Off-Campus Degree Programs: Lessons from Florida's Experience

NACTA Journal, Jun 2004 by Martin, Michael V, Cheek, Jimmy G

Abstract

This paper describes the efforts of the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to build undergraduate degree programs at off-campus sites. The principle objective of the paper is to provide experience-based observations and recommendations to institutions considering or planning to launch off-campus degree programs. Attention is also given to the background and development of these statewide partnership programs. The recommendations and observations are based upon the experiences accrued as a consequence of developing six offcampus baccalaureate degree-granting programs. This paper is designed to share the lessons learned in the hope that other institutions intending to build programs such as ours will benefit. Development of these off-campus programs allows UF to improve the accessibility to some of its educational programs by taking the State's land grant University to the people.

Introduction

Over the past decade, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences' College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (UF-IFAS-CALS) has worked aggressively to build undergraduate degree programs at off-campus sites. Today, we offer full Bachelor of Science degrees in partnership with local institutions, at six locations beyond our central Gainesville campus. The initiation, development, and processes used to establish these programs have been described in the literature (Comer et al., 1996; Duke et al., 1994; Klock-Moore et al, 2000; Linehan et al., 2000; Tignor, et al., 2002; and Verkade and Fitzpatrick, 1989).

A great deal has been written, in recent years, on approaches, strategies and challenges of offering distance education degrees. Rumble (1986) offers a comprehensive overview of the philosophy of and models for distance education. Along with a discussion of the pedagogy of teaching from distance sites, he addressed economic, political, staffing, organizational, fiscal and administrative issues. A similar, more recent, treatment of distance education opportunities and challenges is offered by Barry Birnbaum (2001). However, most of the current literature focuses on delivery of coursework and degree programs to off-campus sites via technology. The UF-IFAS-CALS' distance education model utilized technology to augment on-site teaching/learning capacity. In 1998, TeIg and Cheek wrote about the development and implementation of distance education in CALS to support these off-campus distance education degree programs. Sandy Wilson and Mac Thetford co-taught a distance education course from two different locations in Florida using interactive video and web-supported instruction. They also taught "face to face" to students at the two originating sites. The results of their experiences are documented in an article appearing in HortTechnology (Wilson and Thetford, 2003).

As we've implemented these educational programs we've experienced successes, encountered problems and made a few mistakes. This short paper intends to share the lessons learned from our experience in the hope that other institutions intent on building programs such as ours will benefit.

Background

In an attempt to serve time- and place-bound students, UF-IFAS-CALS has developed "state-wide partnership" baccalaureate degree programs at several sites around Florida. These off-campus programs are partnerships in the true sense of the word in that they are offered in conjunction with a local community college and another public four-year institution. At each site, the community college offers freshman and sophomore level general education, basic prerequisite course work, and an associate of arts (AA) degree. CALS has a tradition of working closely with community college students to ensure a smooth transfer to the University of Florida. The CALS Transfer Manual communicates the specific courses that must be completed at community colleges prior to transfer to our off-campus and oncampus programs. It may be accessed at the CALS web site at www.cals.ufl.edu by clicking on Prospective Students. The partner four-year institution provides the electives and upper division courses not specifically related to the major. The major specific courses are then taught by UF-IFAS-CALS faculty. In most instances, the UF-IFAS-CALS faculty is located at one of our UF-IFAS Research and Education Centers (REC). In some cases, courses are made available through distance delivery. Table 1 shows the locations, partners and majors for each of our off campus programs. The table also indicates the number of students enrolled in Fall, 2003.

On balance our partnership degree programs are remarkably successful. The partner institutions have been consistently cooperative and responsive. Community leaders at each site have worked to promote our programs and recruit students. As a consequence, the programs have attracted academically strong, mature, motivated students. While most work and/or have family responsibilities, they fully engage in all aspects of a university education.