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[temp__moniker]

Regular poster here using a "temporary moniker."

I work at a mid-sized, private university that offers a regular Liberal Arts undergraduate degree, and Master's degrees in several fields, a handful of which are offered online.  There seems to be considerable interest among administrators in creating a fully on-line undergraduate degree for distance learners.

I would be very grateful to have information and feedback about the following:

(1) Examples of other universities that have successfully added an online undergraduate degree program (or ones that have not been so successful)

(2) Any articles about the process of adapting a conventional university to such online degree offerings.

Yes, there is a committee on this campus that will be tasked to investigate this whole prospect, but I figure all of you will likely be a very useful source of information, anecdotes, words of warning. 

Thanks!

[aandsdean]

Regular poster here using a "temporary moniker."

I work at a mid-sized, private university that offers a regular Liberal Arts undergraduate degree, and Master's degrees in several fields, a handful of which are offered online.  There seems to be considerable interest among administrators in creating a fully on-line undergraduate degree for distance learners.

I would be very grateful to have information and feedback about the following:

(1) Examples of other universities that have successfully added an online undergraduate degree program (or ones that have not been so successful)

(2) Any articles about the process of adapting a conventional university to such online degree offerings.

Yes, there is a committee on this campus that will be tasked to investigate this whole prospect, but I figure all of you will likely be a very useful source of information, anecdotes, words of warning. 

Thanks!

Check into the new rules for state registrations, "presence," and similar matters before you go too far, lest you have mass suicides.

[temp__moniker]

Check into the new rules for state registrations, "presence," and similar matters before you go too far, lest you have mass suicides.

Ah, well that definitely sounds exciting.  If you could offer a few more details, that would be great.  I confess, I myself have no experience with online teaching -- all I know is that the online Master's degrees have had some success here.

The prospect of a full undergraduate degree, however, is making some people nervous about how this might impact the quality of our regular "on the ground" undergraduate offerings.

[aandsdean]

Check into the new rules for state registrations, "presence," and similar matters before you go too far, lest you have mass suicides.

Ah, well that definitely sounds exciting.  If you could offer a few more details, that would be great.  I confess, I myself have no experience with online teaching -- all I know is that the online Master's degrees have had some success here.

The prospect of a full undergraduate degree, however, is making some people nervous about how this might impact the quality of our regular "on the ground" undergraduate offerings.

As part of the "negotiated regulations" subsequent to the last reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, any institution offering programs in a state needs to be registered as a degree-granting institution in that state.  It generally used to be that you were registered and authorized by your home state and online students were under that umbrella. Now, in some cases you're still ok if you have no other "presence" in the state, but some states consider you to have "presence" if all you do is send recruiters or recruiting mail there.

It's a big, freaking bureaucratic mess of the first order.  Fortunately, full implementation of the regulation has been postponed until July 1, 2014.  However, you still need to show a "good-faith" effort to comply with state regulations in each state where you have a presence, as defined by each state's own (sometimes idiosyncratic) regulations. 

The best info site for all this matter is wcet.wiche.edu.

We have a pretty successful online program, but it's degree-completion only.  It's a very difficult act, balancing the traditional residential campus with the online (and f2f) adult degree programs.

[zharkov]

It's a very difficult act, balancing the traditional residential campus with the online (and f2f) adult degree programs.

Chime and double chime.  OP, is your university currently organized into a "traditional" college (the day school) and a "professional/continuing ed" college?  (For master's degrees, adults, evening courses, and the proposed online BA?)   Each led by a dean?  Who are equals? 

That is probably the first step.  If you are not there yet, then you need to find a dean for this second college who has a track record in rolling out online programs.

[temp__moniker]

It's a very difficult act, balancing the traditional residential campus with the online (and f2f) adult degree programs.

Chime and double chime.  OP, is your university currently organized into a "traditional" college (the day school) and a "professional/continuing ed" college?  (For master's degrees, adults, evening courses, and the proposed online BA?)   Each led by a dean?  Who are equals? 

That is probably the first step.  If you are not there yet, then you need to find a dean for this second college who has a track record in rolling out online programs.

We do have separate schools and respective Deans that make up this university -- and no shortage of administrators! -- but we don't have a specific college or dean devoted to professional / continuing ed.  I appreciate this very sensible suggestion.

[spork]

Unless appropriate safeguards are put in place, your residential undergrads will register for online courses so that they don't have to leave their dorm rooms for a 10:00 a.m. class.