Strategic Plan & System Initiatives Update

September 2008

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New Goals & Measures

• Distance Learning• Transferability• Student Assistance (Unmet Need)• Remediation

All are new goals and measures adopted by PEPB for inclusion in Shared Policy Goals Document

Presented to BOR in July 2008, with recommendation to return with data and benchmarks

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MUS Distance Learning Initiative

The 2007 Legislature appropriated $900,000 ($450,000 of one-time-only money) to further develop and centralize components of distance learning.

Primary outcomes for this initiative include:

1. system-wide portal for distance education courses and degree programs

2. expanded offerings in high demand areas (both workforce and transfer oriented courses)

3. on-line capabilities for student services, advising, and tuition and fee payment.

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Distance Learning

Measures:

Improve distance and online learning by coordinating online delivery of education across the entire Montana University System in order to facilitate: (Shared Policy measures adopted by PEPB and LFC)

1. Increased student enrollment growth in online courses

2. Increased number of online courses and programs

3. Increased number of workforce development online courses and programs.

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Distance Learning

Distance Education (def.): courses where the instructor and the members of the class are physically separated resulting in no contactno contact in a traditional classroom setting and where instruction is provided using technologies generally recognized as Distance Education technologies (e.g. web, video, ITV)

It should be noted that a large number of courses are offered in a “hybrid” fashion (i.e. a portion delivered by distance and portion by face to face) that are not counted in this report.

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Students Enrolled in At Least One Distance Learning CourseFall 2001 - Fall 2007 Unduplicated Headcount by Campus

(does not include community colleges)

2,1312,789

3,9473,612

5,778

4,0304,602

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007

Distance LearningMeasure #1: Increase student enrollment in online courses

Recommended Target: 10% annual growth

+31%

+30%

+12% -2% +17% +26%

Enrollment in Distance Learning increased by 26% from 2006 to 2007.Enrollment in Distance Learning increased by 26% from 2006 to 2007.In Fall 2007, 15% of MUS students enrolled in at least one Distance In Fall 2007, 15% of MUS students enrolled in at least one Distance

Learning course (20% is Nat’l Avg.; Learning course (20% is Nat’l Avg.; source: Sloan Consortiumsource: Sloan Consortium).).

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Distance Learning Courses Fall 2001 - Fall 2007 Unduplicated Number of Courses Offered

(does not include community colleges)

132

211

342

290

471

338

397

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007

Distance LearningMeasure #2: Increase number of online courses & programs

Recommended Target: 10% annual growth

+60% +37%

+17%

1%

+16% +19%

Distance Learning courses offered in the MUS increased by 19% from Distance Learning courses offered in the MUS increased by 19% from 2006 to 2007. In Fall 2007, 11% of all undergraduate courses offered 2006 to 2007. In Fall 2007, 11% of all undergraduate courses offered

were delivered via Distance Learning.were delivered via Distance Learning.

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Distance Learning Courses (COT's Only) Unduplicated Number of Courses Offered, Fall 2001 - 2007

(does not include community colleges)

39

58

103

82

156

95

143

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007

Distance LearningMeasure #3: Increase number of workforce development online courses and programs Recommended Target: 10% annual growth

+49% +41%

+16% 8% +39% +9%

The number of Distance Learning courses offered at the Colleges of The number of Distance Learning courses offered at the Colleges of Technology increased by 9% from 2006 to 2007.Technology increased by 9% from 2006 to 2007.

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Distance Learning

2007-08 Action Steps:

• Unveiled on-line directory of distance learning programs and courses, located at www.mus.edu/online.

• Expanded General Education Core on-line course offerings.

• Conducted strategic planning session to attain the identified goals, and gathered/validated campus online delivery data for FY07.

• Created/executed RFP for web development to expand the MUS database and online access and use.

• Conducted needs assessment to identify faculty training and resource needs and how to best capitalize on economies of scale.

• Awarded campus matching funds to support the development and delivery of additional programs & courses.

• Expanded campus participation in the regional exchange program for distance delivered courses, through the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education.

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Distance Learning

2008-09 Action Steps:• Award campus matching grants and support the development and

design of new online courses & programs.

• Support development and design for online apprenticeship training modules.

• Fund the purchase of additional online equipment for faculty to use in course development.

• Support campus personnel to serve as online student tutors, as well as training for faculty.

• Fund development of additional online student support and services, including online advising.

• Support the development of a survey of Montanans to identify online delivery gaps in courses and in programs available online.

• Support development of additional web-based training and development for online faculty.

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MUS Transferability Initiative

Measures:

Improve articulation and transferability among all 2-year and 4-year institutions, including community colleges and tribal colleges as measured by: (Shared Policy measures adopted by PEPB and LFC)

1. All undergraduate courses in the Montana University System will go through the process of common course numbering

2. All courses deemed to be equivalent must possess the same prefix, course number, title and credits; such courses will directly transfer on a one-to-one basis

3. Common course numbering will result in a user-friendly web-based computer interface that shows equivalent, transferable courses across the university system

The 2007 Legislature appropriated $1.5 million to improve the transferability of student credits/coursework between the campuses of the Montana University System (including the community colleges).

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Transferability Initiative

Measure #1: All undergraduate courses in the Montana University System will go through the process of common course numberingBenchmarks:

• 12 disciplines completed by January 1, 2009

• 10 additional disciplines completed by June 30, 2009

• All disciplines completed by June 30, 2011

Measure #2: All courses deemed to be equivalent must possess the same prefix, course number, title and credits; such courses will directly transfer on a one-to-one basis

Benchmark:BOR Policy 301.5.5 – Equivalent Course Identification and Numbering

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Transferability Initiative

Measure #3: Common course numbering will result in a user-friendly web-based computer interface that shows equivalent, transferable courses across the university system

Benchmark:

• Website will go live on January 1, 2009

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Transferability Initiative

Process Steps and Update

• Faculty council reviews– Over 5,200 courses in 16 disciplines at 24

postsecondary institutions reviewed August 2007 – August 2008

• Common course proposals- Matrices for 3 disciplines prepared and proposed,

May 2008- Matrices for 11 additional disciplines prepared and

proposed, August, 2008

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• MUS sends proposed course matrices to faculty councils for review & feedback throughout August 2008

• Faculty councils deliver their feedback on accuracy, completeness and alignment of course matrices by September 30, 2008

• Faculty councils deliver their student learning outcomes for equivalent courses by October 31, 2008

• Commissioner assigns numbers for all courses in at least 12 disciplines – December 5, 2008

• Resolution of CCNs, troubleshooting for implementation – September-December 2008

Transferability Initiative

Process Steps and Update, Cont.

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Student Assistance

Reduce the amount of unmet student need for financial aid as measured by:

- Cost of attendance – (expected family contribution + average aid award to eligible students)

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Unmet Need - Unmet need of students receiving Pell Grants (note: Pell serves as low-income, need-based indicator)

MSU & UM Figures (avg), 2006-07

Total unmet need = $70 Million (N = 6,859 Pell Recipients)

Cost of Attendance ($15,500)

EFC $924

Avg. Aid $4,380

Unmet Need $10,197

(not including loans)

Academic year prices for full-time in-state undergraduates:

Tuition & Fees Room & Board Books & Supplies Other Living Expenses

(Pell recipients only)

Unmet financial need continues to grow when cost of attendance Unmet financial need continues to grow when cost of attendance outpaces financial aid resources.outpaces financial aid resources.

Student Assistance

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Remediation

Decrease the percentage of recent Montana high school students requiring remedial/developmental coursework in the university system as measured by:

- A joint report from the Board of Regents and the Board of Public Education that addresses the status of joint efforts to align K-12 academic standards with higher education enrollment standards, leading to a shared policy goal and accountability measures between these educational institutions.

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RecommendationIncorporate new measures into BOR Strategic Plan,

including recommended targets/benchmarks.