Collection inventory

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University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Records

An inventory of their records at Syracuse University


The adult education holdings are collectively known as the
Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults.

Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 24 Nov 2010

Biographical History

The University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) was originally formed in 1915 as the National University Extension Association (NUEA). NUEA's focus was originally on establishing standards for correspondence schools and distance education, though its scope expanded considerably through the years. When it shifted to a division structure and gained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status in the 1950s, correspondence study was only one of five charter units. In 1980 NUEA reorganized itself away from the division structure to a more national focus; to reflect this, the name was changed to the National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA). In 1996 the word "National" was dropped as membership had expanded internationally, and the name became University Continuing Education Association (UCEA). In 2010 the word "Professional" was added to reflect members who were new to higher education, and the name became University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA). In 2024 this title was dropped and the initialism, UPCEA, became the official name of the organization.

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Records contains administrative files, conference materials, presidential addresses, publications, and a small number of miscellaneous items of UCEA. The records show the continuing education association’s functions and give a top-level view of the organization, with insight into its strategic planning.

Administrative files are business records of UCEA leadership. Materials include financial materials, memos, minutes, reports, forms, membership directories, sketches, notes, travel ephemera, personnel records, proposals, and correspondence.

Subseries include Board of Directors, Commissions/communities, Committees, Correspondence, Employee files, Meetings, Memberships, and Miscellaneous.

Commissions are groups of leaders (department heads, deans, provosts, etc.) from different regions and disciplines to aid association leadership in policy and professional development. Communities of Practice (CoP) are networks of professionals that are created by/for and work through commissions based on common functions.

Conference materials contains UCEA annual and regional gatherings. As with the association’s name change to reflect its global presence, the collection includes international conferences in Canada and Mexico, with Spanish language items. Materials include preliminary planning files, correspondence, scheduling documents, notes, sketches, travel information (e.g. planes, hotels, and finances), local ephemera, proceedings, programs, and lectures/presentations. Also includes audio cassettes and CDs of programs and session recordings.

Presidential addresses, by Dr. Thomas Kowalik, contains a speech to an annual conference and a regional update.

Publications includes journals (Continuing Higher Education Review), brochures, a newsletter (infocus), and other publications.

Miscellaneous contains a training program held in Mexico for higher education administrators, a strategic workplace celebration, and UCEA testimony to the US Copyright Office.

Arrangement of the Collection

This collection is arranged alphabetically. Folders or groups with the same titles, in the same series, are further arranged chronologically. The majority of original folder titles were retained.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Access to audiovisual material requires advance notice to produce a use copy.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

Lifelong Learning Trends: A Profile of Continuing Higher Education, 5th, 7th, and 8th editions; Innovations in Continuing Education, Award-Winning New Programs series, 1997-1998 - separated from collection and transferred to the serial department for cataloging. They are accessible via the Classic Catalog .

See also the National University Continuing Education Association (NUCEA) Records and the National University Extension Association (NUEA) Records.

In addition, Special Collections Research Center has dozens of manuscript collections relating to adult education, both of individuals and organizations. Please refer to the SCRC Subject Index for a complete listing.

Subject Headings

Corporate Bodies

Canadian Association for University Continuing Education.
National University Continuing Education Association (U.S.)
University Continuing Education Association.

Subjects

Adult education -- Canada.
Adult education -- United States.
Adult education--Mexico.
Continuing education.
Educators -- United States.
International education.
Teachers, Training of.

Genres and Forms

Audiotapes.
CD-ROMs.
Correspondence.
Financial reports.
Floppy disks.
Journals (Publications)
Minutes (administrative records)
Newsletters.
Notes (documents)
Oral histories (document genres)
Proceedings.
Reports.
Sound recordings.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

University Continuing Education Association (UCEA) Records,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Bulk of collection, gift of University Continuing Education Association (UCEA), 2001, 2005.

Some items, gift of University of Chicago, Graham School of General Studies, 2004.

Some items, gift of Thomas Kowalik [Past President], 2007.

Table of Contents

Administrative files

Conference materials

Presidential Addresses

Publications

Miscellaneous

Inventory