a powerful added value for an ILR. As our local governments and non-profit organizations, seek talent and expertise in specialized areas, new opportunities arise for consulting and project assignments that affect public policy. A&A will assist your ILR/LLI:

• assess your current outreach programs and future potential
• survey the regional needs for outreach potential
• design an outreach program with current membership

Board Training

Any non-profit organization is only as strong as its board. Yet we seldom provide them with the training and skills to accomplish their work effectively and with satisfaction. A&A will assist your ILR/LLI:

• assess your current program of board training and development
• design an ongoing program of board training and development for your ILR
• conduct board training workshops on various topics and varying lengths


Developing a relationship with Allshouse &Associates is easy:

• It begins with a phone call (727-365-0160 or 727-866-7291)  or e-mail Allshouse@ureach.com to establish contact.
• We then discuss your situation and perceived needs.
• A&A then gathers background information and engages in more
conversation. A brief site visit may be required in special situations.
• A proposal for consultation is then developed through mutual agreement
and in keeping with the needs and financial parameters of the ILR.

Internet: e-mail = Allshouse@ureach.com
Web site = http://www.allshouse-associates.com

Professional Experience

Director, Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College 1994 - 2002

Vice President, University of Colorado Foundation, UCCS 1989 - 1993

Adjunct Professor of Public Administration, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, 1988 - 1993

Graduate School of Public Affairs

President, The Myron Stratton Home Foundation, Colorado Springs, Colorado 1986 - 1988

President, Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ 1971 - 1986

HEW Fellow, Office of Education, Washington, DC 1979 - 1980

Professor of Philosophy and Dean of the College, Bloomfield College, Bloomfield, NJ 1970 - 1971

Associate Professor of Philosophy and Associate Dean of the College, Dickinson College, 1968 - 1970

Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Dickinson College 1965 - 1968

Instructor of Philosophy, Dickinson College 1963 - 1965

Teaching Fellow, Yale University, New Haven, CT 1961 - 1963
 

Academic Background

Degrees:

Ph.D. Yale University 1965

M.A. Yale University 1959

B.A. DePauw University 1957

Honorary Degrees:

Doctor of Education, Bloomfield College 1986

Doctor of Laws, Fairleigh Dickinson University 1986
 

Fellowships and Honors
 

Rector Fellow , DePauw Univ. (1953-57)

Rockefeller Theological Fellow, Yale Univ.  (1957-59)

Rockefeller Doctoral Fellow, Yale Univ. (1959-61)

Bois Kilburn Fellow, Yale Univ.  (1961-62)

Kent Fellow (elected 1961)

HEW Fellow (1979-80);

Named one of the "100 Most Effective College and University Presidents in the Nation" by the Exxon Education Foundation.

Higher Education Board Positions and Offices

Chair of the Secretariat -- National Association of Independent Colleges & Universities, Washington, DC

Board Chair -- Association of Independent Colleges & Universities in New Jersey

Chair -- Commission on Intercultural Affairs, Council of Independent Colleges, Washington, DC

President -- Association of Presbyterian Colleges & Universities

Member -- National Steering Committee, National Commission on the Independent College, Washington, DC

Member -- Government Relations Advisory Council, National Assn. of Independent Colleges & Universities, Washington, DC

Member -- President's Advisory Council, Association of Governing Boards of Universities & Colleges, Washington, DC

Member -- Student Assistance Board, State of New Jersey

Member -- Independent College Fund of New Jersey

Member -- The Society for Values in Higher Education

Community Board Memberships

Member -- The Montclair Kimberley Academy

Vice President -- The New Jersey Area, Boy Scouts of America

Member -- The Northeast Region of the Boy Scouts of America

Director -- The United Bank of Colorado Springs

Member -- Downtowners of Colorado Springs, Advisory Committee

Founding Chair -- Cheyenne Mountain Adult School, Colorado Springs, CO

Member -- The Economic Development Strategy Study Oversight Committee for Colorado Springs

Member -- The Colorado Children's Campaign

President -- The Broadmoor Improvement Society

Moderator -- The Broadmoor Community Church

Resource Chair -- The Goodwill of Colorado Springs

Member -- The Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra

Member -- The DaVinci Quartet

Member -- The World Affairs Council of Colorado Springs

Member -- The Pikes Peak Council, Boy Scouts of America

Member -- The Foundation for Excellence, Cheyenne Mountain School District

Member -- The Beth-El College of Nursing

Member -- The Colorado Springs Nonprofit Center

Member -- The El Paso County Higher Education Task Force

Member -- KTSC/TV Endowment Board

Member -- Advisory Board, College of Business, University of South Florida (Bayboro)

Other Community Activities

Pikes Peak United Way

Chair of Public Service Division - 1988

Chair of Professional Division - l989

Chair -- Business & Industry Campaign - Fine Arts Center -1988

Member -- Colorado Springs Comprehensive Planning Committee - 1989-90

Chair -- Vision Task Force - Comprehensive Planning Committee - 1990

Counsel for l990 World Disabled Alpine Ski Championships - 1988-90 National Sports Center for the Disabled

Current Memberships

The American Philosophical Association

The Metaphysical Society of America

The Society for Values in Higher Education

The Yale Club of N.Y.C.

The St. Petersburg Downtown Rotary Club

The Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College

The Tampa Bay Committee on Foreign Affairs

Recent Publications

Adult Distance Learning: A New National Priority for the Global Good, Second International Conference on Technology in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, June 27-29 – Samos Is. Greece, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 2001.

MERLE F. ALLSHOUSE
Experience Profile

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP:

· Director, the Academy of Senior Professionals at Eckerd College (ASPEC)

· Vice President of the University of Colorado Foundation and Director of Institutional Advancement at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS)

· President and CEO of the Myron Stratton Foundation a non-profit operating foundation

· President of Bloomfield College for fifteen years; managed an operating budget of 8 million dollars and a staff of 250

· 1986 named one of the nation's "100 Most Effective College and University Presidents"

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT:

· Brought fiscal stability and balanced operating budget process to ASPEC as well as plan for permanent self-sufficiency

· Eliminated the Bloomfield College accumulated deficit of seven million dollars, creating asset:liability ratio of 5:1 with unrestricted cash reserves of one million dollars -- turned an operating deficit of one million dollars into an annual operating surplus of $100,000

· Designed and implemented the move of the Home and Community Based Services Program from the public sector (ElPaso County Department of Social Services) to a private non-profit foundation resulting in an annual operating surplus of $200,000

DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS:

· Led the first major capital campaign for ASPEC resulting in a complete renovation of its 10,000 sq.ft. campus facility

· Developed Annual Fund program for ASPEC which provided more than $400,000 to various programs of Eckerd College

· Raised $11.5M in capital and annual funds for UCCS in four years

· Responsible for the second largest foundation grant in the history of the University of Colorado, the first grant ever made to a public institution by the El Pomar Foundation, and three consecutive record years in annual giving to UCCS; secured over eight million dollars in federal funding and over twenty million dollars in annual contributions from individual, corporate and foundation donors

· Chaired annual campaigns for the United Way and the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, setting new record levels of giving. As a volunteer board member, developed and staffed fund raising programs for the Goodwill, Fine Arts Center, Beth El College and the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra

· Organized and implemented the first capital campaign for the Society for Values in Higher Education

PLANNING:

· Developed the first strategic planning process for ASPEC

· Organized proposal and secured funding ($4,500,000) for Colorado's first public/private Institute for Technology Transfer and Implementation

· Developed and implemented at Bloomfield College, and ASPEC, three and five year institutional plans, integrating all operational areas, including marketing, personnel, facilities, capital development, budget and evaluation

· Served on special task force to reorganize the board of the Florida Orchestra

MARKETING:

· Developed first use of the web for marketing ASPEC

· Developed extensive programs of advertising, publications and public relations, resulting in new positive institutional image

· Achieved high level of success in presenting purpose and goals of fund raising campaigns for N.J. Independent College Fund, Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, the Pikes Peak United Way and the Goodwill of Colorado Springs

· Secured corporate sponsorship program for 1990 World Disabled Alpine Ski Championships

· Selected for TV spots for public television fund raising

· Provided principal consultation for development of web based education for both not- for-profit and for-profit organizations

FEDERAL AND STATE RELATIONS:

· Maintained continuous and active relationship with federal and state legislators and executive agencies on public policy issues

· Served as gubernatorial appointee to New Jersey state board responsible for administering fifty million dollars in student financial aid -- had primary role in designing legislation for state aid to independent colleges

· Appointed as an HEW Fellow, US Dept. of Education; evaluated grant making process and trained program staff for Title III

· Secured private sector funding to implement Colorado state office of the Space Advocate

PERSONNEL:

· Provided policy direction for all employee relations

· Developed employee evaluation systems

· Negotiated four collective bargaining contracts

· Served as chair and on search committees for various university positions and for not-for-profit organizations

CONSULTING:

· Provided consultation to educational institutions and non profit organizations, both directly and through national associations, in all areas of administration, management, board development, fund raising, strategic planning, finance and governance

· Evaluated public policy proposals for federal agencies and private foundations

· Served on special task force to develop reorganization plan for the Florida Orchestra

· Selected as principal educational consultant for largest California land developer to design the educational plan for a new city development, using web technology

 

PUBLIC SPEAKING:

· Served as speaker at business meetings, service clubs, community organizations, religious groups and educational conferences throughout the nation on a wide range of national and international issues, education and management.

· Provided facilitation for public and private foundations and non-profit organizations

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:

· Spearheaded public outreach program for ASPEC into more than 130 non-profit organizations

· Founded first Adult Education Program for Cheyenne Mt. School District, Colorado Springs

· Served as president of the Broadmoor Improvement Society, the largest homeowners association in Colorado, with an independent professional security force

· Established community needs assessment program in areas of human services, making extensive use of advisory committees

· Conducted long range study of indigent elderly housing needs for El Paso County, CO

· Served as Chair of the "Vision 2020" Task Force for the Five Year Comprehensive Plan for Colorado Springs

INTERNATIONAL:

· Selected as presenter at the Second International Conference on Technology in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 2001 – Samos Is. Greece

· Taught East Asian and Southeast Asian area studies

· Developed and implemented academic program for US students in Madras, India

· Chaired Commission on Inter-Cultural Education of a national educational association and led a delegation of college presidents to Taiwan

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS:  

             ·  Serve on Advisory Board of the University of South Florida (St. Petersburg) College of Business

· Served on boards of national educational associations (AGB, NAICU, CIC, SVHE)

· Served on boards of local non profits (Rotary International, the Center for Not-for-Profits, the Colorado Springs Symphony Orchestra, the DaVinci Quartet, the World Affairs Council)

· Chaired the Development Committee for the Goodwill of Colorado Springs

· Served as president of the Broadmoor Improvement Society and Moderator of the Broadmoor Community Church

 

01-15-04