Why I Choose to Work at Academic Innovation

The people and mission of this office are inspiring. By joining, I knew I would have the unique opportunity to contribute to a team pushing digital learning experiences and technologies to new frontiers through processes that are highly collaborative and inclusive. As someone who gets excited about incorporating ethical considerations into early design work, I saw the collaborative, open-minded, and strategic approach this team takes to academic innovation as offering the perfect fit.

Current Roles/Previous Experience

Ricky LaFosse is the Center for Academic Innovation’s Associate Director of Compliance and Policy. In this role, Ricky provides compliance guidance and supports policymaking efforts related to distance education. His responsibilities include developing compliance resources and procedures for online and hybrid programs and collaborating with units across U-M to mitigate risk while supporting continued innovation in a highly complex regulatory environment. Ricky is also the Senior Policy Fellow at UPCEA where he supports broader distance education policy, advocacy, and compliance efforts.

Prior to joining the Center for Academic Innovation Ricky was a compliance consultant for the Office of Online Education at Indiana University, where he completed his JD and PhD. While a law student, he interned with Indiana University’s Office of the Vice President and General Counsel and with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit. Before attending Indiana University, Ricky was a middle school English teacher and Teach For America corps member in Las Vegas.

Ask Me to Learn About

The U.S. Supreme Court’s docket
P-20 educational policy
Fantasy football
Juggling