DRAFT
Faculty Committee on Extended Learning
March 19, 2014
Minutes
Committee members present: Alexander Alekseenko, Ardavan Asef-Vaziri, Rick
Covington, Joyce Feucht-Haviar, Lynn Gordon, Gary Katz, Patricia Miller, Jeanine
Minge, Denise Sandoval, Shane Stecyk
Committee members absent: Luiz Mendes (excused), Lou Rubino (excused), Theresa
White
Guests: John Binkley, Patrick Colabucci, Jessica Isomoto
Call to Order
Patricia Miller, Committee Chair, called the meeting to order at 3:21 pm. The meeting
was held in the Executive Conference Room in the Bookstore Complex.
Old Business
Approval of February 19, 2014, Meeting Minutes by Committee Members
The draft minutes from the February meeting were sent to the committee in advance of
the meeting. Patricia Miller asked if there were any questions or comments about the
draft minutes, there were none.
Board Action: Gary Katz moved to approve the minutes; Lynn Gordon seconded.
Patricia Miller asked for a vote: the minutes were unanimously approved. (Ardavan
Asef-Vaziri and Jeanine Minge were not present for the vote.)
New Business
Announcements
Patricia Miller shared items from the Faculty Senate meeting: new printing policy, the
campus budget, and the current review of the disqualification policy for graduate
students. Patricia Miller also announced that Luiz Mendes has accepted the nomination
for committee chair, and that Rick Covington has agreed to shadow next year’s chair for
a future
Discussion Topic: Internationalization of the curriculum
Joyce Feucht-Haviar reminded the committee that Tseng College had recently assumed
broader responsibilities for international programs, services, and policies. Last year, the
former Graduate Studies, Research and International Programs department had been
reconfigured and the components had been redistributed to various campus groups or
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academic colleges. One of the recent changes was that the university will now
distinguish between visiting scholars invited by CSUN and visiting academics or
professionals who apply to study or work at CSUN. Joyce Feucht-Haviar discussed the
goal of internationalizing the curriculum as different from internationalizing the student
experience, and introduced the International Education Council (IEC). John Binkley, IEC
chair, shared that the council had recently established a charge, a meeting schedule,
and a definition of the Department International Liaison role. The IEC serves not as a
policy-making body like the Faculty Senate Standing Committees, but a place in which
topical issues in international education could be discussed and a resource for faculty
and students to learn about international opportunities. John Binkley presented the
meeting topics from the last meeting: strategic partnerships, international research, and
a discussion on the concept of students as global-literate or globally-conscious citizens
Discussion Topic: Distance learning- evolving approaches
Joyce Feucht-Haviar announced that some of the college’s Distance Learning staff were
currently attending the 29th Annual International Technology and Persons with
Disabilities Conference in San Diego, an event for sharing knowledge and best
practices in the field of assistive technology. Access issues have been an increasingly
important component of distance learning curriculum development, and Tseng College
staff members have sought out training and new ideas in this area.
Joyce Feucht-Haviar discussed the Tseng College’s Distance Learning unit and its goal
to work with faculty to develop curriculum in a more comprehensive way that goes
beyond the learning management system in order to provide engaging online learning
experiences for students. The college had recently hired two staff members with
backgrounds in educational technology and instructional design; at present, a search
was also open for the vacant Director of Distance Learning position.
Discussion Topic: Semester at CSUN program
Joyce Feucht-Haviar provided an update on the Semester at CSUN program: how it has
grown in the past two years since the program had been redesigned and where it is
heading in the near future. The format is similar to the Open University program, with
the addition of advising for the Semester at CSUN students to ensure that appropriate
courses are selected and that course prerequisites are met. Patrick Colabucci, Director
of Global Studies, shared the program’s current demographics, the substantial market
around the world for study abroad programs, and the anticipated growth of the program.
Joyce Feucht-Haviar also explained how the pay structure worked for the general
enrollments and for the case in which Tseng College funds an additional class section in
order for a department to better accommodate the Semester at CSUN students.
Another benefit of this strategy is that additional class sections can also accommodate
state-side matriculated students at no additional cost to the department. A brief
discussion followed about the student demographics and the caliber and academic
readiness of the visiting international students.
Discussion Topic: Summer Session and CSU CourseMatch
Joyce Feucht-Haviar overviewed the campus-wide improvements on how online
courses were coded in the computer system so that courses are more easily and
accurately tracked for data purposes. Another benefit of these improvements is that
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courses are better searchable to students who are looking for online options. In keeping
with the CSU-system’s distance learning goals, the Chancellor’s office asked all CSU
campuses to advertise online courses in a centralized list, called CourseMatch. Jessica
Isomoto shared the CourseMatch website on-screen—Winter/Spring classes were
available; Summer term was not yet active. Over 100 online courses in CSUN’s selfsupport Summer Session will be posted to the CourseMatch website.
Joyce Feucht-Haviar and Jessica Isomoto also presented on Tseng College’s targeted
marketing effort for the “virtual summer session,” the over 100 online courses available
to all CSU students, students from other universities, and the general public.
Announcement: Chair Nominations for 2014-15
As previously announced, Luiz Mendes had accepted the nomination for chair. Patricia
Miller stated that electronic ballots will be distributed next month.
Adjournment
(No policy changes were discussed or recommended during this meeting.)
Having no further business to discuss, Patricia Miller adjourned the meeting at 4:52 p.m.
Prepared by Jessica Isomoto
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