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Thursday, June 13, 2024

From the Interim President

Posted: Thursday, June 13, 2024

Response to College Senate Recommendation: Revision to DOPS Online and Hybrid Course Offering Policy

At its May 10, 2024, meeting, the College Senate voted to recommend to the interim president the following revision to DOPS Policy IV:07:04, Online and Hybrid Course Offering:

WHEREAS, Buffalo State University is dedicated to delivering online coursework that consistently meets and/or exceeds federal and New York state-mandated guidelines for ADA and RSSI compliance; and

WHEREAS, online course review is an essential aspect of ensuring that online instruction is meeting such guidelines, while also encouraging best practices within online instruction; and

WHEREAS, the online course review policy outlines a framework and timeline empowering Academic Affairs to move forward with development and scheduling of online courses; and

WHEREAS, the course intent, development, and scheduling approval stages noted within the existing DOPS IV:07:04 policy have at times been interpreted to be one and the same, creating confusion and inconsistent implementation across Buffalo State University; and

WHEREAS, the existing DOPS IV:07:04 policy contains an allusion that some may erroneously interpret as conflating the Senate Curriculum Committee with the assessment of teaching; and

WHEREAS, course design review guidelines are best listed in an easy-to-follow chronological manner;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that DOPS IV:07:04 be revised to clearly differentiate between intent/approval to develop an online course and approval to schedule said course; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the assessment of teaching in DOPS IV:07:04 be clarified to follow standards established by the respective department offering the course; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOPS IV:07:04 incorporate changes in language to improve the means with which it may be understood.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding DOPS policy IV: 07:04, and I authorize the interim provost to make the changes listed above as soon as possible. I also direct the interim provost to communicate these changes to the campus as appropriate. I thank the Instruction and Research Committee and its chair for their work in developing this recommendation.

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