Policy for Delivering Degree Programs through Distance Education Technology.

Overview & Synopsis

This Commission for Higher Education document concerns the approval of the Policy for Delivering Degree Programs Through Distance Education Technology. It opens with the staff recommendation that the Commission approve the Policy, considering the recent technological developments altering distance education environments. The background information section details how both "producers" and "consumers" of instruction are affected by these changes. Campuses are now in positions to offer quality distance education in a cost-effective manner, and a growing number of institutions are providing such services. Students are, in turn, increasingly utilizing distance education because of its improved flexibility and wider range of instructional offerings. The policy in consideration aims to encourage institutions to increase degree opportunities through distance education by streamlining the review process, while at the same time fulfilling the Commission's statutory responsibilities. Included in the document are a copy of the Policy and Guidelines for Distance Education taken from the North Central Association Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. (YKH)