October 26, 1999
Opening the Door Wider
A convocation of enrollment directors, financial officers, and academic advisors on simplifying distance education enrollments and practices, and providing advising early in enrollment
  Students who take classes at a distance require college and university procedures for enrollment, financial assistance, and advising services that are as efficient as on-campus procedures. Whether students take distance or distributed classes from one or more institutions, it is time to fine-tune policies for this quickly growing population. The Indiana Partnership for Statewide Education’s Home Institution Model is replicated across the country where students are limited to one institutional enrollment a semester. Well-designed student services include timely academic advising and communication with campus resources. Good support services to students off-campus is the underpinning for quality programs offered at a distance. (To review the Home Institution Model, visit www.ihets.org/distance_ed/ipse/homeinstitutionmodel.html.)
Who Should Attend?
 
  • Enrollment director
  • Enrollment counselors who work with distance enrollments
  • Financial officers
  • Financial staff who work with financial transfers between institutions
  • Academic advisors/counselors who advise students taking distance classes
  • Distance education directors
  • Distance education staff who work with enrollments and registrations
  • Distance education business managers
  • IPSE campus coordinators
  • IPSE Learning Center coordinators
  • Learning Center staff
    • Agenda
    Opening the Door Wider
    8 a.m.   Registration  
      Continental Breakfast
    9-9:45 a.m.  Welcome and Charge for the Day 
                Descriptions of the IPSE Home Institution Model and the IPSE Learning 
               Center Model          		 
    The IPSE Home Institution Model was created to assist students 
    receiving financial aid from one institution in taking a course from a second institution while still meeting federal financial aid requirements. Variations of this model are being used across the country until federal regulations catch up with the large growth of distance/distributed learning programs now available.

    Using the IPSE Learning Center Model, over 60 IPSE coordinators now assist students taking distance/distributed learning courses with pre-admissions counseling, on-campus contacts, and other student-support services at centers near the student’s home or work. The centers operate on university and college campuses, public libraries, public schools, and career centers. The Indiana College Network (ICN) Student Services Center hotline—1-800-icn-8899—offers new students assistance and direction with information about universities, colleges, degree programs, careers, and campus contacts.

    9:45-10 a.m.   Break
    10-10:45 a.m.   Forum of Good Practices: Admissions, Registration, and 
                            Academic Advising         		 
    Bring your own observations, but think about these needs as well:

    •   Should all students be encouraged to take distance education courses?
    •   How can a new student be made welcome at your university or college?
    •   How many credit hours can an adult student obtain in nondegree status?
    •   How can a new student take advantage of academic counseling when choosing the      first class?
    •   What is a “ghost-student”?
    •   How can the Home Institution help a student enrolled at multiple institutions?
    •   What additional on-campus offices and services can students use at a distance?
    •   How can students receive computer access and identification cards?
    •   How can grade reporting be streamlined?

    10:45-11 a.m.   Break  
    11-11:45 a.m.   Forum of Good Practices: Bursars and Financial Assistance  
      What kinds of financial concerns are especially important for students who take classes off campus? Consider the following issues that may be discussed, and add your own:
    •   Why should procedures be different for students taking classes at a distance?
    •   Should a student be allowed to enroll at an institution with an account encumbered at      another?
    •   How can your institution target distance students with financial assistance information      aimed at adult or nontraditional students?
    •   Does the Home Institution Model of payment and enrollment credit work for your      institution?
    •   How can universities and colleges integrate distance students’ transactions into regular      procedures?
    •   Can financial transactions based on the Home Institution Model be more streamlined?
    •   How can distance students learn that good financial credit at their university or college      is worth maintaining?
    11:45 a.m.-1 p.m.   Lunch  
    1-3:30 p.m.   Breakout Sessions by Interest Groups  
      This is an opportunity for you to meet and share concerns with your colleagues at other campuses and institutions. These groups will be:  
      Admissions
     Registrars
     Academic Advisors
     Financial Aid
     Bursars
    3-3:30 p.m. Reports and Continuing Dialogs  
    4 p.m. Convocation Adjourns  
    Email Access  
      Computers will be available in the Demonstration Room for conference participants who would like to access their email accounts (Telnet only).