Every few years, WICHE (WCET’s parent organization) publishes a pivotal analysis of high school graduate projections for the United States. This analysis, presented in WICHE’s Knocking at the College Door report, tells the story of shifting demographics, evolving opportunities, and the need to adapt to meet students wherever they are.
Of key interest this year – the most recent publication is the first Knocking report published post-COVID-19 pandemic. It takes into account new workforce demands and challenges of equity and access in higher education.
Today, we’re excited to give you a quick overview of the new report, plus some thoughts we had during WICHE’s webcast announcing the release, which took place on December 11, 2024.
Incredible interactive data visualizations from the team at WICHE where you can explore data behind the key findings (such as profiles by geographic location, regional variation under national trends, a COVID-19 impact visualization, and more) – wiche.edu/knocking/data-visualizations/
PRIMARY FINDINGS!
This year’s Knocking at the College Door reports five primary findings – here are our thoughts on each of those. See the report for more details on each of these.
In 2025, the total number of high school graduates is projected to be 3.9 million students yet the number of graduates is projected to decrease to 3.37 million by 2041.
This trend is primarily driven by a decrease in birth and fertility rates that closely parallels the projected decrease in high school graduates.
High school retention and completion rates, as measured through graduation rates, are projected to be stable.
The number of White high school graduates is projected to decrease by 26% by 2041, while the number of Black graduates is projected to decline by 22%. Hispanic graduates are projected to increase by 16%, and Multiracial graduates are projected to increase by 68%.
Students identifying as American Indian/Alaska Native graduates are projected to decline by 41%, from 30,000 in 2023 down to 18,000 in 2041. Additionally, the number of Asian/Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander graduates is projected to decrease by 8% – 10%.
While the number of high school graduates in the South is projected to increase from 1.4 million to 1.5 million by 2041, Western graduates are projected to decrease from 934,000 to 745,000, Midwestern graduates from 768,000 to 639,000, and Northeastern graduates from 612,000 to 518,000.
While the “enrollment cliff” is an often-used metaphor – the report’s authors advise that the reality will be a slower and steadier shift of student demographics, which will have important implications on higher education, workforce training, and state and federal government.
WHAT CAN HIGHER EDUCATION DO
As stated in the report, “Despite these worrying trends, a peak then decline in the number of high school graduates need not spell doom for institutions across the country…” (Knocking, 66).
The report’s authors were careful to emphasize that higher education has some agency despite the projected decline in enrollment.
They suggested several evidence-based practices that could lead to improved higher education enrollment and graduation rates. For example, a 5% increase in the college-going rate for recent high school graduates could begin to offset the projected college enrollment decline.
Enhanced student advising and financial aid programs like the CUNY ASAP program and Montana 10.
Early admissions programs.
Informing students of their financial aid packages earlier in the admissions process.
Prior learning assessment that provides learners with experiential credit for adult students.
“Z Degree” programs that leverage open educational resources to provide zero learning material cost degrees.
Basic needs programs and benefit navigator programs like the Oregon program.
Final Thoughts
In addition to the report and its interactive dashboards, WICHE is also planning to analyze high school graduation data for the American Territories and Freely Associated States and examine the impact of gender on the projections. Additionally, a webinar series on evidence-based interventions is being planned for 2025. Make sure to check the Knocking at the College Door website for more information on future analysis and events.
All of us at WCET congratulate the team behind this year’s Knocking at the College Door report – as always you’ve delivered the higher education community vital information to help us all better understand how we can best support students moving forward.
In my role here at WCET, I’m always inspired by the innovative ways institutions tackle challenges to support their students. For rural colleges, overcoming barriers like limited broadband and digital literacy requires creativity, resilience, and the right tools. Originally from Idaho and now living in Montana, I’m particularly interested in how our more rural institutions face such issues.
Today I’m happy to welcome Rachael Hardiek with BibliU, who dives into how rural institutions are reimagining education with tech-enhanced solutions, ensuring students in even the most remote areas can succeed. These solutions include designing learning materials in a mobile-first mindset and supporting new digital literacy programs.
For rural colleges, offering high-quality education often hinges on one thing: access. For students in remote areas, physical distance, limited broadband, and digital literacy challenges can turn the simple act of attending class into a feat of endurance.
But today, advancements in technology are rewriting the educational narrative for rural students. By harnessing tech-enhanced learning tools, colleges in rural areas are expanding the reach of their programs, creating flexibility, and fostering student success in innovative ways.
This shift goes beyond integrating technology—it’s about rethinking education to serve every student, everywhere.
The Connectivity Conundrum
For many rural students, connectivity remains a formidable obstacle. Despite recent advances, millions of Americans in rural areas still lack reliable, high-speed internet, especially in remote or mountainous regions. Students in these situations can struggle to access online courses, complete assignments, or even communicate with instructors. This connectivity gap has a ripple effect, impacting educational engagement, retention, and outcomes.
Additionally, limited internet access often compounds the device access gap. For some students, mobile phones are the only connection to online resources, while laptops and tablets remain out of reach. Rural colleges, therefore, need solutions that are mobile-friendly and bandwidth-conscious to ensure students can stay engaged, regardless of their connectivity or equipment.
Digital Learning tools and applications can be used to help students gain access to a wide-array of educational material. It’s important that these tools work seamlessly across devices and are accessible even on mobile networks so that limited internet doesn’t limit the learning experience.
Making Mobile Learning Work
To bridge the tech divide, rural colleges can lean into mobile-optimized content. Mobile networks are often more reliable in areas with inconsistent broadband, with smartphone access common even in some of the most isolated areas. As current trends in highereducation show, mobile device ownership is becoming even more extensive. By focusing on mobile-enabled solutions, rural colleges can make it possible for students to study anywhere, anytime.
Platforms like BibliU play a pivotal role in supporting flexibility by offering digital textbooks and resources that students can easily access with just a mobile device. The shift from physical textbooks to digital-first resources is a game-changer for rural students. It lightens their load, reduces costs, and—importantly—opens up learning for those who rely on mobile data. By optimizing for mobile, rural institutions can ensure that students with limited internet or device access are not left behind.
Many rural colleges and their partner organizations are developing digital literacyprograms that target the unique needs of their students. From workshops on navigating online classrooms to security skills, these programs build a solid foundation that empowers students to learn and engage. Faculty training is equally important in this endeavor. Colleges that offer continuous professional development in digital skills ensure that faculty can confidently integrate tech into their teaching and support students in doing the same.
A vendor like BibliU that offers additional training and support throughout the transition to digital resources is imperative for ensuring success across campus. With BibliU, students and faculty have access to resources they can understand and use confidently. The platform is designed to be intuitive, requiring minimal setup or advanced technical knowledge—ideal for students who are becoming increasingly comfortable with digital tools.
Flexible Learning Models for Every Schedule
For many rural students, balancing family responsibilities, jobs, and class schedules is part of everyday life. Flexibility, therefore, is essential. That’s why many rural colleges are embracing hybrid and blended learning models that offer students the freedom to attend classes in ways that fit their lives. Hybrid learning combines online and in-person instruction, while blended models allow students to engage in real-time or catch up later on their own schedules.
Asynchronous learning options can make a significant difference for students with non-traditional schedules or limited internet at certain times. Colleges are also implementing low-bandwidth solutions that reduce data needs, such as downloadable resources and compressed video content, so that connectivity issues won’t interrupt learning.
Charting a Path to a More Connected Future
The potential of tech-enhanced learning for rural colleges is vast, and new developments in technology promise even greater access. As 5G and satellite internet services expand, connectivity gaps in remote areas could begin to close, bringing a new wave of opportunity. For rural colleges, the future holds the promise of even more immersive learning tools like virtual reality (VR), which can simulate hands-on experiences in ways previously impossible in a remote setting.
Creating a tech-forward educational model that is inclusive and flexible requires funding and thoughtful policy. Rural colleges can’t do it alone; they need targeted support, whether from state programs, federal initiatives, or private grants, to fully develop the tech infrastructure necessary for digital learning.
Partners like BibliU are essential in this journey, offering scalable digital resources that are accessible, affordable, and easy to implement. By supporting rural colleges in providing digital-first, cost-effective course materials, BibliU is helping students access essential learning resources and achieve success from day one.
Since 2015, the awards have recognized the achievements of higher educational institutions and organizations nationwide that have raised the bar when developing comprehensive and viable solutions to challenging distance education compliance/state authorization issues.
This year, SAN honored seven winners in three categories:
Compliance Innovations: Institution policy, tools, compliance teams, or other inventive or novel compliance management process;
Licensure Programs: Notifications and disclosures for professional licensures in each state; and,
Location: Identifying student location for regulatory compliance and reporting requirements.
The SANsational Award Process
SAN offers members the opportunity to self-nominate, which includes providing specific information on their solution to the regulatory issue their project/process addresses. Details such as data related to implementation timelines, costs, stakeholder requirements, etc., are often noted within each statement of interest. All submissions are then reviewed by the SANsational Awards Committee, a team of well-respected Distance Education Compliance Professionals. The committee evaluates the submissions in four key areas by ensuring that:
The solution meets the requirements and the needs of state and/or federal regulations, the institution, and students.
The submission demonstrates a clear, comprehensive, practical solution to meet compliance requirements.
The project exhibits the capability of being adapted or replicated as a model for others.
The project addresses the specific focus of the category chosen.
Accordingly, the SAN Team extends our sincere gratitude to this year’s Awards Committee, for carefully reviewing and considering all submissions and for providing guidance and leadership when selecting our 2024 award recipients. The 2024 SANsational Awards Committee includes:
Jeannie Pauline Yockey-Fine, J.D., General Counsel, NC-SARA.
About the winners…
Again, this year, SAN presented awards for seven stellar project submissions. The recipients for 2024 are:
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Compliance Innovations),
Post University (Licensure Programs),
Rio Salado College (Compliance Innovations)
Southern New Hampshire University (Location),
The University of Kentucky (Compliance Innovations and Licensure Programs), and
University of Nevada, Las Vegas (Location).
Noted below are additional details about each institution and their respective projects.
Winner: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Category: Compliance Innovations – Project Title: Creating Efficiencies and Ensuring Effectiveness through a SharePoint-based Change Management Process
(The Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University team-left to right): Ashley Toews, Nicole Wallace, Kelly Austin, John Watret, Will Miller, Katelyn Nelson, Danielle Farris, Will Miller, and Katelyn Nelson.
SAN is proud to announce that Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), a leader in aviation and aerospace educational programs, has won the 2024 SANsational Award in the category of Compliance Innovations.
ERAU, with campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida. It has residential campuses in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Prescott, Arizona, and offers online and face-to-face instruction through a network of 128 locations (representing 28 states, 8 countries, and 1 U.S. territory). ERAU’s mission is to prepare students for careers and leadership roles in business, government agencies, and the military by teaching the science, practice, and business of aviation and aerospace. ERAU offers greater than 70 baccalaureate, graduate, and Ph.D. degree programs, including majors in applied science, aviation, business, computers and technology, engineering, space, security, intelligence, and safety.
The impetus for ERAU’s winning project stemmed from the sheer scale and complexity of its operations. ERAU must often track and implement a variety of changes across the institution, including the establishment or closure of sites, program updates, site relocations, and name changes.
Before implementing the new process, managing these changes involved holding hour-long virtual meetings for each change, with up to 60 individuals from various departments within the institution. On average, 25-30 attendees would attend each meeting, resulting in a cost of approximately $1500 per meeting. During these sessions, attendees would provide input on a checklist of necessary items, often speaking for about 2 minutes each before listening to the remainder of the discussion. This method was not only costly but also time-consuming and inefficient.
In response to these challenges, ERAU transitioned to implementing a SharePoint-based checklist and tracking system that now allows stakeholders to provide their necessary changes/information in written form, which is then transparently shared with all other stakeholders. The benefits of this new approach include increased efficiency, cost savings, improved oversight, and enhanced satisfaction. This SharePoint-based system has transformed the management of ERAU’s complex scope of locations and programs. The process is now more efficient and effective and includes clear and transparent communications with all stakeholders.
Winner: Post University (Waterbury, Connecticut)
Category: Licensure Programs – Project Title: Maintaining Databases in Support of Personalized Student Licensure Advising.
Post University, a private institution founded in 1890, is located in Waterbury, Connecticut. It is known for its focus on career-oriented education. Post University offers a range of undergraduate and graduate programs, including degrees in business criminal justice, healthcare, and education.
Members of the Post University team from left to right Shawn Fields, [Jana Walser-Smith (State Authorization Network)], Melissa Pilloise, Christine Adamczyk, and Bryana Torres-Martinez.
The Post University team serves as a beacon for innovation, as the institution’s commitment to student support, progress, and success is the driving force for this team’s dedication. The Distance Education Compliance professionals at Post University embody the university’s mission of “Post Makes it Personal®”. The team strives to meet the needs of their students by providing the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to become leaders in their respective fields.
For these reasons, SAN is proud to award Post University the 2024 SANsational Award for its groundbreaking approach to advising and providing necessary disclosures to its students. In an effort to provide personalized advising to any student interested in licensure, which includes one-on-one contact before, during, and after enrollment, Post University maintains spreadsheets of state requirements with almost 23,000 data points on them. Simpler versions of these sheets are provided for university associates outside of the Credentialing Team that present over 8,400 data points. Potential and enrolled students interested in licensure programs are tracked on spreadsheets shared with Admissions, Advising, and Academics.
There are six sheets containing between 8-73 categories of information. To keep costs down and lighten the training load for associates, both Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Teams are employed (it should be noted that these are programs the University already utilized). Because of these methods for maintaining accurate data, 1,740 potential students were efficiently outreached regarding licensure in 2023. The verification and maintenance of data, as well as all student advising, is managed by a team of only four associates. SAN salutes Post University for providing a model that facilitates personalized service and a commitment to student success!
Rio Salado College – Tempe, Arizona
Category: Location – Winning Project: College Compliance Calendar Tool: Free Accountability for Us All
The SAN team presented an award to the Rio Salado College (RSC) team for their project submission in the Location category. RSC, a public, not-for-profit, institution located in Tempe, AZ.
(Rio Salado College’s team from left to right) Janelle Elias, Kate Smith, [Cheryl Dowd, State Authorization Network], Ramsey Itani, Melissa Schrand, Karol Schmidt, and Zach Lewis.
RSC was established in 1978 as the “College Without Walls” and was created to serve non-traditional students and began offering fully online classes in 1996. Today, RSC offers more than 600 online classes and approximately 130 degree and certificate programs to learners throughout Arizona and throughout the United States. RSC is recognized nationally and prides itself in being an innovative leader in online learning by making education accessible, flexible, and affordable to meet the needs of today’s students.
RSC’s SANsational Award-winning project is rooted in the Office of Institutional Integrity and Compliance (IIC), a department that coordinates with various stakeholders across the college to ensure compliance with all regulatory triad (federal government, state government, accrediting bodies) mandates. Through collaboration with stakeholders, RSC developed a compliance calendar using a SharePoint list for the college to monitor and maintain compliance. However, over time, many realized that the calendar was not user-friendly, and user access was a challenging issue.
At issue was the fact that RSC needed to find a way to maintain institutional and staff accountability for their compliance actions while simultaneously creating a user-friendly system that a public 2-year community college with a limited budget and resources could utilize. Accordingly, the idea to create a Google version of the calendar was born, but with a unique twist.
Instead of users simply adding information into a basic spreadsheet, each user was provided with a unique dashboard of their compliance items which is linked to a main Google sheet calendar. Users delegated their access based on the items they were assigned. Only the specific/authenticated user could access their calendar dashboard (unless they delegated someone else to manage it for them). Automated emails are sent reminding the staff of their items due with an option to add a reminder to their work Google calendar. These items are then fed back to the master calendar once tasks are completed. The master calendar has a reporting feature that can send custom reports of items past due or pending to the leadership.
The RSC team reports that the new process saves time and effort and was created with $0 in incremental costs. Additionally, the project followed a structure of shared governance which increased transparency and promoted accountability for staff who now have ownership in completing compliance tasks annually.
University of Kentucky – Lexington, Kentucky
Category: Compliance Innovations – Winning Project: The Global Compliance Pilot Project the Evolution of Distance Education Global
The University of Kentucky pictured from left to right: Chris Thuringer, Ellen Gish, [Kathryn Kerensky, The State Authorization Network], Casey Jones, Miranda Hines, John Wiesendanger, and Ping Jiang.
Known as the state of Kentucky’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky (UK) exists to advance the Commonwealth. UK does this by preparing the next generation of leaders, placing students at the heart of everything they do. The UK is delighted that it is transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research, creative work, service, and health care. The institution also prides itself on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds.
It is in that spirit that the SAN team is proud to celebrate UK for its exceptional contribution to the field with its Compliance Innovations project. This award-winning project emerged as the COVID-19 pandemic transitioned many students to online learning and created new restrictions on distance education emerged across various countries.
Concerns arose related to educational authorization, national security, cybersecurity, tax obligations, and other legal requirements in each foreign market where online programs might be offered. In response, the university launched a pilot project and established the Distance Learning Global Compliance Research Group (GCRG), consisting of members from Distance Learning Compliance, IT Cybersecurity, University Financial Services, and the Office of Legal Counsel. With no pre-existing policies or best practices to draw from, the university developed innovative frameworks and workflows that have set industry precedents.
The GCRG also implemented a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to streamline research documentation and the approval process, while creating dashboards for both public and internal use. After a year of implementation, the outcomes of the pilot project generated new insights and significantly influenced UK’s strategy. By sharing knowledge and best practices, the UK aims to advance industry standards in global distance education compliance, foster collaboration, and ensure sustainable practices across the sector.
University of Kentucky – Lexington, Kentucky
Category: Licensure Programs – Winning Project: Certification Procedures Planning Project: Collaborating Across Campus for Effective Regulatory Implementation
(The UK team pictured from left to right) Miranda Hines, John Wiesendanger, Suzanne McGinnis, Chris Thuringer, Ping Jiang, Jonathan Blazejewski, [Kathryn Kerensky-The State Authorization Network], Zach Furr, Adam Bohland, and Amber Campbell.
At UK, the Distance Learning Compliance Team led a campus-wide compliance project, collaborating with Information Technology Services, Institutional Research, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions, the Graduate School, Professional Schools, Financial Aid, and managers of all licensure programs.
UK developed the “DE PPA (Department of Education Program Participation Agreement) Licensure” program inventory and implemented a triple-level compliance screening integrated into various application systems to ensure transparency and clarity for applicants. This screening process allows prospective students to verify their enrollment eligibility before applying and remitting an application fee, preventing unexpected enrollment restrictions, and safeguarding their educational journey. Additionally, the project facilitated an inventory of the university’s licensure programs, automated direct disclosures, and increased campus-wide awareness of compliance and data management for state authorization, global compliance, and licensure programs.
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Las Vegas, Nevada
Category: Location – Winning Project: Accuracy in Data Collection (ADC) for Out-of-State Learning Placements (OOSLP)
Founded in 1957, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is a doctoral-degree-granting institution with approximately 31,000 students and over 3,600 faculty and staff. UNLV is proud to be a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) with Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) & Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) designations as well, having EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504 designations.
(The UNLV team pictured from left to right): Kate Korgan, Skip Crooker, Bridgette Perreault, Rex Suba, [Cheryl Dowd, State Authorization Network], Leeann Fields, Javier Rodriguez, Carrie Trentham, Terina Caserto (NSHE & represents Nevada’s State Portal Entity), and Jennifer Swanson.
With more than 158,000 degrees conferred and over 140,000 alumni worldwide, UNLV is classified as an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education®.
Naturally, SAN is proud to have presented the 2024 SANsational Award to UNLV for their submission in the Location category. Their initiative, Accuracy in Data Collection (ADC) for Out-of-State Learning Placements (OOSLP), provides an innovative and comprehensive approach to tracking and documenting student location.
When responding to the mandatory reporting requirements from NC-SARA, (requirements began in Spring 2019), UNLV identified the need for an improved method of tracking out-of-state learning placements. To begin the process, the compliance team connected with all UNLV colleges and schools, educating them about learning placement activities and identifying courses with learning placement activities.
However, due to differences in organizational structures, the team found it challenging to create a universal tracking method that would work across all colleges and schools. Each college and school had to rely on its own system to track placements throughout the year, resulting in inconsistencies in reporting. For four years, the Office of Educational Compliance (OEC) requested annual reports from colleges and schools via a spreadsheet, which proved to be an antiquated and rudimentary approach that needed more consistency and accuracy.
Recognizing the need for improvement and the demand for reliable data, UNLV sought a better solution. It was concluded that the most accurate data on student locations was known by course instructors. To capture this data effectively, UNLV developed a system that prompts instructors at the end of each semester (during grade submissions), to indicate the state in which the student completed their learning placement activity.
Specifically, courses with learning placement activities are flagged in the system. Thus, UNLV developed an overlay in the grading module for these courses that prompts instructors to indicate the state where the student completed the learning placement activity. Only when this information is provided can instructors enter the student’s grade. This data is then stored in the registration system, allowing for efficient report generation when annual reports are due.
Multiple levels of administration and offices collaborated on this initiative, which took two years to implement. The process was facilitated with significant contributions from the Office of Information Technology.
Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, New Hampshire
Category: Location – Winning Project: Identifying Student Location and Reporting Such Information
Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution, located on a 300-acred campus in Manchester, New Hampshire. SNHU serves more than 200,000 learners worldwide, making it one of the fastest- growing universities in the nation. Founded in 1932, the University has undergone a transformation from a school of accounting and secretarial science to an institution that now offers over 200 accredited programs. SNHU’s academic offerings include undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and doctoral-level degrees.
(The SNHU team pictured from left to right): Scott Barker, [Jana Walser-Smith, State Authorization Network], Evan Lowry, Ellery Ewing, and Michelle Berthiaume.
SNHU’s programming and support services are strategically designed to fit the needs of today’s learners and the ever-evolving workforce. SNHU is committed to ensuring that students are keeping pace with innovative technologies and professional requirements, while simultaneously offering learners an exceptional student experience featuring nationally recognized academic programs.
The SANsational Awards Committee was impressed with SNHU’s innovative process that identifies and reports students’ physical locations, ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. The ability to do so is particularly crucial for students enrolled in distance education and licensure programs. The process is grounded in automated biannual pop-up notifications in the student portal, which require students to update their location. SNHU advisors are automatically notified when a student’s location changes, enabling them to provide guidance on state-specific licensure requirements. These initiatives help SNHU maintain accurate student records, support compliance, and enhance the student experience.
Learn more about the 2024 Winners!
The SAN team expresses our sincere congratulations and well-wishes to each of the SANsational Award Winners! We are proud of your accomplishments and are grateful for your willingness to share your ideas and processes with our member institutions and organizations! Please also know how much the SAN team enjoyed our visits to each of your campuses when presenting their SANsational award in person.
For additional details on these fascinating projects, visit the SANsational Awards webpage. There, you will find recorded presentations from each of our winners detailing their processes, challenges, and outcomes. The recorded presentations are also transcribed and are approximately 20 minutes long.
Please keep in mind that your team/project could be a SANsational Award winner! Mark your calendars for the 2025 award self-nominations process which will begin in the summer.
For more information about the activities, events, and resources provided by the State Authorization Network (SAN), please visit the SAN Website or contact the SAN team at san-info@wiche.edu.
The direction for regulations and guidance for digital and distance education shifted greatly with the recent election. As you may recall, the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) was planning to release sweeping regulatory changes on distance education, accreditation, state authorization reciprocity, and mandatory fees for books and materials. They also planned changes to guidance for “bundled services,” which affects online program management relationships.
You asked about the state of the outstanding regulations and guidance. We will give you our best insights in this blog post. A future post will explore what might be expected from the new administration…and beyond.
A Rule is a Rule Until It is No Longer Rule
The truism in that title seems obvious, but we often hear from people who think that promised change is wholesale and immediate. It is not.
Many Department regulations are currently in place and have been for years. A few examples include regular and substantive interaction, obligations to meet authorization and professional licensure requirements in other states, and student identity verification – which ensures that the distance student completing an assessment is the same one who registered for a course.
Existing Regulations or Guidance: Any existing regulations will remain in effect until they go through an official process to be changed. Similarly, guidance is amended or withdrawn formally by the agency providing the guidance. There are several pathways for the official change process for existing regulations. In the following section, we will highlight what those processes are. Meanwhile, we urge you to remain in compliance with existing regulations and guidance.
Proposed Regulations or Guidance: Any proposed regulations do not go into effect until they complete all of the statutorily mandated processes to be implemented. Currently, several regulations are midstream in the process and have not reached the far side of the river. We will highlight some of those of interest the WCET and SAN memberships.
Remember: Transition Takes Time
There is a little more than two months between the election and the inauguration. The leadership (sometimes several levels down) in each and every department of the federal government will change due to political appointments and then set plans, mesh with career staffers, and find its own way forward.
The incoming administration is much better prepared than they were in 2016. They are even seeking to undertake some “creative” solutions to quickly get their people in place (use “recess” appointments to dodge delays in Senate confirmations) and hasten the implementation of their agenda (replacing career staff). Speculation on possible nominees for Secretary of Education include several who would definitely shake the rafters.
On the other hand, the Trump team has not signed the agreements required to facilitate the transition and obtain necessary clearances. This could slow them down.
How Regulations and Guidance Can Change
With a shift in the party controlling the White House, there could be some changes to federal regulations. Institutions are responsible for compliance with federal regulations. Changes to regulations typically require revisions through the statutorily directed rulemaking process. However, as discussed below, a Congress aligned with the White House priorities may be able to overrule new federal regulations. Additionally, the courts can weigh in to interpret statutory authority and vacate regulations.
Federal regulations are developed by administrative agencies (i.e., U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, etc.) to implement statutes. Regulations have the same legal effect as statutes.
Federal Rulemaking
Federal regulations, such as those developed by the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) must follow the rulemaking process directed by the Federal Statute – the Administrative Procedure Act (APA), to ensure public notice and comment. Generally speaking, to change regulations, currently effective regulations and any regulations that are released as final must go through another rulemaking process to amend or eliminate the regulation. Typically, that process takes the Department 18-24 months from the notice of rulemaking to the final effective rule.
The Trump administration has no responsibility to continue the rulemaking process for any issues that were negotiated by a rulemaking committee (i.e., Winter 2024 rulemaking issues) but not released as final by the end of the Biden administration.
Congressional Review Act
The Congressional Review Act (CRA) is a federal law that acts as a deregulation shortcut allowing Congress to overturn recently finalized federal regulations. In a nutshell, this federal law allows Congress, by a simple majority vote of both chambers, the ability to overturn new federal regulations within 60 legislative days of when they were issued. Once a rule is overturned, the CRA prohibits the reissuing of a new rule that is substantially the same rule that was overturned. Rules released by the Biden administration post approximately August 1, meeting the 60 legislative days, could be considered ripe for repeal. This is of interest related to distance education regulations as there is the possibility that the regulations, if issued as final before the Biden administration leaves office, could be subject to the CRA.
Courts
Over the last few decades, many regulations have been challenged in court with regulations vacated or the implementation directed by court decisions. Regulations that are legally challenged have sometimes been subject to a court order to temporarily suspend enforcement pending a final court opinion. Recent regulations have been challenged with claims of lack of statutory authority, failure to follow the APA, and constitutional arguments. The court opinion is considered case law with the same force and effect of law as codified statutes and regulations.
Executive Orders
Given the history of the first Trump administration, executive orders may be used as an option to deregulate. An executive order could direct agencies to delay and review all new regulations to consider whether to revise or rescind through a new rulemaking. Executive orders can be overturned by legislative action of Congress. The Supreme Court can overturn an executive order if the order conflicts with the U.S. Constitution.
Guidance
Occasionally, guidance, which has no independent legal effect or force of law, is released by the administrative agency to provide the agency’s view of the statutes and regulations.
Guidance, often called a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL), is to be written in plain language and only intended to clarify existing requirements in statute and regulation. Guidance is developed and withdrawn by the agency in a relatively informal manner and is not required to follow the APA that ensures public notice and input. The Biden administration may issue guidance before leaving office. The next administration has no legal obligation to maintain the guidance and could choose to withdraw the guidance.
2024 Negotiated Rulemaking
During the winter of 2024, the Department of Education engaged in negotiated rulemaking. After soliciting public comment in 2023, the Department decided to negotiate rules for accreditation, distance education, attendance, reciprocity, state authorization, and Return to Title IV (including inclusive access), among other topics. After negotiations failed to reach consensus, except for the TRIO issue, the Department released proposed distance education regulations for public comment earlier this summer. The proposed regulations included:
Creation of a new “virtual” location,
Collection of additional data for distance education courses and students, and
Attendance taking for distance education courses.
Potential inclusive access, reciprocity, state authorization, and accreditation regulations that were not included in the summer NPRM (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking).
After the release of the NPRM and proposed regulations, the Department entered a 30-day public comment period. After the public comment period, the Department is required to respond to all public comments. The draft final regulations are then per Executive Order 12866 submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for an Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Review. At that point, the OIRA Review includes a required set of EO 12866 meetings to give the public one last opportunity to weigh in on the regulations. Once the draft final regulations complete the EO 12866 process, OIRA may provide guidance to the agency to revise the regulatory package prior to the Department releasing the regulations as final. If the Department releases the final regulations by November 1st, they can go into effect on July 1st of the following year. In the case of the distance education NPRM, the Department did not meet the November 1st deadline.
The Department could still move forward with the OMB/OIRA review and release the distance education related and TRIO regulations as final prior to the January inauguration. However, because the regulations would be finalized and released so close to the next Congressional term, they would be subject to the Congressional Review Act. Should Congress and the new Trump administration choose, they could strike down those regulations and the Department would be unable to bring them forward again. Because of this, it is highly unlikely that the Department will move forward with the distance education regulations, and they are, most likely, dead.
As for state authorization, accreditation, and inclusive access, these regulations are most certainly dead. The Department does not have time to release an NPRM and engage in the public comment and OMB/OIRA 12866 process. And because the incoming Republican administration is antagonistic towards anything that would limit reciprocity and inclusive access, it is highly unlikely that a Republican Department of Education would move these regulations forward.
Accessibility
The recent WCET Frontiers post, Meeting the Looming Web Accessibility Regulations: The Time to Start Was Yesterdayprovided nuance and direction for compliance with new U.S. Department of Justice regulations released in April 2024, that apply to all “state and local governments to make their websites and mobile applications accessible for people with disabilities.” These regulations affecting public institutions became effective in June 2024 with compliance dates in 2026 and 2027 depending on the size of the jurisdiction for which the public entity serves.
The legal authority to develop web accessibility regulations comes from the federal law, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. Title II of the ADA addresses state and local government entities. Part A protects disabled individuals from discrimination. New regulations revise the implementation of this Federal law by adding specific requirements for web accessibility to protect disabled individuals to ensure that web content is equally available.
It is unclear if the Trump administration will attempt to delay or revise these regulations. These regulations have been final and effective since June 2024. Given the subject matter of this regulation, one must consider that any action by the administration would likely be addressed by judicial or legislative interventions. Additionally, public institutions must be aware of the possibility of private lawsuits if they are not compliant by the appropriate date given the size of the jurisdiction they serve, if the rules are not subject to a delay.
Online Program Management and Third-Party Servicers Guidance
The Higher Education Act forbids institutions from paying contracted student recruiting services a fee per student that they attract. In 2011, the Department issued guidance allowing for a “bundled services exception.” Incentive compensation” was allowed in the cases where recruiting was included with other services, such as online program development and marketing. This led to the growth of the Online Program Management (OPM) industry and worries about abuse of this exemption.
In February 2023, the Department seemingly tried to address this issue by expanding the requirements for institutions using “Third-Party Servicers.” The expansion of this narrow category aimed at financial aid processing services to, seemingly, covering every institutional contract with an external entity caused an uproar. The Department paused implementation of the guidance and promised a replacement and/or holding negotiated rulemaking on the issue. The Department officially rescinded the 2023 Third Party Servicer guidance effective November 18, 2024. Despite the March 2023 Department announcement of Intent to Establish a Negotiated Rulemaking to include the third-party servicer issue, that issue has not taken any further steps in the rulemaking process.
There is a small possibility that the Department could update or rescind the 2011 guidance that created the exception. This has been expected for years. Even if they do, it might be amended again quickly by the incoming group.
In Conclusion
It is not wrong for you to feel a sense of whiplash as the rules (whether regulation or guidance) change back-and-forth as the party in power switches. Congress has been ineffectual in passing laws for years and the action has fallen to the federal agencies.
Much of what we have discussed over the last few years either will not happen or may go away. In 2016, we made the mistake of thinking that a Trump Administration might mean he would deregulate everything. That was not the case! Although, some of the names suggested as Secretary of Education, if selected, may be so caught up in culture wars that deregulating their pet issues or simply running the place might fall by the wayside.
What will happen? We will continue monitoring. Watch for a future Frontiers post.
A recent NWHeat webinar highlighted that public institutions must mobilize immediately (if not sooner) to meet the coming U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accessibility guidelines. Released in April 2024, the new regulation requires “state and local governments to make their websites and mobile applications accessible for people with disabilities.” These rules encompass all public colleges and universities.
The new requirements apply to all public entities, such as state and local governments, in all of their functions, including motor vehicle departments, libraries, police departments, and K-12 schools. Yes, all public colleges and universities are included as well. A parallel rule covering private colleges is under development and is due to be released later this year or early next year.
What Will Be Required?
All content and functions of your websites, mobile applications, and social media that you are using after the implementation deadline will need to meet the specific accessible standards. This encompasses everything online or on your apps. It will affect students, faculty, and staff. A few examples of what needs to be accessible include (but are not limited to):
all content of online courses,
digital content for in-person courses,
online payroll/timesheet forms for staff,
course registration,
library content and searches,
third-party tutoring services,
content from publishers,
housing applications,
educational software,
your social media entries, and
student-submitted content if others are expected to use or review it.
Pretty much everything that is online. There are a few exemptions, but they are very narrow and specific. The details are too involved for this post, but ADA.gov provides a helpful fact sheet.
What Accessibility Standard is Being Used?
From the DOJ press release announcing the rule: “The agency is adopting the technical standards of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA, which requires 50 success criteria to make websites accessible. This includes converting pictures and documents so they can be read with assistive technology for individuals with vision loss and providing captions for live and prerecorded videos for individuals with hearing loss.”
What is the Deadline?
The deadline is determined by the population of the geographic area that your public entity serves. Note that for colleges, it is NOT your enrollment, but the number of people living in the state or district you serve. So, the official geographic region from which the institution draws its students. The compliance deadline is:
50,000 or more people: April 24, 2026,
Fewer than 50,000 people: April 24, 2027.
Only colleges that serve a small county or service district will qualify for the later date. Most colleges or universities have a statewide mandate or serve a city or county with 50,000 or more in population. One example highlighted was that of an online K-12 school with eight students enrolled but has a statewide service area. That school fits into the earlier date for large populations.
Why are They Doing This?
DOJ tried a voluntary approach to accessibility. It has not worked.
The new requirements ensure that all public entities have a known and standard set of accessibility requirements that they must meet.
Initially, the DOJ proposed several exemptions for institutions that would have allowed five days to remediate non-accessible issues found on public entity content or applications. Based on the public comments submitted, they instead decided to follow a universal design approach, much as has been done with physical spaces.
These requirements will help both those with and without disabilities. Much like physical facility requirements, such as corner curb cuts, larger bathroom stalls, and door-opening buttons can help everyone, the new standards will provide a more successful and inclusive experience for all.
How is This Enforced?
These regulations will primarily be enforced through lawsuits alleging non-compliance rather than through actions by the DOJ.
What are Some Tips for Next Steps?
Mobley provided some great advice on actions that institutions should be taking, and I have organized them into categories:
Make an overall plan.
Communicate that the path to compliance is the responsibility of everyone. The days of relying solely on “disability services” offices are over. There is too much to do.
Catalog all the places where your institution has web content, mobile apps, and social media. Make a list of content and vendors, as you will need to work with vendors.
Prioritize your efforts. You have limited resources and you need to start by addressing the places with the most impact. Address the web pages and apps with the most traffic. Determine if there are programs that attract more students with disabilities and prioritize content and applications used in those courses.
Develop a plan with tasks and timelines.
Start working with faculty now!
Educate faculty on the requirements, roles, and timelines.
Encourage faculty to look at their textbook options. Publishers will likely only make new versions of textbooks accessible. Many faculty will make textbook selections for the next academic year in the spring, so work with them now.
Start making new content in courses accessible from the start. That will mean less content to remediate later.
Be prepared to answer questions or objections from faculty. For example, to objections regarding “academic freedom,” frame the discussion around that accessibility is not only a legal requirement, but an opportunity to reach more students.
Start working with administrators now!
Educate administrators on the requirements, roles, and timelines.
Post notices for students about where they can get help with their accessibility challenges. Do not lean solely on the disability office.
If you have a request or complaint, address the specific issue (which may take weeks or months to resolve), but also find a solution for the person who raised the complaint, even if it may not be the permanent solution eventually put into place.
Examine all contracts in regard to the date that your institution needs to be in compliance (April 2026 or 2027). What is currently out for procurement? What contracts will be due for renewal. What contracts automatically renew?
Work with your vendors and contracted entities.
Communicate with them about how they will address your compliance needs.
Collaborating with other institutions or with membership groups often gives the college or university greater leverage in requesting accessibility features than working alone.
Like in all big journeys, successfully meeting these new standards will be accomplished a step at a time. Make a plan. The sooner you start, the easier the path will be.
Of course, the results of the election that was held since this webinar might have an impact on the future of this regulation. It will take quite a while for clarity to emerge on that issue. Meanwhile, we hope that you continue to support students with disabilities as much as you can.
This post was written by Russ Poulin, WCET and published in collaboration with NWHeat.
Resources
Due to Office of Civil Rights’ policies, the webinar was not recorded nor were the slides shared. Resources that were shared during the webinar are shared on the NWHeat website.
WCET and State Authorization Network (SAN) members have access to a members-only brief on these regulations: Access for All: New Accessibility Rules for Public Entities. Links to the document for: WCET members and for SAN members.
View from the conference hotel. Yes, it was foggy. Every morning.
Welcome to Frontiers! It’s getting colder on my side of the country, so I’m fondly thinking of our week in CA earlier this month.
Today, I’m sending you all the sandy, sunshine-filled highlights from WCET’s 36th Annual Meeting! Picture this: Nearly 300 digital learning enthusiasts swapping tales of AI adventures, chatting about accessibility, and finding the best culinary options Long Beach offers! From impromptu beachside brainstorms to deep dives into student success, this year’s event was a fun ride through the latest in higher ed digital learning policy and practice. So, grab your shades and settle in for a postcard-perfect recap of WCET 2024!
The most trending topics presented this year included:
Generative AI in Higher Education – Discussing ethical use, inclusion, and innovative applications of AI in digital learning.
Student Success and Digital Equity – Strategies for fostering first-year persistence, student affordability, and support for underrepresented learners. Our fantastic keynote, Marina Aminy, Executive Director of the California Virtual Campus, highlighted students’ lived experiences. Her unique perspective, gathered from her own higher education journey, plus those as a parent to a college student, made the message about the challenges students face and what we can do to support them genuine and practical. I especially appreciated the discussion on transcripts and the vast and unnecessary barrier this is to student success. Thank you, Marina!
Compliance and Regulation Updates – New DOJ accessibility guidelines, federal policy updates, and implications for online education.
Digital Transformation – Exploring effective strategies for LMS selection, online quality frameworks, and digital fluency.
Exciting Moments
Luke Dowden and Russ Poulin accept the Richard Jonsen/ Mollie McGill Award
This year, we shined a well-deserved spotlight on Russ Poulin, our fearless Executive Director, who will retire at the end of the year.
From surprise awards to fun treats and even more memorable photo ops, we cherished the opportunity to celebrate Russ and express our gratitude for his remarkable dedication to the higher education community.
We also honored this year’s WCET Award Recipients at the annual WCET Awards Lunch and Program.
We’re proud to showcase these outstanding individuals, initiatives, and institutions that are driving innovation, advancing student success, and shaping the future of digital learning in higher education.
This year’s Annual Meeting attendees joined us from around the country to explore the latest advancements in digital learning, navigate the evolving regulatory landscape, and network with the outstanding WCET community. Here is what some of our attendees had to say about this year’s conference:
“The informal networking that occurs throughout the meeting is one of the most valuable aspects of the annual meeting but there were great sessions right through to the end. I liked the different tracks so I could easily see the sessions that were most relevant for me.”
“I am beyond thankful for the great work of the WCET team in putting together this annual meeting. This was a great opportunity to learn, network, and gather valuable input and resources. The layout of the event was great in terms of sessions, organization, flow, and scheduling. The whole WCET team was welcoming. The mobile app was very user-friendly and I am glad that it had the sessions, time, location, and all the relevant information all in one place. The food was great. All the sessions added value to my experience. I got to network in a way that was meaningful and valuable. I met great people and made connections. I would recommend this event to others. I joined last year and this year was my second time attending. This has become my go-to annual meeting and has helped improve my professional development. I always learn something new and get to take home valuable resources.”
“I really liked the opening keynote speaker – she was thought-provoking and engaging.”
“#freethetranscript”
“The people! Everyone is so friendly, helpful and impressive with their work!!!”
“The people. I met so many great people.”
“Being in community with practitioners. I just love the community vibe of the annual meeting. No other conference achieved the “closer conversations” and feeling of closeness that I experienced at WCET.”
We “heard” your suggestions for improvements too! Here are some of the improvements you requested:
More snacks, coffee, and black tea!
Tracks for specific levels of expertise and role types.
Larger rooms for the more popular topics.
Re-structure the expert library and keep it for next year.
We are already using your feedback to help us plan and prepare for WCET 2025!
Actionable Strategies
While I didn’t get to attend as many breakout sessions as I wanted, I’ve heard many compliments for our speakers this year! Kudos! However, I gathered some ideas that resonated with me as essential steps to consider now that we are all back home.
Create an AI Ethics Statement aligned with your institution’s mission, vision, and values. The statement should consider transparency, justice, fairness, equity, non-maleficence, responsibility and accountability, privacy, and accessibility.
#FreetheTranscript!
Digital learning practices that embrace culturally responsive teaching and prioritize humanizing the student experience can directly influence student success. When we meet students’ needs beyond the classroom, we positively impact their in-class performance. Digital learning empowers faculty to tailor instruction to diverse needs, foster collaborative learning, and provide more accessible student support.
Updates to Title II of the ADA establish requirements for digital, web, and application accessibility for public entities. These entities must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards for services, programs, and activities. If you have not already, it’s time to plan for compliance with these requirements.
Continuing the Conversation
At the end of the conference, Russ had us all fill out some WCET postcards with our takeaways from the meeting. WCET will mail those out to those who completed one so you can remind yourself about what you learned and what next steps you will take. As always, we want you to have the necessary resources to take those actionable steps toward student success and digital learning improvement. Here are some of our recommendations:
Caring for the Whole Student – report from Every Learner Everywhere on how faculty and staff can address student mental health.
WCET Policy Resources—This page includes all of our policy work, including resources on Regular and Substantive Interaction, State Authorization, Professional Licensure, Digital Accessibility, and more.
WCET Frontiers – my shameless plug to check out other blogs here on Frontiers, plus subscribe to receive notifications of new posts. We’ve got articles from our talented staff, plus guest posts from outstanding practitioners and experts in digital learning and higher education.
So, what did you write on your postcard? Or what would you have written?
We’re excited to hear from you about the steps you will take to address some of these topics. Share your ideas and questions with us! Comment on this post on WCET’s LinkedIn page, and WCET members can share their thoughts and questions in the DISCUSS community on MIX – the online community platform and email discussion group for WCET and SAN.
Finally, pencil in WCET 2025 now (or, really, just add it to your online calendar)! Next year’s event in Denver, CO, will be held October 21 – 23, 2025, and bookended by the annual SAN Coordinator Meeting and Gathering and the Annual Summit for Women in eLearning (ASWE).
Save the dates and keep a look out for more information coming soon – like the call for proposals, which opens in March.
Digital Learning technologies can foster meaningful engagement even at a distance. New approaches in Washington and Arizona show how AI can help support distance education students. These tools help schools provide personalized, timely communication. AI-driven initiatives like Washington’s OTTERS project and Arizona’s Ask Benji make students feel more connected and supported. We are happy to welcome Jason Fife from Mainstay to discuss these initiatives. Thank you to Jason and these project teams for sharing your work!
Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,
Lindsey Downs, WCET
The Challenge of Engagement in Distance Education
One of the greatest challenges for educators and institutions committed to distance learning is fostering meaningful engagement with students who may never set foot on campus. The difficulty of reaching learners across distances—both physical and personal—has been a long-standing issue in higher education. For institutions focused on distance education, establishing meaningful engagement can feel like an uphill battle. Students often struggle to feel connected and supported when their interactions with institutions are largely remote. The stakes are even higher for students navigating complex processes like financial aid and college enrollment, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds who may lack the support systems of their peers.
However, recent initiatives in Washington and Arizona demonstrate how AI, often viewed as a tool for efficiency, can actually be a bridge to deeper, more personal connections with students.
The OTTERS Project: Using AI to Address Student Needs
At the forefront of tackling this issue is the Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC), in collaboration with MDRC and Mainstay, through the OTTERS project (Optimizing Texting Technology through Engagement Research with Students). The initiative, funded by the Capital One Foundation, seeks to leverage AI-powered messaging to support students during critical stages of their educational journey. The goal of this project is to close information gaps that prevent Washington students from successfully enrolling in college or completing their financial aid applications through the delivery of personalized, timely messages.
Washington’s OtterBot: Personalized Support at Scale
In Washington, the OTTERS project focused on identifying barriers that students face when completing key tasks like FAFSA submissions. The overall FAFSA completion results were telling: only 39% of college-bound students submitted their FAFSA forms without errors, and only 41% successfully transitioned to postsecondary education. The data also revealed significant equity gaps—students from lower-income families and first-generation college applicants were particularly affected.
To address these challenges, the WSAC team implemented OtterBot, an AI-powered platform designed to communicate with students at scale. The messages, refined through A/B testing and insights from behavioral science, were personalized and contextually relevant. These changes paid off—students from rural areas and those with lower GPAs engaged more frequently, and opt-out rates dropped. The ability to tailor communication to each student’s needs showed how AI can be a powerful tool for supporting students remotely, particularly those who are hardest to reach.
Arizona’s Ask Benji: Early Interventions for Lasting Impact
Arizona students faced similar challenges when enrolling in post-secondary education or completing FAFSA. Initially, their “Ask Benji” initiative targeted high school seniors, helping them complete FAFSA forms and navigate the college application process. However, the team realized that engaging students earlier—during their junior year—could provide more consistent support throughout their high school journey. Juniors, they found, felt less supported in their planning for post-high school life compared to seniors.
To close this gap, the Ask Benji team expanded its AI-powered communication to juniors, sending personalized, bi-weekly messages focused on FAFSA completion and college preparation. Early results have been encouraging—students feel more connected and supported, even though the interaction happens entirely through their phones. This expansion into earlier intervention represents a significant step forward in helping students prepare for the future, even when they aren’t physically present on campus.
AI’s Role: Supporting, Not Replacing, Human Interaction
What makes the AI-driven efforts in Washington and Arizona stand out is the intentional focus on enhancing, rather than replacing, human interaction. Both AI systems, powered by Mainstay’s platform, handle routine communication, such as sending reminders and answering frequently asked questions. This allows educators to spend more time on high-touch, personalized interventions that require human expertise.
By scaling outreach in a way that feels personal, these tools ensure that students don’t fall through the cracks—especially in distance learning environments where in-person check-ins are less frequent. The AI enables institutions to listen and respond to students at scale, making every interaction feel timely and relevant, no matter where the student is.
A Blueprint for the Future of Distance Learning
The OTTERS and Ask Benji projects offer a practical model for how distance education institutions can use AI to bridge the engagement gap.
With the upcoming release of the OTTERS Toolkit—complete with messaging prototypes, survey instruments, and process mapping resources—other institutions will soon have the opportunity to adopt these strategies and tailor them to their own student populations.
As distance education continues to grow, these and other AI tools offer a way forward. They show that, when used thoughtfully, technology can foster the kinds of personal, human-centered connections that are crucial to student success. The work being done in Washington and Arizona is paving the way for a future where AI helps institutions not only scale their outreach but also deepen their relationships with students, even across great distances.
Welcome to the third part of our series highlighting the work of the 2024 WOW Award winners! Check out the first and second parts of our series. Today’s guest authors join us from the University of Hawai’i System to tell us all about the Anatomy and Physiology OER Project. Thank you for all of the outstanding work helping students feel more connected to their institutions and for sharing how your team created and used the great resources.
Enjoy the read and enjoy your day,
Lindsey Downs, WCET
Imagine your students browsing an expensive textbook they are required to purchase for class. Do your students see themselves represented on the pages? It’s important that students feel like they belong in their classes. Thankfully, open educational resources (OER) exist, or can be created, that address belonging, dignity, and justice while removing potentially formidable costs for access to education.
The University of Hawai‘i System is an indigenous-serving institution with seven community colleges and three universities–consistently ranked as among the most diverse in the nation–with nearly 50,0000 students on campuses throughout our islands.
Annually, over 4,000 students take our human anatomy and physiology (A&P) courses, paying around $200 for just one of their many textbooks, so we knew a zero-cost textbook that reflects their culture would instill a sense of belonging and have a significant cost benefit for them.
Student Centered Open Resource Project
When we began our zero-cost textbook program, we knew it needed to be a student-centered process from the very beginning. Students were asked their opinions about their current textbooks and what they wanted in their ideal textbook.
We used Mural, a visional platform for collaboration, to organize our ideas. The student voice was integral to this process and is necessary moving forward. Students are being surveyed about their experiences with the textbook, and the results will guide us in creating the second edition.
We will also incorporate instructor feedback based on formal surveys and systematic collection of errata.
Connecting Our Teachers
We have nearly forty A&P instructors with backgrounds in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, medicine, kinesiology, and neuroscience, among others. Most faculty had never even met each other in person, so this was an excellent opportunity for building pilina (relationship). We engaged in professional development activities, providing opportunities for instructors to discuss teaching with the textbook, increasing student success, and creating system-wide student learning outcomes. Our newly created pilina within our A&P instructional community is an enduring gift from this project.
Eleven A&P instructors dedicated themselves to the writing process led by Book Sprints’ wholehearted facilitator, Karina Piersig. Their motto is “From zero to book in five days,” so now you know why the word sprint is in the name! We all agreed this process is not to be undertaken without an expert facilitator. Our OER A&P textbook was one of the company’s largest ever in terms of original content. Book Sprints wrote a post in their blog with additional details about our sprint process. Originally planned as a five-day in-person event, our sprint was delayed one year and converted to entirely online due to, you guessed it, all that happened in 2020. At first, it seemed daunting to start the process through online sessions with nothing in-person. But we shared a common goal and got to know each other well through those online writing sessions. Fortunately, modern technology allows us to express ourselves fully. Our hope is that the team’s good intentions are reflected in our work.
Textbook Authors During an Online Book Sprint.
Luria Namba Lissandra Baldan Jenkins Gabriel Peckham Amanda Lee Alimboyoguen (not seen in photo) Rachel Lindsey Sheryl Shook I-Chia Shih Trenton Niemi Jason Kenji Higa Rebecca Romine Joel Kaufmann
A book sprint is precisely structured and complex, and (no surprise here) it moves at a rapid pace. To start, paired-up authors speedily draft a chapter in a timed session, then move through several stages of contributing to and editing each other’s chapters. Using this method, a single chapter ultimately has the voices and expertise of several authors. Our Book Sprints facilitator was friendly, dedicated, goal-oriented and, from the other side of the globe, guided us through two sprints–each lasting two weeks and spaced a year apart– to complete a textbook that covers two semesters of content. As we diligently worked together, the feeling of oneness was a treasure. Textbook co-author, I-Chia Shih noted, “This was a challenging process but we pulled through because of everyone’s effort and continuous support from our administrators. When combining the interdisciplinary expertise of every author plus the existing A&P OER resources, the development of our textbook became a creative, open-minded, and achievable process.”
Building Connection to Hawaiian History and ‘Āina
We live on Native Hawaiian ‘āina (land) and want our students to build their connection to that ‘āina and Native Hawaiian ways of being; this was an essential value in our process. We are grateful for our Native Hawaiian advisor on the project, Ululani Kahikina, who helps ensure our content is genuine and authentic. Additionally, we are proud that several of our authors have extensive professional development on indigenous educational frameworks and ‘āina-based learning. This year, with Native Hawaiians from multiple campuses, we will expand the indigenous content of the book.
Hawaiʻi is a gathering place for a variety of cultures. We aimed to reflect that diversity in our textbook by representing the broader perspective of our student body. When students see themselves represented in the material, they are more likely to relate and engage with the content, advancing our aim for a harmonious and inclusive classroom. Including a wide range of cultural examples broadens students’ perspectives by helping to dispel stereotypes and misconceptions. This, in turn, will facilitate compassion between healthcare professionals and patients. In addition, textbook co-author Jason Kenji Higa explained, “We hope that by seeing themselves and others in the textbook, students will experience and express empathy, interest in learning about each other, and form a diverse social network during their academic journey.”
Creating Interactive Content for Students
Previously, our students shared how they enjoy interactive content in their online textbooks. To increase the interactivity of our content, LynleyShimat Lys, a doctoral student at the University of Hawai‘i, used H5P (an HTML content creation tool) to create drag-and-drop chapter summaries and interactive quizzes. To our students’ delight, Lissandra Baldan Jenkins, textbook co-author, expanded the H5P exercises. H5P offers a platform for designing interactive content, so Baldan Jenkins was able to craft learning activities that go beyond the traditional textbook format. She transformed static content into dynamic, engaging experiences that encourage active participation from learners. Innovation was key in the process, and she found it rewarding. Utilizing H5P’s wide array of interactive tools—crosswords, flashcards, videos, drag and drop—she made complex concepts more accessible, enhanced comprehension, and ensured that each activity aligned with the textbook’s learning objectives. Baldan Jenkins shared, “The process encouraged me to experiment with ways to engage students more deeply. The H5P activities enriched the textbook content, making learning more interactive, personalized, and effective.”
Gabriel Peckham, textbook co-author, advises future OER creators, “I had checked out a stack of my favorite textbooks but never needed to use them as writing the chapter drafts was much easier than expected. Following my lecture slides, I knew what I wanted to say.” He found that there is a tendency for repetition of words and concepts when writing as if lecturing, but it was easy to edit those for conciseness. The consulting editors did minimal trimming in this regard, perhaps due to dense scientific content, so Peckham advises, “For collaborative projects, don’t be shy editing each other’s content. Also, chapters drafted from an existing OER textbook were more challenging to proofread as it’s very difficult to rearrange large volumes of text. Best to begin from scratch.” Yet for some chapters of our book, the existing OpenStax OER A&P textbook provided the essential foundation.
Open images were added throughout, but mostly after proofreading. This necessitated rereading and editing narratives to match the images, which didn’t always match the image wishlist. For this reason, if your content is highly image-driven, Peckham strongly recommends doing the painstaking work of finding images first, then drafting your chapters around them. Looking back, he believes this could have saved us many hours of proofreading. Thankfully, we overcame these challenges and it was truly a rewarding experience. Though each book is unique, we hope our blog here helps you plan your next OER project!
We are grateful to WCET for honoring our project with the WOW award and we are committed to helping others serve their students, address equity, and build community among instructors through OER projects. You are welcome to reach out to us!
This blog was written by:
Lissandra Baldan Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Biology, Hawai‘i Community College
I-Chia Shih, Associate Professor of Physiology, Leeward Community College
Jason Kenji Higa, Associate Professor of Physiology; Medical Pre-Clerkship Course Director, University of Hawai‘i
Gabriel Peckham, Associate Professor of Physiology, Honolulu Community College
Sheryl Shook, Associate Professor of Physiology, Kapi‘olani Community College
Hello and welcome to the second part of our series showcasing this year’s WOW Award winners! Last week, we featured the incredible work of the SUNY COIL+OSCQR Standards team. Today, we’re excited to spotlight the Mississippi Virtual Community College (MSVCC) and hear from Christa Wilhite and Krista LeBrun from the Mississippi Community College Board.
MSVCC’s innovations, including their custom-built enrollment tool, have transformed the student experience by streamlining processes for both learners and faculty. Their efforts have not only expanded educational opportunities but have also strengthened connections within the community and delivered significant cost savings.
Congratulations to the entire MSVCC team on this well-deserved recognition, and thank you for joining us today on Frontiers!
expanding access to online learning and digitally enhancing instruction,
improving affordability, and,
fostering innovation in teaching.
As we reflect on our journey, we are proud to share key strategies that have led to our success and are honored to be recognized for our contributions to distance education.
20 Years of Progress: The Origins of MSVCC
Formed during the technology boom of the 1990s, the MSVCC emerged as a response to state leaders’ vision of expanding access to education through virtual learning. The consortium model united community colleges across Mississippi, pooling resources to offer instructional support, training, and cutting-edge technologies.
Over time, as digital learning transformed, so did the MSVCC. Today’s students, having grown up immersed in technology, expect flexible, digitally enhanced courses. The MSVCC has stayed ahead of this curve, providing students with innovative and accessible education, grounded in the original mission of equity and opportunity for all.
Key Innovations Driving Success
Christa Wilhite leading a faculty development session on Regular & Substantive Interaction at Mississippi Delta Community College. (Photo: Carmen Brown, MDCC)
The Enrollment Tool (ET): A standout innovation, the custom-built Enrollment Tool simplifies course registration across all 15 colleges. Seamlessly integrated with the learning management system, it allows students to access a wide range of courses through a single login, personalizing their learning experience.
MSVCC Academy for Faculty Development: Excellence in distance education relies on well-prepared faculty. The MSVCC Academy provides no-cost, high-quality training for educators across the state, focusing on best practices in online teaching, technology integration, and student engagement. This ongoing professional development ensures that instructors are equipped to meet the evolving needs of digital learners, not only in fully online settings but also in hybrid and digitally enhanced face-to-face courses.
Cost Savings through Resource Sharing: By pooling resources, the MSVCC has significantly reduced technology costs for its members, allowing funds to be reinvested in student support and faculty development. The MCCB manages these contracts, ensuring that every institution benefits from equitable access and optimal pricing.
Continuous Improvement through Collaboration: The MSVCC is a model of collaboration. In addition to adopting a shared academic calendar, course evaluation standards, and a unified Policies & Procedures Manual, the Mississippi eLearning Association (MeLA), which includes Deans and Directors from each of the community colleges along with members of the MCCB, meets regularly to share best practices, address challenges, and drive innovation. This ongoing partnership fosters a culture of collaboration that has kept MSVCC at the forefront of digital education in Mississippi.
Lessons for Other Consortia
Collaboration is Key: The MSVCC’s success comes from pooling resources and expertise. This collective approach has expanded access, reduced costs, and continuously improved the quality of education across the state.
Adapt to Change: The online education landscape is always evolving. The MSVCC’s ability to remain flexible and adopt new technologies and modalities has been essential to its success and will continue to drive its future growth.
Invest in Faculty: Comprehensive professional development ensures that educators are always equipped to meet the demands of digitally enhanced instruction, which is crucial for student success.
Equity Matters: The MSVCC’s standardized systems and support services are designed to provide equitable student access. Closing the equity gap remains a top priority.
Members of Mississippi’s 15 community colleges and the MCCB at the 2023 MELA Retreat. (Photo: Michele Mitchell, Pearl River Community College)
This award is a testament to the remarkable dedication and collaborative spirit between Mississippi’s community colleges and the MCCB. It is through our shared commitment to innovation and student success that the MSVCC has accomplished so much over the past two decades. We are deeply honored to accept this recognition on their behalf, as it truly reflects the collective efforts of those who have worked tirelessly to transform education in Mississippi.
As we look to the future, the Mississippi Virtual Community College remains more committed than ever to enhancing learner success and equity. Our focus will continue to be on developing technology-driven solutions that remove barriers to education while fostering a sense of community among students and educators.
Post Authored by Christa Wilhite and Krista LeBrun
Each year, the WCET Awards Program highlights innovative practices in higher education digital learning, honoring individuals and teams that have dedicated their time and effort to advancing our field.
Coordinating this program is one of the highlights of my role, especially because it allows me to work with the WCET Outstanding Work (WOW) Award recipients.
From the beginning of our “awards season,” where we receive nominations and work with our amazing volunteer judges, I am consistently in awe of the nominated projects and initiatives. The innovation happening in higher education is truly inspiring. This year, we are thrilled to feature our four WOW Award recipients, whose work is not just innovative, but also impactful.
I want to thank each of the individuals and teams that submitted a nomination. You’re all doing inspirational and vital work, and narrowing it down to just four awardees was no easy task.
Congratulations to this year’s WOW Award Winners:
Mississippi Community College Board – Mississippi Virtual Community College
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board – Division of Digital Learning
University of Hawai’i System – Anatomy and Physiology OER Project
We’re kicking off the series with a post from Alex Pickett, the Director of Online Teaching with SUNY Online, to share about the COIL + OSCQR Standards, which were developed through a collaboration between several SUNY organizations. Be sure to follow along throughout the month to learn more about our other honorees, and join us in celebrating them at the Annual Meeting in Long Beach in just a few weeks!
These COIL-centered standards support Virtual Exchange (VE) & intercultural online learning experiences.
Colleges and universities are seeking new ways to provide students with global competencies that complement traditional forms of physical mobility and academic exchange. Virtual exchange, including one of its most comprehensive forms, collaborative online international learning, is an innovative educational model for meeting this growing need. Using novel teaching approaches that foster online student and faculty collaboration, the VE/COIL approach connects students and classrooms around the world through co-taught multicultural and blended online coursework that bridges physical distance.
Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Virtual Exchange is a unique way of incorporating an international experience into a curriculum as learners engage with peers from another country, culture, and context. Virtual Exchange (VE) collaborations have become a prevalent part of Higher Education’s inclusive, high-impact practices in the U.S., Latin America, and beyond.
A set of COIL+OSCQR standards has been designed to supplement and extend the online course quality standards found in the SUNY Online OSCQR rubric. These research-based pedagogical approaches and best practices focus on virtual international exchange and the design of intercultural online learning experiences. With support from a SUNY Innovative Instructional Technology Grant (IITG) and in collaboration with the SUNY Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Center and SUNY Online, a team of SUNY instructional designers and researchers developed the COIL+OSCQR standards. These standards have been incorporated into the SUNY Online OSCQR course quality rubric, which WCET previously recognized with a 2018 WOW award, and has been endorsed and adopted by the Online Learning Consortium (OLC) as their online course quality Scorecard for online course quality since 2016. The COIL+OSCQR standards and process provide a systematic and consistent approach to accommodate the complexity of Virtual Exchange methodologies, varying degrees of partnership commitment, and differing assessment levels. The COIL+OSCQR standards are designed to help COIL coordinators and practitioners implement online international collaborations that are learner-centered and informed by research and to facilitate connections between COIL activities and existing campus instructional design expertise and support.
The COIL virtual exchange model is a strong and innovative approach that can be leveraged to enhance and extend the academic experiences of learners beyond the classroom. COIL pedagogy calls for collaboration, communication, and teamwork between two or more international instructors within their courses, and between their students. Instructors partner to collaborate on the design of a virtual experience, and the learners across the courses and cultures are partnered to complete the activities designed. The virtual COIL experience becomes part of each instructor’s course, enabling all learners to have a virtual intercultural experience, each within their own course of study. COIL+OSCQR standards have been developed to support the design of effective, high-quality international virtual learning experiences and to provide a framework of standards for the structural support for instructors and instructional designers interested in Collaborative International Online Learning.
This model and the COIL+OSCQR standards support collaboration, intercultural communication, cultural awareness, and teamwork skills through ice-breaking activities, intercultural assignments, and a culminating team project or presentation.
Creating Impactful Intercultural Experiences
Helping students develop intercultural competencies (skills that facilitate effective and appropriate interactions with people from other cultures) is important in 21st century higher education. VE represents an effective approach to developing these skills through intentional online academic collaboration with peers around the world. Cultural sensitivity, global awareness, and global citizenship are required skills and competencies that also dovetail with the new SUNY General Education Learning Outcomes. The COIL+OSCQR standards also support the SUNY DEI Action Plan (2021) through intercultural collaborations, the integration of relevant world issues into course activities, and using media and language to positively engage faculty and learners by leveraging the power of story as an effective teaching tool. When coupled with the COIL+OSCQR standards, they serve to educate and facilitate positive changes in learning experiences that foster the development of intercultural communications skills and competencies.
According to Darla Deardorff, former executive director of the Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA), intercultural competence requires effective and appropriate behaviors in cross-cultural environments. VE provides the opportunity to develop these skills by scaffolding activities and interactions to build awareness about and bridge cross-cultural differences with deeper understanding and appreciation for issues around diversity, equity, and inclusion, and to help make all course participants feel like they belong.
According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the population of all minorities in the country has grown since 2010, and the multiracial population in particular climbing by 276% over the past 10 years. Therefore, under the guidance of José Luis Jiménez, from the Universidad Católica Andrés Bello in Venezuela, the COIL+OSCQR standards and all associated web materials have also been initially translated into Spanish to provide access to all Spanish language speakers across the US, and world-wide. To promote equity and multicultural perspectives, translation of the standards and materials into additional languages are also planned (i.e., Arabic, all Romance languages, Dutch, and Russian/Ukrainian–languages spoken in countries that are currently actively involved in COIL activities).
In addition, there is national support for the VE/COIL model. The American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has embraced COIL Virtual Exchange as a pedagogic practice. According to AAC&U President Lynn Pasquerella, they are “…committed to ensuring that all students have opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills they need to be informed and responsible global citizens. The VE/COIL model supports that goal by allowing institutions to provide global learning experiences equitably and at scale.”
COIL+OSCQR standards offer a comprehensive approach to the design of engaging, effective, and efficient COIL Virtual Exchange (VE) modules. In conjunction with the OSCQR rubric for online course review and refresh, the COIL+OSCQR standards support high quality online teaching and instructional design in the implementation of a COIL Virtual Exchange module in any course discipline or content.
Each COIL+OSCQR standard provides:
A full explanation of the standard.
A list of examples, ideas, and suggestions to improve or address the standard.
Related research that provides reputable evidence and scholarly support for the standard.
The opportunity to submit examples, evidence, and best practices for consideration to be added to the site.
SUNY Online and the SUNY COIL Center are committed to quality and innovation in online education, and to sharing tools, materials, and resources freely and openly for anyone to use/adapt. The SUNY Online OSCQR rubric is freely available to all. The OSCQR rubric and COIL+OSCQR standards provide a firm foundation for developing effective intercultural collaborations and engaging virtual exchange experiences that are adaptable to various contexts, disciplines, and use cases.
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![(Rio Salado College’s team from left to right) Janelle Elias, Kate Smith, [Cheryl Dowd, State Authorization Network], Ramsey Itani, Melissa Schrand, Karol Schmidt, and Zach Lewis.](/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/rio.jpg)
![The University of Kentucky pictured from left to right: Chris Thuringer, Ellen Gish, [Kathryn Kerensky, The State Authorization Network], Casey Jones, Miranda Hines, John Wiesendanger, and Ping Jiang.](/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/kentucky-1024x671.jpg)
![(The UK team pictured from left to right) Miranda Hines, John Wiesendanger, Suzanne McGinnis, Chris Thuringer, Ping Jiang, Jonathan Blazejewski, [Kathryn Kerensky-The State Authorization Network], Zach Furr, Adam Bohland, and Amber Campbell.](/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/ken2.jpg)
![(The UNLV team pictured from left to right): Kate Korgan, Skip Crooker, Bridgette Perreault, Rex Suba, [Cheryl Dowd, State Authorization Network], Leeann Fields, Javier Rodriguez, Carrie Trentham, Terina Caserto (NSHE & represents Nevada's State Portal Entity), and Jennifer Swanson.](/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/nev.jpg)
![(The SNHU team pictured from left to right): Scott Barker, [Jana Walser-Smith, State Authorization Network], Evan Lowry, Ellery Ewing, and Michelle Berthiaume.](/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2024/11/s-n-h.jpg)
