VCT Orientation

History

1996: Conception (TACC)1997-98: Detailing and Planning (DLAC)1998-2004: Putting it into practice: Implementation (everyone)2005-2006: VCT meets SACS2007- present: Post-SACS respiteFuture: ?????????

VCT = Member Colleges

VoluntaryCollaborative

Mission Statement: To enhance access to higher education by sharing distance learning resources among member colleges.

CoursesCourses

Student ServicesStudent Services

FacultyFaculty

TechnologyTechnology Admin SupportAdmin

Support

RESOURCES:

MemberColleges

TACC DLAdvisory

Committee

Structure & Governance

VCT

VCTCoordinators

ExecutiveDirector

Telecomm.Committee

GeneralMembership

Texas Association ofCommunity Colleges

TACC Regions

West

South

Central

GulfCoast

East

North

The VCT Office does NOT

Make Policies or

Regulations

Make decisions regarding its role or

scope

Referee Among

Institutions

PROVIDER:Instruction

HOST:Student Services

How VCT Works:Host-Provider Model

HOST (local) College Responsibilities

• Enrolls students• Collects tuition & fees• Receives contact-hour funding• Provides student services • Administers tests• Awards course credit & transcripts

courses • Pays instruction fee to provider• Meets SACS requirements

HOST (local) College Responsibilities

• Course Content, Quality, andEffectivenesso Local process for getting faculty

approval of all hosted courses, including syllabi review regarding learning outcomes & indicators of quality.

o VCT support: online syllabi Describe any other local actions taken.

• Faculty Qualifications o Confirms instructor qualificationso VCT Support: Online Faculty Rosters, full

credentials in electronic document system

HOST (local) College Responsibilities

• Inst. Effectiveness plan(include VCT Evaluation ofInstruction & Services)oAs a component of your college’s overall process

oAs an activity in which VCT is considered as a program or service “unit”

PROVIDER (remote) College: Instruction

• InstructorsoDefine course content and

instructional methodologiesoDirect class activities, including

assignments and testsoAward grades

• Establishes academic calendar• Invoices host colleges for instructional

services

Courses that Can Be Hosted/Provided

• Anything in ACGM • WECM courses—oIf course can be counted as

credit in a local degree or certificate program, at least as elective

Comply with local policy

Instruction Fee

For each student enrolled on the Host college’s day of record, the host pays the Provider a per-student instructional fee set by the Provider.

$$HOST PROVIDER

• Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

• Host-Provider Model– Common Course Numbers– Common Accrediting Agency for All Member

Institutions (SACS)*

Critical Factors

TACC eLearningCommittee

• Works closely with VCT Director

• Resolves or makes recommendations regarding statewide VCT issues

• Advises TACC on distance learning issues and new initiatives

• Critical to VCT Operations

VCT Coordinators—• Serve as first point of contact

for:o VCT staffo Host & provider colleges

• Responsible for census rosters, grade reports, invoices, testing

• Deal directly with students• Solve problems, resolve inter-

institutional issues, do whatever is necessary

VCTCoordinatorsVCT

Coordinators

Ron ThomsonDirector512-223-8030

thomson@austincc.edu

Valerie TsouAssistant to Director

Website Manager512-223-8040

vtsou@austincc.edu

VCT Staff

VCT Host andProviderResponsi-bilities

VCT OperationsManual

VCTMOU

Foundation Documents

SACS Compliance CertificationSACS Review Committee’s Report

SACS Compliance CertificationSACS Review Committee’s Report

Affirms:• College’s participation in VCT• Application of same due

diligence and standards for hosted courses as for local courses

• College follows provisions of VCT H&P Practices & Responsibilities as well as Operations manual

• Complies with standards & requirements of SACS, CB, professional associations, and other accrediting bodies

VCTMOU

• Details Host and Provider practices, processes, responsibilities

• Specifies host and provider responsibilities and actions

• Specifies critical practices required for compliance with SACS standards

• Gives instructions on major website applications, e.g., Online Schedule and the Reservation System

VCTOperations

Manual

Being updated with new SACS

practices

Coord. Board Reports-Host

Refer to: Reporting and Procedures Manual for Texas Community, Technical, and State Colleges• Special section on reporting VCT classes• Applies to CBM001 and CBM 004

Reporting “Classes Offered in Conjunction With the Virtual College of Texas”

• Guidelines apply to any telecomm-delivered class where the instructor is employed by another Texas institution.

• Class must be active on institution’s course inventory or one of the statewide course inventories.

THECB Reporting and Procedures Manual

• Student Report - CBM001(or CBM 00A) Host reports its students, with contact hours reported in items #24 or #25, NOT items #10 or #11.

• Class Report - CBM004 (or CBM 00C) Use special coding indicatedo Item 9, Location Code: code ‘6’ (inter-institution).o Item 12 B: Blanko Item 13, SSN: instructor’s name (1st letters of last

name) o Item 19: FICE code of providing institution

THECB Reporting and Procedures Manual

• CBM008- Faculty Report Host (receiving institution) should not include a record for the instructor.

CBM008- Faculty Report

The Faculty Report (CBM008) for the Host (receiving institution) should not include a record for the instructor.

Provider College & CB Reports

For Providers, no special reporting concerns regarding VCT.

Providers DO NOT report VCT-enrolled students

Instructor Issues

• Hosts’ students not on local rosters• Multiple institutions to deal with

o DOR rosters: verify, sign & returno Grade reports: enter grades (on paper & return) or online (learn

different systems)

• Logistics of testing at multiple colleges• Attaching syllabi to courses in course schedule

(not an instructor responsibility at some colleges)• Other?

Grades: Occasional Problem

• Host’s policy applies regarding withdrawals and incompletes

Interactive Video Classes:

• System compatibility• Connectivity• Appropriate support technologies

(e.g. phone, fax)• Scheduling• Number of sites (provider)• Technical assistance• On-site facilitator (host)

Foundation of SACS Approval of VCT

Host colleges award course credit and transcripts courses transparently as their own.

SACS Standard 3.4.4: “The institution assumes responsibility for the academic quality of any course work of credit recorded on the institutions’ transcript.”

VCT MOU: “Host colleges apply the same due diligence and standards to administer and support hosted courses that they apply to locally taught courses.”

HOST (local) College Responsibilities

Course Content, Quality, and Effectiveness• Local process for getting faculty approval of all

hosted courses, including syllabi review regarding learning outcomes & indicators of quality.

• VCT Support: online syllabi Faculty Qualifications • Confirms instructor qualifications• VCT Support: Online SACS faculty rosters, full credentials in electronic document system

Course Evaluation• VCT Support: VCT Evaluation of Instruction and

Services

Custom Website Applications

Key Applications• Online Schedule (with syllabi)• Reservation System• Class Rosters• Faculty Rosters (Qualifications)• DOR Rosters (Registrars & Instructors)• Final Grade Reports (Registrars & Instructors)• Invoices

Custom Website Applications

• Contact Informationo Key personnel at each college

• Student Administrationo Record of basic information for each

student enrolling in VCT course(s)o Record of courses taken by each student

• Security System (passwords/access levels)

• VCT Information

Collaborative Degrees and Certificates

Basic StrategyStudents—

• Take core courses and electives, to extent possible, at home colleges.

• Transfer to other colleges to complete degrees not offered by home colleges.

VCT Operations Manual

• Explanation of Host-Provider Model• VCT Memorandum of Understanding• Host and Provider Practices and

Responsibilities• Procedural checklists for VCT

Coordinators, Business Office, Counselors and Advisors, Instructors, Registrars

VCT Coordinators - Host Mode

DURING REGISTRATION• Support enrollment processes: use

reservation system• Respond to ad hoc calls from

students.• Respond to issues, situation,

problems as appropriate

VCT Coordinators - Host Mode

DURING COURSE• Administer VCT Evaluation of Instruction

and Services• Monitor, trouble shoot, assist:

o Student issues as they arise, e.g., technical assistance, accessing instructor’s orientation

o Testingo Keep online rosters current /accurateo CB reports: CBM001 and CBM004 for credit

(CBM00A and 00C for Continuing Ed)o Signing of DOR Rosterso Paying invoices of provider colleges (preferably using

online invoices)

VCT Coordinators - Host Mode

END OF COURSEMonitor, troubleshoot, assist:• Grades”

o Ensure final grade reports are disseminated to instructors (preferably online).

o Ensure instructors enter grades and submit final grade reports. .

• Instructional Fee Paymentso Ensure invoices are paid

Registrars - Host Mode

DURING COURSE• Release online DOR rosters to instructors.

Monitor signing by instructors.• Withdraw students when they drop.• Submit CBM 001 and CBM 004 reports to

CB. (00A and 00C for Cont. Ed.)END OF COURSE• Release online Grade Reports to Providers.

Monitor instructor’s assignment of grades.

Business Office - Host Mode

• Pay Provider colleges’ invoices.

• Ensure all providers have been paid.

Automated online invoices preferred

Human Resources – Host Mode

• Prepare or support preparation of Instructor Qualifications, as appropriate

VCT Coordinators - Provider Mode

BEFORE COURSE• ID courses for VCT online catalog and

enter them, including VCT spaces, fee. Also include:o Syllabus for each courseo Faculty Roster info (summary of

qualifications)• Brief faculty on VCT responsibilities• Prepare VCT student orientation info

VCT Coordinators - Provider Mode

DURING REGISTRATION• Monitor availability of classes in

schedule.• Inform hosts of canceled classes.• Provide students VCT orientation info.• Respond to student ad hoc calls.

VCT Coordinators - Provider Mode

DURING COURSE• Monitor signing of Day of Record rosters. • Facilitate testing logistics, as appropriate.• Address ad hoc issues as they arise.• Invoices: monitor release and payment of

invoices.END OF COURSE• Monitor instructors’ assignment of final

grades. • Ensure all instructional fees are received.

Business Office - Provider Mode

DURING COURSE• Release invoices to Host colleges.

END OF COURSE• Ensure payments are received from

Host colleges.

Thank you