MELA Meeting Minutes 2003 - 2017

Audit Department, they are in agreement with the recommendations of each MSVCC term being identified by continuous days of instruction and not just by weeks. a. The recommended dates are figured based on the assumption that these courses would start on Mondays. Even if there is an official school holiday, the online courses would still start on Monday. It would cause a programming problem if we did not consistently start on a Monday as the first day of a term. i. Keri Cole stated that school resources are shut down on

holidays and it is hard to start an online class on a holiday. Not only eLearning Offices, but also Financial Aid, Business Office, Bookstores, Admissions, and Counseling all play a part. Keri stated that colleges should talk with their presidents before agreeing to this. She didn’t like the idea of starting on holidays without President’s approval because it would require all offices to be open. Many other colleges have a concern about this as well.

b. In a 4-week class, instructors must take attendance twice per week. Attendance would be taken every Wednesday and one other day of the week. c. There was much discussion about how the automated system would open and close for the add/drop period. i. Many stated that they needed continued rights to put students into the ET. 1. Audra will add to the Mini-Term Day spreadsheets that ELCS only will have the right to override past the published due dates. 3. Tish asked about the 1/3 rule and recommended 33 days to fall on the Friday of the 5 th week. She was ok with the 4-week term. a. Audra stated that in statute (attorney general) that there is a rule that states the ‘sixth week’. However, online is a little different because we have instruction on Saturday and Sunday. b. Audra stated that the 15-week and 8-week terms are no different from what we have always done. 4. A vote will be taken next week by e-mail regarding the Mini Term Dates. Michele will send out an e-mail next Friday. This will give each ELC time to talk to their VP and/or Presidents. ii. Agenda for May 1 st Work Session at Hind’s MUSE Center. 1. Audra created a Google Doc and e-mailed it to the ELCs. Each college should discuss what questions or issues arise around mini-terms as the starting point for the agenda. 2. The agenda will be determined before deciding which college departments should be invited.

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