Increase Equitable Access

Focus on launching new online programs, improving the quality of online courses, reducing course material costs and increasing accessibility for existing and additional student populations. Initiatives include expanding scholarships, enhancing support services, developing alternative learning pathways and providing resources for diverse student needs:

Launch 10 new online programs with potential for significant enrollment growth

  • Use data to identify programs with growth potential in currently underserved markets.
  • Connect with employers to identify workforce needs.
  • Incentivize development of new online programs through launch funding.
  • Develop marketing plans and recruitment strategies.
  • Establish a brand presence for online strategy.

Improve the quality of online courses

  • Increase the proportion of online courses and instructors that are Quality Matters (QM) certified.
  • Incentivize Brightspace training for all instructors and training in online course design and delivery for those teaching online.
  • Provide incentives such as course releases for faculty to develop QM-certified courses.
  • Substantially increase pay for QM-certified per-course instructors.
  • Build course shells that maintain flexibility for content but have some standardization of form and appearance.
  • Evaluate existing facilities that allow for online, blended and high-flex education, and improve them as needed.
  • Evaluate the need for teaching support to increase high-flex course offerings.

Reduce the overall cost of course materials

  • Provide incentives for faculty to modify existing courses and develop new courses to use low- and no-cost materials.
  • Expand awareness of and participation in the StreamlinED program.
  • Expand awareness of and participation in OpenMSU.

Increase course accessibility for existing students

  • Expand accelerated pathways for students to earn credit toward graduate degrees.
  • Expand the StreamlinED program that partners with Access Technology Center to ensure all materials meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.
  • Facilitate Access Technology Center accessibility reviews for all course materials, and support modification of existing materials or adoption of new materials as needed.
  • Increase scholarships for education abroad to facilitate access for more students.
  • Incentivize embedding virtual exchange (VE) and collaborative online international learning in courses in each department by connecting with international partners.
  • Increase financial support and resources for academic success programs, including the Bear CLAW and other tutoring, mentoring and study skills programs.

Increase accessibility to MSU courses for additional populations

  • Establish programs for micro-credentialing and alternative learning pathways for working professionals and others.
  • Develop short-term, intensive learning opportunities such as credit-bearing bootcamps.
  • Work with community partners to develop apprenticeship and work-based learning opportunities.
  • Evaluate the needs of students who are parents, and devote resources to supporting them (e.g., drop-in day care).
  • Identify additional populations the university could serve and devote resources to recruiting and supporting them through existing and new programs (e.g., age-friendly university, Spanish-speaking populations, veterans).
  • Provide academic language and culture support for international students via I Succeed Center for International Students and prescribed first-semester courses for undergraduate and graduate international students. Create an English for Academic Purposes certificate to increase the value of these courses post-graduation.
  • Offer credit hours for the English Language Institute’s (ELI’s) English for Academic Purposes program to expand access to MSU to those who are learning English prior to degree program admission.