Message-Id: <55206A473154D011924D0020AFF7ACB527C84E@mail1.oulan.ou.edu>
Date: Mon, 8 Sep 1997 14:09:41 -0500
From: Bob Swisher <bswisher@ou.edu>
To: "'it-fyi@ou.edu'" <it-fyi@ou.edu>
Subject: IT Study for Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Ed
The item below is reposted from the State Regents web page, under the
heading "What's New" http://www.okhighered.org/
(See the State Regents web site for the 187k pdf version of the full 79
page document)
==============================================
Technology Study
Noting that no other factor is impacting Oklahoma's colleges and
universities as
rapidly and forcefully as technology, the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher
Education recently received 20 recommendations relating to technology
and
higher education programs and services.
Recommendations range from how academic programs delivered through
technology should be evaluated and funded, to the creation of "laptop
universities," to electronic applications and course registration for
students.
The study, requested by the council of college and university
presidents, was
conducted by Dr. James R. Mingle, executive director of the State Higher
Education Executive Officers, and was presented to the State Regents
during a
recent meeting at Oklahoma Panhandle State University.
Regents charged staff to meet as soon as possible with various higher
education
advisory groups to formulate suggestions for action.
One set of recommendations addresses the funding and approval of
academic
programs that are offered electronically. A recommendation encourages
the
State Regents to lessen and eventually eliminate their regulation of
where
courses and programs are delivered electronically.
Such deregulation would allow colleges and universities to deliver
programs and
courses throughout the state, while the current policy limits delivery
to an
institution's specified geographical service areas, unless arrangements
are
worked out with area colleges.
The study said that State Regents should extend their current academic
program
review and approval process to requests by colleges to deliver programs
electronically, even if the State Regents had previously approved the
program
for on-campus delivery.
The study also recommends the review process place increased emphasis on
the quality use of technology and on how well the program fits into the
overall
mission and capacity of the college or university requesting to offer
the program.
The study also recommends that the State Regents extend their policy on
consumer protection to require out-of-state institutions delivering
programs in
Oklahoma to comply with standards of good practice in the area of
distance
learning or to seek their voluntary compliance to those standards.
Another recommendation suggests that the State Regents provide funding
for
colleges to bring in programs from other higher education institutions,
both
within Oklahoma and outside the state. The study notes that such a
recommendation will enable colleges to be more responsive to students'
needs
as well as to terminate low productivity programs on their own campuses.
In the area of funding, the study notes that current policy directs
state funds and
tuition revenues to colleges or universities delivering programs rather
than to
those hosting programs offered by other institutions.
A recommendation encourages the State Regents to establish policies to
fund
those colleges that electronically receive programs and courses from
other
colleges. Funds would be used to support counseling, library and
computing
services, and other student support services.
At least one Oklahoma community college and one regional university
should
serve as pilot "laptop universities" where students use laptop computers
and
campus networking in all or the majority of their courses, another
recommendation says.
The recommendation notes that the State Regents could lower student
costs by
subsidizing part of the computer lease fee and could provide technical
support
to develop the needed campus infrastructure.
In the area of student services, the study recommends that the State
Regents
award grants to Oklahoma colleges and universities for the development
of an
electronic application form that could be used by many colleges, a
web-based
registration system at one or more colleges, and a web site where
students
could post their resumes for review by Oklahoma businesses and in-state
businesses could post their job openings.
The study also recommends the electronic transfer of student records and
transcripts between Oklahoma K-12 education and higher education and
among colleges and universities.
Libraries throughout the state can save costs through the joint purchase
of
database licenses, another recommendation suggests. Such licenses would
give
all libraries access to databases in such areas as chemistry and
chemical
engineering, agriculture, and nursing and allied health.
Another recommendation urges common education, vocational-technical
education and higher education to jointly establish regional centers
where
faculty, instructional designers and technology experts can work
together to
develop materials and techniques that can be used by university faculty,
school
teachers and vo-tech instructors.
The study also recommends that the State Regents provide financial
incentives
for the state's smaller colleges and universities to electronically
merge certain
administrative functions or to identify lead institutions to provide
services
electronically to a number of colleges and universities. Administrative
areas to
consider include personnel management, purchasing and financial aid.
The report also recommends that the State Regents strengthen their
management and support of OneNet, the state's telecommunications and
information network for education and government.
The State Regents and the Office of State Finance currently oversee the
system
that serves nearly 1,000 client organizations and is recognized as one
of the
most comprehensive, fastest and least expensive statewide networks in
the
nation. The study recommends increased staffing to respond to the great
volume
of user demand.
A final recommendation suggests that higher education use technology to
better
support the state's economic development efforts by developing academic
and
career preparation programs in areas identified as potential growth
industries
and then using technology to deliver programs to employees at the
worksite.
Universities can also use technology to provide applied research to
Oklahoma
companies and businesses, the report says.
The technology report presented to the State Regents incorporates the
results of
a survey on technology and network capacity and use at all colleges and
universities in the state's higher education system.
That information was supplemented with visits to various Oklahoma
campuses
and to colleges and universities in other states that are recognized as
leaders in
the development and use of technology.
Recommendations for the report were also submitted by the higher
education
Council of Presidents, Faculty Advisory Committee, Student Advisory
Board,
Library Advisory Group and the Council on Student Affairs. The Council
on
Instruction and a group of continuing education directors also provided
input.
The full report, Technology 2000: Recommendations on the Utilization of
Information Technology in the Oklahoma Higher Education System, is
available
in a pdf format.
==========================