| Coalition
of Adult Learning Focused Institutions
The Coalition of Adult Learning Focused Institutions is an
alliance of CAEL member colleges and universities that strive
continuously to improve programs and services for adult learners
in order to make educational opportunities more accessible
and to remove obstacles from the path to degree completion.
In their efforts to help adult learners succeed, Coalition
participants assess their programs on a regular basis and
share “best practices” with other institutions.
Who can become a Coalition Partner?
Institutions of higher education may be eligible if they:
- Offer undergraduate degree programs to adults (non-degree
programs
are ineligible).
- Are regionally accredited, or accredited by another agency
that is recognized by The Council on Higher Education Accreditation
(CHEA)
- Are an institutional member of CAEL
Click here for a list
of participating colleges and universities
Either an institution as a whole, or an autonomous operating
unit such as a school or college within a university, may
apply. Individuals may not apply.
General Requirements for Coalition Participation
As an entry point for the Coalition, CAEL asks prospective
colleges and universities to administer the ALFI
Assessment Tools. Data from these Tools helps frame institutional
improvement efforts and provides a foundation for sharing
best practices.
Participation in the Coalition will be renewable on a three-year
cycle that is tied to the re-administration of the ALFI Assessment
Tools. This periodic re-assessment using the Tools will allow
institutions to track progress and provides a data-driven
basis for identifying unique strengths that institutions will
want to further cultivate and promote.
In addition to administering the ALFI Assessment Tools, ALFI
Coalition participants do the following and send CAEL documentation
of these steps on an annual basis:
- Submit a written commitment to the Coalition from the
CEO of the institution (or head of the division within the
institution that is subscribing).
- Publish and disseminate internally the
Principles of Effectiveness for Serving Adult Learners,
describing how the institution observes each Principle in
practice. An institution may publish the Principles in its
catalogue, web site or any other location designed to inform
students about the institution’s policies and procedures.
The ALFI Principles should receive high visibility so as
to be evident to the institution’s students, staff
and faculty as well as other institutions and organizations.
For example, the institution should publicize its prior
learning assessment program, and faculty and staff should
be able to direct interested students to the appropriate
persons for information.
- Designate an “ALFI representative” –
a person who will be accountable for answering questions
from adult learners and the general public about the institution’s
commitment to the Coalition and the ways in which the institution
carries out the Principles. This person will also be CAEL’s
primary contact for Coalition matters.
- Conduct an institutional forum at least annually with
adult learners to hear their perspectives on the ways in
which the institution meets their needs.
Benefits of Participating in the ALFI Coalition
In addition to the valuable information provided by the ALFI
Assessment Tools, colleges and universities participating
in the Coalition will also benefit from:
- Listing on CAEL’s
website as a Coalition participant.
- Use of the ALFI Logo to identify its participation with
internal
and external audiences.
- Eligibility to become one of CAEL’s “best
practice"
study tour sites.
- Invitations to special events such as a “pre-conference”
at the CAEL International conference to share best practices
with other Coalition partners. (A registration fee is required
for these events.)
If you have questions about the ALFI Coalition, please contact
Judy Wertheim at jwertheim@cael.org.
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