From the From the Interim President

At its May 10, 2024, meeting, the College Senate voted to recommend to the interim president the following revision to DOPS Policy IV:07:04, Online and Hybrid Course Offering:

WHEREAS, Buffalo State University is dedicated to delivering online coursework that consistently meets and/or exceeds federal and New York state-mandated guidelines for ADA and RSSI compliance; and

WHEREAS, online course review is an essential aspect of ensuring that online instruction is meeting such guidelines, while also encouraging best practices within online instruction; and

WHEREAS, the online course review policy outlines a framework and timeline empowering Academic Affairs to move forward with development and scheduling of online courses; and

WHEREAS, the course intent, development, and scheduling approval stages noted within the existing DOPS IV:07:04 policy have at times been interpreted to be one and the same, creating confusion and inconsistent implementation across Buffalo State University; and

WHEREAS, the existing DOPS IV:07:04 policy contains an allusion that some may erroneously interpret as conflating the Senate Curriculum Committee with the assessment of teaching; and

WHEREAS, course design review guidelines are best listed in an easy-to-follow chronological manner,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that DOPS IV:07:04 be revised to clearly differentiate between intent/approval to develop an online course and approval to schedule said course; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the assessment of teaching in DOPS IV:07:04 be clarified to follow standards established by the respective department offering the course; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DOPS IV:07:04 incorporate changes in language to improve the means with which it may be understood.

I hereby accept the recommendation of the College Senate regarding DOPS policy IV: 07:04, and I authorize the interim provost to make the changes listed above as soon as possible. I also direct the interim provost to communicate these changes to the campus as appropriate. I thank the Instruction and Research Committee and its chair for their work in developing this recommendation.