Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Distance Education:
A Look at Recent
Developments in SUNY
Karen Volkman
SUNY Plattsburgh
karen.volkman@plattsburgh.edu
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
For-Profit Interest in Higher
Education Market
• Considered to be a $200-$300 billion dollar
industry
• Market survives in all types of economies
• Poor economy: seek additional job security
• Good economy: enhance earnings and career
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Sample CEO Vision
We are really competing with any institution that is
providing degree programs for the adult professional
worker. We have many advantages over state and private
universities such as flexibility, convenience, and a career
focus. We also have the ability to focus our attention on
specific high-demand programs, the ability to move
quickly, and profitably provide students high-quality
programs.
Paula Singer, President and CEO Sylvan Online Higher Ed
October 7, 2002 The Wall Street Transcript
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Apollo Compared to Nasdaq
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Why Should SUNY Faculty
Care About Commercial
Distance Learning in Higher
Education ??
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Distance Education by Category
• State or community college distance
education systems
• Course Management System Vendors
• Virtual Universities
• Corporate - University Joint Ventures
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
System Distance Education
Degrees
UT TeleCampus (UTTC)
“The UT TeleCampus offers you several fullyonline degree programs and courses of study.
Many of these degree programs are collaborative
in nature, joining several UT campuses in the
delivery of courses to you, via the Internet. You'll
find these degree plans have the same basic
admissions requirements and curriculum as the
on campus counterpart. The same faculty that
teach onsite teach these courses.”
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
UT TeleCampus (UTTC)
Degrees
.
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
What’s the Catch?
“ All of the UT System universities are
accredited by the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools. UT Arlington, UT Dallas,
UT El Paso, UT Pan American, UT San Antonio,
and UT Tyler are also AACSB accredited (The
International Association for Management
Education accreditation) with the remainders in
the AACSB candidacy process. Please also note
that UT Arlington, UT El Paso and UT San
Antonio use the word "online" on the diplomas
conferred via the MBAO program.”
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
What’s Needed for the 65th
“Campus”
• Extensive Articulation
Agreements
•Real Time Cross Registration
•FTE agreements between
campuses
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Who Would Manage the 65th
“Online Campus” ??
• Continue SLN precedent of campus autonomy
OR
•Manage at System Administration
OR
•Manage under the authority of one of the 64
campus presidents
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Corporate -University Joint
Ventures
• Maintain University accreditation
• Assemble course content with
faculty superstars
• Use adjuncts to teach
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Corporate -University Joint
Ventures
• Focus on large enrollment
classes, such as general education
•SUNY institutions are particularly
vulnerable here with the unfunded
general education mandate
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
TheTwo Step . . .
“Backdooring”
The University Faculty Senate (UFS) and
the Faculty Council of Community Colleges
(FCCC) vehemently refused to accept the
instruction of U.S. History II - From
Reconstruction to Modern Day
[Interpretations of American History II by a
commercial higher education provider
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
The “Backdoor”
All the University Colleges, University
Centers, and Community Colleges have
articulation agreements which are especially
well linked with general education
requirements
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
The “Backdoor”
•A Community College accepts
courses from an outside vendor.
•The existing articulation
agreements state that other SUNY
institutions should honor the
course.
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Where are we at the moment
•The Community College is only
using the commercial vendor
materials as a course supplement
•The course actually does have an
instructor of record from the
Community College
•However. . . You can see the next
step
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Let’s Take a Look at the
Global Education Network’s
Advertising
Campaign
•SUNY System
•University of South Florida System
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
GEN Advertising in SUNY
Campus Newspapers Around
the State
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
GEN at USF
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
November 15, 2002, Friday, FINAL EDITION
TAMPA - The University of South Florida promised changes Thursday after professors
complained about a money-making decision that may help an academic competitor.
USF's new course guide features a full-page ad for an online history class offered by
a company in New York. Leaders of that company, Global Education Network, made
an on-campus pitch to students Thursday that included the offer of money for those
who help recruit others to enroll.
The class is accredited through Hudson Valley Community College of the State
University of New York, as the company's Web site says. But the ad inside the
catalog's back cover is framed by USF's green and gold colors.
What stirred the professors is why USF would risk losing business in its campus or
distance courses - and whether the ad mislead students to think the class is offered
by USF.
Technology and Intellectual Property Issues Committee
Conclusions
• Work to maintain campus autonomy of the
SUNY Learning Network
• Watch for commercial content providers
positioning themselves to run general
education classes via the “backdoor”
• Billions of $$ are at stake, GEN personifies a
myriad of other education companies