Iola’s local community college has moved onto the world stage of distance learning. After years of uninterrupted growth of its online class offerings, Allen County Community College is now granting degrees to students who may never set foot on its two campuses, including that in Burlingame.
College trustees were told at their meeting Thursday that the school has appealed to the Higher Learning Commission to begin offering “distance delivery” programs.
Earning the designation from the learning commission would permit ACCC students to earn their associates degrees in all four core areas already available for traditional students in arts, science, applied arts and general studies.
John Marshall, vice president for academic affairs, summarized ACCC’s decade-long practice of offering online courses.
The college’s 3,000-square-mile service area includes a high number of non-traditional students as well as those in isolated areas not easily accessible to the college’s campuses.
Enrollment in online classes has increased every year, especially among its rural student population, Marshall noted.
The application caps a two-year “homework assignment,” Marshall said, in which the college put in place its online curriculum and safeguards to ensure those students receive the same level of education as those in traditional classrooms.
Marshall said he hoped to hear a response from the Higher Learning Commission within the next six months, although applications can take as long as 11 months to be processed.
The Higher Learning Commission operates under the umbrella of the North Central Association, which handles ACCC’s accreditation. Visiting educators at the ACCC campus last fall encouraged Marshall to continue with the application to offer online degrees.
TRUSTEES approved a pair of major repairs to the Zahn Scholarship House on the ACCC farm north of Iola.
The 12-year-old structure’s leaky roof will be replaced by Boren’s Roofing at a cost of $8,175. Boren’s had the lower of two bids.
The home’s carpet flooring will be replaced by a tile surface installed by Decorator Supply at a cost of $12,232.89, the lower of two bids.
Steve Troxel, vice president for finance and operations, said crews from SE-Kan Asphalt Services will repair widening cracks in the parking lot at the Iola campus at a cost of about $9,600.
“The winter was rough on the parking lot,” Troxel said.
BOB REAVIS, dean of ACCC’s Burlingame campus, said he and other officials at the outreach campus will continue to “explore our options” when deciding the future of the college’s construction trade classes.
Over the past two years, students had worked extensively with KanBuild, an Osage City-based builder of mobile homes until the company shut its doors earlier this year.
Since then, the college has successfully completed a number of construction and maintenance projects for Osage City and other area groups, helping complete the school year, although enrollment figures are down for 2011-12.
TRUSTEES APPROVED the hiring of Tera Reed as an art instructor to replace the retiring Steve Greenwall.
Two long-time employees, Jason Kegler, director of student life, and head track and cross country coach Clinton Fletcher have resigned. Kegler has been hired as dean of student development at Neosho County Community College. Fletcher’s next destination was not disclosed.
Trustees also accepted the resignations of Seth Beason, an assistant baseball coach, and Christa Baird, assistant track and cross country coach.
Tenure was granted to history teacher Jon Wells and business teacher Stacey Lhuillier. Contracts were offered for the 2011-12 academic year to all other certified instructors, management/advisory personnel and support staff.
