PRP 3234 - EXPEDITED APPROVAL FOR DISTANCE EDUCATION OPTION FOR EXISTING COURSES
ISSUED BY: Dr. Diana Rogers-Adkinson, Academic Affairs
NOTES: Presented to Forum 11/18/20
Effective Date: 11/30/20
1. RATIONALE FOR POLICY
In light of current and anticipated future demand for greater flexibility in course delivery, and in light of the call for expedited approval in Article 41.E in the 2019-2023 Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) and the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty (APSCUF), this policy allows for expedited approval of existing courses at Bloomsburg University.
2. KEYWORDS/DEFINITIONS
Definition of Distance Education: Distance Education is an educational process in which the instruction occurs with the instructor and student in different locations. Distance Education makes use of one or more technologies to deliver 80% or more of the instruction for the course to students who are separated from the instructor and to support interaction between the students and the instructor synchronously or asynchronously.
3. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Courses which are current in terms of structure and content and which have not been previously approved for distance education are eligible for expedited approval of distance education delivery as defined in PRP 3233 Required Format for Master Course Syllabi for BUCC Approval.
4. POLICY
All undergraduate and graduate courses at Bloomsburg University (unless already approved for distance education) shall be eligible for expedited approval for distance education.
Academic departments will assemble lists of courses meeting the above-referenced criteria.
A single form may be submitted for multiple courses from a single academic department requesting expedited approval.
No other changes to documents P, Q, and/or R may be made through the expedited approval of distance education process.
Expedited approval for courses falling under this policy shall be made by: Academic Department Chair, College Dean, Provost. Information addressees will be College Curriculum Committee, BUCC, and Enrollment Services.
Expedited approval will as described in Item 4.e above will be executed as follows:
o Academic departments will identify all courses not yet approved for Distance Education
o Academic Departments should indicate if course is seeking an Interim (one semester only) or Permanent approval for Distance Education.
o Academic departments will complete one Document PQ covering all courses identified in Item 4.f.i. above
o Short title of proposal should read “Secure expedited approval of distance education delivery for enclosed courses from (academic department)”
o Check Box 17 (Other) on Document P
o In Document Q, contact person should be department chair. Q-1 should read along the following lines: (Department) wishes to pursue expedited approval of (list of courses) for distance education delivery.
o Q-2 should refer to expedited approval under University PRP 3234 and Article 41.E of the PASSHE-APSCUF collective bargaining agreement. Q-3, Q-4, and Q-5 should be left blank, and Document R for the affected courses need not be included.
o In lieu of Document R, departments should append a list of submitted courses, indicating whether Interim or Permanent approval is sought for each course