detc news: spring 2008

1DETC NEWS • SPRING 2008

NEWSNEWSDETC

S p r i n g 2 0 0 8

DETC Welcomes New Institutions•

Fall Workshop Scheduled•

One Institution’s • Federal Aid Journey

Retro Advertising Nostalgia•

Award Recipients Honored• IN T

HIS

IS

SU

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ContentsMessage from the Executive Director ..............................................................Important Dates ................................................................................................Message from the Commission Chair ..............................................................DETC Welcomes New Institutions ...................................................................Fall Distance Education Workshop Scheduled for Notre Dame .......................DETC Accrediting Commission Appoints Three New Commissioners ...........One Institution's Journey to Federal Financial Aid Programs ..........................Spring Cleaning Reveals Nostalgia .................................................................Report from the Accrediting Commission. .......................................................Annual Conference a Success ...........................................................................DETC Award Recipients Honored ....................................................................

DETC NEWS - Spring 2008

DETC NEWS—Published by the Distance Education and Training Council, 1601 18th Street, NW, Suite 2, Washington, D.C. 20009 (202-234-5100).

Story ideas, feedback, letters to the editor and other reader submissions are encouraged and should be sent via e-mail to [email protected]. Please put "DETC NEWS SUBMISSION" as the subject line of your e-mail.

The Distance Education and Training Coun-cil (DETC) a nonprofi t, voluntary association of accredited distance study institutions, was founded in 1926 to promote sound educational standards and ethical business practices within the distance study fi eld. The independent DETC Accrediting Commission is listed by the United States Department of Education as a “nationally recognized accrediting agency.” The Accrediting Commission is also a charter member of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).

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DETC Staff:

Executive Director:Michael P. LambertAssociate Director:

Sally R. Welch

Director of Accreditation:Nan M. Ridgeway

Director of Meetings and Publications:Robert S. Chalifoux

Accrediting Coordinator:Lissette Hubbard

Information Specialist and Bookkeeper:Rachel A. Scheer

Legal Counsellor:Joseph C. Luman


Message from the Executive Director

(continued)

Transitions: Significant Developments in theFuture of Distance Education

by Michael P. LambertExecutive Director

The Distance Education and Training Council is undergoing a transition phase in its eight decade history, and the changes we are witnessing point to a continued need for DETC to serve the nation and students.

We see fi ve signifi cant developments and trends underway which will change forever how DETC will conduct its activi-ties and how its member institutions will adapt and grow.

First, technology continues to impact how learners will learn at a distance from the teaching institution.

Technology always seems to be about 1-2 years ahead of the distance educators’ widespread adaptation of it. Early adopt-ers and pioneers fi rst take a chance on the newest software, and the rest of the fi eld follows.

The growing sophistication of learning management software is making it easier

for faculty and curriculum developers to create highly interactive, multi-dimension-al learning experiences and information rich environments. This goes beyond the mere speed of broadband communications with learners, but it touches on such devel-opments as virtual labs and simulations, clever new exam proctoring techniques (such as “keystroke recognition” software), interactive virtual group study experiences, the incorporation of more video and audio into programs, and even software that can detect student plagiarism.

Second, the advent of Federal Financial Aid Title IV funding for online learning is making its initial impact on the distance learning sector. From 1992 through July 2006, fully distance or online institu-tions were not eligible by federal law to participate in Title IV programs. This has changed, and the online learning commu-

DETC NEWS • SPRING 20082

(Message from the Executive Director, continued)

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nity in every sector—nationally accredited for profi ts, regional non profi ts, and within DETC itself is growing dramatically. Soon, it is predicted that online learning growth in student enrollments will outpace the growth in resident school enrollments. The growth is being fuelled by the “faster, bet-ter, cheaper” online learning technology, the extremely popular convenience of the method for busy adults, and now the ready availability of federal funds.

This has already taken place in the world of military voluntary education, where the amount of Department of Defense funding for tuition assistance is greater for online study than for resident school study. The military community of students has enthu-siastically embraced online learning—just as they embraced distance education in World War II, with the U.S. Armed Forces Institute (USAFI), which offered service members tuition free correspondence study instruction. Distance learning and the military are natural bedfellows and this mutual attraction is evident, especially for those deployed overseas.

Third, there is a “perfect storm” brew-ing in the marketplace for online learning. The competition for new students is nearing a white hot pitch, and when competition gets to be too much, “something’s gotta give.”

We are seeing in the higher education sector these developments: virtually the same degree programs using the same textbooks and similar learning manage-ment software; the same media—Web

site promotions on the Internet; the same formula of adjunct faculty teaching asyn-chronous, cohort-based, 8 week courses, one at a time; and the same tuition prices. (Although DETC institutions’ prices are often very much lower than those in other sectors, with tuition price per credit ranging from $80 to $400 per credit hour.)

With what features or tools, then, are online institutions left to compete in such a competitive space?

Our answer is almost too simple: high-est quality curricula and highest quality service at a fair price.

Fourth, the Federal Government has authorized institutional accrediting bod-ies, regional and national both, to have in their recognized scope of activities the specifi c duty of accrediting online or distance learning. The accreditation of distance learning institutions was once the sole province of DETC, but no more. Now, 15 institutional accrediting agencies are listed on the Department of Education Web site as authorized to accredit distance education. DETC must now compete with these other accrediting groups to provide accreditation services.

The danger to the taxpayers, and to the collective reputation of online accredita-tion, is that some nefarious institutions seeking merely a “ticket to the federal student aid dance” may seek accreditation from the least burdensome, least stringent, “easiest” accrediting agency, just to qualify for federal aid. All of us in distance learning have a stake in how well every accrediting association does its job today. We will all be painted with the same brush once the


(Message from the Executive Director, continued)

media stories of student aid scandals hit. And fi nally, Fifth, the challenge of

the increasing the acceptance of academic degrees and credits earned at DETC in-stitutions by other regionally accredited institutions remains a priority. This is a decades-long enterprise and every day we are seeing more acceptance of DETC by universities, but much remains to be done. As one highly placed traditional higher education offi cial said to me, “It is just a matter of time before all of higher educa-tion will fully accept DETC accreditation as being totally trustworthy and accept-able, on the same level as the regional agencies. You are turning the corner now, so keep at it.”

For DETC and its more than 100 con-stituent member institutions, these trends spell more competition at the institutional level, more reasons to keep ahead of the game in terms of the technology and enhanced curriculum features, and more need to over-deliver on student service to the learners who choose us. There will be no space on the bus for any institution not dedicated to the idea of “Students Come First!”

The collective fi nancial and academic health of the DETC institutions is strong, and is clearly getting stronger. The DETC accrediting standards have never been more rigorous or more rigorously applied.

The threats to the DETC’s members lay perhaps more in what other online institu-tions might do to jeopardize the public’s perception of the academic quality or the

Important Dates!Mark your calendars now for the fol-

lowing DETC activities:

2008 Financial Aid Workshop October 13 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN

Distance Education Workshop October 14-15 University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN2009 Accrediting Commission Meeting January 15-18

83rd Annual Conference April 5-7 Hotel Del Coronado Coronado, CA

Accrediting Commission Meeting June 4-7

DETC Fall Workshop October 18-20 The Naples Grande Naples, FL

reputation of the fi eld. At DETC, the watchword will be to

keep the standards of DETC accredita-tion the highest they can be, and persist in our efforts to provide the best possible academic experiences for our learners. The acceptance of DETC institutions and their credentials will take care of itself.


Message from the Commission Chair

The Corporate Training Traditions are History

by

Jan Larson

Editor’s Note: The DETC NEWS has invited Mr. Larson, the Accrediting Com-mission Chair, to offer his refl ections on the value of accrediting distance learning to corporate America. Mr. Larson recently retired as the Managing Partner of Price-WaterhouseCoopers Miami offi ce and has extensive experience in working with large businesses and corporations.

Two issues of critical importance to me as the new DETC Accrediting Com-mission Chair are: (1) facilitating more credit transfer for our students, and (2) a greatly expanded role for distance educa-tion in general, and DETC institutions in particular, in meeting corporate training needs.

First, credit transfer. Our own Michael J. Hillyard, the new President of the University of St. Augustine, described the challenges of credit transfer and rec-ommended several meaningful solutions (continued)

to this dilemma in DETC’s March 2008 Washington Memo. There’s not much I can add to this excellent commentary, and I urge all DETC colleagues to read this thoughtful essay.

The second issue, meeting corporate America’s needs for skilled people, is broader in scope. And I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say that this issue is absolutely vital to the future of our nation’s economy. We face a critical challenge training an expanded work force to meet the needs of an increasingly complex economy. This will require maximizing the contribution of those in the employed ranks who are eligible to retire but need a different skill set.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (the “Bureau”) estimates 50 million job openings will occur during the ten years ending in 2016. Job open-


(continued)

(Message from the Commission Chair, continued)

ings result from employment growth and replacement needs. The Bureau projects almost 70% of these 50 million job open-ings will arise from replacement needs.

Although these macro statistics pro-vide no clear conclusions, there is enough information to create consternation. How will these 50 million “replacement” people be trained?

A recent article in the AARP Bulletin tells the story of an 82 year old surgical nurse who wanted to retire at the tender age of 80. As described in the article, the hospital where this nurse worked “...wouldn’t let me go” because of her skill-set in a highly specialized area. The nurse agreed to stay, provided that her hours would be halved.

This struck me as a creative solution to an impending crisis that is sure to effect every institution in America. How will we retain and train employees?

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates more than 80 million people were born between 1946 and 1964. These Baby Boomers began retiring two years ago, and will continue to leave the work force in increasing numbers.

The aging of this population bubble helps explain why the Bureau estimates three out of every ten jobs created over the next ten years will be in the Education and Health Services sectors.

But for many of these retiring folks, there’s a hitch in everyone’s plans for them. Whether it is the recent loss of equity in their homes, high medical costs, inadequate retirement planning, or perhaps a simple

desire to remain stimulated, many of these projected retirees will need to remain gain-fully employed.

And that’s good news for Corporate America. This demographic group pos-sesses more education and earning power than any previous generation. With these factors comes higher spending power and more disposable income. This, in turn, creates greater demand in the market and a greater need for skilled workers to serve this increased purchasing power.

Whether driven by increased spending power or simply the math of older age reducing overall manpower, Corporate America’s training needs will increase exponentially as it tries to stay ahead of the economic impact of an aging popula-tion.

This bodes well for college graduates. But even the college graduate numbers will be insuffi cient to meet all of the employers’ labor needs. Corporate America will need to aggressively train its existing work force and fi nd more cost-effective and timely ways to retrain recent retirees reentering the work force.

And what better way to effectively, ef-fi ciently and economically train the largest number of existing and future employees than with accredited distance education?

The benefi ts of distance education are well documented. To name a few of the widely-appreciated benefi ts, it is less disruptive to an employee’s schedule, can be delivered synchronously or asyn-chronously, offers numerous instructional alternatives, and is less costly than its residential counterpart.


At the risk of sounding like the Chair of a distance education Accrediting Com-mission, the point of all this is not simply that distance education is a meaningful alternative to traditional educational de-livery. It is.

Rather, the point is that if Corporate America has not already made distance education an integral part of its employee training, they are way behind the curve in preparing themselves for job numbers and skills that will be required over the next 25 years.

Our youngest son studied and passed two professional certifi cations. He’s one course away from completing his Masters degree. All of his education was accom-plished through distance education. All of his degree study costs were reimbursed by his employer. All of his newly acquired skills are now adding value to his clients. And all of this learning is adding earning power to his future.

Distance education is being used by millions of students throughout the world. But it needs to become an even bigger part of the overall corporate educational expe-rience to achieve the numbers of trained employees that will be required to meet U.S. and global economic needs.

And now, here is my most important message that I am seeking to convey.

If you’re a student, or looking to become a student soon, you can count on receiving the highest quality education and highest quality service from a DETC-accredited university or school.

(Message from the Commission Chair, continued)

If you’re a DETC institution, you can be proud of your accrediting association as being an organization that consistently puts the student fi rst, always does the right thing, even if it’s not the most expedient, is never completely satisfi ed with resting on its laurels, continuously upgrading its standards, that has a rigorous accreditation process which accepts only a fraction of new applicants on the fi rst attempt, and that partners with you in producing highly skilled graduates who add value to Cor-porate America.

If you’re an employer, you can rely on DETC accredited institutions to provide high caliber, highly skilled employees in an effective environment at a fraction of the cost of more traditional institutions, often at two-thirds less than the tuition costs of traditional universities.

I’ve been a DETC Commissioner for eight years, and can personally attest to the intensity of the process, the dedication of the Staff and Commissioners, and the commitment to excellence that permeates the entire organization.

The bottom line of the DETC experi-ence means quality students produced by quality schools for the benefi t of the students, their families and Corporate America.

For more on DETC’s corporate solu-tions visit DETC's Corporate Web site at http://www.detc.org/corporate.


(continued)

DETC Welcomes New InstitutionsEditor's Note: At the January meeting

of the DETC Accrediting Commission, fi ve new institutions were accredited. Please join us in congratulating them and welcom-ing them into the DETC Family.

Brigham Young University Indepen-dent Study was fi rst organized in 1921 as the Bureau of Correspondence. At its incep-tion, only university courses were offered; it was not until the 1940s that high school courses were added to the curriculum. Early high school courses were closely tied to BY High School, the university’s labora-tory high school. After the school closed in 1968, efforts were made to ensure that the high school curriculum was closely aligned with the standards of local districts, and the curriculum was expanded to refl ect the offerings of a large public high school. Up until the 1980s, BYU Independent Study high school courses were designed to increase curricular options for students in small rural schools.

Currently BYU Independent Study of-fers both university and high school level courses. Two course development teams make this effort possible. The BYU Center for Teaching and Learning coordinates efforts in developing university-level Independent Study courses, and the BYU Independent Study Course Production Team leads the development of all the high school level courses. Together these teams produce over 600 courses that can help students make up credit, graduate on time, enhance their curriculum, or earn university credit. The BYU Independent Study corporate offi ce is the organizational agent that is ultimately responsible for all course development, maintenance, market-ing, and management.

Students can sign up at anytime and have one year to complete each course, allowing them to work at their own pace. All courses are accredited and are generally transferable to other educational institu-tions. Currently BYU Independent Study is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) for university courses and Northwest Asso-ciation of Accredited Schools (NAAS) and Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) for high school courses.

Ellis College was launched as an on-line division of the New York Institute of Technology. Since then, the online com-munity has grown to over 5,000 students and alumni. Designed with the profes-sional student in mind, students access

Brigham Young University Independent Study in Provo, Utah.


(DETC Welcomes New Institutions, continued)

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their courses through a unique, interactive learning platform and vast virtual campus that bring online classes to life while foster-ing extensive online communities among students, alumni and faculty.

The engaging Ellis platform was de-signed specifi cally to enhance the student experience and to create a sense of com-munity among students, faculty and staff. First, the interactive learning platform allows students to learn based on their style of learning. Students use textbooks, course based learning resources, videos and virtual scenarios to understand course concepts. Ellis believes in problem based learning and in providing students with real-life work scenarios and assignments, allowing students to immediately apply what they learn in the workplace. Students have the ability to create personal profi les, share photos and maintain personal blogs. Student run groups allow community members to engage in discussions on vari-ous topics ranging from degree programs to hobbies.

Ellis Faculty members are more than just instructors; often acting as mentors in

guiding students in their studies. In fact, many faculty members are noted working professionals in their fi elds. Ellis faculty members are graduates from noted institu-tions, such as Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Chicago and New York University.

The University of Philosophical Research provides specialized Masters Degree programs in Consciousness Stud-ies and Transformational Psychology, representing an emerging cross-discipline approach to the study of human conscious-ness.

Consciousness Studies includes cours-es that explore what cutting edge science in fi elds such as neurology and quantum physics as well as psychology, philosophy, mythology and religion have to teach us about the nature of collective and indi-vidual human consciousness. New discov-eries are cross referenced with principles and insights into the nature of human consciousness as perceived by ancient wisdom traditions and humanity’s greatest philosophers. As Carl Jung once observed, when a human being turns attention to a great unknown, what he sees tells us more about the nature of the observer than that which is unknown. The point of study in this program is to greatly advance the participants knowledge of self, of human nature and the extraordinary possibilities represented by human consciousness that may be accessed, explored and practiced in many wondrous ways.

Transformational Psychology looks specifi cally at age old and modern modali-

Recent graduates of Ellis College cel-ebrate after their ceremony.



ties for approaching change and evolution of personal consciousness. How can one move from unhappiness to happiness? What is different about peak experiences and how can we achieve them? How can an athlete or musician consciously shift into “fl ow” as opposed to ordinary conscious-ness? How can an individual enhance their intuition and creativity? What are the principles behind effective meditation or guided imagery therapy? What is extraor-dinary, as opposed to abnormal, mental health? This degree program offers detailed insights to these topics and more.

The University of Philosophical Re-search has assembled a unique faculty of renowned leaders in their fi elds that are widely published and that have appeared in televised documentaries and fi lms such as What the Bleep do we Know and Living Luminaries.

Teacher Education University is an

online university dedicated to providing Master’s degree programs for educators. Founded in 2005, Teacher Education Uni-versity is a division of Teacher Education Institute (TEI), a company which has been designing and delivering graduate courses to experienced classroom teachers for over 25 years. Conscious of the real need for fl exible, affordable and relevant graduate degrees in the education fi eld, Teacher Education University offers interactive, professor-led courses designed to integrate theory and practical experience. In an effort to increase accessibility, the University employs an HTML format as its deliv-ery method for each program, allowing (continued)

students to log into their course from any computer with an internet connection, be it Manhattan or Malaysia.

Each program of study is a total of 36 credit hours, comprised of 12, three (3) credit hour courses. Class content is pro-vided in an asynchronous manner over a fi fteen-week semester through ten or more module topics for each course.

Learning activities such as written as-signments, projects, interviews, classroom analysis, portfolios, and development plans are all a part of a curriculum designed to meet a variety of student learning styles and encourage real-time application. Upon their initial enrollment, students are as-signed a Faculty Advisor, a member of the University faculty and expert in their fi eld, who serves as an academic guide and resource throughout the student’s program of study.

Students can also expect personal attention from each of their course in-structors and continuous interaction with fellow classmates through a bulletin board system.

A Practicum experience allows students the opportunity to research and work with subject matter that is of special interest to them and apply what they learn in their own classroom or educational setting.

Teacher Education University is licensed by the Florida Department of Education, Commission for Independent Education and offers three online degree programs:

Master of Arts in Education: • Concentration in Instructional Strategies



Master of Arts in Educational • LeadershipMaster of Arts in Educational • Technology

Teacher Education University is thrilled to congratulate its inaugural graduat-ing class, expected to graduate in April 2008.

The Institute of Theology by Exten-sion, also known as INSTE, was estab-lished in 1982 in Madrid, Spain, as a mis-sion project. The original purpose of the Institute was to provide Bible college-level ministry preparation for churches in that nation. However, to realize that goal, Dr. Leona Janzen (later Venditti) realized that the mission of INSTE needed to expand to include in-depth Christian education open to all committed believers within the church.

Ten years later, INSTE arrived in the United States. The original intention of IN-STE was to target only Spanish-speakers. However, soon after arriving in the United States, INSTE began a translation project to English. The fi rst English-speaking students enrolled in 1992. Since then, translation projects have begun in ten other languages

The methodology adopted in those early years still effectively serves INSTE. It consists of two principal components: individual study using INSTE-prepared materials plus weekly meetings in small groups for proctored testing, ministry-building relationships, and refl ection on the practical application of what the students have learned.

INSTE offers two levels of study. Level One, called Ministry Training, is a two-year certifi cate program the purpose of which is to provide foundational Bible education with a strong emphasis on character forma-tion. Level Two, Leadership Development, is a three-year diploma program that em-phasizes both the academic and practical formation of the emerging church leader within his or her church. Each person in Level Two is assigned a “personal trainer”, an experienced church leader who oversees the student’s development in three crucial areas: spiritual formation, ministry skill formation, and value formation.

In 2004, INSTE was incorporated as a non-profi t religious education institution in the State of Iowa. That same year INSTE initiated a degree completion program, offering two degrees, the Bachelor of Christian Ministry, and the Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology.

Leona and Nick Venditti of the Institute of Theology by Extension.


Save the Date:

Fall Distance Education Workshop Scheduled for Notre Dame

The Fairmont Copley Plaza

The Fall Distance Education Work-shop will take place this October at the Center for Continuing Education at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN.

There will be a Title IV Workshop on Monday, October 13, and the Distance Education Workshop will take place Tuesday and Wednesday October 14 and 15.

This is the 18th time since 1968 that DETC has hosted a Workshop at the Center for Continuing Education, but

because of size constraints, this will be the last Workshop at the Center.

DETC will be conducting a survey to determine what sessions to include at the Workshop, but if you have an idea for a presentation, or would like to recom-mend a speaker, please send an e-mail to Rob Chalifoux ([email protected]).

More information about the program and registration will be available this summer, but make plans now to attend the last Fall Distance Education Workshop held at the University of Notre Dame!


DETC Accrediting CommissionAppoints Three New Commissioners

(continued)

Carol Osborn

At its January meeting, the DETC Accrediting Commission appointed two new Commissioners and elected offi cers for the coming year.

The Commission also voted to ap-point Ms. Carol S. Osborn, former Deputy Director of Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES) to her fi rst three-year term as a public member on the Commission. Ms. Osborn is presently retired.

Ms. Osborn served more than 30 years in voluntary education in vari-ous capacities, beginning in 1974. With a background as an English teacher and a newly earned Master’s in Counseling, she began working at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Alconbury, Cambridgeshire, Unit-ed Kingdom as a Guidance Counselor and the Federal Women’s Program manager for the base. In 1978, she transferred to Germany with her husband, Richard, and worked in Erlangen and Bamberg, where she developed the fi rst General Educa-tional Development (GED) preparation classes for spouses. She also served on the General’s Advisory board to increase opportunities for women, and assisted ar-mory and fi eld artillery units with their educational goals.

Ms. Osborn later began a series of stateside assignments with the U.S. Navy. After working at the Education Center level for 10 years in Air Force, Army and Navy, she was promoted to a staff

job at the Chief of Naval Educa-tion and Train-ing (CNET). In 1989, Carol was hired as the Head of Educa-tional Programs at the Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Edu-cation Support (DANTES). This encompassed distance learning as well as the DANTES Examination and Cer-tifi cation Programs, and she established professional contacts with the leaders of higher education throughout the United States. She shepherded the development and implementation of the fi rst Military Installation Voluntary Education Review (MIVER), and chaired the Department of Defense (DoD) committee, which rec-ommended policy changes for a consis-tent tuition assistance policy among the services.

In 2001, Ms. Osborn became the Dep-uty Director of DANTES, managing the day-to-day activities as well as maintain-ing operational over-sight of a worldwide voluntary education support system. She retired in 2006. She holds a B.A. in Eng-lish from Longwood College, Farmville, VA, a Master of Arts in Counseling from Ball State University, Muncie, IN and an


(continued)

Education Specialist Degree in Human Development Counseling from George Peabody of Vanderbilt.

The Commis-sion voted to ap-point Dr. Josette P. Katz to her fi rst three-year term as a public member on the Commission. Dr. Katz is a Profes-sor at Atlantic Cape Commu-nity College in Cape May Court House, New Jersey.

Dr. Katz began her career with Atlan-tic Cape Community College in 1983 as a faculty member in Hospitality Manage-ment. She then coordinated the Hospital-ity Management program and later served as Chair of the Business Department. She supervised Advisory Committees for all business career programs and developed an internship program for hospitality management program. In addition, she coordinated the fi rst College’s online de-gree program in business administration.

From 1999 to 2005, Dr. Katz was the Dean of Academic Resources and Associate Dean of Instruction for this comprehensive community college with enrollments of more than 6,500. She has extensive experience with distance learning and outcomes assessment. Just a few of her accomplishments are: she

(DETC Accrediting Commission Ap-points Commissioners, continued)

Josette Katz

established the fi rst state-wide offi ce of Adjunct Faculty Support (which was recognized by the National Council of Instructional Administrators); she imple-mented a successful online program with annual growth of 20 percent and devel-oped comprehensive online evaluation criteria and improved effi ciency by auto-mating the online processes; she designed a comprehensive evaluation process for faculty; and coordinated online program with more than 500 IBM and eArmyU students. Dr. Katz also has extensive ex-perience working on grants and served as the chair for the Commission of Accredi-tation in Hospitality Management

Dr. Katz returned to the classroom in 2005 to teach marketing, management and hospitality management. She chairs the Faculty Technology Committee and teaches several online courses per year. She has a B.A. in History from George Washington University; a MBA from Monmouth University, Long Branch, New Jersey and an Ed.D. in Educational Administration from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Also, Ms. Mary Adams, President of American Sentinel University, was appointed to the DETC Commission by Jan Larson, DETC Chair. Ms. Adams will serve as an institution member to re-place the vacancy left by the resignation of Mr. Tom Kube. Her term will expire in 2010.

Ms. Mary Adams is the President of American Sentinel University. Prior to joining American Sentinel in 2004, Ms. Adams was the President of Aspen Uni-



versity for 16 years. She is one of the founders of the online school and is respon-sible for devel-oping its original MBA program. Ms. Adams has participated in more than 50 ac-creditation visits for DETC and others, and is currently the Chair of the DETC Research and Education Standards Com-mittee. She has spoken at many DETC Conferences, Seminars and Workshops in the past. Ms. Adams has a BA degree in History and an MBA from Aspen Uni-versity. Ms. Adams received two DETC awards: the Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and the Distinguished Recogni-tion Award in 2003.

In addition to ap-pointing new com-missioners, sev-eral DETC Offi cers were Elected. The Commission voted to elect Mr. Jan Larson, Managing Partner, Pricewa-te rhouseCoopers (retired) as Chair of the DETC Accrediting Commission. Mr. Larson joined the Commission in 2001, and was re-appointed to his third and fi -nal term in January 2006. He replaces Dr. Dorothy C. Fenwick, who retired after

serving the maximum allowable terms on the Commission. Mr. Larson is a gradu-ate of the University of Wisconsin-Mil-waukee and was a combat infantryman in the U.S. Army in South Vietnam. He joined PricewaterhouseCoopers in 1974 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He worked as the Managing Partner from 1991 to 2006 in Orlando, Tampa, and Miami, Florida He is a member of the American Institute of Certifi ed Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certifi ed Public Ac-countants.

The Commission voted to re-elect Dr. Gary L. Seevers, Vice President of Academic Affairs, Global University in Springfi eld, MO, as the Vice Chair. He was appointed to the Commission as an institutional member in September 2002. He is a vet-eran evaluator for the Commission and has served as both educational standards examiner and as Chair on several accred-iting committees, both in the U.S. and overseas.

Dr. Seevers earned a Ph.D. in Educa-tional Research and Evaluation, an Ed.D. (ABD) in Higher Education, and a Cer-tifi cate in Advanced Graduate Studies in Higher Education Administration from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech), an M.Ed. in Education Psychology-Social Founda-tions from the University of Virginia, and a B.S. in Bible and an Evangelistic

Mary Adams

(continued)

Jan Larson

Gary Seevers


Teacher Training Association from Val-ley Forge Christian College. Dr. Seevers joined ICI University/Global University in 1994. He previously served as the Di-rector of Research and Evaluation, Dean of University Relations, and the Associ-ate Vice President for Academic Affairs.

Mr. Brook Ellis was re-elected Trea-surer of DETC. Mr. Ellis, a Canadian native, is currently the Vice President of Education for the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) in Carlsbad, CA, a position he’s held since 1996. As part of his duties, he oversees the course development depart-ment with a staff of twenty, who produce GIA’s education programs. Mr. Ellis’ dis-tinguished career in the jewelry industry began with Henry Birks & Sons, Ltd., one of Canada’s largest fi ne jewelers. He worked with Henry Birks & Sons until 1995, and ultimately achieved the posi-tion of Vice President of Fine Jewelry.

Mr. Ellis was a member of GIA’s Board of Governors from 1983-95 and is a former President of the Jewellers Vigilance Canada, Inc. He served on the DETC Board of Trustees. He is currently a DETC Commissioner. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto with a Bach-elor of Commerce degree. He furthered his education by becoming a Certifi ed Gemologist in 1964.


Mr. Michael P. Lambert was re-elected the Ex-ecutive Director. Mr. Lambert has served as the Ex-ecutive Director of the Distance Edu-cation and Train-ing Council since 1992. He joined the DETC staff in 1972. He has served on more than 150 accreditation review committees in eight countries. Mr. Lam-bert earned a B.S. degree in English/Ed-ucation and an M.A. Degree in English Literature from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP), and an MBA Degree in Finance from George Mason Univer-sity. He has also attended the Internation-al Summer School at the University of Cambridge in England. He was a lecturer in Communications at George Mason University. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve in the Quartermaster Corps as an offi cer, where he was responsible for distance study course development at the USA Quartermaster School, Fort Lee, VA. Mr. Lambert serves on numerous advisory boards, including the CHEA In-ternational Commission and the Service-members Opportunity Colleges (SOC) and as Vice Chair of SOC. His awards include the U.S. Army Commendation Medal, the DETC Distinguished Recog-nition Award, the DETC Distinguished Service Award, the IUP Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the European As-sociation for Distance Learning’s “Roll of Honour” for his lifetime contributions to the fi eld.

Brook Ellis

Michael Lambert


Editor’s Note: The DETC NEWS invited Mr. Mayes to offer his refl ections on the process of becoming eligible for and participating in Title IV Federal Financial Aid.

1. What are the chief considerations a DETC institution CEO needs to consider before deciding to participate in Title IV Federal Student Aid?

A CEO must consider the size of the project and total effect fi nancial aid will have on the entire institution. Every aspect of the institution will be impacted including student services, the business offi ce, and admissions. In addition, a new fi nancial aid offi ce will need to be created or partially outsourced. Even if a third party servicer is used, they still only complete part of

an interview withRobert Mayes, President, Columbia Southern University

Title IV Talks

One Institution's Journey To Federal Financial Aid Programs

the overall task required in processing a student’s aid. Each department must develop and follow new policies and will most likely require additional staff to sup-port the extra work load.

The second major consideration involves how much change within the institution’s courses will be necessary to meet the weekly student and professor interaction requirements. If the institu-tion is using a very fl exible and student friendly independent learning model then switching to a model that demands weekly student and professor interaction can be a substantial shift. Such a shift may force the institution to change how it promotes its product and could require signifi cant course modifi cations.

(continued)


(continued)

(Title IV Talks, continued)

Yet another key consideration concerns what Pell Formula the institution will select to operate under. Options include standard term, non-standard term, and non-term. There are pros and cons for each. Standard term is the most uncomplicated Pell Formula to process and to track while non-term is much more involved.

2. How far in ad-vance of submitting of an application to the Department of Education should an institution begin preparing for par-ticipating in Title IV?

We developed the majority of our poli-cies and procedures for fi nancial aid prior to submitting our ap-plication. Because we knew we would be asked for different policies during the application review process, we wanted these policies to be prepared ahead of time. An institution should defi nitely develop their Satisfactory Academic Prog-ress (SAP) and Return to Title IV (R2T4) policies prior to application. Based on our experience, an institution should begin preparing one year in advance at a mini-mum to allow time for the DETC visit and submitting the application. If the institution does not have audited statements, then the

necessary time must be allowed to prepare for the audits and receive them back. Our application process took approximately four months from submission to approval. An institution should also allow time for program or course model changes if neces-sary to meet the desired Pell Formula and interaction requirements.

3. What are some of the key training resources you found helpful? What re-source groups or meetings were use-ful?

The most help-ful resources were the DETC, our Title IV consultant, third party servicer, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and the Information for Fi-nancial Aid Profes-sionals (IFAP) site provided by the De-partment of Educa-tion. In addition to the national association,

an institution should also consider joining their local and regional associations for fi nancial aid support.

4. Do you advise that institutions retain a Title IV consultant?

Retaining a consultant was probably the best decision we made. An institu-

Based on our experience, an

institution should begin preparing one year in ad-vance at a mini-mum to allow

time for the DETC visit and submit-ting the applica-

tion.


tion must have a fi nancial aid expert to assist them with making initial decisions, preparing policies and procedures, and training staff. Although your institution may have individuals with prior fi nancial aid experience, having the guidance of experts for applying and obtaining the right to participate in Title IV for the fi rst time proved to be very benefi cial.

5. How do you decide whether or not to use a Third Party Servicer? What should you look for?

We knew up front that we would be taking on a great deal of additional work even with a third party servicer handling the front and back offi ce. The workload of posting disbursements, rec-onciling, processing refunds, and returning aid will necessitate that we support our business offi ce with additional staff. Using a third party servicer offered us the most effi cient means for participating in Title IV without the prolonged task of training an entirely new department.

During your search for a servicer, it is important to check with other schools regarding the servicers they use to deter-mine their reputation with the Department of Education and within the fi nancial aid community. It is also important to learn

(Title IV Talks, continued) how their systems will work, how informa-tion will be exchanged, and what software will be utilized.

6. What qualifi cations and experi-ence do you look for in a Financial Aid Offi cer?

We advertised nationally and locally for a Financial Aid Director and were not able to fi nd anyone with the experience we

desired. Therefore, the decision was made to promote our Director of Business Affairs to this position who has been intimately involved in all as-pects of the applica-tion process. During the initial launch, he will be assisted by an experienced fi nancial aid director provided through our consul-tant. This person will be available on site to offer guidance and

support several weeks initially. Our new Financial Aid Director will also receive weeks of extensive training prior to launch.

7. As you prepared to enter Title IV participation, what was your biggest, most vexing challenge? And what was your biggest expense in getting prepared to be a Title IV institution?

Preparing for our fi rst and second

(continued)

Preparing for our first and sec-

ond GAGAS level financial audit was the single

most challenging task on the road to financial aid

approval.


(Title IV Talks, continued)

GAGAS level fi nancial audit was the single most challenging task on the road to fi nancial aid approval. Before preparing for our fi rst audit, I had no idea how thorough this process would be or how different it was from having reviewed statements. A few key items an institution must have in place include appropriate business and ac-counting policies, fi nancial controls, and extremely accurate year end statements. Other critical areas auditors thoroughly review are prepays, accrued liabilities, ac-counts receivable, and unearned tuition.

8. Did you purchase a Title IV compli-ant SIS and a fi nancial aid processing package?

We built our current SIS in-house and will be launching a new “home grown” SIS in May 2008. Modifi cations are currently being made for the application to allow proper data exchanges with the third party servicer and to track the necessary data for IPEDS reporting. One of the modifi cations involves including a link from enrollment records to fi nancial aid award records and invoices to disbursement records.

The application provided by our third party servicers will be used for fi nancial aid processing, but we have also signed an agreement with Regent Education to later implement their software.

9. If you could start the Title IV preparation process over again, what tasks would you do differently?

Initially, we did not have a consulting fi rm and that was a mistake. We could have saved a lot of time if we had hired a

consultant from the very beginning.

10. What were the most important lessons you learned from the entire exercise of getting ready to be a Title IV participant?

The most important lesson I’ve learned concerns how much is actually involved with fi nancial aid. Before this process, I had no idea of terms like R2T4, direct lending, FFELP, front and back offi ce, or the role of a clearing house. When handling aid, you must have systems in place to identify changes in a student’s status (full-time, part-time, etc.), withdrawals, or if a student no longer meets SAP. This information must continually be transmitted to the third party servicer. Prior to offering aid, you must change your systems to track all the necessary information for such reporting. In addition, you must also be collecting the data to later handle IPEDS reports.

All of the system changes, reporting requirements, and additional work load along with new policies and procedures make this one of the biggest initiatives an institution may ever take on. The institution must take the lead role in this project and should not expect a consultant or servicer to assume such a role.

* * *


Spring Cleaning Reveals NostalgiaSpring has sprung in Washington, and

the offi ce is hard at work clearing the hall of course reviews and cutting back the dust and clutter of our storage closets. Like many long-standing organizations, this one doesn’t like to throw anything away—and for good reason! This year’s spring clean-ing uncovered boxes of advertisements from DETC-accredited institutions in the 1960s and 70s.

In 1970, DETC accredited 137 insti-tutions offering hundreds of subjects by correspondence. Correspondence schools became more confi dent in their product, and this is refl ected in their advertisements. The National Radio Institute promised good money and then some to students who were lagging behind in their courses (or tuition payment):

“Do you sincerely want SECU-RITY—for yourself and your loved ones? Then, in addition to security and the plain necessities of life, do you ever wish for certain luxuries? A nice home, well furnished—a good automobile—the opportunity to travel and visit the famed beauty spots and pleasure resorts of America and other continents—the chance to enjoy life completely—do you sometimes dream about going where the fi shing or hunt-ing is best?

Who could pass up an opportunity to visit the famed pleasure resorts of the world? But the letter covers all of its bases, seamlessly transitioning from promises to threats:

“Whether anyone is a success is determined largely by how much he WANTS success! Now, you can call this ‘baloney’ if you wish—but you’ll be making a tragic mistake if you do, because my friend, it is one of the old, most proved truths of the world.”

Many advertisements offered incen-tives for referring friends and family. The International Accountants Society offered gifts for successful referrals, including Ma-jorca pearls, Polaroid cameras and electric slicing knives. The common incentives in contemporary times—namely, tuition discounts—aren’t nearly as interesting.

The advertising world has never been politically correct; but certainly some strides have been made since the 1960s. In advertisements from the International Accountants Society, accounting training was promised to profi t those planning a career, those who’ve hit a dead end, those baffl ed by fi nancial statements, and…women! Of course, women were largely new to the professional fi eld, and marketers were wise to grab their attention by listing them as a separate group.

DETC’s annals of advertising reveal more than outdated design layouts and ob-solete gifts-with-purchase; they also give us a glimpse into American history. DETC holds on to these colorful advertisements to mark where the organization and its schools stood fi fty years ago, and to measure how the organization has grown in its present scope and capacity. Who knows what may be discovered during a wave of spring cleaning fi fty years from today?


Report From the Accrediting Commission

(continued)

The DETC Accrediting Commission, the nationally recognized accreditation asso-ciation for distance learning institutions, met January 11-12, 2008 and took the following actions:

Five Institutions Gain AccreditationThe following institutions were accredited as of January 12, 2008:

Brigham Young University Independent Study, 206 Harman Building Provo, UT 84602. Phone: 801-422-2868; fax: 801-422-0102; Web site: http://www.elearn.byu.edu. Founded 1921. Complete high school program.

Ellis College of New York Institute of Technology, 111 North Canal Street, Suite 455, Chicago, IL 60606. Phone: 312-669-5000 or 1-800-405-5844;Web site: http://www.ellis.nyit.edu. Dr. David Harpool, Chief Administrative Offi cer. Founded 2003. Associate degrees in accounting, business administration, communication arts, and telecommunications; Bachelor’s degrees in accounting, advertising, be-havioral sciences, business administra-tion, computer science, electronics and information security, English, hospitality management, information technology, political science, telecommunications net-work management, telecommunications management and interdisciplinary studies. Master’s degrees in communication arts, instructional technology for educators and professional trainers, business administra-tion, computer science and human resource management and labor relations. Certifi -

cates in early childhood education, techni-cal writing, distance learning, multimedia, accounting, fi nance, international business, management of information systems, and marketing.

Institute of Theology by Extension, 2302 SW Third Street, Ankeny, IA 50023. Phone: 515-289-9200; fax: 515-289-9201; Web site: http://www.inste.org. Dr. Nicholas A. Venditti, President. Founded 1982. Certifi cate programs in Christian Ministry, Diploma in Christian Ministry, and Di-ploma in Christian Leadership. Bachelor of Christian Ministry and Bachelor of Arts in Bible and Theology.

Teacher Education University, 1079 West Morse Boulevard, Suite B, Winter Park, FL 32789. Phone: 800-523-1578; Web site: http://www.teachereducatio-nuniversity.com. Ms. Kristi Bordelon, Chief Education Offi cer. Founded 2005. Master of Arts in Educational Leadership, Educational Technology, and Educa-tion with concentrations in instructional strategies.

University of Philosophical Research, 3910 Los Feliz Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Phone: 323-663-2167; Web site: http://www.uprs.edu. Dr. Obadiah Harris, President and CEO. Founded 2001. Master of Arts in Consciousness Studies and Master of Arts in Transformational Psychology.


(Report From the Accrediting Com-mission, continued)

(continued)

15 Institutions Re-AccreditedThe following institutions were re-accredited:

Allied Business Schools, Inc. (Allied • Schools, Allied National High School), Laguna Hills, CA

Andrew Jackson University, Birming-• ham, AL

Applied Professional Training, Carls-• bad, CA

Army Institute for Professional Develop-• ment, Fort Eustis, VA

Ashworth University (Ashworth Univer-• sity High School, Ashworth University Career School) Norcross, GA

California National University for Ad-• vanced Studies, Northridge, CA

Citizen’s High School, Orange Park, • FL

Cleveland Institute of Electronics, • Cleveland, OH

College of Humanities and Sciences • (Harrison Middleton University and Humanities and Sciences Academy), Tempe, AZ

Gemological Institute of America (GIA • School of Business), Carlsbad, CA

Institute of Logistical Management, • Burlington, NJ

Marine Corp Institute, Washington, • DC

National Training, Orange Park, FL •

Western Governors University, Salt • Lake City, UT

World College, Virginia Beach, VA •

Change of Location

The change of location for the following institutions was approved:

Blackstone Career Institute moved from • 218 Main Street, Emmaus, PA moved to 1011 Brookside Road, Suite 300, Allentown, PA 18106

Penn Foster College moved from 14624 • N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ to 14300 N. Northsight Boulevard, Suite 111, Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Change of Name and/or Structure

The following institutions changed their name or structure:

Concord Law School, Los Angeles, • CA merged with and changed its name to Concord Law School of Kaplan University

William Howard Taft University and • Taft Law School are now divisions of the Taft University System, Inc. in Santa Ana, CA.

Change of Ownership

The following institution had a change of ownership approved:

Penn Foster Schools, Scranton, PA (new •



(continued)

owners are The Wicks Group, a New York-based private equity fi rm)

Loss of Accreditation

The following institutions are no longer accredited:

American Health Science University, • Aurora, CO (resigned as of January 12, 2008)

American Career Institute, Las Vegas, • NV (terminated as of January 12, 2008)

New Courses/ProgramsThe Commission gave fi nal approval to the new courses/programs at the following institutions. A complete list of new courses can be found at http://www.detc.org.

Allied Business Schools, Inc.• American Public University System • American Sentinel University • Andrew Jackson University • Ashworth University • Atlantic University • Australasian College of Health Sci-• encesColumbia Southern University • Grantham University • Griggs University • HARDI Home Study Institute • Harrison Middleton University• Institute of Logistical Management • International Import-Export Institute • Penn Foster Career School • Rescue College •

Sessions.edu • Weston Distance Learning ~ U.S. Ca-• reer Institute

Title IV Certifi cation

The following institution was certifi ed to offer Title IV:

Grantham University, Kansas City, • MO

Policies, Procedures and Standards

The Commission voted to give fi nal adop-tion to the following changes (in bold-face) to C.9. Policy on Degree Programs under “Maximum Allowable Transfer Credits”:

Note: When considering transfer credits, an institution must conform to its state regulatory agency’s requirements on the amount of transfer credit allowed.

Undergraduate Degrees: A maximum of three-fourths of the credits required may be awarded for transfer credit or a combina-tion of transfer credit and experiential or equivalent credit (including challenge/test-out credits). For no student, however, may the credit given for experiential or equivalent learning (including challenge/test out credits) exceed one-fourth of the credits required for a degree.

Master’s Degrees: A maximum of one-half of the credits required for master’s degrees may be given through transfer credit or a combination of transfer credit



and experiential or equivalent credit (including challenge/test out credits). For no student, however, may the credit given for experiential or equivalent learn-ing (including challenge/test out credits) exceed one-fourth of the credits required for a degree.

Proposed Changes

The Commission also approved for public comment the following:

Proposed change to DETC Business Stan-dards Section I. Institution and Course Promotion, B. Institution and Course Recognition, 1. f. Add the following:

f. An institution may use the terms “Col-lege” or “University” in its name only if it offers academic degrees.

Proposed change in C.9. Policy on Degree Programs: Add the following language (in italics):

Professional Doctoral Degrees: Award-ing degree credit for experiential learning is not permitted. Transfer credit is limited to 15% of the total doctoral credits required to complete the degree. The courses must be relevant to the student’s program of study and equivalent in both content and degree level of graduate courses.In all cases, an institution must conform to its state regulatory agency’s requirements on the amount of transfer credit and/or experiential credits allowed.

ANDAdd the following: to defi nition of profes-sional doctorates:

List of Professional Doctoral Degrees Acceptable for DETC Accreditation

The DETC wishes to exercise its scope of activity in the area of professional doc-toral degree accreditation in a responsible manner. It also believes that certain pro-fessional doctoral degrees are not within its scope of activity. It therefore reserves the right to limit its scope of activity in reviewing professional doctoral degrees to the kinds of institutions and the types of programs for which it feels adequate public acceptance exists, appropriate distance education standards have been developed, and which it believes it has the competence to evaluate properly.

The Accrediting Commission will ac-cept applications for only the following professional doctoral degrees for DETC accreditation:

Doctor of Business Administration 1. (DBA)Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)2. Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)3. Doctor of Occupational Therapy 4. (DOT)Doctor of Arts (specifi ed fi elds) 5. (DA)Doctor of Science (specifi ed fi elds) 6. (DSc)Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)7. Doctor of Public Administration 8. (DPA)

(continued)



(continued)

Doctor of Strategic Security (DSS)9.

An institution may petition the Accrediting Commission to request consideration of doctoral degrees not listed above.

Applicants for Accreditation and Re-Accreditation for 2008

The following institutions have applied for DETC initial accreditation or fi ve year re-accreditation:

First Time Applicants:Aerobics and Fitness Association of • America, Sherman Oaks, CAAmerican Center for Confl ict Resolu-• tion, Euclid, OHAmerican Fitness Professionals and • Associates, Manahawkin, NJAnaheim University, Anaheim, CA• Apollos University, Huntington • Beach, CABILD International University, • Ames, IACalifornia Miramar University (for-• merly Pacifi c Western University), Cheyenne, WYCalifornia University of Technology, • Diamond Bar, CAErudio College, Miami, FL• Hawthorn University, Whitethorn, • CAThe Institute of Business and Finance, • La Jolla, CALion Investigation Academy, Beth-• lehem, PANational Institute of Whole Health, • Wellesley, MA

Perelandra College, LaMesa, CA• Rocky Mountain University of Health • Professions, Provo, UTUniversity of Atlanta, Mobile, AL• Yorktown University, Inc., Denver, • CO

Applicants for Five-Year Re-Accredita-tion:

American Graduate University, • Covina, CA American Health Information Man-• agement Association, Chicago, IL Aspen University, Denver, CO • Australasian College of Health Sci-• ences, Portland, OR Diamond Council of America, • Nashville, TN Griggs University/Griggs Inter-• national Academy, Sliver Spring, MD Holmes Institute, Burbank, CA • Hypnosis Motivation Institute, Ex-• tension School, Tarzana, CA IMPAC University, Punta Gorda, • FL Instituto Postseundario de Educa-• cion a Distancia, Puerto Rico International Import-Export Insti-• tute, Phoenix, AZ National Tax Training, Mahwah, • NJ Paralegal Institute, Phoenix, AZ • Rhodec International, Quincy, MA • Richard Milburn High School, • Woodbridge, VA Seminary Extension Independent • Study Institute, Nashville, TN Sonoran Desert Institute, Scotts-• dale, AZ



Southwest University, Kenner, LA • Universidad FLET, Miami, FL • University of Leicester’s Centre for • Labour Market Studies, Leicester, England University of St. Augustine for • Health Sciences, St. Augustine, FL William Howard Taft University, • Santa Ana, CA

Revision of 2008 DETC Accreditation Handbook

The 2008 DETC Accreditation Handbook was revised, reorganized and redesign. Several Guides were merged with the appropriate Policies, and several docu-ments were deleted from the Handbook and moved to DETC’s web site (Rating Forms, Guides to writing reports, Criti-cal Documents, and Miscellaneous). To view the entire Handbook, go to DETC’s web site at http://www.detc.org and select “Publications.”

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the DETC Accrediting Commission will be June 6-7, 2008.

Annual Conference a Success!

DETC's 82nd Annual Conference took place April 15-17, 2008 at the Fairmont Copley Plaza in Boston, MA.

More than 130 people attended the Conference and enjoyed the sights and sounds of Boston.

The Welcome Reception and Dinner took place at the Union Oyster House, where attendees experience a New-Eng-land-style Lobster Boil.

The Conference featured two days of superb general sessions. Participants learned how the distance education fi eld is moving forward, what the future may hold, and what they can do to bring their institutions on board.

In keeping with the Conference theme, Moving Forward: Mapping the Future of Distance Education, the presentations, as well as any notes or supplemental informa-tion from the speakers, are available for download from the DETC Web site.

If you have any questions about the An-nual Conference, please contact Director of Meetings and Publications Rob Chalifoux at [email protected].


DETC Award Recipients Honored

This year, Dorothy Fenwick and Dave Stewart (above left) received the Distance Education Award, which is presented to individuals who have distinguished themselves for their outstanding contributions and service to distance education.

DETC Commission Chair Jan Larson poses with Judy Turner, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award (above right). This award is presented to individuals for their special outstanding service that has enhanced the image of distance education or signifi cantly furthered the work of the DETC.

Marie Sirney, center, poses with Jim Herhuskey, left, and Tom Neal (below right). Jim received the Distinguished Service Award, and Tom received the Distinguished Recognition Award. He, along with Jerry Alley (below left), were honored for their outstanding work on special projects that have contributed to the advancement of distance education.

Congratulations to this year's award winners!


Distance Education and Training Council1601 18th St. NW, Suite 2Washington, DC [email protected]

detc news: spring 2008

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