DAFVM Faculty Senate

MINUTES
January 11, 2001 Regular Meeting

Time: 1:00 - 2:30
Place: Tully Auditorium, Thompson Hall

There was no sign-in sheet but 18 members were present.

1. Dr. Zuercher called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.

2. Chair

No items were received by e-mail for consideration by the Senate since the Meeting in December.

A copy of the letter sent by Dr. Dan Embree to President Portera concerning the issues submitted by the DAFVM Faculty Senate was received. A letter was received from the Holland Senate and it was read to the members. No action has been taken at this time.

Dr. Brad Carter gave a presentation to those in attendance at the December DAFVM study session meeting regarding issues of Distance Learning. A list of issues submitted by faculty in the Division is attached.

Three Special committees were formed and asked to prepare guidelines for the Division. The members present agreed upon an outline to split the issues into 3 areas: Faculty Concerns, Quality, and Administrative Issues. The Technical concerns will be covered by the ITS Department. The subtopics are: Issue, Recommendation to Guiding Principle, and Specific Example.

Dr. Bill Stuart has a committee formed to discuss Quality.

Dr. Wallace Kilcreas has a committee formed to discuss Administrataive.

Dr. Steve Waldham has a committee formed to discuss Faculty Concerns. If you were not present but wish to have input on one of these committees, please contact the appropriate chair of the committee on which you wish to serve.

Each committee will discuss the question that were submitted by members of the Division faculty, see page 3, concerning the topic Distance Learning that were submitted for the presentation made by Brad Carter in December.

The breakdown by for consideration by the three committees is as follows:

#1, 2, and 3 Technical

#4 Quality and Administrative Committees

#5 and 6 Faculty and Administrative Committees

#7, 8, and 9 Administrative and Quality Committees

#10 and 11 Technical and Administrative ITS and Committee

#12 Faculty and Technical Committee and ITS

#13 and 14 Administrative and Faculty Committees

#15 Faculty, Quality, and Administrative Committees

#16 Background ITS

#17 and 18 Faculty and Administrative Committees

#19 and 20 Technical ITS

#21 Administrative Committee

#22 Background ITS

#23 Quality and Administrative Committees

#24 Administrative Committee

#25 Quality, Administrative, and Faculty Committees

#26 Faculty Committees

#27 Faculty and Technical (Is Admin going to support training) Committee and ITS

#28 Technical and Economic ITS and Committee

#29 Faculty, Administrative, Quality Committees

#30 (added) Interactive? Place on CD's. Technical, Faculty, and Quality ITS and Committees

Each committee has until February 1, 2001 to prepare a Word document on the meetings they hold regarding possible solutions or concerns on Distance Learning. The Word document is to be sent to the Chair as an attachment to an e-mail and will then be posted on the web-site for review by all members prior to the February meeting, Feb. 8, 2001

There were no reports from the Standing Committees.

There were no unfinished business or new business discussed.

The next scheduled meeting will be February 8, 2000.

Meeting adjourned

Minutes were prepared by Veronica Outlaw

Distance Learning Issues submitted by Div. faculty

1. What technical support is available for faculty at MSU

2. What limitations are there, if any, on server size, file size, etc.

3. What problems exist between platforms of use - from the instructor side and from the student side? What if they are using different types of platforms?

4. How does MSU establish credit for courses? Same credit for a course on campus as through Distance Learning? Same course syllabus? Different requirements?

5. I am interested in knowing how MSU, using distance learning will protect copyrights of authors.

6. What about ownership of documents?

7. What time frames exist? Can a student complete many courses in a normal semester time frame? Can a student complete an entire degree program in a few months, or a year?

8. How will MSU and the Division handle course work taken as a distance learning course from another institution? Who will decide if course is similar - equal to?

9. Will the Division / MSU have a residency requirement? One semester, two weeks, at the end of the program of study, or never step foot on campus and receive diploma by mail?

10. What technology exists to insure that the person taking tests is the one enrolled?

11. What about interactive technology? Delays in feedback? Audio and Video problems?

12. What difficulties are involved in having many students in a class at different locations all on line at the same time? Is that possible? From their home computers or would they need to be at a predetermined location - something like a "wired" studio?

13. Would distance learning be available on a 12 month basis?

14. How will faculty be compensated? Time spent on weekends, evenings, holidays, summer if 9 month?

15. Can a person not screened and hired by the Division / MSU be an instructor for a course? A segment of a course? Who assigns a grade? What guarantees of competence?

16. Are there courses, curriculums, currently being taught as distance learning courses, etc. at MSU now? What problems are they experiencing, if any? Are the instructors, tech people involved available to hold the hands of faculty as they venture into this new process?

17. What about extension courses? Credit or no-credit? Who determines?

18. What costs are involved for extension courses, or for other courses for that matter?

19. What equipment is needed?

20. What programs should be used? Easily available? University / Division site licensed or what?

21. Are there grants available for setting up courses, curriculums.

22. Where does the Division / MSU stand on the issue of Distance Learning at this time?

23. What requirements are there for a student to enroll in a course through MSU? ACT, SAT, high school graduation, or what? Must be citizen of Mississippi, USA, or International? What about tuition and any other costs?

24. How does distance learning interface, or does it, with continuing education?

25. How can distance learning be utilized for studio courses or courses requiring a "hand-on" experience?

26. Does distance learning require more time from faculty to utilize and administer?

27. Will the Division / MSU be having a course, perhaps using ITS to instruct faculty?

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