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Adams State University is outraged by these offenses. We do not compromise on academic integrity. If persons like Mr. White and the coaches and athletes who patronized his services were to be effectively prosecuted, it could deter future abuses.” - Adams State President David Svaldi
electronic vigilance Roybal said Adams State employs industry best practices for distance courses, including: • Plagiarism detection software. • Online test proctoring using a webcam and authentication through a national database. Tests are monitored, recorded, and transcribed to detect aberrant behaviors. • Face-to-face test proctoring is allowed only by verified proctors. Coaches and athletic administrators are excluded.
• Timed and randomized features for online exams assure each student has a unique test. • Six-week minimum completion time for any three-credit course. “Our faculty do not tolerate dishonesty by a student, whether an athlete or a busy single mother,” Svaldi said. “We will implement state-of-the-art recommendations that preserve and guarantee academic integrity and will discontinue any delivery method or course that is weak in that regard.”
the value of access Svaldi emphasized the value of distance education to students in isolated, rural areas, many of whom lack internet access, and to those working to further their education while juggling work and family responsibilities. It is also helpful to on-campus students with scheduling conflicts. Many Adams State alumni appreciate the flexibility of distance education. Brooke McKinley ’14 lived in seven different states while completing her BA in business administration. Now an insurance office manager in Boulder, Colo., she said, “I love the distance learning program because it offered me the flexibility I needed in order to work full time and complete classes. The teachers were awesome and worked well to make sure you received the best teaching possible.” Billie Watkins ’14, who lives in Trinidad, Colo., said distance education was “a big plus” in that her family didn’t need to relocate from the rural community she loves. Faculty work to assure both honesty and course rigor. Dr. Brent Ybarrondo, emeritus professor of biology, who has taught both online and print correspon-
dence for ten years, said, “Students often enroll in distance delivery courses under the mistaken impression that they will provide an easier and/or quick option. In fact, success in the distance delivery environment requires significantly more diligence and independence than the on-campus environment.” English Professor Carol GuerreroMurphy, who has been teaching print correspondence for five years, said she has caught students cheating. “Those students fail my courses. The point is, I have identified them, because my students have to write so much, and they take long essay examinations (handwritten). It would be really tough to cheat in my classes,” she explained. “Many students are struggling with isolation, not just the prisoners, but people who don't have anyone else to encourage them to stretch, be challenged, and achieve. I have found students diligent, thorough, patient, and responsive. The incarcerated students often are brilliantly articulate. I think the potential to increase access to education for underserved students is vast and vitally important.” By Julie Waechter
extended studies distance ed enrollment • 2013-14 Print-based correspondence Online correspondence Online semester-based TOTAL
2,807 3,458 719 6,984
10% Growth over last 5 years This data refers to college-credit earning courses only, and does not include professional development courses or distance programs administered by individual academic departments.
aStater update
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Vice President for Academic Affairs Frank Novotny explained distance education policies had previously been updated to prevent cheating. Because the Chronicle did not specify courses and dates, it has been difficult to fully investigate the situation. He acknowledged student verification can be a particular challenge with print-based courses. Once Mr. White’s scam was made public, those were suspended pending policy review and revision. “We are always looking to improve our program,” said Walter Roybal ‘94, ‘08, assistant vice president for Extended Studies – Academics. “In the end, it will benefit us and our students.” Mollie McGill, Director of Programs and Membership for the WICHE Cooperative for Educational Technologies, was part of the Colorado Department of Higher Education team that visited campus in March. She wrote, “My assessment is that the ASU academic integrity policy is favorably comparable in language, procedures, roles, and sanctions with other such policies I’ve read. Another positive take-away is the high level of commitment to quality ‘customer care.’”
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