V.B.1. Online Courses Policy
The College may offer an Online Course approved by the THECB with no in-state geographic restrictions through a member college or Lone Star College-Online ("LSC-Online") if the course is within the College’s approved curriculum. The College’s Online Courses will comply with all THECB conditions and requirements as well as those established by accrediting agencies. The College shall inform students of any required face-to-face and or hybrid components of an Online Course before the student registers. LSC-Online's instruction, proctoring, and or class activities shall be 100% online unless the Chancellor grants a limited, specific modality exception.
V.B.2. Definitions
(a) Online Course, generally, means instruction in which the majority of the instruction occurs when the students and instructor are not in the same physical setting. An LSC-Online course has 100% of its instruction occur when the students and instructor are not in the same physical setting. For THECB reporting purposes, a class is considered an Online Course if students receive more than one-half of the instruction at a different location than the instructor. The College’s online program includes online and hybrid instruction which are clarified in the credit schedules and on the College website. Online advisors advise only fully-online students in courses that are 100% online. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous, delivered to any single or multiple location(s) through electronic, correspondence, or other means outside the boundaries of the taxing authority of the College, or via instructional telecommunications to any other distance location.
V.B.3. Online Course Standards
Online instruction is comparable to on-campus instruction and meets all of the quality standards which the College provides through on-campus instruction.
Online Courses offered through either college credit or Continuing Education Units (CEUs) are provided in accordance with the standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College (SACS), the THECB rules and regulations, the Guidelines for Institutional Reports for Distance Education and Off-Campus Instruction and other accrediting bodies as appropriate.
Students enrolled in LSC-Online or only in Online Courses must satisfy the same requirements for admission to the institution, to the program of which the course is a part, and to the class/section, as are required of on-campus students. Faculty providing online instruction are selected and evaluated by the same standards, review, and approval procedures used to select and assess faculty responsible for on-campus instruction. The College provides training and support to enhance the added skills required of faculty teaching classes via instructional technology.
The instructor of record is responsible for the delivery of instruction and evaluation of student progress. Online instruction is administered under the authority of the same office or person administering the corresponding on-campus instruction or through LSC-Online.
V.B.4. Online Course Strategic Plan
LSC-Online and member college's offering Online Courses will develop a strategic plan or plans including applications of instructional technology as well as guidelines for supporting online faculty and advising students. The plan will be developed in alignment with the College’s Strategic Plan, according to requirements specified by the THECB and the College.
V.B.5. Institutional Report for Online Courses
Prior to offering any online, off-campus, or on-campus extension courses or programs for the first time, the College shall submit its Institutional Report for Online, Off-Campus, and On-Campus Extension Instruction to the THECB for approval. The Report, and any updated Reports, shall conform to THECB guidelines and criteria of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on College in effect at the time of the Report’s approval. The College’s academic and administrative policies shall reflect a commitment to maintain the quality of online, off-campus, and on-campus extension courses and programs in accordance with the provisions of 19 TAC Chapter 4, Subchapter E.
V.B.6. Out-of-State or Out-of-Country Courses
The College will not submit Online Courses delivered outside the state to non-Texas residents for formula funding. The College will report fees received for extension and out-of-state/country courses in accordance with general institutional accounting practices.
V.B.7. Reporting to Commissioner
The College will report enrollments, courses, and graduates associated with extension offerings to the Commissioner as required by the THECB.
LSCS Policy Manual Section adopted by the Board of Trustees on February 2, 2017