a.) 2000 Focused Visit to New International Campuses in Thailand
When the 1998 Team recommended approval for a new Webster University-Thailand Campus, it was understood that a focused visit was required after operations were established. A two-member team visited the campus, November 28-30, 2000, accompanied by the Associate Director of the Commission.
The team’s report appropriately identified start-up issues, especially the goal of achieving a viable enrollment to insure the future viability of the campus. The team recommended that a subsequent report on Enrollment be required. This progress report was submitted (December 2002) and reviewed by Commission staff (March 2003).
The Webster-Thailand campus has continued to make progress. As the team anticipated, the rural location of the campus and issues of enrollment stability
continue to be hurdles. The campus has become an important Asian anchor for a segment of our international programs. It is a popular study abroad option for students, and special programs and courses in Buddhist Studies are unique. During the Spring 2007, as part of our Study Abroad Affiliates program, 22 students from Millikin University (Decatur, Illinois) spent the semester at Webster – Thailand.
The campus has strong administrative leadership and committed faculty. Graduate MBA programs for working adults have been relocated to Bangkok Center, which was a recommendation from the team. This change had helped to strengthen the University’s overall operations in Thailand. Webster’s continuing efforts to support Webster – Thailand, from the Board, to faculty and students, demonstrate commitment to the University’s mission.
[EXHIBIT: HLC0.6 HLC Approvals and Changes]
b.) 2001 Institutional Change Request to Offer MBA Program Online
The University’s online course development activity began largely to support our graduate programs for working adults (including our military education population). In December 2001, the University filed an Institutional Change Request for first-time authorization to offer an online program. The program was the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
Increasingly, our students wanted the option of completing their courses either through traditional classroom formats or through distance education delivery (Internet). This was especially important for our military students. The Change Request was approved (February 2002), and the University has continued to demonstrate strong success with its online programs.
[EXHIBIT: HLC0.6 HLC Approvals and Changes]
c.) 2005 Institutional Change Request to Offer Undergraduate Degree-Completion Program at Selected Campus Centers in South Carolina
Responding to interest for more undergraduate degree-completion options in South Carolina, Webster University submitted an Institutional Change Request (July, 2005) to add a “2 plus 2” program to several of our existing extended campus centers in South Carolina. The South Carolina Commission on Higher Education had previously encouraged and approved this expansion.
With Webster’s strong track record of administering external campus programs, and with the fairly recent visits by the Visiting Team to our South Carolina operations, this requested change was approved by Commission staff. The “2 plus 2” program has now been implemented (2006-07) in Columbia, S.C. and in Charleston, S.C.
[EXHIBIT: HLC0.6 HLC Approvals and Changes]
d.) 2006 SAS Reconciliation Project on Distance Education
In December 2005, the Commission provided Webster and other institutions with an opportunity to reconcile its online programs (SAS Reconciliation Project) with formal approval expectations. The University submitted a detailed report (January 2006) with exhibits demonstrating the quality of its distance education programs. The Commission approved the requested authorization, and revised the University’s SAS to allow distance education programs (“No prior Commission approval required”).
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