Ch. 9:  Administration, Management, and Policy
Amy Lewis
EMC 598
Arizona State University
Summer 1998

In Michael Moore and Greg Kearsly's Distance Education: A Systems View, chapter nine studies the management of distance education institutions planning, staffing, budgeting, scheduling and policy issues. Two distance education institutions that are examined closer are the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) and the Western Governors University (WGU).

The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) is a regional organization created by the Western Regional Education Compact, adopted in the 1950s by western states. Fifteen states public and private universities and colleges are members of WICHE. The states that are members of WICHE include: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. WICHE was developed to promote resource sharing among the higher education systems of the western states. The unique program emphasis of WICHE is the student exchange programs at undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels.

The Western Governors Association started the largest cooperative distance education project, known as Western Governors University (WGU). The WGU is an independent university offering a range of degrees through distance education. The WGU is a cooperative effort of member states, involving government, higher education institutions, agencies, and corporations.

The idea for a western virtual university was born at a meeting of the Western Governors' Association (WGA) in June 1995. WGA is an organization of the governors of 18 western states including Utah Governor Mike Leavitt and Colorado Governor Roy Romer. At the meeting in 1995, the governors designated a team to create a design plan for a western virtual university and an implementation plan for which it could be established and financed. There first ten states included the following: Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. They were later joined by Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Indiana and the territory of Guam. WGU's first two-degree and certificate programs were opened to students in 1998, and 15 additional programs are expected to be ready by 1999.

The WGU vision is to serve the needs of the present Information Age learners with skills and knowledge they can take into the workplace. WGU plans to provide high-quality, obtainable education. WGU uses technology such as the Internet and videoconferencing to master the obstacles of time and distance. WGU is the first virtual university to combine the distance education courses of traditional colleges and universities with the courses designed by corporations and publishers.

Specifically, the main activities of the WGU encompass:

  1. making these instructional offerings directly accessible to potential students through a central electronic catalog accessible to potential students and an integrated registration and billing process.
  2. providing a means for students to earn competency-based credentials (including degrees up to the master's level and portable vocational/professional certifications) in identified fields of study designed to meet particular regional needs.
  3. providing an appropriate array of support services to students studying at a distance (including library services, advisement and counseling, financial aid, and various types of skills assessment) either electronically or through a network of local centers.
  4. identifying promising opportunities in the region for new program and courseware development in partnership with educational institutions, corporations and other providers.
WGU has two main offices. The administrative office is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. The other office, the academic office, is located in Denver, Colorado. Robert C. Albrecht heads the academic side of WGU. E. Jeffery Livingston heads the administrative office. A Board of Trustees made up of 14 members governs the WGU. In addition, the States Advisory Council contains one representative from each state appointed by the Governor. The role of the Council is to serve in an advisory capacity to both the Board of Trustees and to the WGU Executive staff on issues related to the operations of WGU and the relationships to each of the states. The representatives serve as a liaison role between WGU ad the governors of the states. Moreover, the WGU will not employ faculty. All academic content will be provided from traditional institutions, non-traditional providers, and commercial entities.

Budgeting matters were worked out through contributions from states, corporations, and foundation grants. State amounts received $1,600,000. Corporate donations totaled $2,000,000. Foundations grant covered $75,000.

The scheduling of classes is through WGU's SmartCatalog, the online, listings of courses and programs available. The SmartCatalog is WGU's catalog and class schedule all in one. The WGU will provide student services in several ways: SmartCatalog/Advisor, toll-free telephone number, and local service centers in each participating state.

The WGU overcomes the accreditation problems by having a joint accreditation with an inter-regional accrediting committee.

To combine efforts of both organizations, WICHE will work with the WGA to:

I think that the WGU holds a large part in the future of education. It will be very interesting to see how the future of the WGU shapes education in the United Sates.
 
Resources:

Online

http://www.wgu.edu/

http://wiche.edu/Telecom/projects/vu.htm

http://wiche.edu/