Policy for Online Education

From: Paul J. Zingg, President

Subject: Policy for Online Education

POLICY STATEMENT

When developing this policy, the committee carefully considered the Strategic Plan of CSU, Chico. Priority 1 “Believing in the primacy of learning, we will continue to develop high-quality learning environments both inside and outside of the classroom.” This learning in and out of the classroom is part of the Chico Experience. We are a residential campus and this policy recognizes the importance of maintaining this essential element of the Chico Experience. Priority 3 “Believing in the wise use of new technologies in learning and teaching, we will continue to provide the technology, the related training, and the support needed to create high quality learning environments both inside and outside of the classroom.” This policy acknowledges the place of online instruction among the full range of best practices and approaches for teaching and learning and is created to guide and promote high-quality, on-line educational experiences for faculty and students consistent with the Chico Experience.

The goal of online education is to expand educational opportunities by offering courses with high quality, convenience and flexibility. CSU, Chico is dedicated to providing all students with an accessible education.

The addition of online classes, content, and activities to CSU, Chico’s curriculum has been a positive contribution to CSU, Chico’s academic environment and is consistent with its present mission and role as a regional, comprehensive, publicly-funded educational institution.

Regardless of mode of instruction, all courses shall abide by the same academic policies and laws.

The Online White Paper from the Academic Senate of the CSU reports on best practices for faculty teaching online and asserts that policies governing online teaching should be developed by faculty on individual campuses. See Appendix C for links to the referenced document or policy.

Appendix A contains the definitions of the special terms used in this document. Appendix B contains the official Modes of Instruction matrix.

Mode of Instruction (MOI) refers to the delivery method employed in an instructional setting. As such it represents one important component of pedagogical practice. MOI can vary from face-to-face to fully online instruction, with many variants in between. It is in the collective interest of the academic community: faculty, students, staff and administration to know what MOI is in use in specific classes in order to provide appropriate supports, make efficient use of resources and have clarity regarding the extent and importance of academic technologies employed in any given class or learning environment.

The class schedule will clearly note the course Mode of Instruction so students know when registering for a course if the course is traditional, hybrid or fully online. Students have a right to know the modes of delivery and technological requirements of each course, program, and degree offered by the University. Students shall have access to this information before enrolling in a course or program.

Individual faculty members have the right to determine the specific content and instructional pedagogy in the courses they are assigned. The collective faculty has the right and responsibility to develop curricula and, within the appropriate discipline, to establish general course content and modes of instruction. This essential control has promoted diversity and the unique character of CSU, Chico.

The most appropriate mode of instruction for degrees, programs, courses and their parts is determined by the department faculty or academic unit faculty and not solely individual faculty members.

This faculty control must be exercised, whether courses are offered via state-supported venues or through self-support venues such as the Extended University.

All courses, regardless of mode of instruction, are subject to the curricular approval and review procedures as established at CSU Chico in the Academic Department Manual. See Appendix C for links to the referenced document or policy.

Changing a face to face course to a hybrid (H and S) and changing a course to a fully online mode (J, K, I, and T) will be approved by the department curriculum committee

If a course is converted to a fully online mode (J, K, I, and T) and meets the criteria for a major course change, it must follow the guidelines of a major course change as stated in the Academic Department manual. See Appendix B for MOI codes.

The provision of a degree program in which the majority of instruction is delivered wholly online is considered a substantive change by the university’s regional accrediting body (WASC). A proposal to deliver such a program (an online degree or degree completion program) to augment or replace an existing degree program is considered a significant change and requires Academic Senate review.

Faculty have the same control and ownership of the substantive and intellectual content of their online course materials that they have with respect to those offered in a traditional classroom format, at the time of production, at any time during their use, and thereafter.

No one may access or use a faculty member’s online course and content without written permission from that faculty member.

Refer to the current campus and CSU policies on Intellectual Property. See Appendix C for links to the referenced document or policy.

Since civic engagement, local community collaboration and stewardship of place are central to the mission of CSU Chico, the use of outside contractors for the purposes of delivering course content shall only be done with approval of individual departments or programs and the appropriate administrator.

No individual, program, or department shall agree in a contract with any private or public entity to deliver distance education courses or programs on behalf of the University without prior university approval. The University shall not enter into a contract with any private or public entity to deliver distance education courses or programs without the prior approval of the relevant department or program. Approvals shall follow established university procedures and policy.

Students records and work shall be subject to the same protection and expectations of confidentiality that are in effect for traditional modes of instruction even when delivered by an outside contractor even when delivered by an outside contractor.

Appendix B: Modes of Instruction

Courses are designated by Mode of Instruction (MOI).