Present:
Paul Meadows, DSLCC
Rebecca Blankenship, GCC
Sara Brown, LFCC
Linda Claussen, NRCC
Steve Sachs, NVCC (chair)
Sheila Hobbs, PDCCC
Mary Digiacomo, PVCC
Leslie Smith, RCC
Carole Schultz, System Office
Bob Vawter, System Office
Gene Damon, System Office
Tim Terrell, System Office
Scott Langhorst, TCC
Ruth Smith, TNCC

Dr. Sachs announced that the Washington Post had published a long article on BlackBoard's pending IPO in this morning's edition.

Dr. Sachs reviewed actions taken at the March 30-31 VCCS Technology Council meeting. He highlighted the actions taken on grade book software, video and voice conference bridge options, antivirus software for students, business continuity plan priorities, student email, Chancellor's expectations for technology plans, plans for H.323 video.

Gene Damon gave an update on the PC requirements for staff workstations in the new library system. The PCs must be equivalent to the current high-end standards posted on the VCCS website, including a 17" monitor. The implementation is currently scheduled for the Eastern colleges by June, Northern by August, and the rest by the end of the year.

There was no update report on Distance Learning coding. Dr. Schultz was to follow up with Rebecca Kittleberger and get back to the committee since final work was being done on most Fall schedules.

Distance Learning Management Model

Dr. Sachs led a discussion of proposed changes to the Distance Learning Management Model with respect to asynchronous courses. Three options had been proposed previously to replace the current provision that all FTES go to the delivering college with no revenue to the receiving college: all FTES to the delivering college and payment from the delivering college to the receiving college for services to students, FTES to the receiving college and payment by the receiving college to the delivering college, and an option to make other arrangements provided it is covered by an MOU.

Two additional options were proposed:

• Each partner in an agreement offers a distance learning class(es) in exchange for a distance learning class(es) offered by the other partner in lieu of payment.
• The VCCS will create a virtual clearinghouse that negotiates with delivering and receiving colleges to offer distance learning courses and serves as the marketing specialist to determine needs and promote the courses. The delivering college will continue to offer the courses, and would be able to offer any distance learning courses to students in their service area. The issue of competition in this option will have to be addressed. Several strategies were suggested: assign a specific number of seats to each college, use only one college as the provider of a particular course, randomly assign students among colleges, allow students to pick their own provider for those listing courses. The consensus was to let students choose and that colleges would have to guarantee a certain number of seats to students from other colleges. Dr. Sachs will draft a more detailed proposal covering this option and using the other options as examples of agreements for consideration at the May meeting. It was suggested that this Clearinghouse would be more than just a joint listing, but would add value. It could be proposed as a pilot project to implement part of the VCCS Distance Learning plan.

Regardless of the option chosen, several questions remain to be answered. What if a student is in a distance learning course from another college not covered by an MOU, will the local college still have to provide testing and other services for free? What if a course does not get listed in the print Schedule of Classes, could it still be covered by an MOU?

Items for the May Meeting in Charlottesville

• Presentation on Intellectual Property Rights
• Presentation on SREC Ways In Mentor Program
• Presentation on Internet2
• Report from Portal Committee
• DL Management Model
• DL Coding
• ITDE Web Sites

Next Meeting: May 10, 2004, 10:00 am, PVCC - Charlottesville