A four year effort to establish a centralized business, marketing and technology gateway to deliver online education from Cal State University campuses has entered its "next phase."
Envisioned in 2010 by the CSU Presidents' Technology Steering Committee, the plan for Cal State Online was described as both aspirational and controversial by Inside Higher Ed (2012).
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| online education in earlier years? |
Governor Jerry Brown and Senator Darrell Steinberg were both supporters of the online effort.
In the Spring of 2013, Steinberg pushed for legislation (SB 520) that would significantly involve UC and CSU in the world of "massive online open courses" (MOOCs) and place the universities in competition with other online providers. According to the New York Times, "it would be the first time that state legislators have instructed public universities to grant credit for courses that were not their own — including those taught by a private vendor, not by a college or university."
Governor Jerry Brown was expected to support Steinberg's measure. As reported by Inside Higher Ed (2013): "Gov. Jerry Brown is a big backer of tapping online providers like Coursera for public-private partnerships." Earlier in the year, the Governor was actively involved in promoting an ill-fated contract between CSU San Jose and private MOOC vendor Udacity.
Steinberg's bill passed the Senate last year and died a quick death (no action) in the Assembly. The San Jose State-Udacity project favored by the Governor ended, but not well.
After requesting proposals and signing a contract with the Pearson Corporation, the CSU system-wide portal went live last Fall: "California State University unveils 'radical' new plan for online courses," (Oakland Tribune).
Now, as reported by educational technology analyst Phil Hill at e-Literate online: "It's the end of Cal State Online as we know it . . ."
Hill published a memo (July 13, 2014) from the Chancellor's Chief Academic Officer, outlining the change in strategy to the CSU Presidents, "Subject: Next Phase and Re-Visioning of Cal State Online."
Rather than maintaining an independent office for online education efforts, responsibility has reverted to the Academic Technology Services department within the Chancellor's Office.
Rather than trying to establish a single-point of access portal and a common platform for the campuses, the memo said that CSU was making "a shift to a communication, consultation and services' strategy" in which the Chancellor's office will provide "opt-in shared services" for the campuses.
As described by Inside Higher Ed 2014 ("Shrinking Cal State Online"), the centralized system did not have enough "buy-in" or participation from either the individual campuses or campus faculty. Online initiatives were already established and distributed throughout the system, and they continue to operate on multiple platforms. Pearson will continue to have some involvement, but it will no longer serve as a common OSP (online service provider) for the CSU.
Going forward, the Chancellor's office will provide support when requested (i.e., "opt-in") and will seek to consolidate relevant technology and business services, and to leverage opportunities. The CSU memo indicated that the office could develop "Master Enabling Agreements" for contracting with vendors. The emphasis in the proposal was on agreements that would enable the individual campuses to "choose the vendors" based on their individual "needs and goals."
According to the CSU memo, "the re-visioning of Cal State Online was recommended by the Council of Presidents and approved by the Chancellor."
The first step in the process is a "listening tour."
