REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the Distance Education (DE) Planning Committee
Thursday, September 10, 2015, 1:00-3:00 pm
Notes
Present: Cathy Cox, Reno Giovannetti, Mike Butler, Lynn Thiesen, James Hayes, Wendy Riggs, Phil
Mancus, Crislyn Parker
1. Call to Order
2. Introductions and Public Comment: Members of the audience are invited to make comments
regarding any subject appropriate to the DE Planning Committee
3. Approve Previous Meeting Notes (May 14, 2015): Correct the spelling of Respondus trail to trial;
notes approved as corrected.
4. Summer DE update:
Membership: Lynn will be an Ex Officio member until December; discussed and agreed to include a
DSPS representative;
Reno: Worked on DE orientation letters; Respondus trial was not successful and, upon a suggestion to
look into Netop, CR is now in the process of getting licenses; the software is tested and seems to
work-expected to be in operation by finals. Del Norte will also receive this software.
Telepresence was basically finalized in time for convocation. A contingency plan must be developed
for telepresence in case of internet failure. A representative from the Yurok tribe sat in on a
demonstration and was very impressed.
Lynn: Noted a concern that the telepresence monitors at KT are tiny. DE is aware of the issue and
working on solutions to correct. KT needs a larger monitor. DE also advocates installing a speaker
track camera where the camera will auto focus to the voice. These concerns will be included in the
planning items in agenda item 6.6.
Cathy: Working to be up to speed in all areas.
5. Action Items
N/A
6. Discussion Items
6.1 Waitlist Management for Online Classes:
 The default in the past was to move all waitlisted students into class on the first day. This was
reflected in the orientation letter template, and it was up to the instructor to change the
orientation letter to reflect their preference. Not all instructors understood this; as a result, this
year some were surprised when their waitlists were added to their roster. Instead, Mike will
work with the Deans to provide a DE packet each semester with a revised and updated
orientation template, and waitlist form consent, which needs to be returned to Mike, to inform
explicitly who wants waitlisted students moved into sections. A sample packet will be on the
next meeting agenda.
 An issue to revisit is the online course cap, which will have to be addressed on a course by
course basis and in conjunction with the curriculum committee.
6.2 Access to Orientation Letters:
 Process needs to be simplified. Discussed and agreed to set up a Canvas shell (posted by DE
and allowing faculty to modify), including creating links to the orientation letter, syllabus, and
the canvas support and resources page. Discussed adding a live link from Web Advisor to the
orientation letter, if possible. DE can monitor the template for correct information.
 Mike and Reno will bring back a concept for committee review.
6.3 Student Online Handbook:
Presenter passcode: 6581347

6.4



6.5



6.6

6.7

6.8

Reno drafted an online student handbook. The student complaint process will need to be
prominent in this handbook-but the process needs to be clarified. Committee is tasked with
providing feedback; a periodic review of the document is necessary. Agreed to add a link to
the handbook in the orientation letter.
Faculty Resources:
Suggestions: Add a link under the employee resources tab
Hyperlink the titles or bold the link embedded in the paragraph
Two types of complaints: academic and technical. Issue is how and where to direct student
complaints. The complaint process, generally, needs clarification. Lynn will spearhead.
OEI online orientation modules:
OEI offers free faculty resources, which can be viewed and downloaded for use with students
DE will determine how to make this resource available to all faculty. Discussed embedding
some modules into the online student handbook; maybe adding links under Faculty Resources,
and Getting Started in Canvas
Reno, Mike, Lynn, Cathy will each look at several of the interactive tutorials and bring back to
next meeting for modification and inclusion on our website.
Functional Plan for Distance Education:
Combining 6.6 and 6.8 Program Review
o Because the Educational Master Plan is being revised for 2017 rollout, DE will wrap a
two-year functional plan in with program review; they will mirror each other, but the
functional plan will need to look at two year goals. Mike and Cathy created a list of items
to include in program review:
 DEPC is requesting the DE program use the Student Services PR form.
 Indicators: the number of online, telepresence and hybrid courses offered; fill rates for
online, telepresence and hybrid; number of telepresence and online courses approved.
The functional plan piece will be a goal to establish several cohorts as baseline for
success in sequential courses.
 Outcomes: access; increased enrollment in DE courses; increased success. Need to
determine how to measure persistence, success, etc.
 Planning: a subgroup will work on this during the month for review at the next
meeting. Ideas: DE advisory committee; Environmental scan; increasing resources
available to faculty and students. (Note: Canvas fees will be paid by state for the next
three years, which frees up approximately $126,000/year funding. Some funding will
go to IT for infrastructure and some for development of other resources.)
 Other resources needed: technology and staffing; a dedicated area for providing
technology resources (i.e. training, videos, etc.); ADA compliance; increase number of
telepresence and online courses; offer a fully online degree
Course Evaluation Process:
Reno will try set up a demo for Wednesday, 9/16 from 1 -3p, or Friday, 9/18 with Course
Evaluation Kit. Mike will send CRFO representative Mike Haley an invitation to participate.
DEPC Program Review
Discussion included in agenda item 6.6 Planning
7. Reports:


Mike Butler: would like to form a sub group to discuss OEI/course exchange, etc. Online
tutoring is also available through OEI at a low cost. Cathy has another vendor to compare.
Reno: receiving faculty requests for open public (community) forums.
8. Future Agenda items

Conferencing tools
SLO integration with Canvas
Long term off hours support for online faculty
Reevaluating the online preparedness quiz on the online site
Effectiveness of OTLT and how to rewrite the MOU
Presenter passcode: 6581347