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The Faculty Role and Campus Participation in the California State
University (CSU) Online Initiative
AS-3050-11/EX
RESOLVED: That the Academic Senate California State University (ASCSU) acknowledge that well-designed
and executed online programs can be a useful addition to the variety of
pedagogical methods available to faculty and students; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU recognize that the CSU Online Initiative can offer the potential
benefits both (1) in the financing and marketing of online programs due to economies of
scale and (2) in serving as a repository of best practices developed at several campuses
in the system; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU strongly assert that the best online programs develop from faculty
working in a quality assurance structure which adheres to department, college, and
university curricular review procedures. These should feature faculty who have
immediate knowledge both of the demands of those disciplines and the needs of their
students. All of the above characterizes current CSU online offerings; and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU contend that the current CSU Online Initiative requires that faculty
accept a major academic initiative after it has been partially funded and developed
without meaningful faculty input, and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU maintain that a CSU Online Initiative must (1) derive from the faculty
who will actually perform online instruction, (2) address the intellectual property rights
of faculty who create courses, (3) protect all contractual rights of all faculty involved in
the program, (4) indicate how the quality and effectiveness of online courses will be
assessed, (5) indicate how new curricula are to be developed and what approval
processes will be applied to them, and (6) indicate the relationship between maintaining
the quality of individual courses and maintaining the quality of degrees and programs,
and assuring that the CSU degree will be meaningful and our graduates well educated;
and be it further
RESOLVED: That the ASCSU urge the Chancellor’s Office to appoint additional faculty, including
the ASCSU Chair, to the CSU Online Initiative Governing Board prior to the further
development of this Initiative.
RATIONALE: There are many laudable goals that can be achieved through the
development of online courses and programs. These include extending access to
students outside of campus service areas, providing alternative means for students to
make progress toward degrees during times which are convenient to the student, and
creating a student-centered learning environment. But the development of an effective
online program ought to recognize that those who have the greatest experience with
implementing successful pedagogy are the faculty. Such development ought to also take
into consideration the many successful online endeavors which CSU faculty have
already undertaken. These arguments were recently made in a resolution passed by the CSU San Bernardino Faculty Senate.* Unfortunately, the current initiative reflects an all
too common approach to curricular innovation: top down management with little or no
meaningful faculty input. Additionally, the ASCSU Academic Affairs Committee is
currently working on a comprehensive, evidence-based, White Paper addressing best
practices and online educational issues.
Approved Unanimously – November 3-4, 2011
* http://senate.csusb.edu/(FSD%2011-02)%20Online%20Initiative%20Resolution.pdf
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