1. SREB Regional Compact and “Sloan Semester” (What the heck does this have to do with data?) 2006 SHEEO/NCES Network Conference and IPEDS Workshop May 9, 2006

2. Your luncheon bromide… And a respite from data discussions…

3. Remarks Today A bit about SREB Electronic Campus Online learning – a path to expanding access to higher education “VESA” “Sloan Semester” Your questions…

4. Southern Regional Education Board U.S.’s first interstate compact (one of four) 16 member states Governor and four legislative and educational leaders serve on the Board “Connection” to Policymakers Pre-k – 16, 20 or 21 (take your pick) Initiatives designed to share resources and increase access to higher education Promote educational standards and the economic growth of the region Policy, Standards and Data

5. SREB States 16 member states

6. Electronic Campus Basic Concept Utilize the “connectedness” of SREB and the existing and developing strengths of our region’s colleges and universities to: Establish a regional “marketplace” Create opportunities Reduce barriers to learning (policy barriers—DLPL) Increase access

7. Electronic Campus Today Some 300 colleges and universities from all 16 SREB states (public and private) More than 15,000 credit courses Nearly 600 degree programs Specialized Programs including ACM/EC Nursing Educator Project

10. Creating a full- service regional learning portal (a work in progress)

11. The Electronic Campus Creating… A regional lifelong learning portal An integrated suite of hosted Internet-based services that provide real-time information about & direct access to learning opportunities from colleges & universities a full array of online learner services A full-service “portal” focused on the adult learner and e-learner, with specialized services not readily available or accessible (value-added proposition)

12. “Learning Passport” Agreement among participating institutions to establish criteria & protocol for enrollment without formal admission online alternative to admission process & application streamlines “back office” operations for institutions provides “rapid enrollment,” especially for e-learning “VESA” (Visiting Electronic Student Authorization) launched in Fall, 2005 and used in Sloan Semester

13. Visiting Electronic Student Authorization “VESA” Used (successfully) in Sloan Semester Students completed it online Auto-populated from student data Students requested courses from catalog SREB received VESA then pushed it to institutions where student record was established and student registered Why not other student populations? Teachers, other credentialed individuals seeking “just-in- time” learning

14. Putting It All Together: Demonstrating that e-Learning Can Really Deliver on the Promise…

17. Sloan Foundation funding Donation of $1.1M to provide online education for students impacted by Katrina and Rita Stipends paid to institutions ($2500 max) Courses free to students Sloan Semester Courses Must start on or after October 10 and conclude by first week of January Must accept Visiting Electronic Student Authorization (VESA) application

18. First and foremost, this is for students make process as easy as possible if we err, it will be on the side of the student Creating a “bridge” for students from their home institution back to their home institution for the spring term While there are difficult provisions that will require suspension of normal operating procedures, these are part of the “donation” to make this happen

19. August 29 – Katrina Hits Gulf Coast August 30 – Levees fail in New Orleans August 31 – Sloan Semester evolves 7:31a – e-mail from Burks Oakley, Sloan C desire to respond using e-learning 8:45a – conference call with Sloan C defines basic concept of “bridge” 10:02a– draft proposal to Sloan Foundation September 1 – email invitation to Sloan C and SREB Electronic Campus institutions to gauge interest in “Sloan Semester”

20. September 2 10:00a – SloanSemester.org site is activated 3:45p – “Green light” that Sloan Foundation Executive Committee approves proposal Provider listserv created September 3 “Rules” for participation defined Site goes live 60 institutions express interest in joining 3 students register on site

21. September 9 – Ceased allowing new providers to join; over 200 providers have signed up September 11 – Providers begin entering courses in website September 12 – Academic Advisor Coordinator hired September 13 – Financial aid consultants on-board (Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation) 800+ students have signed up on website, 380+ courses in database September 15 – Catalog goes live with 1000+ courses September 19 – Students begin registering

22. 21 21 days after Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, an entire online “institution” had been established with a full complement of courses, online application and registration services, advising for courses and financial aid and students were registering for classes…through Sloan-C and SREB

23. www.SloanSemester.org

24. Courses hosted on the SREB Electronic Campus site in a special section for Sloan Semester. Institutions used a "back office" interface to input their course information VESA application auto-populated from student profile information. It includes information institutions need to create a student file in SIS. SREB worked directly with states and institutions to verify the student is from an impacted institution. Students indicated the courses of interest on the VESA and requests were forwarded to the institutions offering the courses. Institutions then registered the students.

25. 1,322 courses from 158 institutions in 38 states 1,322 courses from 158 institutions in 38 states 1,736 VESA applications processed 1,736 VESA applications processed 4,256 course “seat” requests 4,256 course “seat” requests 2,900 enrollments at census 2,900 enrollments at census 5,400 enrollments by “native” students 5,400 enrollments by “native” students

26. $750k in Stipends = $3.1m Tuition and Fees (non-monetary considerations may be even more valuable)

27. Communications!!! Communications!!! Institutional (impacted) buy-in Institutional (impacted) buy-in Cover book costs—a few hundred dollars could have made a difference Cover book costs—a few hundred dollars could have made a difference Students are students, they registered, dropped and added, and dropped and added… Students are students, they registered, dropped and added, and dropped and added… Student loads were too heavy Student loads were too heavy

28. We have a compassionate, concerned and caring academic community We have a compassionate, concerned and caring academic community When we want to get something done, we can…and quickly When we want to get something done, we can…and quickly Many barriers can be removed when there is a will (can we make this happen without a crisis?) Many barriers can be removed when there is a will (can we make this happen without a crisis?) Online learning works!!! (But we knew this already…at least some of us did) Online learning works!!! (But we knew this already…at least some of us did)

29. We must develop academic emergency plans, not just facility plans We must develop academic emergency plans, not just facility plans Re-establishing institutional web site is critical—have a back-up plan Re-establishing institutional web site is critical—have a back-up plan Student continuation plans—online learning should be a key component Student continuation plans—online learning should be a key component Policies should be “accommodating” Policies should be “accommodating” Tuition and fees Tuition and fees Credit transfer/recognition Credit transfer/recognition

30. “It is hard for me to imagine what some of them are coping with, having nothing left except the clothes on their backs and what little they could take with them when the waters rose to devastate everything in their environment. I have great respect for each and every one of them, and for those who are pitching in to make their lives a little better.” Commenting on his “Katrina Students” Jim Gustafson Professor of Philosophy Mass Colleges Online

31. SHEEO and state/system offices for their support and participation SHEEO and state/system offices for their support and participation Participating colleges and universities who made this happen Participating colleges and universities who made this happen The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sloan Consortium The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Sloan Consortium Leadership & institutions in AL, LA, MS Leadership & institutions in AL, LA, MS Students and their parents Students and their parents