REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the Distance Education (DE) Planning Committee
Eureka: 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, SS 104
Tuesday, February 24, 2015, 3:00-4:30 pm
AGENDA
1. Call to Order: Present: Mark Renner, Mark Winter, James Hayes, Reno Giovannetti, Lynn Thiesen,
Quang-Minh Pham, Wendy Riggs, Lisa Sayles, Crislyn Parker-notes
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 Feb. 12, 2015 DE Planning Committee Minutes, Mark Winter (attachment): Approved as
corrected.
4. Action Items
4.1 Trial/tryout period selection for Respondus™ browser, Mark Renner and James Hayes:

James secured the extension; we hopefully will be set up by the end of next week.
4.2 DE Mission Statement needed for handbook, Mark Winter (attachment):
 Suggestion to remove the supporting faculty: Approved as rewritten.
5. Discussion Items
5.1 Messaging/name change: “DE” “CR Online” or “Redwoods Online,” Mark Winter:
 Consensus is to use “Online Classes.”
 (DOG will try to change the term “virtual” in Web Advisor to “online” by end of the week. Paul
Chown can change “virtual” to “online” in the assessment tool, as well.)
5.2 DE website updates, Reno Giovannetti (attachment): Brian Van Pelt and Erin Jones
 A directive from President Smith and VP Snow-Flamer that increasing enrollments for online
students is mission critical; so changes are being made to web pages to make online course
offerings more prominent.
 The draft site includes thoughts discussed in DEPC to make students finding online classes as easy
as possible. We are changing the name for the DEPC web pages to “CR Online.”
 Discussion on the draft site (see attachment) included:
o A prominent “online” link to the Academics drop down list
o A one-click option to take students to an online tab. A link on the Maroon bar may or not be
possible as a Student services link will be added
o Navigation tabs for easy access. Tab titles need to adequately reflect the content of the link, but
may be too long. The will be a primarily student centric page.
 Page content is up to DEPC; Brian will take discussion of the home page links to the web task force
(WTF). Mark Renner will meet with the WTF and discuss objectives of prominent positioning.
5.3 DE Course Proposal Form, Mark Winter (attachment):
 This form is inadequate for the infrastructure for online/DE learning
 Changes to consider:
o adding page 3 as a part of the regular course form
o use term “interactive video” rather than #4, second box
o the purpose of the form is to determine if the course meets the standard regulations of contact.
 Remove #6, #14
 Responsible for accessibility of classes question should be on either both face to face and online
proposal forms, or neither; Curriculum questions should be the same as face to face. Suggestion to
remove #12 and #13.
 Agreed it is the instructor’s responsibility to ensure accessibility.
 Mark Renner will bring back an edited version in two weeks as an action item. From DEPC
approval document will go to the curriculum committee and academic senate. It should be in
place for fall.
5.4 DE Action Plan, Mark Renner
 Mark is hoping to have a solid version of the plan as an action item for the next meeting. Goal to
work through the DEPC, and have on the Presidents desk by end of March.
5.5 “Academic Videos On Demand” (http://intelecomonline.net/ ), Mark Winter:
 This vendor sells site licenses, for faculty use in face to face or online classes, as a resource.
Discussed having a faculty member try a free, 30 day trial and supply feedback. If it is determined
this type of resource is useful, funding will have be determined.
 Discussed sending this information to key people for consideration. We must ensure all are closed
captioned (accessible).
 This will be an ongoing project.
6. Reports
6.1 rSmart/Sakai “Sunsetting”, Mark Renner, James Hays and Reno Giovannetti:
 VP Snow-Flamer and Lindsey have authorized Doug to extend the Sakai contract three more
months to September 5, for active live environment. MyCR will not be used live for anything in
Fall 2015.
 Sakai will give CR a database and test for running queries as archives, or an old server may be
repurposed to keep archives.
 Keith emailed folks a reminder of this in February. On Friday 2/20, Dan Calderwood made an
announcement to senators and this is a faculty meeting agenda item for Friday, 2/27. The message
will continue to go out.
 Faculty must understand archived artifacts need to be pulled out as well. A few other unusual
issues need to be looked at. Send notice to Email to contact Reno with any non-class uses of in
MyCR.
 Continuous agenda item for a while.
6.2 Senate’s Feb. 20 discussion about proctoring process and forms, Mark Renner:
 Senate will determine if this needs to be an action item.
6.3 CR Online Faculty Handbook update, Mark Winter:
 A rough draft will be distributed next week, via email, with discussion item at the next meeting.
The goal is to review content – anything substantive missing; take suggestions to senate with
ultimate goal to post to website by the end of Spring 2015 semester.
6.4 OEI update, Mark Winter:
 71 districts solicited to pilot some facet of OEI; 60 have agreed; CR has not.
 Currently 70 classes under review by 30 evaluators; the process takes 10-12 hours per class.
Participating school instructors submit a course, which is then evaluated then revised/accepted as
part of the exchange.
7. Future Agenda items
7.1 Financial Aid/Fraud Prevention
7.2 Student Complaint Process
Lisa Sayles is exploring remuneration for people who are developing online for the first time (DEPC can
send a suggestion forward to the administration and CRFO requesting they negotiation of this topic.)
Quality control needs to be included.
8. Announcements
8.1 Monday, 3/2 Mark Renner will discuss two issues with instructional council: 1. Evaluation of
online faculty; 2. Suggesting to the instructional council that there are multiple reasons to look at
requiring all sections use canvas for grading students.
9. Adjourn