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regents’ online degree program
substantive change prospectus
for the
commission on colleges
southern association of colleges and schools
REGENTS’ ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE PROSPECTUS FOR THE
COMMISSION ON COLLEGES: SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
UPDATED NOVEMBER 2002
Students enrolled in courses through the Tennessee Board of Regents’ Online Degree Program (RODP) for the first time in fall 2001. Enrollment greatly exceeded initial projections and has grown steadily, with 3,032 students enrolled in 271 course sections at the beginning of the fall 2002 semester. The RODP program includes five degrees:
· B.I.S. degree in Interdisciplinary Studies
· B.P.S. degree in Professional Studies, with concentrations in Organizational Leadership and Information Technology
· A.A. and A.S. degrees in General Studies, designed for transfer
· A.A.S. degree in Professional Studies, with a concentration in Information Technology
RODP degrees are delivered online and asynchronously by the 19 colleges and/or universities of the Tennessee Board of Regents’ (TBR) System, all of which are accredited by the Commission on Colleges. RODP associate degrees articulate fully with an RODP baccalaureate degree. The RODP is unique in that:
· Degrees are offered by all collegiate institutions in the system and
· Courses are developed and delivered collaboratively among institutions.
A system-wide Curriculum Committee, consisting of a faculty representative from each institution, is responsible for recommending degree requirements, developing RODP course standards, deciding which institutions and faculty members are responsible for course development and initial delivery, and assessing course quality. An RODP course, once developed, can be approved and delivered by multiple institutions. Approximately 400 faculty members from across the TBR System have received training in the development and delivery of RODP courses.
The TBR system has contracted with Collegis (formerly Eduprise), a provider of e-learning services, to support the RODP with strategic and implementation planning, 24x7 technical support for students and faculty, infrastructure support, and program evaluation. Traditional student services and library services are delivered through each campus. More than 200 campus staff members received orientation and training in preparation for implementation of the Regents’ Online Degree Program.
Adults with some college experience who are unable to pursue additional higher education because of job demands, family responsibilities, or time/distance constraints comprise the primary target population for RODP degrees. During the first year of operation, approximately two-thirds of RODP students were 35 years of age or older. A.A.S. degree graduates represent an excellent target market. These graduates are typically employed adults for whom convenient access is crucial for pursuing a baccalaureate degree, and for whom few transfer opportunities are currently available.
Additional information, including degree and course descriptions, admission and registration instructions, support service information, and a faculty lounge are available on the RODP web page at http://www.tn.regentsdegrees.org.
REGENTS’ ONLINE DEGREE PROGRAM
SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE PROSPECTUS
Abstract 2
Nature and Purpose of the RODP 4
II. Assessment of Need and Program Planning/Approval 11
Higher Education Participation and Attainment 11
Employment Outlook for
Program Review and Approval Process 13
Curriculum Review and Approval Process 13
III. Description of the Change 17
Degrees 17
Home and Delivery Institution 18
System-Wide Support Services 19
Course Delivery Responsibility 19
Campus-Based Support Services 21
V. Library and Learning Resources 29
VI. Physical Resources 32
Equipment 32
VII. Financial Support 33
Continuing Funding Beginning Fall 2002 35
VIII. Evaluation and Assessment 37
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SUBSTANTIVE CHANGE PROSPECTUS
COMMISSION ON COLLEGES
SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS
Nature and Purpose of the Regents’ Degree Online Program (RODP):
The 19 colleges and universities of the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) System launched the Regents’ Degree Online Program (RODP) in Fall 2001. A principal objective of this initiative is to become the provider of good quality associate, baccalaureate and masters degree programs to Tennesseans who cannot complete their degrees without asynchronous, online access. The vision of the RODP is to provide A Better Life for Tennesseans through Education.
The RODP mission is:
The Regents Online Degree Programs, using technology, will improve access to high-quality, affordable, student-centered learning opportunities through cooperation among TBR institutions.
The Regents Online Degree Programs Strategic Plan: 2003 - 2005, provides Guiding Principles for the Program. The RODP:
The major Goals of the RODP for the 2003 – 2005 period are to:
Goal #1: Develop and maintain an adequate funding strategy to allow the aggressive future development of RODP as driven by demand
Goal #2: Ensure quality programs developed with appropriate faculty incentives that meet the demand of students
Goal #3: Ensure that RODP processes integrate with local campus processes
Goal #4: Develop programs and services to ensure that stakeholders are committed to TBR’s Vision and
Goal #5: Using every available medium, spearhead a campaign to reinforce online learning priorities, informing RODP stakeholders what’s going to occur and why, and how it affects them personally
Goal #6: Establish faculty training and support programs that are timely and responsive to broad and specialized needs that keep pace with ever-changing teaching and learning requirements
Goal #7: Provide students with relevant resources and services to promote learning and community
Goal #8: Foster institutional partnerships to review those issues that are commonly perceived by all TBR institutions as meriting system-wide attention
The RODP Strategic Plan supports and builds on the priorities of the Board of Regents’ Strategic Plan. The Integrated Strategic Plan: 2000 – 2005 of The Tennessee Board of Regents establishes five Priority Areas for the system and its member campuses. These Priority Areas are:
1. Academic Excellence and Institutional Quality
2. Access
3. Accountability
4. Articulation
5. Work Force Development
The Integrated Plan further identifies Technology as a special area for strategic emphasis, noting that “The System must provide a strategy to leverage limited resources to support the necessary infrastructure and instructional programs for our students.” The RODP uses technology to advance the achievement of TBR strategic planning objectives in each of these strategic planning priority areas. The Priority Areas and some of the specific objectives supported by the RODP include:
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Academic Excellence and Institutional Quality |
To deliver high quality educational programs and services that provide all Tennesseans with the knowledge, skills, cultural awareness, and attitudes they need to experience prosperous and rewarding lives. |
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TBR Objective: Use technology to enhance teaching, learning, and administrative support.
TBR Objective: Focus on faculty and staff development.
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Access |
Over the planning period, increase enrollment by 9.4 percent, with particular emphasis on diversity. |
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TBR Objective: Reach more Tennesseans through innovative recruiting and retention strategies.
TBR Objective: Increase the use of technology such as the Internet and email to reach more people across the state, and deliver courses in nontraditional ways such as over the web.
TBR Objective: Use creative means to achieve greater student diversity, increasing the enrollment and retention of older, part-time, and employed students.
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Accountability |
Focus on academic program accountability in instruction, research, and service/outreach; place emphasis on financial accountability. |
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TBR Objective: Fund increased technology use for instruction and institutional support.
TBR Objective: Assess the use of technology to improve efficiency and cost effectiveness.
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Articulation |
Strengthen transfer and articulation programs among System institutions. |
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TBR Objective: Enhance the transferability of the general education core curriculum.
TBR Objective: Enhance the transferability of career courses.
TBR Objective: There will be universal core curriculum transferability and articulation between and among public institutions.
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Workforce Development |
Contribute to the economic well being of |
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TBR Objective: Provide quality training using current and emerging technologies.
TBR Objective: Provide responsive and timely training to support the growth of existing industry and the recruitment of new industry.
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The Tennessee Board of Regents initiated development of a system-wide web-based program at its meeting of
The next item on the agenda was the consideration of the development of a web-based course delivery program. Regent Rogers moved to increase the assessment to TBR institutions by a system-wide total of $500,000 to cover the development and implementation costs of this program. Regent Greene provided a second to the motion. Prior to the expenditure of funds, the program will be presented to the Board for approval at its regular quarterly meeting in September. A roll call vote was taken, and the motion passed unanimously.
On
Dr. Charles Manning, Chancellor of the Tennessee Board of Regents, notified Dr. James Rogers of the TBR intent to initiate this program on
The degrees included in the Regents Online Degree Program were approved through the normal faculty and administrative approval processes on all 19 campuses in January and February 2001.
Chapter 838 of the Public Acts of 1972, which authorized the establishment of the
The Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), which was established by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1972 (TCA 49-7-202), is responsible for the approval of new academic programs in both the Tennessee Board of Regents and
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Location of RODP Degrees:
The 19 colleges and universities of the Tennessee Board of Regents System offer the RODP degrees. All of the courses offered through the RODP are delivered online in an asynchronous format.
The six TBR universities offer two baccalaureate degrees:
The six TBR universities will offer their individual Master’s in Education (M.Ed.) degree online through the RODP. These degrees are unique for the RODP in that the course requirements are not identical among the six universities. Only courses that are required by more than one institution are delivered collaboratively rather than by each individual university.
The thirteen TBR community colleges will offer three associate degrees:
· A.S. degree in General Studies
· A.A. degree in General Studies
· A.A.S. degree in Professional Studies, with a concentration in Information Technology.
The Regents’ Online Degree Program dramatically increases Tennesseans’ access to higher education by using technology to deliver entire degree programs asynchronously throughout the state. The RODP maximizes both effectiveness and efficiency by selecting and training exemplary faculty from all 19 institutions to develop online courses that will be offered collaboratively by system institutions.
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Enrollment in the RODP:
RODP Course Offerings and Enrollment: First Day of Class
|
Semester |
# Courses |
# Sections |
Headcount Enrollment |
Course Enrollment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fall 2001 |
30 |
89 |
1,148 |
1,961 |
|
University |
|
|
622 |
1,038 |
|
|
|
|
526 |
923 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spring 2002 |
64 |
156 |
2,096 |
3,651 |
|
University |
|
|
1,148 |
2,027 |
|
|
|
|
948 |
1,624 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Semester |
# Courses |
# Sectons |
Headcount Enrollment |
Course Enrollment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Summer 2002 |
60 |
154 |
1,855 |
3,104 |
|
University |
|
|
845 |
1,425 |
|
|
|
|
1,010 |
1,679 |
|
|
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