A look beyond the sessions at CAUCE 2026
SESSION: The Real Price of Programs: A Framework That Reveals What CE Leaders Miss
PRESENTER: Chris Smith, Program Manager, Professional Development and Corporate Training, Western Continuing Studies (Presented with colleague Morgan Bender)
(See previous Presenter Perspectives post to read Morgan Bender’s POV)
What inspired you to submit this presentation, and why was this topic important for you to share with the CAUCE community?
The presentation grew out of work we were doing at Western Continuing Studies (WCS) to better understand the true financial contribution/expenses of our non-credit programs. Traditional reporting had focused only on enrolment and direct revenue, but that doesn’t capture the indirect and shared costs required to develop, market and administer an offering. We wanted to share a practical framework that helps CE leaders move beyond asking whether a program fills and instead consider whether it contributes sustainably to their institution.
What makes this topic particularly relevant to your institution, and why did you want to share those insights with others?
WCS manages a broad and diverse portfolio, including more than 120 non-credit courses and 200+ sections each year. As our Professional Development portfolio grew, it became increasingly important to understand where growth was creating meaningful financial contributions and where adjustments (sunset/re-price/re-design) might be needed. The framework helped inform conversations about pricing, course frequency, redevelopment and when an older offering may need to be retired. We wanted to share these insights because many continuing education units face similar pressures and could adapt the framework to support decisions within their own institutions.
How would you describe your experience presenting at the CAUCE Conference, and what stood out most to you about engaging with attendees?
Presenting at the CAUCE Conference was very positive. What stood out most was how willing our session attendees were to share their own institutional challenges and think about how they could apply the framework to their own programs.
The discussions during the polls, worksheet activity and question period reinforced that financial and operational questions are common across the sector. It was valuable to learn from colleagues while sharing an approach that we hope they can adapt to their own contexts. Every unit has their own unique org and financial sturture, but thinking about more holistic costing was something that all the attendees could use in their home units.