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MCCC to offer fully online degree beginning fall 2018 Vanessa Ray Agora Editor

MCCC is breaking new ground with its first online laboratory course. After an hour of contentious debate on Thursday, Nov. 30, Chemistry 155 was approved by the Curriculum Committee. Tensions were high at the meeting. Those in favor of the course felt like students deserve an online option. Those against it felt like the college was “watering down” its degree. “These people are bullies,” said professor Parnella Baul, who voted for the course. Chemistry 155 was approved as a course by a vote of 7-2 and as a General Education (Gen Ed) requirement by a vote of 5-4. It will begin in Fall Semester 2018 Having Chemistry 155 qualify as a Gen Ed requirement paves the way for MCCC to offer a fully online certificate or degree. “Chemistry 155 is a survey course on how chemistry impacts our lives on a day-to-day basis,” professor Lori Bean said. Bean, who developed and will be teaching the course, said she did not want to step on her colleague’s toes. “My goal is not to steal away anyone’s current students,” Bean said. “It’s to attract a small niche who either don’t want to have to come up to late labs or can’t come to campus for labs at all.” The college has been hoping to create a class like this since at least 2015, as shown by objective 4.3 in the 2015-2018 Strategic Enrollment Plan. It states the college wants to “develop and market a program that can be completed fully online.” “We live in the 21st century, where entire degrees are being offered online by very reputable institutions around the world,”

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A Chemistry 151 student perfoms an experiment. Starting next fall, students will have the option of taking their Chemisty lab online.

President Kojo Quartey said. “Being able to offer a fully online degree means that we at MCCC are getting closer to where the rest of the world is.” Though some professors in the Science and Math Division opposed the course, many MCCC students seem to see the benefits. “I think it’s wonderful that the college provides a degree path through only online classes,” said student Nathan Grodi. “It is

very convenient for people who live farther away, as well as those who have busy, ever-changing schedules.” Students like Javed Peracha realize the benefits of a fully online degree for parents and those who do not have the time. “MCCC fully recognizes that some people, like new parents, single parents, or fulltime workers, usually do not have the time to attend classes at a college campus,” Peracha said. “Chemistry 155 will allow people with

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busy schedules to earn their degrees with all online classes.” Other students, like Emma Muth, can see both sides of the issue. “On one hand, I like that it gives students the ability to customize their college experience,” Muth said. “Though I am not one of those people, I know there are some

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