Minutes of the Academic Policies Committee
for November 6, 2009

Meeting was called to order at 12:05 p.m.

Present:  Laura Gellott, Carmel Ruffolo, Joy Wolf, Gail Gonzalez, Stuart Hansen, Susan Hawkins-Wilding, Ron Otto. 

Excused:  Dennis Rome, Rhonda Kimmel. 

Absent: Erin McDermott.  

Guests:  Megan Mullen, James Robinson. 

1.  The Minutes of October 30, 2009 were approved.
   
   
2.  Megan and Mullen and James Robinson discussed various UW System initiatives re: distance education, and their role with a newly-appointed task force studying distance ed related issues at UW-Parkside.

James began by laying out three UW System initiatives:

a. The attempt to create a System on-line portal for distance ed courses.  The UW wants to create a “brand” to compete with other systems and institutions that are already doing this.  This initiative was the subject of a meeting both Megan and Jim attended at Stevens Point on August 11 and 12, 2009.  This initiative is still in the planning stage, and a steering committee is grappling with a bullet point list two pages long of discussion items and problems.

James opined that there is both an up and a down side for UWP as a result of this initiative: 

The down side is that we could lose enrollments to other UW campuses that are farther ahead than we are (we have fewer on-line courses than do other campuses); the up side is that it would provide options for students for courses that would not draw enough enrollment to be offered here in conventional format and UW-Parkside can potentially benefit from the experiences of other UW-System institutions’ experiences rather than “invent the wheel” with respect to many aspects of the online domain. 

b. The on-line task force here at UWP.  Jim restated that UWP is in last place in System with on-line courses.  Some positive things are happening, notably the sustainable management on-line major, which has maxed out enrollments   (This is a joint venture with UW--Parkside, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout and UW-Superior.)

c. A K-12 Initiative through the CCP.  We are currently losing teachers who want to learn to teach on-line because we don’t have enough courses here.  A pilot program to offer how-to on-line instruction is shaping up.

Megan Mullen then addressed a range of quality control and regulation/requirement issues that need to be addressed regarding distance education/on-line courses, including registrar area concerns, definitions, coding of classes, etc.

The members of APC again discussed the critical role of advising in steering students towards – or away from – on-line courses.

      3.  The resolution on supporting the recommendations of the Committee on Advising  was tabled until the next meeting.

Meeting adjourned at 12:48 p.m.

Submitted by:  Laura Gellott