Sam Houston State University (SHSU) applies all appropriate standards and policies to its distance learning programs and off-campus instructional sites in the applicable standards within this Compliance Certification Report. SHSU does not have any branch campus locations. The following table provides a brief synopsis of how SHSU has addressed the distance learning programs within its Compliance Certification Report and contains links to the full-text narratives for each standard.
| Standard and Brief Synopsis of Distance Learning Narrative |
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| Standards 6.1 and 6.2.b The University does not employ a separate faculty for its online programs. The faculty who are responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of the academic programs offered via online and distance education modalities are the same faculty who ensure the quality and integrity of face-to-face academic programs. Within each academic discipline, the full-time faculty, regardless of instructional modality, are responsible for a wide variety of activities, such as advising, mentoring, student organization sponsorship, curriculum oversight, committee service, professional development, community outreach, and peer review. Although all full-time faculty are responsible for the shared governance and service aspects of the academy, not all faculty teach an online course in any given semester. The evidentiary tables provided in Standards 6.1 and 6.2.b provide evidence of an adequate number of full-time faculty with online instructional responsibilities for the most recently completed academic year. Institution-wide, an overwhelming majority (88.22%) of the full-time faculty equivalents teaching online courses in the fall 2017 and/or spring 2018 were full time. |
| Standard 6.2.a The University does not employ a separate faculty for its online or distance education programs. The faculty who are responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of the academic programs offered via online and distance education modalities are the same faculty who ensure the quality and integrity of face-to-face academic programs. The qualifications of all faculty who taught during the fall 2017 and spring 2018 semesters, inclusive of those teaching distance education courses, may be accessed through the Faculty Credentials report. |
| Standard 6.2.c Responsibility for program coordination is assigned to qualified individuals who assume responsibility for programs across all modalities (e.g., face-to-face and online). To support the department chair or program coordinators in ensuring that faculty teaching online courses have the appropriate training, SHSU Online provides training and technical support to faculty to facilitate their ability to deliver the curricular content. As part of its mission, SHSU Online offers high-quality course development services for faculty, year-round technical support, and professional development opportunities. |
| Standard 6.5 The University does not employ a separate faculty for its online and distance education programs. The faculty who are responsible for ensuring the quality and integrity of the academic programs offered via an online modality are the same faculty who ensure the quality and integrity of face-to-face academic programs. Faculty teaching online or distance education courses at SHSU are provided faculty development opportunities in technologies and instructional strategies via a number of methods and modalities. SHSU Online provides faculty development opportunities in scheduled face-to-face sessions, fully online cohort-based development sessions, fully online self-paced development sessions, regularly scheduled faculty development webinars, and faculty development sessions by appointment. The “by appointment” sessions can be delivered face-to-face, via webinar, or over the phone. |
| Standard 8.1 SHSU identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students the institution serves, and the kinds of programs the institution offers. SHSU employs multiple measures to evaluate student success for these goals and outcomes, with no differentiation by student location or learning modality of students. The student achievement goals, outcomes, criteria, and targets are applicable to face-to-face and distance education students alike. |
| Standard 8.2.a Distance and online education programs conduct and document their annual programmatic assessment efforts in the same manner as their traditional face-to-face counterparts. For the purposes of programmatic assessment, distance education programs at SHSU are classified as one of two types: (a) fully online programs, in which students can earn a degree through only online or distance education formats and (b) hybrid programs, in which students can earn 50% or more of a degree through online or distance education formats but some (or all) of the degree may also be offered through traditional face-to-face modalities. As theory and practice regarding distance education assessment has evolved, the Office of Academic Planning and Assessment has endeavored to create guidelines for these programs that align with generally recognized best practices. As is highlighted within “Best Practices for Documenting Assessment of Online and Distance Education Programs,” hybrid programs at SHSU are asked to disaggregate assessment results for online and face-to-face students, when appropriate, and to use the results from both groups in the formulation of their actions for improvement. As fully online programs lack any face-to-face components, these programs have no need to disaggregate student learning data by modality. |
| Standard 8.2.b SHSU identifies expected collegiate-level undergraduate general education outcomes for all students regardless of learning location or modality, regularly assesses the extent to which students achieve these outcomes, and seeks to identify actions for improvement based on an analysis of the results from its general education outcomes assessment processes. All undergraduate students, regardless of location or learning modality (e.g., face-to-face, online) are expected to complete their 42-hour core curriculum (general education) and attain the core learning outcomes. Therefore, the assessment plan developed by SHSU to evaluate student attainment of the core learning outcomes includes all students, regardless of location or learning modality. |
| Standard 9.1 All degrees at SHSU, regardless of learning location or modality, are developed in accordance with Chapter 5, Subchapter C, Section 5.45 of the Texas Administrative Code (TAC), which mandates that “the program must be within the existing role and mission of the institution as indicated by its table of programs or the Board must make the determination that the program is appropriate for the mission of the institution.” As part of the annual curriculum cycle, curricular content of all proposed degrees is developed by the departmental faculty and subsequently reviewed internally, with accompanying recommendations by departmental and college curriculum committees, the University Curriculum Committee, the Academic Affairs Council, the Provost, and the President. Proposals are then reviewed externally for approval or denial by the Texas State University System Board of Regents and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). All degree proposals require thorough descriptions of the program and curricula, as well as documentation of student demand, market need, and institutional resources. Additionally, the THECB must review and approve online program proposals. All online degree program proposals are also reviewed by the THECB’s Learning Technology Advisory Committee. The THECB approval requires that the curriculum be “up-to-date and consistent with current educational theory.” |
| Standard 9.2 SHSU has developed and maintains curricula for each of its educational programs, regardless of learning location or modality, which are appropriate in length and content. All undergraduate programs at SHSU require a minimum of 120 semester credit hours, all graduate programs require at least 30 semester credit hours, and all doctoral programs range in length from 60 to 108 semester credit hours, depending upon discipline norms and expectations. The curriculum review process for all programs, regardless of learning location or modality, requires a justification for the length of the program and ensures that no baccalaureate or graduate program is approved with fewer than 120 or 30 hours, respectively. |
| Standard 10.2 SHSU makes available to all students, regardless of learning location or modality, current and future academic calendars, grading policies, and refund policies. Current and projected academic calendars and current refund policies are published on the SHSU website. Grading policies are communicated to students through the academic catalogs published online and within course syllabi. |
| Standard 10.4 The University does not employ a separate faculty for its online and distance education programs. As such, the faculty who participate in academic governance matters are not differentiated between face-to-face and online modalities. SHSU publishes policies and clearly defines the responsibility and authority of faculty in academic and governance matters as demonstrated by the policies of the University and the actions of the University Faculty Senate and its committees. Faculty input into important decisions is actively and systematically sought. In addition to the University Faculty Senate, faculty play key roles on University, college, and department committees dealing with such matters as tenure, promotion, and curricular issues. Although the membership of most University-wide committees is based on recommendations from the University Faculty Senate, faculty may also be called upon by administration to serve on ad hoc committees. Faculty and administrators at SHSU work as partners to provide the best educational experience possible for the student. |
| Standard 10.5 SHSU’s recruitment materials and presentations accurately represent the University’s practices and policies for all potential students and degree programs, regardless of program location or modality (e.g., face-to-face, online). All recruitment pieces are updated regularly (annually for catalogs and other printed materials, and frequently throughout the year for online information), ensuring that materials and presentations accurately represent the institution’s practices and policies. |
| Standard 10.6 SHSU ensures that the student who registers in a distance or correspondence education course or program is the same student who participates in and completes the course or program and receives the credit. Student identity is verified through use of a secure login and passcode, as well as by proctored examinations. SHSU’s written policy for protecting the privacy of students enrolled in distance and correspondence education courses and programs is expressed in a multitude of University policies, including Academic Policy Statement 810806, Student Educational Records. Academic Policy Statement 810806 fully supports the rules and regulations set forth by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and establishes necessary records protocols. Academic Policy Statement 810806 applies to all students at SHSU, regardless of course or program modality. The FERPA campus official at SHSU is the University Registrar. SHSU policies supporting FERPA are outlined in the privacy rights documentation posted on the Registrar’s website, and University employees participate in annual security awareness training. SHSU does not require distance education or correspondence education students to utilize identity verification services for which they are required to pay an additional charge or fee. Instead, the University makes available to its distance and correspondence education students a number of free identity verification options. |
| Standard 10.7 SHSU credit hour policies apply to all courses regardless of learning location or modality, including online distance education courses. Course rigor, course content, course textbooks, and course syllabi requirements for distance education courses are subject to the same policies as face-to-face courses. All SHSU courses taught via distance education, whether delivery is synchronous or asynchronous, also adhere consistently to the THECB’s definition of a credit hour, in which a 3-credit-hour course must have a minimum of 45 contact hours. Credit hours awarded for asynchronous courses match those for synchronous courses and face-to-face courses based upon equivalent content. A comparison of syllabi for courses offered in both face-to-face and online modalities indicate similar content and expectations, providing evidence that the online classes contain similar demands and amounts of work to earn the credit hours awarded. |
| Standard 11.1 To support the institution’s and the library’s missions for “providing high quality education, scholarship and service to qualified students” and for developing critically thinking, educated, lifelong learners, the library and other student support units provide a variety of learning resources to both face-to-face and online students in both scheduled and on-demand formats. The library provides access to print books, journal articles, and other print resources to students who are enrolled in online courses and/or reside outside of Walker County through its Distance Learning Services. In addition to the electronic books and media items, the library also offers more than 300 databases, which include online full-text access to approximately 400,000 research resources, including academic journals, professional periodicals, popular magazines, and major news publications. Asynchronous virtual instructions on conducting research and searching library resources are also available through Online Tutorial and Instruction Modules on the library’s website, including an information literacy tutorial. For library instruction tailored to online courses and programs, librarians can be “embedded” into Blackboard, the institution’s learning management system (LMS), to provide both synchronous and asynchronous instructional sessions, videos, research guides, and other content as requested by the teaching faculty. Moreover, the library offers a growing collection of subject- and topic-specific online research guides, a YouTube instructional video channel, and short guides covering Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). To provide an array of academic support services in the key foundation areas, the University also provides the Academic Success Center (ASC), whose mission is to assist and empower students to succeed academically, persist through graduation, prepare for graduate and professional endeavors, and develop an appreciation for lifelong learning. The ASC is located on both the main campus in Huntsville as well as at The Woodlands Center and offers support to online students through email, phone, and video/voice over IP (VOIP) software. |
| Standard 11.2 The University does not employ a separate library and learning/information staff for online or distance education programs. The library and learning/information staff provide appropriate support to both face-to-face and distance education students through online formats interwoven throughout their delivery of services. Both face-to-face and distance education students are able to take advantage of the online services provided by these staff. |
| Standard 11.3 SHSU provides all students, faculty, and staff access and user privileges to the library and other learning/information resources and services. SHSU also provides access to regular and timely instruction in the use of the library and other learning/information resources. Both scheduled and on-demand instructions in the use of technology, the use of the library, and in the use of other learning/information resources are available to all users to support the educational, research, and service missions of the University. All group instruction sessions and individual research and instructional consultations from the library are available in person, as well as virtually through synchronous and asynchronous formats. All faculty, staff, and students, regardless of modality, also have access to such services as a personalized computing environment, including network storage, software applications, and email; a multitude of software applications; and a robust technology service support desk. |
| Standard 12.1 SHSU provides appropriate student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission to face-to-face students and distance education students alike. Provided within the narrative for Standard 12.1 is a discussion of these support programs, services, and activities with descriptions of how these services are made available to distance learners. Furthermore, SHSU Online provides a wide range of services aimed at promoting student learning and success. The department adheres to the assumptions expressed in the Principles of Good Practice for Academic Degree and Certificate Programs Offered Electronically, published by the THECB, which articulates a number of measures aimed at ensuring the highest possible quality in the practices of providing student services. SHSU Online is fully committed to the success of all SHSU students, including distance and on-campus learners who enroll in online and/or hybrid courses. |
| Standard 12.4 SHSU is committed to fostering an educational environment that promotes the highest level of learning and personal development of its students. To support this commitment, SHSU strives to ensure all students are treated equitably and in accordance with University policies. When a student asserts that SHSU has not followed University policies or wishes to file a complaint that is governed by an existing SHSU policy, that student is afforded the opportunity to file a formal student complaint with the institution. Policies and procedures for written student complaints do not differ for face-to-face and online students. All students, regardless of learning location or modality, are afforded the opportunity to submit written student complaints via in-person delivery, hard copy mail, email, fax, or online. |
| Standard 13.7 SHSU manages and supports a sophisticated and scalable technological infrastructure in order to make adequate and suitable provisions for the purposes of delivering quality distance and face-to-face education. The various technology solutions and services managed and/or administered by SHSU are appropriate to the nature and objectives of the University’s academic education programs and courses delivered via a fully face-to-face, a fully online, or a hybrid modality. Some prominent components of the technological infrastructure include: (a) the LMS Blackboard; (b) University-wide proctoring solutions; (c) various web/video conferencing options, including Blue Jeans, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Go To Meeting, and Go To Assist, as well as interactive television (iTV), Kaltura, and Tegrity; (d) a recording studio; and (e) a host of third-party applications that augment the online and face-to-face teaching and learning environment by providing rich options for engagement, learning, and assessment in educational programs. |
| Standard 13.8 SHSU has adequate physical facilities and resources, both on and off campus, that appropriately serve the needs of the institution’s educational programs, support services, and other mission-related activities. As part of its physical resources, SHSU manages and supports a sophisticated and scalable technological infrastructure in order to make adequate and suitable provisions for the purposes of delivering quality distance and face-to-face education. Some of the most prominent components of the technological infrastructure include the LMS Blackboard; a University-wide proctoring solution; various web/video conferencing options, including Blue Jeans, Blackboard Collaborate Ultra, Go To Meeting, Go To Assist, iTV, Kaltura, and Tegrity; a recording studio; and a host of third-party applications that augment the online and face-to-face teaching and learning environment by providing rich options for engagement, learning, and assessment in educational programs. |
| Standard 14.1 SHSU accurately represents its accreditation status and publishes the name, address, and telephone number of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) in accordance with SACSCOC’s requirements and federal policy. SHSU publishes its accreditation status consistently in the undergraduate and graduate catalogs, on the University/ Program Accreditation webpage, and on the SHSU Online website. |