More Essential Than Ever

The work EDUCAUSE community members do is more essential than ever. During times of economic turmoil, students turn to higher education to improve their lives. During health crises, the whole world turns to research from higher education for breakthroughs that save lives. In turn, during the current pandemic, we are working hard to anticipate and meet your needs.

Like you, we have adapted to new financial realities over the past few months. Along with making the kinds of budget cuts that are now widespread, we've made the painful but necessary decision to reduce the size of our workforce. As an organization of people supporting people, we know we are parting with staff you've come to know and depend upon. Even as we feel that loss, we have redoubled our commitment to agility, collaboration, and service.

We're also working hard to amplify one of the most powerful messages of this current crisis, one that EDUCAUSE has been advancing for years: technology is a critical strategic asset that increasingly makes the difference between which colleges and universities succeed and which do not. The past few months have shown that digital transformation is a strategic imperative, not a leading-edge innovation for a few select institutions. Our role as your voice on these topics and others, at the national and international levels, is vital, and we are working hard to make sure this voice is heard.

We're proud of our new online events, not as substitutes for cancelled in-person events but as rich experiences in their own right. Our attendee satisfaction for the events we've held so far is high, and, in fact, we've heard from many who say that being able to join an event without travel has put the EDUCAUSE community within reach for many who otherwise might not have been able to attend. And whether our annual conference in Boston is online or hybrid, the virtual conference experience is going to be exceptional. Save the dates (October 27–29) and stay tuned for more information!

Without a doubt, 2020 has shaped up to be a year like nothing any of us anticipated, but EDUCAUSE is not in crisis—we're in motion. We've moved from multiyear research to just-in-time QuickPolls to give you immediate answers to timely topics. We've published over 120 articles and resource pages on COVID-19 and curated lists of corporate discounts. We've created DIY survey tools, and our New IT Managers and Management institutes are being offered online for the first time. We know we're on the right track because we've seen unprecedented increases in the number of members accessing our resources over the past few months.

And we're just getting started.

In the months ahead, we'll roll out additional online institutes, a member-to-member mentoring platform, new core data services, and other innovative ways for members to connect with each other and share the remarkable work they are doing.

With your continued support, we will not only weather the storm but redesign our ship for the voyage ahead.

How We're Making EDUCAUSE More Valuable to You

• Expanded Online Offerings
  We continue to grow our online portfolio of conferences and events in the shift toward more virtual environments. Many of the events you have attended in the past (or would like to attend for the first time) have been reimagined and designed for a unique virtual experience. Check out our full listing of upcoming events, as well as the recorded sessions and on-demand content from ELI 2020 Online and the Security Professionals Conference Online, and take part in the learning and networking from wherever you are.
• Amplifying Your Voice
  Whether it's writing opinion pieces to celebrate campus technology innovation or organizing or sending letters to press Congress to act on critical broadband needs, we are actively advocating for you. We're pushing for the financial relief and liability protections that you need—and the loan programs to allow you to safely reopen.
• EDUCAUSE QuickPolls
  As we navigate the new realities of COVID-19, you need just-in-time input and insights in your daily work. We've created QuickPolls to help. These one-day polls rapidly gather, analyze, and share input from the EDUCAUSE community about specific emerging topics.
• Improved HECVAT User Experience & Community Group
  The HEISC Shared Assessments Working Group updated the Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit (HECVAT) to give you a smoother user experience. You'll find the tools are now easier to navigate and differentiate. More than 100 members of the HECVAT Users Community Group are available to assist you with the questionnaires.
• New Report on Students with Disabilities
  We continue to promote and support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within higher ed. With our newly released study, the ECAR Study of the Technology Needs of Students with Disabilities, 2020, we explore how the adoption of UDL principles can benefit all learners.

Thank you for being a part of our community. We are working hard, but we also know full well that your engagement is the real power behind EDUCAUSE.

John O'Brien is President and CEO of EDUCAUSE.