The history of the Illinois Council on Continuing Higher Education (IC CHE) reveals an organization that was established in response to related social, political, and educational issues of the era and continues to evolve, sensitive to institutional, legislative, and stakeholder concerns. This summary recalls an incomplete outline of the many people, issues, and highlights that have formed today's council. There is evidence that many early tenets of the Council have been accepted in the larger educational arena. The acceptance of technology as a means to improve and expand educational offerings has begun to blur the distinctions between traditional and non-traditional education. The concept that lifelong learning is a necessary activity to maintain not only work skills, but also mental and physical health, is becoming commonplace. The evidence that collaborative ventures are often more successful than singular efforts is well documented. This history suggests that IC CHE members can be proud that their beliefs and efforts have helped shape education in Illinois.

The roots of the Council extend beyond the virtual entities of any organization, institution, or state boundary. Although IC CHE was established in 1975, the necessity of a coordinated system of continuing education was articulated much earlier at institutional, state, and national levels. Minutes from a 1960 University of Illinois Board of Trustees meeting provide evidence that the mission of today's organization was conceptualized at least fifteen years prior to the formation of the Council. President Henry requested the creation of a committee to "… pursue ways of providing leadership for adult education…through credit and extension courses [which would]...avoid duplication…. [and] achieve maximum economy on a State-wide basis." To achieve that end, the University Extension Committee (UEC) was established in 1960 to coordinate statewide extension programs, which then consisted only of credit courses. Comprised of the Deans and Directors of General Extension at the six state-supported schools in Illinois, Stanley Robinson, Dean of General Extension at the University of Illinois and a recognized leader in the NUEA, headed the committee.

At the federal level, legislation was created to address the educational needs of the adult population. The purpose of Title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965 was to strengthen continuing education and community service programs conducted by colleges and universities in order to assist communities in solving local problems. Interpreted by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE), the act was an opportunity for institutions of higher education to help Illinois communities solve current problems through continuing education. In its first year, appropriations lagged far behind authorizations but the exposure created at the federal level illuminated the issues of students and others involved in non-traditional education.

At the 1969 Galaxy Conference on Adult Education, attendees concluded that a system of adult and continuing education was needed to address the growing evidence that the "American people [were] not keeping pace with the demands of [our] complex and increasingly troubled society." They noted that the benefits from improving conventional schooling, which had been the typical response, did not last throughout adults' working lives. They agreed that lifelong learning was needed to be able to "meet continuous challenges with continuous responses." Their consensus supported the message of the keynote speaker, Assistant Secretary for Education, James Allen, who told the assembled 2,500 leaders in adult and continuing education that the existing system of continuing education was considered the "educational third dimension, … the stepchild of the educational establishment." He warned, "anything short of a nationwide commitment to adult and continuing education will perpetuate the status quo and the popular conception of adult education as a pleasant extra, to be underwritten if other demands on the budget permit. The problem [is] pluralism, a virtue of American education, but one [that also results in] limitations of perspective and fragmentation of professional and volunteer efforts." To remedy the situation he suggested that institutions consolidate resources to better serve the needs of adult learners.

The highlight of this national "conference of conferences" was the approval of a statement on Imperatives for Action, which outlined an effective and balanced system of adult and continuing education in the United States. Developed at the Wingspread Conference earlier in the year, the nine statements covered the comprehensive role of continuing education in a democratic society - addressing illiteracy, serving the occupational needs of adults, and providing ongoing education in the arts and humanities. Carrying out the plans laid forth at these two important conferences was to be the mission of the Coalition of Adult Education Organizations, whose members represented all organizations - educational, corporate, and civic, that sponsored or conducted continuing education.

Evidence that consideration of the educational needs of adults had not yet reached the level given to traditional students was apparent in Illinois a few years later. An Ad Hoc Committee of IBHE was established in 1972 and given the mission to make recommendations for a statewide policy on extension services. Their report to the Joint Council on Higher Education contained two important issues relative to the eventual formation of IC CHE. First, it emphasized that the rights and recognition of part-time students be addressed at each institution, and at the state level, in a manner that was equal to that of full-time students.

Second, the report revealed that in trying to define the title, "extension," the committee realized the audience for their recommendations was much larger than the agriculturally-based extension group. After many hours of dialogue the committee members recommended that the term, "continuing education," was more appropriate and inclusive of the "explosive" population of individuals and groups that were participating in the relatively new concept of lifelong learning. This term was also preferred by the U.S. Secretary of Education who defined "continuing education" as "an attempt to integrate education into enriched experience throughout a lifetime." Thus, the diverse population of all adults seeking education beyond the traditional forms of delivery became the focus of attention, and the need for coordination of related but diverse efforts became obvious.

In 1973, IBHE formally endorsed the recommendations of its Common Market Task Force in support of inter-institutional cooperation and non-traditional higher educational delivery systems. Their suggestions clearly articulated the need for state policy and conceptualized the scope and organization of a system responsible for its related activities. From this point, a series of meetings, committees, and task forces were developed that encompassed all persons in the State who had a stake in the outcome of an improved system of continuing education.

Comprised of one representative from each of the public systems and two consultants, and chaired by a representative from IBHE, a committee drafted a report that conceptualized the needs of non-traditional delivery systems at three levels - the campus, the region, and the state. Their effort, the "Report on the Committee on Non-Traditional and Cooperative Programs," emphasized coordination and cooperation among the providers. To accomplish this, they recommended the establishment of a statewide consortium of public higher education systems "…with the authority and the mandate to develop and implement a coordinated program of advising, record-keeping, and external degrees for adult students."

Nine representatives from Illinois' public colleges, universities, and community colleges met on January 14, 1975, to consider the feasibility of an organization that would represent and promote the continuing education and public service activities of all institutions. As a result of their discussions, the initial proposal to create The Council on Continuing Higher Education was drafted by the UEC Goals Committee. The Council's proposed purposes were to emphasize institutional members' collaboration, provide state leadership, and discourage undesirable duplication of effort, yet preserve institutions' right of autonomy. A constitution and by-laws were drafted, and task force topics were suggested to address current issues. The proposal was sent to the directors of continuing higher education programs in Illinois, accompanied by an invitation to formally discuss the proposal, decide if the Council was warranted, and if so, agree upon its purposes and organizational design.

On February 25, 1975, more than forty continuing education directors from community colleges, public universities, and independent institutions of higher education attended the meeting at Roosevelt University. Their support of the proposal resulted in statewide momentum for the Council. A steering committee sent letters to the presidents of Illinois' colleges and universities, requesting they designate a person at their institution to serve as the representative to the Council. At a meeting the following June, those representatives formally created the Illinois Council on Continuing Higher Education, adopted the constitution and by-laws, and selected the first slate of officers. Alan B. Knox, a major proponent of the Council from its informal conception, and co-author of the proposal, was elected president. About the support of the formation of the Council, Knox stated, "Because the three segments of continuing higher education in the state [which represented public institutions, community colleges, and independent institutions] had experienced some conflict, there was concern that IBHE would impose rules for cooperation among the groups. Thus, there was a common purpose for a Council that would provide an environment to resolve differences in a collegial fashion."

Internally, the Council began to address issues of an evolving organization. Members agreed that on topics of public record, the Council spoke for itself, not necessarily all member institutions. The membership also agreed that the overall role of the organization was a dual one, as an educational entity and a political influence. Early on, the Council recognized that to achieve both of those goals, the membership must take a proactive role if significant improvements to the system of continuing education were to occur in Illinois. Clive Veri, IC CHE's second president, stated that "[prior to IC CHE] there was no organization in Illinois that brought together continuing higher education professionals to help lead the state in making sound public policy."

In the organization's first year IC CHE's task forces, "the main vehicle for concerted action," went directly to work on issues of concern to their constituencies. A Governmental Relations Task Force was established to keep members apprised of relevant topics being discussed at the state level. The Council sought a voice in IBHE's development of Master Plan IV, a document that was designed to guide priorities and resource allocations for the following five years. In keeping with its educational outreach mission, the Council established a network of consultants to assist colleges, universities, businesses, and industries in establishing the Continuing Education Unit (CEU) as the permanent measure of clients' participation in non-credit continuing education programs. IC CHE was also diligent in its efforts to increase financial assistance for part-time students so that, according to its position paper, "Student Access and Choice," "the only criteria for participation in post-secondary education should be motivation and the ability to meet the requirements of the programs selected."

IBHE's "End of Growth" paper, an analysis of the issues facing higher education in the "eminent years of stabilization and then decline of traditional, on-campus students," prompted a formal Council response. The IC CHE perspective called for educational institutions and state agencies to improve their responsiveness to the predicted fluctuation in enrollment patterns through increased emphasis on program review, and creation of incentives for institutions to share resources. IC CHE's mission, to provide state leadership in the area of cooperation among providers of continuing higher education, was evident again in its 1977 position paper, "Encouraging Cooperation among Local Providers of Continuing Higher Education in Illinois." The paper proposed voluntary procedures through which Council members could resolve issues among themselves, to "reduce the likelihood of external imposition or restraints."

IC CHE was diligent in its efforts to ensure that Educational Information Centers, supported by federal and state monies, include information of specific interest to adult learners. The Council also provided key advice for the External Degree initiative, a program designed to assess whether or not all persons in the state had access to off-campus degree programs. With many issues, members were frustrated by the eventual demise of efforts and issues important to continuing higher education. In other cases, the Council was able to positively influence policy and achieve implementation of its positions.

At the end of IC CHE's first five years, continuing education professionals in the state and nation were still debating and attempting to arrive at consensus regarding the terminology related to lifelong learning. An issue of the Educational Record stated that even though "professional definitions of continuing education [were] vague," educators must realize that "applying traditional approaches to non-traditional students," was not going to successfully address the needs of adult learners. Clive Veri stated that "continuing educators, bred for their entrepreneurial spirit [were] the professionals who could serve the students' interests, rather than self-interests." He suggested that the term, " non-traditional" was too "value-laden" in an area where there were already too many "intellectual divisions." Members recognized that in spite of the fact that institutions would continue to use their preferred terminology, adoption of the concept of "learner-centered education" would reframe the focus of the profession during the next decade.

Several IC CHE initiatives and surveys conducted during the 1980s helped determine and address the needs of the "learner." Concerns about off-campus students' access to library services were answered in a report that found most adults in the state had access to library materials necessary for advanced undergraduate and graduate study, computer networks extended those services, and they were available at little or no cost to the user. At the invitation of IBHE, the Council also helped design a survey to determine if all adults, especially those in remote areas of Illinois, had access to program offerings. The results showed increased usage and availability of courses throughout the state.

The 1984 National Commission on Educational Excellence publication, "A Nation at Risk," rekindled national attention about what could be done to improve education. The report both inflamed and blamed educators for what was termed a "mediocre" state of American education. The debate trickled down to state, institutional, and organizational levels. While the report called for the adult educators' dream of a "learning society," it also prompted finger pointing at all areas of education. Off-campus programming was not immune to the scrutiny. The Council predicted that quality and accountability would replace access as the dominant policy issue in the 1990s, and a task force to examine quality issues was established.

Through its Research and Scholarship Task Force and Committee, the Council established two, five hundred-dollar stipends that were made available for projects that met established guidelines. Not only have the research projects demonstrated the Council's educational mission, they have also helped nurture the next generation of leaders in the field. In 1992, the Council provided support for research that identified critical factors of program quality. The findings concluded that students were generally pleased with off-campus programming, adding that they believed program quality was more a function of variables such as teacher expertise, adult learning environment, and curriculum relevance than it was the location of the classes. The report suggested that efforts to improve education should be directed to the variables that apply to all education, not only off-campus programming. In 1998, IC CHE's Executive Board voted to increase funding for research projects to $1,000 to encourage more continuing education research.

The explosive growth of programming in continuing higher education prompted another initiative to determine the status of continuing higher education in Illinois. The Statewide Data System, initiated by Will Hine, IC CHE's twelfth president, was designed to collect data about member programming. One trend that appeared in the first survey has been monitored by the creation of its own task force.

The Remote Program Delivery Task Force was established in 1990 to assess the issues surrounding technology use. A formal report, drafted in 1992, provided key decision-makers relevant data for use in the further development of educational telecommunications. Findings showed a growing use of diverse technologies, relative to the setting- community college, public, or independent institution. The task force continues to monitor emerging technologies that impact distance learning efforts.

The Council's continual role in encouraging cooperation and collaboration has been a hallmark of the organization. In 1995, the final report of the Council's research project entitled, "Identification of Relevant Characteristics of Successful Collaboration Between Illinois Post-Secondary Institutions," revealed that shared vision, a history of candid communication, and a level of mutual trust contributed to collaborative efforts. The report concluded, "Above all, there must be some driving force that motivates participants to take the risks, spend the time, and champion the effort. With a clear vision of what the beneficial outcomes will be and [with] the support of leadership, the likelihood for success increases. All those involved can feel comfortable that some gains will be realized from working together."

The history of our organization demonstrates such vision, leadership, and success. As we approach the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Illinois Council of Continuing Higher Education, members can be proud of the foresight and timeless mission of the organization and the contributions it has made to education in Illinois.