1. Coordinators’ Meeting March 29, 2004
Collaborative Distance Learning Degrees & Certificates as Statewide Strategy
Coordinators’ Meeting
March 29, 2004

2. Current situation
Student demand for online degree and certificate programs is big and getting bigger.
Students find the distance learning degree programs they want and enroll in them, irrespective of geography.
With increasing student options, colleges are placed in competitive position.

3. Alternative: Collaboration as a deliberate strategy
Home (local) colleges—
Serve actively and selectively as gateways to other colleges’ distance learning programs not locally offered (formal articulation agreements)
Register students for core-courses and some electives
Deliver support services throughout program
Degree-granting colleges—
Register students for degree-specific courses
Award degrees after transfer of all courses

4. Benefits For home colleges without student- desired programs
Students served who would otherwise be missed
Contact-hour funding preserved by enrolling students in degree-required courses—up to 75% of credit hours
Have access to low-enrollment degree programs without incurring start-up and operating costs
Students retained in local community as they prepare for local jobs, avoiding risk of their leaving and not returning

5. Benefits For students For Texas overall
Access to more degree and certificate programs that meet their needs without leaving the community
Access to locally delivered support services, throughout entire program if appropriate
Convenience
For Texas overall
Increased ROI on state’s heavy investment in established distance learning infrastructure
Supports Closing the Gaps

6. Benefits For degree-granting colleges
Increased enrollments in low-enrollment programs
Full capacity of degree/certificate programs realized
Students served throughout the state
For both local and degree-granting colleges
Appeal to funding sources
State funding for program development
Other funding agencies for similar collaborative initiatives

7. Why timing is right Legislative interest and support
Coordinating Board interest and support
TACC interest and support
Proven facilitative capabilities of VCT
Community College Strategic Planning software
Opportunity to be a statewide, even national, model of higher education collaboration
Federal government’s increased interest in CC’s role in workforce development

8. Precedents for collaborative strategies
Students start at a college not awarding desired degree & finish at one that does
Precedents (interactive video):
Vernon-TSTC Sweetwater: Nursing ’98-present
Amarillo-Vernon: Physical Therapy (’99-’00)
Tyler-Paris: Emergency Medical Services (late ’90’s)
Central Tex.-Temple: Child Care (late ’90’s)
MCC-Temple: Radiological Technology (’01-present)

9. Precedents for collaborative strategies
Multiple colleges collaborate in development and delivery of degree-specific courses, each offering part of curriculum.
UT/Austin-Tx A&M: Agriculture Ed. (Ph.D.)
Each offers courses
Both names on diploma
UT Telecampus: Educational Technology (M.Ed.)
Multiple branches authorized to offer degree
Courses offered by all
Degree granted by one
No two-year college precedents found

10. Precedents for collaborative strategies
Multiple colleges collaborate in development of a program’s courses.
Each college may use the courses in its own individually offered program.
ACC, Tyler, Del Mar, St. Philips: Medical Lab Technician

11. Concept Paper’s Degree-sharing Models
One provider
Dual providers
Multiple providers
One provider, onsite program

12. Elements common to all models
Home (local) and degree-granting colleges sign MOU that serves as articulation agreement.
Home college
Provides core courses, perhaps some electives
Delivers support services throughout program
Degree-granting college provides degree-specific courses and awards degree
VCT supports as appropriate