PS-03.A.37 - Online Education Policy

3.2.1.A. University-level training requirements for all faculty who teach online, as determined by a joint faculty, staff, and administrator recommendation.

3.2.1.B. Development, deployment, and dissemination of regular stakeholder satisfaction assessment of online courses and programs. This may include, but should not be limited to, student evaluations of individual courses.

3.3.1.A. The Office of the Provost will provide oversight of university-wide support structures for online education.

3.3.1.B. The Office of the Provost will ensure UHD’s compliance with laws in other states concerning authorization to provide online degree programs, certificates, and courses to students who reside in states other than Texas. If necessary, the Office of the Provost will limit enrollment in online course sections, programs, or certificates to students residing in Texas or other states where UHD is authorized to offer online education.

3.3.1.C. The Office of the Provost will develop and disseminate a yearly report on the financial and operational state of the online education program at UHD. This will include stakeholder satisfaction information.

3.3.2.A. The University will provide sufficient financial resources to initiate new online programs, certificates, and courses, including faculty and staff hires (if needed), development activities, marketing, implementation, and assessment.

3.3.2.B. For ongoing online programs, certificates, and courses, the University will provide sufficient financial resources for continuous assessment, training of faculty, students, and staff, IT infrastructure and support, necessary hardware and software resources, faculty and staff hires, and support structures for faculty and student success.

3.3.3.A. All divisions offering support services for students enrolled in online course sections will assess services regularly as part of assessment processes identified in University policy and practice, making continual improvements as needed. Assessment will include input from students regarding their online experiences.

3.3.3.B. Divisions/units offering support services for students enrolled in online course sections will regularly inform faculty and students about these resources.

3.3.4.A. The library will regularly evaluate resources and services provided for students enrolled in online course sections, and make continual improvements as needed.

3.3.4.B. Librarians will inform faculty about available student services, resources, and library instruction, so that faculty can communicate these to students enrolled in online course sections.

3.4.1.A. Academic advising of undeclared majors accessible to and appropriate for online students, including newly admitted students.

3.4.1.B. Academic advising of declared majors accessible to and appropriate for online students.

3.8.1.A. Students in online course sections have the same rights and responsibilities as students in course sections offered in other delivery modes.

3.8.1.B. Software, Apps, Publisher Content, and Non-University Programs in Online Courses: In some specific situations, software, apps, and/or programs that are not specifically supported by the University may be appropriate for use in an online course. However, students should be made aware in the syllabus that the required software, program, or app is not supported by UHD and should be given resources to resolve issues and problems with such resources. If no outside support for student access and use of the resources is available, they should not be used.

3.9.1.A. How faculty will communicate with students;

3.9.1.B. How standards of appropriate online class behavior will be maintained;

3.9.1.C. The minimum computer hardware and software requirements for the class beyond the university recommended tools for all classes, if any, and the department, college, or University facilities available to support these requirements;

3.9.1.D. The enforcement of academic honesty within the online environment;

3.9.1.E. If publisher content or other outside content is a significant portion of the class, clear and specific directions on how to access that content must be a part of the syllabus; and

3.9.1.F. If a software, app, or program that is not supported by UHD IT resources is required in a class, the syllabus must include a statement to that effect and the syllabus must include resources that students can readily access to resolve issues and problems with access and use of such resources. If such software, programs, or apps have a cost for use, the cost should be specified in the syllabus.