Report by Diana Guerin, CSUF, ASCSU Chair, August 2012:
There is a Cal State Online Board meeting today, and following the meeting is a small celebration recognizing the selection of Pearson (CSU Announces Partnership with Pearson eCollege on Cal State Online Initiative:Release ). I will work with Senators Benavides and Ullman (three ASCSU reps on CSO Board) to get a report on the meeting to you. I have asked that a communication updating students and faculty be prepared as soon as possible.
In addition to the story I forwarded to you from Inside Higher Ed earlier this morning, I bring your attention to the following recently posted videos. Get your bowl of popcorn and take a moment to view them.
This five minute video (Chancellor Reed):
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a_URmZ6pInA
Shorter videos include:
Our own Senator Otto Benavides:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=r0gYIuuW4UA
EVC Ephraim Smith:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fLf_cGDz-TY
Provost Hellenbrand:
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=375tQUKUats
Ann Morey, CSUN Career Center
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pcRUNzrhexM
In looking over the documentation from the CSO website (www.calstateonline.net), it appears that many of our concerns (resolutions below) have been addressed (see CSU Program Frames). I will be asking for more information about the net cost to students (tuition + financial aid).
Cal State Online Programs
We will shortly learn which of our campuses/programs will be involved in CSO. Please be thinking about what else we need to learn about CSO.
Our recent work on CSO/online (please "reply all" if I've missed any and paste in the link):
Endorsement of the January 2012 Online Education White Paper AS-3059-12/EX (Rev)
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2011-2012/3059.shtml
ATTACHMENT TO AS-3059-12/EX (Rev)
Reasserting Faculty Control of Curricula Regardless of
Delivery Mode AS-3081-12/FA/AA
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2011-2012/3081.shtml
Opposing the Western Governors University Model for
Online Education AS-3069-12/AA (Rev)
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2011-2012/3069.shtml
Early Faculty Involvement in California State University
(CSU) Initiatives AS-3051-11/FA (Rev)
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2011-2012/3051.shtml
The Faculty Role and Campus Participation in the California State
University (CSU) Online Initiative AS-3050-11/EX
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2011-2012/3050.shtml
From 2010, (Related to online, but not CSO directly):
Creation of a Task force for Developing System Policies Regarding On-line Degree Programs AS-2989-10/AA (Rev)
http://www.calstate.edu/acadsen/Records/Resolutions/2010-2011/2989.shtml
In April, the ASCSU position on CSO was characterized as:
"The Statewide Academic Senate acknowledges that online education has value and a place in the CSU but has passed a resolution generally opposing the initiative"
(Slide 10: http://www.calstateonline.net/documents/CSUOnlineOvervwApril2012.pdf , but see all slides)
Our members on the Cal State Online Board (Postma, Benevides, Ullman) and our resolutions have helped to frame the direction of CSO. By way of this message, I am asking that our standing committee chairs (and senators) review our resolutions and the documentation regarding CSO and determine if additional resolutions are in order based on their committee functions. I will be inviting the Board today to give the ASCSU an update at our September meeting. The campus senate chairs have such a meeting on their December agenda. CSO is moving forward, and it should continue be on our agendas this year with the goal of promoting academic excellence.