January 22, 2026 – February 5, 2026 EST
This three-week virtual program is a unique opportunity for mid-senior level higher education professionals to refine their strategic planning and assessment skills within environments of change, innovation, and adaptability. Attendees will return to campus with tangible action items, tools and resources to plan, assess and present findings to their institutions. This program is provided in conjunction with the Network for Change and Continuous Innovation (NCCI). Find the schedule below.
The event will be January 22, January 29, and February 5, from 2–3:30 p.m. each day.
Pricing is $300 member/$400 nonmember. The early registration deadline is January 10!
ACUI Core Competencies
- Assessment, Evaluation, and Research
- Planning
- Organizational Leadership
Schedule
Sessions will occur from 2–3:30 p.m Eastern on the dates indicated below.
In an era of mergers, low enrollment, and critical uncertainties, colleges and universities are stepping back to look at their organizational structure. Does the model reflect institutional needs in 2026, or do they look like they did in 1866? Are your communication and decision-making channels sustainable and easy to follow?
Leaders utilize Organizational Design Review (ODR) to inform their institution’s design, enabling them to effectively and efficiently achieve their goals. In this session, leaders and facilitators will learn how to design, launch, and implement an ODR to comprehensively and objectively examine their institution’s current structure, understand challenges, and reveal opportunities.
Leaders and facilitators will learn how to design, launch, and implement an ODR to comprehensively and objectively examine their institution’s current structure, understand challenges, and reveal opportunities.
About the Presenter
Kim-Marie Jenkins, Ed.D., is an organizational culture, leadership, and change strategist with over 25 years of experience in higher education in the U.S. and England.
Kim-Marie serves as the senior director for organizational design and leadership development for the University of Maine System, where she partners with senior leadership to drive strategic initiatives that cultivate a high-performing culture aligned with institutional mission. Kim’s signature strength includes building relationships and trust with leaders and teams to better understand their needs, design better outcomes, and overcome barriers in achieving them.
Kim is the immediate past president for NCCI. She is a certified Prosci change management instructor, executive coach, and teaches courses in change management, culture, and ethical leadership.
You know you need to level up your assessment, but you aren’t sure exactly where to begin. This session will provide a refresher on the basics of assessment in higher education so professionals have a solid foundation and understand terminology. Participants will first be introduced to the steps of the assessment cycle and will get to work together to practice writing effective outcomes with feedback provided. Additionally, when done well, assessment can help tell a story about your impact and making data-informed decisions, yet assessment and inclusion are often seen as two separate initiatives. In reality, good assessment requires equity to be at the forefront and integrated into every step. This session will help you break down what it means to be an equity-minded assessment practitioner (in understandable terms that do not require an advanced degree).
About the Presenter
Megan Bell, Ph.D., has over 20 years of experience leading teams and change in higher education. She currently serves as the executive director of the University-Student Union at California State University–Los Angeles and the chair of the Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Program Team for ACUI. Prior to her role leading student affairs assessment at California State University–Northridge, she was a senior-level administrator in student affairs at the University of Colorado–Colorado Springs and has also worked at University of Colorado–Boulder, Whittier College, and University of California–Riverside. Throughout her career, Megan has facilitated learning for teams and organizations on the topics of social justice, leadership development, appreciative inquiry, assessment and evaluation, communication, and team engagement. She believes in the power of using individual and organizational strengths to build teams, identify opportunities for growth, and effect change. Megan earned a Ph.D. in higher education leadership from Colorado State University, an Ed.M. from Washington State University, and a B.A. from the University of Northern Colorado. She also has served as an assistant professor in the College of Education teaching courses in organizational leadership, diversity and inclusiveness, higher education administration, assessment, and educational policy and governance.
Tired of metrics that confuse more than they clarify? This practical, engaging workshop led by I/O Psychologist Angela Song-Ruiter, Ph.D., helps leaders design metrics that truly support strategy rather than distract from it. The session introduces clear, accessible frameworks for building meaningful measures and spotting common pitfalls in how metrics are designed, interpreted, and communicated. Through short, hands-on exercises and a realistic institutional case study, participants will practice creating actionable, strategically aligned metrics. You’ll leave with simple tools, sharper insight, and greater confidence in using data to guide decisions and improve organizational performance—while anticipating the change management needs essential for successful implementation.
About the Presenter
Angela Song-Ruiter, Ph.D., is an I/O psychologist and organizational transformation strategist with more than two decades of experience in strategic planning, organizational assessment, and building meaningful measures of success. She leads Tritonlytics™ at the University of California–San Diego, overseeing large-scale analytics and culture transformation initiatives across higher education. Angela holds an M.A. and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from University of California–Berkeley and is certified in Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Prosci Change Management, Strategy Execution, and PMP. She also coaches with the Center for Creative Leadership and serves on the NCCI board.
