Changes to distance education services at UAF
May 23, 2012
FROM: Chancellor Brian Rogers
RE: Changes to distance education services at UAF
E-learning and distance education is an important part of the educational options
we offer our students. Over the years, distance education has grown from something
delivered to remote students via the postal service to a robust program that serves
students throughout our campus, state and
nation using a broad range of traditional and technological methods.
Today, 73 percent of the credit hours delivered through the Center for Distance Education are to students who live in the Fairbanks area. More and more students are using
e-Learning and distance courses to complete 2- and 4-year degrees. CDE must change
to accommodate this growth and transformation.
Effective today, I am establishing the UAF E-learning and Distance Education Office.
The office and its executive director will report directly to the Chancellor. Budgeting
and staffing decisions will be made with the guidance of an E-learning Council, which
will include Provost Susan Henrichs and Vice Chancellor Bernice Joseph. In order to
provide focused service to our rural students who do not have access to adequate bandwidth,
the Center for Distance Education will be established as a division within the new
program.
This decision was made after internal and external reviews, evaluation of impacts
on stakeholders, and considerable deliberation by university leaders. This new structure
will provide the best educational opportunities to our entire student population,
while providing specialized service to rural students.
Please feel free to contact me or UAF executive officer Bob Shefchik with any questions you may have.