Nearly 400 NAICU members gathered in Washington, DC, February 1-4 for the Association’s 2015 Annual Meeting and Advocacy Day. Below are a selection of tweets and photos recapping the sights and sounds of the meeting.

Links to selected presentations and remarks.

Hill Visits During Advocacy Day

U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) greets NAICU member presidents from Iowa during Advocacy Day activities.

Presidents getting briefed on policy issues before going to the hill.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe  

Getting a policy update at #naicu2015 in preparation to go to the Hill to advocate on higher ed policy.  - NU Gov't Relations @TIMatNUGov 

Senator @CoryBooker (D-NJ) recently met with President Drucker (red tie) and other NJ members of @NAICUtweets.  - Fairleigh Dickinson ‏@FDUWhatsNew  

Looking forward to visiting @SenDanCoats today with @smwcprez.  - Rachel J. Leslie @RleslieRachel  

Thank you to @SenAlexander and @SenBobCorker and their staffs for productive conversations today regarding higher education.  - John Lowry @johnrlowry  

RT @AICUOhio: Thanks to @senrobportman for talking to Ohio's independent colleges and universities today!  - Michael Egenreider @megenreider  

 I appreciate @RepFleming's support of aid for students and his call to educate graduates who can pay back loans.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe 

Thank you @DavidVitter for taking time to meet with me and asking my opinion on #HigherEd legislation.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe 

Looking forward to visiting @SenDanCoats today with @smwcprez.  - RleslieRachel @RleslieRachel 

Thoughtful, in-depth and engaging conversation with Senator Cassidy about DOE's proposed college rating system.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe  

Great 2 see reps from @NAICUtweets in our nation’s capital today.  - Senator Deb Fischer ‏@SenatorFischer  

Enjoyed our visit w/ @SenRandPaul representing @NAICUtweets & @aikcu students across the commonwealth!  - @BresciaPrezJames L. Hurley ‏@jlhbears

Federal College Rating System

Jamienne S. Studley, deputy under secretary, U.S. Department of Education, followed by a panel of NAICU member presidents.

This should be fun! Federal College Rating System.  - Bryon Grigsby @bgrigsby24

We hope ratings will speed up adoption of best practices on affordability, student support, etc - Studley at #naicu2015 @usedgov  - TRINITYPREZ

We want to avoid perverse incentives and encourage access, persistence, completion - "do no harm" - Studley @usedgov #PIRS #naicu2015  - TRINITYPREZ @TRINITYPREZ 

Benchmarking may be the most important part of ratings - Depty Undersec Studley @usedgov #naicu2015  - TRINITYPREZ @TRINITYPREZ 

Your focus should be on access affordability outcomes NOT wealth as in USNews rankings - clear not complex - Studley on #PIRS #naicu2015  - TRINITYPREZ @TRINITYPREZ 

Studley is sensitive to college ratings concerns but the next administration staff will implement... What of this will endure?  - TRINITYPREZ @TRINITYPREZ 

"We do not want to overvalue earnings" - so why collect earnings data? #PIRS #naicu2015 @usedgov slippery slope here beware!  - TRINITYPREZ @TRINITYPREZ 

The Future of Reaching Your Audiences Is Now…And It’s Very Bright

Chris Martin, journalist, educator, marketer and communications consultant.

Public Relations Academy: Most CEOs want what college presidents have - audience attention.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

The currency of the degree binds audiences to college news.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Journalist Chris Martin shared a college student's thoughts on social media; "if the news is that important it will find me."  - Rachel J. Leslie @RleslieRachel

Interactive is the great disrupter.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Chris Martin ROI in social media for higher Ed is the engagement...how many people join the conversation.  -Terri Standish-Kuon @TASKuon

Martin: Universities have turned decentralization into an artwork.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe:  

Martin: YouTube may overtake Google as most used search tool. Video and imagery have never been more important.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Martin: Snapchat is the fastest growing tool.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Martin tips: don't pigeonhole social media. Everyone should be well-versed.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Martin tips: get web team and video team working with events. Maximize what otherwise would be an ephemeral moment.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Links to select presentations and remarks.

Emory and Ebola: We Can Fear or We Can Care

Nancy Seideman, associate vice president, media relations, Emory University (GA) and Vincent J. Dollard, associate vice president, for communications, Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center, Emory University

Next up: Emory and Ebola, with one of my mentors from Emory - Nancy Seideman.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory and Ebola: "We can fear if we can care."  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: It is very important to be in the first news cycle to establish and control disciplined message.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: 6-7 days to move Ebola social media trend from negative to positive.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: As media savvy as the medical staff were, no one did an interview without rehearsal and practice.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: News media will take the shortest route to the most sensational headlines.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: published all protocols on website as soon as they were developed - for other hospitals.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: None of the Ebola patients signed HIPPA waivers. Emory never named the patients.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: Kudos to AP for finding out the name of one Ebola patient and responsibly not releasing it for lack of confirmation.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Emory: Chief Nursing Executive Susan Grant shared a message of mission and care in a Washington Post op-ed.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe
 

Talking About Debt

Beth Akers, fellow, Brown Center on Education Policy, Brookings Institution

Akers: The data do not support concluding that there is a broad looming student debt crisis.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Akers: the crisis the media is painting on student debt is misleading and missing other crises in higher education finance.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

E Akers #NAICU2015 Those with student debt more likely to own home. Counter to media narrative.  - Dave McFadden @MUPresDave:  

Akers: 25 pct. of growth in student debt over 20 years is due to more people getting more education. That's good-right?  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

E Akers: Median monthly student loan payment = 4% of income. Lower than 20 yrs ago. "Stunning" given media narrative.  - Dave McFadden @MUPresDave:  

Akers: The ratio of mean debt to monthly income has dropped substantially over 20 years.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Akers: BUT, student debt payments are spread out over a longer period of time, with more interest paid over life of loan.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Akers: Is student debt worth it? Yes. Lifetime earnings grow faster than debt. Look at long run not annual earnings.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Akers: Real crisis may be students underestimating the amount of debt they are taking on.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

Akers: In a single institution survey, only 38% of students accurately estimated amount of debt they were incurring.  - David Rowe@PresidentRowe

E Akers #NAICU2015 #EducROI Earnings advantages for college grads have kept pace with tuition growth. Higher costs bringing higher rewards.  - Dave McFadden @MUPresDave  

@BethAkersEd on student debt & what we truly know; half (49%) of
borrowers in 2013, =<$10K. What did u borrow 4 your 1st car?  - Terri Standish-Kuon @TASKuon  

Akers: ROI on college degrees is keeping pace with rise of tuition.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe 

E. Akers #NAICU2015 Should look at what student debt has bought individuals/nation, not compare to first job income or total balance.  - Dave McFadden @MUPresDave:  

Akers is a fan of income based repayment plans.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe
 

End of Greatness

Aaron David Miller, author of “The End of Greatness: Why America Can’t Have (and Doesn’t Want) Another Great President,” and vice president, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Aaron David Miller: "Our nation is not lacking just shared governance but shared responsibility and sacrifice."  - Scott Flanagan @sflanaganec

Aaron Miller: Happiest professionals combine passion with expertise.’  - Bryon Grigsby @bgrigsby24  

Miller: passion without expertise is dangerous; expertise without passion is boring!  - Bryon Grigsby @bgrigsby24

Impact of Sports in America: NFL, NCAA, Olympics, Media & Money

Christine Brennan, national sports columnist, USA Today

Brennan: 16 hours ago I was in University of Phoenix stadium for USA Today.  - David Rowe @PresidentRowe

NAICU Prayer Breakfast

Speaker Tori Murden McClure, president of Spalding University (KY), discussed the personal quest and sense of discovery that led her to be the first woman to row a boat, alone, without assistance, across the Atlantic Ocean.

President McClure talks about her rowing experiences. Inspiring and delightful!  - Beth Stroble @websterpres

Rowers do most things backwards. Clever metaphor from President McClure talks at prayer breakfast.  - Beth Stroble @websterpres

NAICU Awards and Presentations

	NAICU President David L. Warren presented the 29th Annual Henry Paley Award to Christopher B. Nelson, president of St. John's College (MD). Paley citiation Nelson's remarks
NAICU President David Warren presents Shenandoah University (VA) President Tracy Fitzsimmons with a token of appreciation for her service as 2014 NAICU Board of Directors chair.
	Fitzsimmons passes the gavel to 2015 Chair John McCardell, Jr., vice chancellor and president of Sewanee: The University of the South (TN).

Links to select presentation and remarks.

Save the Date:

2016 NAICU Annual Meeting

January 31 - February 3, 2016

Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill



For more information, please contact:
Paul Hassen