4.24 Distance Education Policies
4.24.1 Purpose and Applicability
This document outlines the responsibilities, processes, and resources for distance education at The 百花视频 of Texas at El Paso (百花视频).
4.24.2 Authority
The Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs is responsible for the implementation and oversight of these policies.
4.24.3 Responsibilities and Requirements
4.24.3.1 Equivalency
A distance learning course must have the same learning outcomes, course descriptions, expectations, quality, and rigor as its equivalent face-to-face course.
4.24.3.2 Course Delivery
All courses offered as distance education must be delivered via the 百花视频’s institutional learning management system unless otherwise authorized by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs. This helps to ensure accessibility to course materials, adherence to student confidentiality, and record keeping. Additionally, courses should be appropriately tagged in the dynamic schedule to match the intended method of instruction.
4.24.3.3 Intellectual Property
In accordance with existing policy, The 百花视频 of Texas System Board of Regents has ownership of materials developed using university funds and/or resources. When a faculty member develops a distance course with the assistance of the Center for Instructional Design (CID), the 百花视频 Course Development Agreement, which includes the Joint Creation Ownership Agreement, will be signed by both the faculty and the 百花视频’s designated official. 百花视频 rules pertaining to Intellectual Property can be found in the Handbook of Operating Procedures Section IV, Chapter 4. UT System Board of Regents policies regarding Intellectual Property can be found in .
4.24.3.4 Student Authentication
requires that institutions demonstrate that a student who registered for an online course is the same person who participates in, completes, and receives credit for the course. This is achieved through students’ access to online courses by logging into the 百花视频’s system and entering their individual username and password. Proctored examinations may also serve to authenticate a student’s identity.
4.24.3.5 Student Privacy
Student privacy must be maintained in accordance with applicable laws, policies, rules, and regulations.
4.24.3.6 Faculty Credentialing
Faculty who teach distance education courses are hired, appointed, and credentialed by their academic program and college/school, and accreditation agencies require that faculty are well prepared to teach distance education courses. Faculty teaching fully online courses must have completed or be enrolled in 百花视频’s teaching online academy or provide an exception approved by their academic dean.
4.24.3.7 Distance Education Student Complaints
Students with complaints related to distance education should follow the process established in the and this Handbook of Operating Procedures.
If an issue cannot be resolved directly with the 百花视频, a student may also file a complaint with the designated agency in the state where the student is receiving instruction. A complaint may also be filed with 百花视频's accrediting agency. Students located within a state with a State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) may file a complaint through the Texas SARA portal.
4.24.4 Definitions
Distance learning: in this document refers to fully online, hybrid, and HyFlex courses.
Fully online courses: are those which a student does not attend on campus. Most often, these courses are taught asynchronously.
4.24.5 References
百花视频 Faculty Handbook for 百花视频 Teaching and Learning