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February 21, 2008
Kansas State University: Live Webcast on the Strategic Case for Online Learning to Be Offered at K-State
Kansas State University's Provost's Office, Division of Continuing Education, College of Agriculture and College of Human Ecology will sponsor the live webcast, "The Strategic Case for Online Learning: Access, Engagement and Success." The webcast will be 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 27, in 137 Waters Hall. Peter McPherson, president of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, will discuss the growth of distance education in higher education. Short video case studies will focus on creating student access, reaching students regardless of location, increasing the speed to degree completion, academic continuity in disasters, increasing diversity, growing continuing education and professional education, developing strategic partnerships, financial/cost models, and increasing student retention and success. The case studies and additional materials will be made available following the conference to all participants for their use in planning, administrative decision-making and faculty development. The Southern Regional Education Board, Colorado State University, Purdue University, Pennsylvania State University and Washington State University assisted in developing the case studies. Speakers who will be live and available for interaction include: Frank Mayadas, program director of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation; Jack Wilson, president of the University of Massachusetts and chair of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges' Sloan Commission on Online Learning; Melvin Johnson, president of Tennessee State University and a member of the Sloan Commission on Online Learning; and Sam Smith, president emeritus of Washington State University and consultant to the Sloan Commission on Online Learning. Additional speakers will cover the use of distance education/online learning as a strategic asset and include J.B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska and a member of the Sloan Commission on Online Learning; Graham Spanier, president of Pennsylvania State University; Elson Floyd, president of Washington State University; and Edward Ray, president of Oregon State University. The webcast also will provide the opportunity for e-mail, voice and fax questions and comments. No registration is required to attend. Participants are invited to bring their lunch; coffee, tea and brownies will be provided. The webcast is produced by the American Distance Education Consortium in cooperation with National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges and the Sloan Consortium, and was made possible through a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Source: Kansas State University

February 26, 2008
Colorado Technical University Earns High Honors From the Council of College and Military Educators
Colorado Technical University (CTU) was recently awarded the prestigious 2007 Institution Award by the Council of College and Military Educators. The honor, awarded for an institution's "dedication, leadership and numerous accomplishments in providing quality voluntary off-duty education programs" to the military, is highly respected in military circles. Greg Mitchell, president of CTU Colorado Springs, received the award on behalf of Colorado Technical University at the CCME symposium held last week in San Francisco. The CCME award recognizes an institution for its significant contributions to the cause of military education. At last year's CCME conference, Bob Bothel, Director of Voluntary Education for the US Coast Guard, asked, "All of you say you are 'military friendly'. Is that the truth, or is it simply a marketing ploy?" CTU's Mitchell noted that this year's award "brought full circle the challenge made last year by Bothel and it inspired us to continue in our commitment to military education. There is still more that can be done, of course. We just hope the privilege of winning this award will challenge other schools to do more in their support and in their programs as well." Dr. Wallace Pond, Chancellor of CTU Online - the university's Web-based virtual campus who, along with Mitchell, accepted the award said, "It is rewarding to have our efforts acknowledged with this honor. At CTU, we committed to becoming THE provider of choice to military students and we've aligned the university with the very special needs of highly mobile military personnel. This CCME award validates that we are moving in the right direction and that we have become a truly military-friendly institution." This prestigious award follows on the heels of other honors recently bestowed on the university for its support for American service men, women and their families. In 2007, CTU placed among the top 10 institutions in the Military Advanced Education Top 30 Colleges. MAE's Top Colleges honor is awarded to the most military-friendly universities in the United States.
Source: Colorado Technical University

February 25, 2008
University of Tennessee College of Social Work Offers Distance Education for Master's Degree
Earning a master of science in social work (MSSW) is about to get easier at the University of Tennessee. The College of Social Work is expanding its MSSW program, which already is offered at campuses in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. Beginning this summer the College of Social Work will offer two distance-education programs for students pursuing an MSSW. Most of the classes will be taught online and administered through UT's Department of Distance Education and Independent Study. The classes are designed for students who live more than 25 miles from Knoxville, Nashville or Memphis or whose schedules do not allow for regular classes. "Our goal is to make the MSSW program more accessible to students who live in the more rural areas of the state and who would not otherwise be able to receive their degree because of geographic barriers," said Sherry Cummings, associate dean of the College of Social Work. "The new distance education program also will help those students who need a flexible schedule due to work or family demands." There are two distance education programs: o Distance Education Extended Study Program - beginning August 2008. The DE Extended Study Program is a part-time program in which students take six credit hours per semester and complete the MSSW degree requirements (60 credit hours) in four years. DE Extended Study students begin coursework in the fall term of admission. Applications will be accepted from now until July. o Distance Education Advanced Standing Program - beginning June 2008. The DE Advanced Standing program is a part-time program in which students take six credits hours per semester and complete the MSSW degree requirements (36 credit hours) in two years. Applicants to this program must have a BSW from a school of social work accredited by the Council on Social Work Education and a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 to be considered for the DE Advanced Standing Program. DE Advanced Standing students begin classes in the summer term of admission. Applications will be accepted from now until May. The MSSW program of the UT College of Social Work is fully accredited by the Council on Social Work Education. While most classes are taught online, students should expect to attend a few sessions in person on Saturdays for some classes. Internships will be arranged at locations within a reasonable driving distance from the students' homes. Kate McClernon Chaffin, distance education coordinator, will give three presentations about the program for people who want to learn more about it: o 4 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 26, University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Hunter Hall, Room 209; o Noon, Thursday, Feb. 28, University of Tennessee, Martin, Boling University Center, Room 229; and o 11 a.m., Thursday, March 13, Tennessee Tech University, Matthews-Daniel Hall, Room 204.
Source: University of Tennessee at Knoxville

February 20, 2008
Kansas State University Makes Military Advanced Education's List of Top Colleges and Universities for Military Students
With Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth so close, it's no surprise that Kansas State University is being recognized for going the extra mile to provide military student education. The most recent issue of Military Advanced Education magazine, released at the end of 2007, recognizes K-State as one of the top 30 colleges or universities in the nation for military students. The magazine's first review of top colleges and universities for service members recognizes institutions that make significant contributions to military education and serve the needs of military students. "Serving military students has been embedded into our institutional ethos and has been a significant part of our history since 1863," said Arthur DeGroat, K-State director of military affairs. K-State has provided educational opportunities specifically to the military and their families by working on post at Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth, on the Manhattan campus, through K-State at Salina, through 2+2 agreements with community colleges, and through distance education. "I applaud the commitment, dedication and service our university team has put forward to serve our nation's military students," DeGroat said. "Being recognized by the Military Advanced Education organization as a top institution serving our military is a well deserved and honorable distinction for Kansas State University." In addition to providing a variety of degree and certificate programs for military members, K-State offers Servicemember Opportunity Colleges for the Army agreements for military students, which make it possible for them to complete 15 credit hours with K-State and earn the rest of an associate degree, or complete 30 credit hours and earn the rest of a bachelor's degree from anywhere in the world. K-State offers online as well as face-to-face degree and certificate programs, including masters and Ph.D. securities programs with Fort Leavenworth. The university also is continually working to develop more educational options for military students. "Today we may be facing the greatest challenge to meet our military students' needs and desires, and this distinction in Military Advanced Education indicates that we are meeting and rising to new heights towards this challenge," DeGroat said.
Source: Kansas State University

February 20, 2008
Fort Hays State University: Enrollment Continues to Climb
Today's release of the official 20th-day headcount for the spring 2008 semester continues Fort Hays State University's pattern of extraordinary growth that began with the 2002-2003 academic year. The Kansas Board of Regents mandates that its six universities report their 20th-day headcounts each spring and fall semester to provide a standard basis for comparison. The 20th day for FHSU was Feb. 13, but classes do not start on the same day at all the universities, so the headcounts were not released until today, after the last of the six universities had reached its 20th day. As of the 20th day, enrollment for the spring 2008 semester at FHSU climbed by 5.7 percent compared to the 20th day of the spring 2007 semester, with a count of 8,011 students compared to 7,579 a year ago. The enrollment for spring 2008 is an increase of 432 students from last year. Enrollment at FHSU includes two categories of students -- on-campus students and Virtual College students. The 20th-day headcount tends to be misleading at FHSU because enrollments continue throughout the semester in the Virtual College, which delivers classes at a distance through the Internet, Internet Protocol Television and other mediums. For example, FHSU's 20th-day enrollment for fall 2007 was 9,588, but enrollment had grown to a final count of 9,824 by the end of the semester. The Virtual College enrollment for spring 2008 is 4,056 compared to 3,408 a year ago, an increase of 648 students, or 19.0 percent. The on-campus enrollment for spring 2008, however, shows a decline of 216 students, or 5.2 percent, from 4,171 a year ago to 3,955 this spring. "We analyzed the data to understand what caused the decline, and the explanation seems clear," said Dr. Edward H. Hammond, FHSU president. "The Virtual College growth directly impacts on-campus enrollment. For example, we had 630 residents of Ellis County who enrolled in only Virtual College classes during one or more of the spring, fall and summer terms of the last full fiscal year, 2007. Until recently, those students would have driven to campus to attend classes, but the convenience of using the Internet has attracted them to the Virtual College." He said the Virtual College option is a boon to the local economy, with its unemployment rate of only 2.7 percent. "Ellis County businesses are desperate for workers, and the virtual choice allows people to work full time and still attend college," the president said. "In addition, 25 percent of our on-campus students take at least one Virtual College class, so it also gives them greater flexibility to be part of the workforce either on campus or in the community." President Hammond said the positive economic impact also is felt in neighboring counties, where people who traditionally would have driven to the Hays campus for classes now stay home to take Virtual College classes and have more time available for their jobs. The president pointed out that because of their proximity to campus, Virtual College students who reside in Ellis and adjoining counties are different from most Virtual College students. "Many of them use university facilities, such as the library, meet face to face with instructors, attend campus events, and participate in activities," he said. "This does not diminish our determination to increase on-campus enrollment, but it does put this sudden drop into perspective." He also noted that while the 20th-day headcount shows 4,056 Virtual College students compared to 3,955 on-campus students, the bulk of the university's educational efforts still take place in the traditional classroom. That's because while there are more Virtual College students, they take fewer hours of classes than on-campus students. As of the 20th day, on-campus students were enrolled in 45,220 hours of credit, compared to 31,218 hours for Virtual College students. "Our growth has been phenomenal," the president said. "The most recent data from the Kansas Board of Regents shows that FHSU's headcount enrollment from fall 2001 to fall 2006 grew 62.1 percent, and the next highest growth during that period was Emporia State University at only 11.2 percent." The president was emphatic that FHSU would not rest on its laurels. "In our 'Dare to Dream' planning for the year 2020, we place equal importance on both on-campus and Virtual College enrollment, with a goal of 7,500 for each. We are in the second year of a campaign to raise awareness of FHSU in the state's turnpike corridor, our efforts to attract more students from Nebraska and Colorado are beginning to pay off, and we are gearing up for recruiting efforts in the U.S. Southwest."
Source: Fort Hays State University, Kansas

February 19, 2008
Washington State University: Formal Launch of eXtension Feb 21
eXtension, a national Web resource that brings the knowledge and resources of the nation's land-grant universities to one site, will be formally launched Feb 21 as part of the 2008 Agricultural Outlook Forum in Washington, D.C. Secretary of Agriculture Ed Shafer is scheduled to "cut the ribbon" during a ceremony, scheduled for noon Pacific Standard Time. eXtension provides space where content providers from across the nation's Extension system can join together to produce new information and educational resources on a wide range of topics. "Users will be able to tap into the knowledge and expertise of 75 Extension organizations across the country 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to get credible, research-based answers to questions they have and dynamic learning modules," said Linda Kirk Fox, associate vice president and dean of WSU Extension. The site features customized answers to meet specific needs; a searchable knowledge base and "Ask the Experts" options; contact with more than 3,000 local county extension offices across the nation; as well as community building features, including blogs, online chats, content evaluation, rating an more.
Source: Washington State University

February 13, 2008
DeVry University Offers Two New Technology Majors at Sacramento Area Location
Continuing its legacy and unmatched reputation in providing college students with degrees in highly-specialized and competitive fields, DeVry University has begun offering two new majors through its Sacramento area location in Elk Grove: Biomedical Engineering Technology and Computer Engineering Technology. With the increased aging population, focus on health issues, and need for more sophisticated medical equipment, biomedical engineers are in widespread demand. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the biomedical engineering field is expected to increase at about 26 percent per year through 2012 - double the rate for all other jobs combined. DeVry University's Biomedical Engineering Technology (BMET) bachelor's degree program is a hands-on, comprehensive program that can be completed in just three years with flexible onsite and online course offerings. With a well-rounded curriculum, DeVry University BMET program graduates can expect to apply their knowledge to any number of career positions, including jobs at hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, medical laboratories, universities, and even research institutions to analyze and solve biological and medical technology problems. For the year ending with the June 2007 graduates, 83 percent of U.S. DeVry Biomedical Engineering Technology graduates in the active job market held positions in their chosen field within six months of graduation earning an average entry-level salary of over $43,000. "DeVry University continually strives to meet the ever-evolving demands of the technology industry," said DeVry University Sacramento Center Dean Marcela Iglesias. "Sacramento area employers have indicated a strong demand for engineering talent in the biomedical and computer technology fields. Based on our success with these programs in other markets, DeVry looks forward to becoming a valued education partner with local companies seeking biomedical and computer engineering talent." In addition, DeVry University Sacramento now offers a Computer Engineering Technology (CET) bachelor's degree program that can also be completed in three years. The consumer electronics industry, driven by handheld gizmos such as Apple's iPhone and video game consoles like the Microsoft XBOX 360 and Nintendo Wii demonstrate the competitive edge required for success in today's technology fields and the accompanying demand generated for engineering talent to provide new, avant-garde and groundbreaking ideas. With courses addressing software design and implementation, DeVry University's CET bachelor's degree program provides students with skill sets to create code and protocols, test and evaluate hardware and software, and diagnose and solve computer problems. CET program graduates can expect to pursue careers in a variety of fields including business, communications, consumer products, manufacturing, medical, research and even security. For the year ending with the June 2007 graduates, 90 percent of U.S. DeVry Computer Engineering Technology graduates in the active job market held positions in their chosen field within six months of graduation earning an average entry-level salary of over $41,000. DeVry University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA). Both the BMET and CET bachelor's degree programs encompass a minimum of 139 credit hours, including general education a coursework in addition to the core technology curricula of each program.
Source: DeVry University

February 8, 2008
Southern New Hampshire University Wins 'Best of Business' Awards
Southern New Hampshire University's School of Business and SNHU Online were recognized as "Best of Business Award" winners in the Best M.B.A. Program and Best Online Degree Program categories by the New Hampshire Business Review. The Best of Business Awards are an NHBR awards program that singles out the best companies in over 60 New Hampshire business-to-business categories and are chosen by its readers. "Both categories are extremely competitive and the awards further validate that our entire SNHU Community creates an exceptional experience from the moment students engage the university through graduation," said SNHU President Paul LeBlanc. "These awards are particularly impressive because voters must go to NHBR.com to write-in their selections - they do not have choices to select from." NHBR will officially announce the award winners in its March 14 edition.
Source: Southern New Hampshire University

February 5, 2008
American InterContinental University Online Launches AIU Mobile
American InterContinental University Online (AIU Online), the web-based campus of American InterContinental University, has just announced the launch of AIU Mobile - an easy-to-use mobile education delivery channel that truly defines the word "portability." AIU Mobile delivers many of the same elements that are found at AIU Online's highly-successful Virtual Campus - the gateway through which AIU Online students attend classes, interact with faculty, and meet classmates via their computers. AIU Mobile allows students to access online educational programs and support via web-enabled cell phones and other wireless devices. AIU Mobile brings the classroom directly to mobile phones and other PDAs and personalizes the education experience to an even greater degree. It works with most cell phones, and is at its most exciting when paired with Apple's stunning iPhone and iPod touch devices. Mobile learning has generated a lot of interest in online education circles for some time but the latest iteration of cell phones and other mobile devices has allowed AIU Online to take its mobile platform to the next level. AIU Mobile includes two important capabilities - a live access technology that allows students to access school information such as class assignments, instructor directories, campus email, and grades, as well as a video technology that makes it easy to download and view video courseware and podcasts. Combined, the features finally deliver on the concept of a truly portable university. AIU Mobile-equipped students will now be able to conveniently access AIU Online's successful Virtual Campus while away from their personal computers. Anyone who's seen a flashy iPhone commercial on television knows that this is very cool stuff. The new online learning technology, combined with a device like the iPhone or the next-gen phones being launched by many other manufacturers - all loaded with panache - is all about portable learning, and it's all about style. According to Dr. Alan Drimmer, president of AIU Online, "This technology radically changes the idea of a classroom by extending a student's connection to the learning environment. Frankly, the whole idea of online education is portability and accessibility, and what could possibly be more portable and more accessible than a cell phone? AIU Mobile is an important complement to the Virtual Classroom, helping students stay connected to the University community and providing opportunities for academic reinforcements. At its core, AIU Mobile provides our students with a way to utilize what might otherwise be down time - sitting on a bus or waiting in line, for example." Drimmer goes on to say, "AIU's Virtual Campus has, in many ways, already revolutionized the online classroom. Our VC is not just a place to find and submit assignments, but so much more. Using the VC, students interact with faculty and with each other, download podcasts of lectures, access support services, locate their grades, and so on. AIU Mobile is really just an extension of that already-wonderful technology."
Source: American InterContinental University Online, Illinois

February 5, 2008
IU partners With Google and Microsoft to Expand Student and Alumni E-mail Options
Indiana University has partnered with Google and Microsoft to deliver enhanced e-mail and collaboration services to all IU students and alumni on all IU campuses. The partnership allows IU students and alumni to access these popular commercial services while still maintaining their traditional IU e-mail addresses. Students who use these services now will be able to continue receiving mail at their IU e-mail addresses (e.g.: jdoe@iupui.edu or jdoe@iusb.edu) long into the future. "With this decision UITS begins a new model of delivering IT services, in which the best offerings in the marketplace are blended into a suite of complementary services -- open-sourced, in-sourced and proprietary -- in order to offer the breadth and depth that meet the needs of IU students," said Laurie G. Antolovic', IU deputy CIO and finance officer. IU faculty and students served on a team that evaluated these products over the summer. "The companies were very cooperative and presented impressive products," sophomore Brian Davis, an IU Student Association representative on the project, said. "Throughout the process, both partners provided information to help show how their products would fit well with IU student needs." In addition to e-mail, both services provide a diverse set of features including calendaring, instant messaging, document and spreadsheet applications, and more. They also provide large storage allocations for e-mail and documents. "The initial feature set is rich, and the future integration potential is quite promising," noted Dennis Cromwell, IU associate vice president for enterprise infrastructure. "Students will continue to create and manage their accounts using IU's Account Management Service, and we will look to integrate e-mail and other services within the OneStart portal and Oncourse course management system," Cromwell said. Additionally IU will continue to uphold current policies relating to student privacy. In accessing or granting access to an account, Google, Microsoft and Indiana University personnel will comply with all applicable laws and policies. Information outlining when a user's stored data may be accessed, who may access it, and what permissions are necessary before that access takes place are available in Indiana University's Information Technology Privacy Policy. Tom Martz, president and CEO of the Indiana University Alumni Association, praised the new services. "Our alumni want to stay connected with their alma mater and their university friends," he said. "A lifetime IU identity supports a lifetime of engagement between the university and its alumni," said Martz. The rollout of the services will begin this semester.
Source: Indiana University

February 4, 2008
Indiana University Launches Podcast.iu.edu
Podcast.iu.edu, an online gateway for audio and video podcasts from IU faculty and staff and various departments and groups from all of IU's campuses, will be launched publicly on Feb. 4. The user-friendly podcast portal will pull together a variety of contributed content, including lectures, music, radio broadcasts, performances and student profiles, on one convenient home page. The podcast portal at podcast.iu.edu provides audiences with a simple, manageable way to stay up-to-date on the IU community and to absorb cultural and informational resources from IU campuses across the state. Contributors include public radio stations, world-class musicians from the Jacobs School of Music, IU professors of business and medicine, and information technology experts. "While the value of podcasting is self-evident, the ongoing costs of doing it well are hidden," said Brad Wheeler, IU vice president for information technology and chief information officer. "University Information Technology Services is pleased that podcast.iu.edu provides a common service for the entire Indiana University community to make creative uses of this medium. From lectures to music to press events and more, podcast.iu.edu is the place to connect to IU." Martin J. Wagner of UITS was project leader for creating the podcast portal. Other contributors came from programming experts in UITS, and the Office of Creative Services Web design team. University Marketing is responsible for promotion and content acquisition. As the sheer number of podcasts on the Web increases, podcast.iu.edu will allow audiences to find IU-related media and content in one place. With a clean, modern interface, visitors can search podcast.iu.edu by topics and categories, as well as by keyword tags. For users who are new to podcasting, podcast.iu.edu also includes the help, descriptions and definitions needed to get started. "With podcast.iu.edu, IU can widely distribute the invaluable output from IU cultural and informational resources," said Lisa Townsend, executive director for university marketing at IU Bloomington. "Today's technology allows IU to advance educational goals, and to share the efforts of IU faculty and staff with our extended IU family, and with audiences throughout Indiana and across the world." The listings on podcast.iu.edu will continue to grow as providers create new content, and as additional members of the IU community contribute their knowledge and expertise. Among the 39 currently listed podcasts and more than 400 episodes on podcast.iu.edu, podcast listeners and viewers will hear from the likes of museum curators, doctors, geographers and distinguished alumni. "Our audiences want podcasts and other media that are well-organized and accessible," said Elizabeth Van Gordon, IU director of learning technology operations and chief information officer at IU Northwest. "Podcast.iu.edu uses the latest online tools to ensure that users will find the podcasts that they want quickly and easily."
Source: Indiana University