The VCU Project: Virtual Colleges and Universities in Transition

1. The VCU Project:Virtual Colleges and Universities in Transition SHEEO Professional Development Conference August 15, 2002

2. Higher Education in Transition The Organization Life Cycle Administrative Proliferation Decline Differentiation of Functions Maturity Rational Systems Growth Entrepreneurial Founding Kanter, Stein, Jick (1992) The Challenge of Organizational Change

3. The system should provide for new pilot or demonstration sites to be established within the system that are separate, preferably isolated from, other units so as to increase the chances for innovation and improvement. Terrence J. MacTaggart (1996) Restructuring Higher Education: Venture Units

4. Why a VCU? We have launched…a number of such experiments, aimed at understanding and possibly defining the nature of higher education in the twenty-first century.” Katz (1999) Dancing With the Devil

5. “It is questionable how far these consortial efforts, as currently constructed, can go toward meeting their key goal(s)…” Carol Twigg The Learning MarketSpace January 1, 2002 Understanding VCU Success

6. VCU Project Goals • Determine and describe the types of VCU models in use by states • Identify and understand statewide goals for VCUs • Determine and describe major successes, failures, and unexpected outcomes

7. Principle Investigators • Rhonda M. Epper Director of Online Program Development, Community College of Denver • Myk Garn Chief Academic Officer, Kentucky Virtual University Research assistance provided by: Susan Winter, SHEEO Webmaster/Policy Analyst

8. Advisory Team • Fred Hurst Dean of Distance Learning, Northern Arizona University • Sally Johnstone Executive Director, WCET • Val Lewis Commissioner, Connecticut Department of Higher Education • Paul Lingenfelter Executive Director, SHEEO • Tad Perry Executive Director, South Dakota Board of Regents

9. VCU Project Phases • VCU Literature Review • 2002 SHEEO/WCET VCU Survey • Follow-up interviews • SHEEO Report • WCET – Hewlett Edutools Policy Page

10. Research Questions • Are virtual universities meeting statewide goals for which they were created? • What are the advantages and disadvantages of different organizational models? • What are the major successes, failures, and unexpected outcomes of virtual universities? • What is the long-term future of virtual universities?

11. Pew Symposium “Expanding Access to Learning: The Role of Virtual Universities” • July 18-19, Aspen, Colorado • Monograph to be published based on meeting

12. Literature Review • 100+ studies, articles, state reports • 15-20 core resources • Goals, mission, organizational structure, financial models, collaboration models, policies that enable VCU to operate effectively in a state • Ways to describe VCUs: Taxonomies

13. Taxonomies • David Wolf/Sally Johnstone • Burke Smith • Fred Hurst • NGA Report “State of E-Learning”

14. Types of VCUs Wolf/Johnstone Taxonomy • Change Magazine, July/August 1999 • Three types of non-consortia VCUs • Four types of consortia VCUs

15. Consortia VCUs Work with accredited institutions, may or may not have physical campuses, have centralized or coordinated services, and have differing degrees of articulation between participating institutions.

16. Our Definition of VCU The VCU Project will focus on entities and endeavors that operate primarily within single states and that were founded by, or comprise membership of, the state's public higher education institutions. These models appear to occur in two VCU forms - systemwide and statewide.

17. Goals of VCUs • Expand access • Increase economic development • Improve transfer among institutions • Reduce costs • Provide for a better educated workforce • Improve responsiveness of institutions to state’s needs

18. Funding Models of VCUs • Direct state appropriation • Fees from services to provider institutions • Tuition/fees charged by VCU • Partial tuition (e.g., split with provider) • FTE funding from state • Membership fees • Donations/partnerships with private sector

19. Library services Online catalog Online application Online registration E-commerce Bookstore Technical help desk Academic help desk (e.g., tutoring) Online financial aid Coordination of test sites and proctoring Marketing Faculty/staff training and development Course hosting Internet Service Provider (ISP) Services Provided

20. Market Drivers • Audience (Adult Education, Continuing Education, Professional Development, Traditional Academic, Workforce Development, Developmental Education, High School) • Sector/Credential (Certificate, AA/S, BA/S, MA/S, PhD) • Primary/Emerging Disciplines • External Competition

21. Barriers and Unexpected Outcomes Barriers: • Political struggles among institutions • Fixation with institutional needs Unexpected Outcomes: • Growth in enrollments • Commitment to collaboration • Student services became more seamless as a result of VCU.

22. Enabling Policies • “Home College” model • Common course numbering • Statewide or systemwide articulation • Clear policies on intellectual property rights • Common tuition (e-rate) for online courses • Joint program development • Revenue/cost sharing agreements

23. For More Information Contact: • Rhonda Epper - rmepper@msn.com • Myk Garn - myk.garn@kyvu.org

24. Future of VCUs “At a certain point in history, they may have been the lubricant needed for a massive shifting of the gears in higher education. For state virtual universities, the moment may be passing.” -- Julie Porosky, MarylandOnline The notion that VCUs are not needed is “likely to be a ‘cover argument’ by individual campuses to avoid collaboration. . . Following this path would lead to destructive competition, poorly served students, and very unhappy stakeholders and funders.” -- Jack Wilson, UMassOnline Quotes from Pew Symposium, July 2002