ABOR transfers management of distance programs to NAU
The largest distance learning program in the state just got a little bigger to provide greater access for Arizonans to higher education.

Northern Arizona University and its Distance Learning program got the nod from the Arizona Board of Regents today to manage the delivery of online programs by the state's three universities. Formally, ABOR voted to outsource its tri-university cooperative distance learning effort, known as Arizona Regents University, to NAU.

"Arizona Regents University opens up on the web the resources of NAU, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona for all those students who cannot leave home or quit their jobs to get a college education," said NAU President John D. Haeger. "It provides affordable access because students don't have to incur the additional costs of housing and other expenses related to living on a college campus.

"The regents recognize that ARU can be a large part of the answer to the higher education needs of the state. The 'expand on demand' model of NAU's Distance Learning means that courses and degree programs can be delivered when and where they're needed, and the state doesn't have to invest up front in new universities."

Haeger was referring to the proposed redesign of Arizona's university system, which anticipates a huge influx of students over the next 20 years.

"This is a fantastic step forward," said Regent Robert Bulla in presenting the recommendation to ABOR to enter into a memorandum of agreement with NAU to manage Arizona Regents University.

Haeger explained that ARU will build on NAU's historic mission to provide higher education statewide.

NAU started its Distance Learning program more than a quarter of a century ago. NAU now offers 71 bachelor's and graduate degrees and certificate and endorsement programs at about 30 sites throughout the state using web, interactive television and in-classroom formats.

"We have proven our ability to serve students at a distance," said Fred Hurst, NAU vice president of Extended Programs and dean of Distance Learning. "ARU will be an extension of what we are already doing and will provide access to even more students."

One-third of NAU's total enrollment is in Distance Learning. Growth in online education is a national phenomenon. A newly released report by the Sloan Consortium notes a 19 percent increase in web course enrollments nationally. At NAU, web enrollment grew 50 percent this fall over last year.

Key to the success of distance learning, Hurst said, is student services. NAU already has a dedicated student service center in Distance Learning that offers one-stop shopping for advising, course and degree offerings, registration and payment. Hurst said NAU will expand its student service center to ARU.

Students who enroll in ARU also will have access to the in-person support services offered at NAU's statewide sites.

As part of the initial four-year agreement with ABOR, NAU will receive $2.3 million annually plus one-time funding of $1.6 million to manage ARU. In addition to expanding student services, NAU will use the one-time funds to develop, with community colleges, 2 + 2 bachelor's completion programs in nursing, teacher education, fire science and law enforcement. These are programs the community colleges have expressed an interest in developing, Haeger noted.

"Our community college partnerships are vital to the success of distance learning and ARU," said Hurst, who noted that NAU has articulation agreements at varying levels with all the community colleges in the state.

Besides the new programs, Haeger said NAU also proposes some innovative academic approaches. These include shortened-format web courses and allowing students with appropriate career experience to test out of some courses or to have some of their work experience apply toward certain course credits.

These strategies would be considered on a degree-program-by-degree-program basis.

"This is a shift in traditional higher education thinking but a necessary one when you're talking about nontraditional students who are in the work force and want to take advantage of the opportunity to advance professionally," Haeger said.

Hurst anticipates ARU will double in enrollment to 400 students by next year. Another 400 students are anticipated the year after that. He said tuition and enrollment growth funding from the Legislature will enable new ARU programs to be self-supporting.

Students who enroll in ARU would pay the tuition rate of the university—NAU, ASU or UofA—from which they plan to earn a degree. The student credit hours for an individual course, which is part of the universities' enrollment calculation, would be awarded to the university offering the course.

"ARU is not only a collaborative and progressive effort on the part of the Regents and the three universities," Haeger said, "it also enables NAU to further enhance our partnership with community colleges and work together to solve the higher education needs of the state."