TAKING CHARGE OF CHANGE: Using Distance Education as an Institutional Strategic Asset Presentation to the Kansas Board of Regents Larry Gould, Provost Dennis King, Director of the Virtual College October 1, 2012

A Testimonial to Quality Learning

Regents’ FY2013 DE Core Strategy Goal The Board believes that distance learning will be an essential delivery system for educating adults for years to come. Therefore, the Board will ask each university to develop a core strategy for distance learning that addresses the following: » » how the core strategy meets the unique mission of the university, » » identification of courses/programs that are in place, or need to be developed to meet the core strategy, » » identification of which courses/programs do not meet the mission or strategy of the institution, » » the delivery mix that would be most appropriate, and » » the infrastructure in place or needed to implement the core strategy.

The Core Strategy Assumptions: Demography is destiny/FHSU will have diminished public purpose and support at the federal and state level Assumptions: Demography is destiny/FHSU will have diminished public purpose and support at the federal and state level The Response? Drive survival, growth, access, and affordability by making use of technology to become a “Mission-Driven, Market-Smart and Politically- Savvy” forward-thinking AASCU “Institution of the Future” (in other words, become market-smart to remain mission-driven) The Response? Drive survival, growth, access, and affordability by making use of technology to become a “Mission-Driven, Market-Smart and Politically- Savvy” forward-thinking AASCU “Institution of the Future” (in other words, become market-smart to remain mission-driven) By using distance education to attract students beyond the traditional FHSU service area (domestic and globally), FHSU retains the ability to offer and expand high quality and more diverse learning experiences for central/western Kansas citizens. In this particular case, distance education becomes a market-smart strategic asset for revenue generation and quality improvement By using distance education to attract students beyond the traditional FHSU service area (domestic and globally), FHSU retains the ability to offer and expand high quality and more diverse learning experiences for central/western Kansas citizens. In this particular case, distance education becomes a market-smart strategic asset for revenue generation and quality improvement But in an era when states are asking more in terms of access, affordability and accountability AND providing less resources, distance learning becomes even more crucial as an institutional asset to accomplish other objectives. What sort of objectives? But in an era when states are asking more in terms of access, affordability and accountability AND providing less resources, distance learning becomes even more crucial as an institutional asset to accomplish other objectives. What sort of objectives?

The Core Strategy By leveraging distance learning as a theme within FHSU’s larger institutional strategic planning initiative, additional value is created by using this asset not just as a delivery tool for coursework and programs, but to help address other 21 st century institutional/educational challenges including: retention, persistence, degree completion, internationalization, academic technology strategy, the evolution of collaborative learning, experimentation with open educational resources and the dissemination of other forms of intellectual capital (e.g. research findings) to a “glocal” audience. By leveraging distance learning as a theme within FHSU’s larger institutional strategic planning initiative, additional value is created by using this asset not just as a delivery tool for coursework and programs, but to help address other 21 st century institutional/educational challenges including: retention, persistence, degree completion, internationalization, academic technology strategy, the evolution of collaborative learning, experimentation with open educational resources and the dissemination of other forms of intellectual capital (e.g. research findings) to a “glocal” audience. FHSU’s “core strategy” is to use distance education as an “institutional asset” to attack a wide variety of problems and aspirations. Simply put, distance education for FHSU has become a carefully orchestrated micro-strategy within the larger institutional strategic planning process. The university remains traditional in many ways (primarily in the on-campus environment), but the micro-strategy drives innovation, disrupts competition, lowers costs, raises quality, helps serve more students and allows FHSU to genetically re-engineer its DNA to help meet the needs of the Regents’ System and beyond (e.g. degree completion for adult learners). FHSU’s “core strategy” is to use distance education as an “institutional asset” to attack a wide variety of problems and aspirations. Simply put, distance education for FHSU has become a carefully orchestrated micro-strategy within the larger institutional strategic planning process. The university remains traditional in many ways (primarily in the on-campus environment), but the micro-strategy drives innovation, disrupts competition, lowers costs, raises quality, helps serve more students and allows FHSU to genetically re-engineer its DNA to help meet the needs of the Regents’ System and beyond (e.g. degree completion for adult learners).

About the Virtual College The VC operates beyond demography and geography. Offices located in Hays, Dodge City, Garden City, and Denver to offer diverse programming: The VC operates beyond demography and geography. Offices located in Hays, Dodge City, Garden City, and Denver to offer diverse programming: Degree Content Area Audience(s) AssociatesAGS and AAS in variety of areasDomestic and Military Bachelors27 degrees through all four collegesCommunity College, Corporate, Domestic, International, Military Masters13 degrees through all four collegesCorporate, Domestic, International, Military CertificatesOver 17 offered through all four colleges Corporate, Domestic

About the Virtual College Virtual College students have access to over 800 course sections from all four colleges with a growing demand from Kansas citizens Virtual College students have access to over 800 course sections from all four colleges with a growing demand from Kansas citizens 11% Fall vs Fall 11% Fall vs Fall

About the Virtual College Tuition for VC coursework: Tuition for VC coursework: – $ undergraduate – $ graduate; $400 MBA

About the Virtual College Profile of the Typical Adult Student Profile of the Typical Adult Student Average age 34 Average age 34 62% female; 38% male 62% female; 38% male 6.8 SCH per semester 6.8 SCH per semester Student Services Source Advising (New innovation: SEAC)FHSU TutoringSmarthinking.com Career ServicesFHSU Student OrganizationsSORC; SGA; Honors Society Financial Assistance ProcessingFHSU

About the Virtual College Top SCH earning domestic partner is the military (Army) Top SCH earning domestic partner is the military (Army) – Soldiers and dependents add to diversity of courses and FHSU adds opportunities for course completion Top outside states Top outside states – Colorado – California – Texas – Missouri – Nebraska – Florida

United States

Kansas

Recognition/ Awards #2 overall ranking by U.S. News & World Report for public institutions offering online learning #2 overall ranking by U.S. News & World Report for public institutions offering online learning G.I. Jobs and KMI Military Friendly Award G.I. Jobs and KMI Military Friendly Award Sloan-C Campus Wide Online Programs Award 2008 Sloan-C Campus Wide Online Programs Award Get Educated Program Best Buys Get Educated Program Best Buys Business #1; Graduate #2 Business #1; Graduate #2 Justice Studies #2 Justice Studies #2 Computer Science & IT #2 Computer Science & IT #2

DE Plan Goals: Duty to Dream/Commitment to Growth Grow to 12,500 by 2020 – Reach 5,000 by FY 2013 – Rethink marketing strategies – Develop improved transfer and articulation agreements for in-state students

GIS Campaign

DE Plan Goals: Foresight 2020 #3 Student Engagement and Advising Center – Deploy structure for center – Deploy website – Create student and implement relationship management system

SEAC Structure Student Engagement and Advising Center – Deploy structure for center – Deploy website – Create student

SEAC Targets for Improvement Student Engagement and Advising Center – Deploy structure for center – Deploy website – Create student

DE Plan Goals: Foresight 2020 #2 Revision of VC Policies and Procedures – Review of current policy – Create marketing and communication strategies to educate faculty, students and staff about new policies and procedures

DE Plan Goals: Foresight 2020 #2 New Support for Adjunct Faculty – Research “best practices” – Centralize and expand support by developing a new Adjunct Support and Engagement Program

DE Plan Goal: VC Core Values Statement Evaluation and Re-Setting of VC Salary Schedules (To enhance quality of instruction through continuous employment and loyalty) -Peer Analysis of Salaries -Phased Deployment of Salary Adjustment -Align Course Development Stipends with National Benchmarks

DE Plan Goals: Foresight 2020 #2 and #3 Serve More Kansas Adult Learners – Enhance degree completion initiative (continued deployment of Complete College Kansas and position FHSU to be the degree completers “Institution of Choice”) – Increase online enrollment and engagement of Hispanic students – Improve persistence rates

Complete College Kansas Initial SEAC Tactics Initial SEAC Tactics Post Card campaign Post Card campaign – Over 175 stop-out students and $500,000 AGS program for degree completion AGS program for degree completion – 36 stop-outs within 12 hours – 6 applied for AGS – 7 other met with advisor GIS target advertising GIS target advertising

Select Trends and Developments In 2018, 62% of all jobs will require a college education In 2018, 62% of all jobs will require a college education Time to degree will become more important Time to degree will become more important Open educational resources will reduce costs Open educational resources will reduce costs Blended learning will rule Blended learning will rule Competency-based assessment will grow Competency-based assessment will grow Skill set certificates and certifications in Skill set certificates and certifications in demand demand Personalized pathways to learning increase Personalized pathways to learning increase Degree-completion becomes essential for Degree-completion becomes essential for public purpose and personal advancement public purpose and personal advancement BOTTOM LINE: Distance education will play a role in each of these trends and developments