Inside APOU

Reducing the distance

2012-02-21T17:13:00.000-08:00

I read an interesting article today looking at how distance affects personal relationships, and I couldn't help but think of our online students when the article referenced a passage from David Hume's writings in “Treatise on Human Nature.” He wrote, “The breaking of a mirror gives us more concern when at home, than the burning of a house, when abroad, and some hundred leagues distant” (Vol. 2, 206). In essence, as distance between people increases, the possibility for genuine empathy can certainly decrease.

Thinking about the journey of APOU, we are mindful of this distance and make every effort to ensure the tangible, personal touch and interaction isn't lost. Our online learning environment -- Moodle 2.0 -- along with the pedagogical development of our online curriculum certainly gives our students and faculty intentional opportunities and requirements to interact with each other.

We seek to “decrease the distance” between APOU and our students through our life coaches, who interact with students weekly for the first 16 weeks of their APOU experience. With the goal to support student success through academic, personal, and spiritual support, these life coaches are another human touch in an online experience.

I also think of our enrollment group who engages with prospective students from the first inquiry through the transition program that helps students prepare to start classes. The enrollment team is intentionally purposed to follow the student into class and guide them through every stage.

A hallmark of an Azusa Pacific experience is that it is highly relational and personal. As we build a new model of online learning within the Azusa Pacific system, we remain dedicated to being personal and keeping the distance as short as possible.

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Andrew Barton
Chief Learner Officer/Vice President, APOU

Introducing APOU’s lead faculty

2012-02-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

By now you have probably heard the news that we are beginning to offer courses in two Bachelor of Arts programs: Bachelor of Arts in Management and Bachelor of Arts in Applied Psychology. We are excited to be able to expand our offerings to include courses in these two market-relevant programs.

I am just as excited to introduce two recent additions to our faculty here at APOU. Dr. Jeff Slattery was recently hired as lead faculty for the BAM program and Dr. Nealy Brown for the BAAP program. The role of the lead faculty includes providing expertise in the discipline area of the program, and Jeff and Nealy are already taking active roles in overseeing development of the programs. I look forward to working with Jeff and Nealy as we strive to offer high quality, Christ-centered, academic programs.

Jeff Slattery, Lead Faculty for B.A. in Management
Slattery started his academic career after serving as a War Room facilitator for Conexant Microsystems Inc, Newport, and as a multi-site Data Center Manager for Knight Financial Products, Minnetonka, MN. In addition, Slattery worked as Research Associate for the International Trade Center in Knoxville, TN.

Slattery started his academic and research career in 2003 with Johnson University, Knoxville, TN. After completing his doctoral degree in business administration with a concentration in international business, Slattery moved to Regent University, School of Undergraduate Studies, to develop and teach online core business courses and the emphasis courses in international business. Slattery served as the Chair of the RSU Business program from 2009 to 2011. During his time as the chair, he instituted significant curriculum changes that internationalized the business program. Slattery regularly presents papers at national and regional conferences and continues to research and publish in the areas of international business and business education.

Slattery has also served as an adjunct faculty member teaching international business courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels for The School of Business and Economics at King College, The School of Global Business at Liberty University, and The School of Business and Legal Studies at Southeastern University.

Slattery has a special interest in small-to-medium-sized enterprises, the internationalization process, international trade and economics, management and business education.

Education:

DBA, Argosy University/Sarasota Campus
MBA, Wilmington University (currently pursuing)
M.A., Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
B.A., Johnson University

Nealy Brown, Lead Faculty for B.A. in Applied Psychology
Nealy Brown has taught graduate school, undergraduate, adult education, and seminary in Illinois, North Carolina, and India. Prior to coming to teaching, Brown served as a pastor in Morton, IL, Chillicothe, IL, New Lenox, IL, and Apex, NC, and spent over a decade as a professional counselor.

Brown has served as a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve since 2001. She is presently a Major and has been assigned as a Chaplain to Joint Base Charleston, SC. Nealy was previously assigned to the 434th Air Refueling Wing, Grissom Air Force Base, IN, and the 916th Air Refueling Wing, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, NC. She has worked on temporary duty assignments at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX, Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Office of Defense Cooperation, Ankara Turkey, and on a humanitarian effort to Paraguay.

Brown holds a number of publications/certifications including National Certified Counselor, National Board of Certified Counselors; Peacemaking Mission (DVD curriculum, manual, and workbook); Long-term Effectiveness of Faith-Based Marriage Intensive Therapy for Distressed Marriages; and Building a Strong Marriage Team (DVD curriculum, manual, and workbook). She also has professional organization memberships with Rotary International (2011 to present), American Association of Christian Counselors (2007 to 2010), Will County Tobacco and Drug-free Coalition (2005 to 2007), and Partnership for Drug free County (2004 to 2005).

Brown’s military commendations include Air Force Commendation Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Air Force Training Medal, Top Graduate Basic Chaplain Course, and Clebe McClary Leadership Award.

Education:

Ph.D., Northcentral University
M.A., Lincoln Christian University
M.Div., Lincoln Christian University
B.S., University of Illinois

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Kurt Takamine ,
Academic Dean/Vice President, APOU

For Students: Tips for Effective Writing

2012-02-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

APOU Academic Dean Kurt Takamine shares quick tips for writing effectively.

1. Begin with the end in mind. This is a quote from Dr. Steven Covey. Decide the “punch line” of your paper/blog/tweet, and then plan out your writing to achieve that goal.

2. If you need to, make an outline. I should say, “make a simple outline.” A structural outline could look like this (Barker, 1985, p. 2086):

I. Paul’s imprisonment in Jerusalem (Acts 21-23)

A. Arrest (Acts 21-22)
B. Trial before the Sanhedrin (Acts 22-23)
C. Transfer to Caesarea (Acts 23)

II. Paul’s imprisonment in Caesarea (Acts 24-26)

A. Trial before Felix (Acts 24)
B. Trial before Festus (Acts 25)
C. Fearing before Festus and Agrippa (25-26)

III. Summary

3. Write simply. It’s better to write a clear, well-crafted sentence, rather than an
adumbrative, obfuscative sentence that is incomprehensible.

4. Don’t write the way you speak. This is, you know, like pretty much unacceptable, if you catch my drift.

5. Use a dictionary. Microsoft Word allows you access to a dictionary at a click of a mouse. Use it. Please.

6. Use spell check. Need I say more?

7. Know your audience. In academic writing, it is usually frowned upon to write in first person (using personal pronouns such as “I” or “We”). However, if you’re writing a blog or tweet, being too formal sounds contrived and a little pompous.

8. Find a friend who will read your paper/post/blog who will critique it honestly. It would be preferable to find someone who is well-versed in writing him- or herself, but anyone can offer good suggestions for improving your writing.

9. Write in accordance with your style manual. Depending on your discipline, your style guide might be Turabian, Chicago Style Manual, APA 6th Edition, or something else. Use the approach that is required by your professor.

10. Represent. Your writing is a reflection of you, representing your thoughts, your intelligence, your work ethic, and your academic integrity. You represent you—so represent yourself well.

Barker, K. (Ed). (1985). The NIV study Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Bible Publishers.

The Future of Higher Education: Value of Reputation

2012-01-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Last time when we looked at the factors driving the future of higher education, value and delivery stood out as strategic issues for universities to address. However, these are such big issues that it might be easier to break this out. When we look at the value of education, we find within these factors there are additional drivers supporting value and delivery.

There are three primary drivers: reputation of the institution, product, and affordability. So let’s focus on the reputation piece. We believe there are six tensions to where higher education is today and where we need to be in 2030.

The first in the tensions of reputation is how higher education today makes peripheral-based comparisons. For example, we are like University A or we want to be like University B. I believe for the future, institutions will need to have a unique identity. If you want to have a specific program or experience, you will choose a school fitting those particular needs. For APOU, our unique identity will be centered on life coaching and excellent services. Our degree programs may not be very different from other universities, but our student support will be unique. We will be student-centered and will deliver with excellence.

The second tension is historic reputation and the stock we place in sustainability and establishment. Azusa Pacific University was established in 1899, 113 years ago. Harvard has been around for 400 years. The future, however, might be different focusing on both the professional quality and the ability to offer an excellent academic reputation.

The third tension would be the limitation to think nationally. Eighty-three percent of APOU’s students are from Southern California, so we’re very regional. In 2030, local will be global. Thinking globally is fundamental to APOU’s principle of being a borderless institution.

The fourth tension of reputation is the legacy of our success -- students becoming alumni. In an effort to be more sustainable, I believe in 2030 there will be more focus on what a university can provide for students today and the opportunities for further learning -- we believe in lifelong learning.

The fifth tension examines the successful student experience. In 2030, I think we will need to be more transparent through performance metrics, specifically graduation and retention rates. Students will establish value through transparency and positive performance measurements.

The last tension for reputation under the value of higher education is to be innovative. Many universities exist like the movie “Groundhog Day.” Everyday is a bit different, but at its core, it is the same day. In higher education, we start traditionally every fall and finish in May. We always do something slightly different, but basically it’s a repetitive model. I believe the future of higher education requires an agile and innovative institution with the ability to learn quickly, and execute immediately. Essentially, we will be building planes at 30,000 feet -- the environment will change and we’ll need to move with it.

Reputation is long to establish and quick to destroy. Institutions need to guard this at all levels of governance and execution. The changes for the future will require:

1. Being comparable to being unique
2. Being a historic monument to meeting the demands of today’s society
3. Thinking globally and not locally
4. Being facilitators of a lifelong learning process rather than an academic event
5. Being transparent and accountable
6. Being proactive, agile, and willing to change.

Coming up: The role of product in the value of higher education

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John Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, APOU

Excitement of a new school year, six times a year

2012-01-19T17:25:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a school year is an exciting time in higher education. For undergraduates, every late August or early September begins a new school year bringing a renewed excitement to campus as students return and new students begin their journey. For the institution, the previous months have been spent recruiting and enrolling students, while the summer has been spent working on projects, planning for new student orientation, and gearing up for the new school year to start. This cycle seems much like the movie “Groundhog Day.” Each September, a new academic year starts with a few changes, but it’s pretty much the same process to get there.

After 23 years of starting school on the Wednesday after Labor Day, I am now assisting Azusa Pacific Online University start classes every eight weeks -- what a change in thought and process. Azusa Pacific Online University has shifted from the traditional model to offering six start times per year -- providing students multiple opportunities to enjoy the excitement of starting college throughout the year. One of the learnings for me and fellow colleagues has been how to adjust to recruiting, enrolling, registering, hiring adjuncts, advising, mentoring, etc. for a start basically every eight weeks. We roll all the process that normally occurs over a year into eight weeks, six times per year. For instance, there is no summer or extended Christmas break to do a system upgrade of our learning management system. We are developing, supporting, and testing new upgrades all at the same time. If a process did not work for one start, we need to correct it quickly as to not repeat the same process moving forward.

I’ve collected some comments from the different enrollment and operations associates who are learning the rhythm of an every eight-week start like I am. I hope this provides a glance into the learning opportunities we've experienced so far.

Director of Enrollment Gary Webster: “For enrollment, there are two major impacts of the eight-week cycle. First, we have a very quick turnaround time between terms, so we are often making adjustments on the fly. As we see how one term goes, we try to make adjustments within a matter of weeks for the next term. Additionally, we need to work ahead as well as in the present. We have to improve at enrolling students (including clearing financially) for two terms at one time. This dual enrollment helps us manage our workflow in these shorter cycles.”

Financial Aid Counselor Tamara De La Torre: “With eight-week sessions and crossover financial aid award years, we are always working on processing current, prospective, and graduating students simultaneously, at times in multiple award years. There is not the once-a-year excitement of classes starting and new students, we are blessed with this excitement all year.”

Admissions Coordinator Karen Emerson: “The two most time-consuming requirements that learners currently face in the enrollment process are the collection and delivery of transcripts, and completing all of the required financial aid paperwork. To accommodate the eight-week model and adjust to the growing demand, we run a parallel process. Once all official transcripts are received, a preliminary evaluation is completed, then an academic plan is created and the student is registered in classes, while at the same time finishing up any financial aid paperwork.”

Life Coach Director Josh Hibbard: “Starting every eight weeks provides greater flexibility and access to those seeking a college degree. Offering six opportunities for students to enter college throughout the year, not only serves our students, but I believe it positively impacts our staff as we take part in the excitement that our new students are experiencing. There is something special about working with students who are taking the first step toward earning their degree and fulfilling a lifelong dream. I'm proud to be part of an institution that puts the student first, providing multiple opportunities for them to join a learning community throughout the year.”

Serving our difference makers,
Don Davis
Chief Operations Officer/Vice President, APOU

Encouraging a successful transition

2012-01-12T17:38:00.000-08:00

I still remember the conversation I had about student success and persistence with Josh Hibbard, our Life Coach Director, outside Starbucks over coffee. We were speaking about the issue of students transitioning to college and the importance of the first five weeks.

Since that conversation, with the goal of helping our students be successful, we have developed a transitions program tailored for online students. Every incoming APOU student is contacted by our staff, who introduces them to the online classroom and helps the student develop realistic expectations of what is to come.

Some of the planning includes helping students identify potential support systems around them. For example, to help them practically engage this support we provide our students with a letter addressed to their significant others. The letter describes the challenges of college and the time commitment required, and then solicits the family member or friends' support.

Once the student begins their educational journey, our staff contacts them weekly, helping them with academic planning, answering any questions they might have, and providing general encouragement. Thus far, our approach has resulted in multiple success stories, not just in the academic life, but also in the personal life of the student.

This is the fun part of my role -- thinking and planning with colleagues like Josh as to how we can better serve APOU students and see them be successful.

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Andrew Barton
Chief Learner Officer/Vice President, APOU

Responsibilities in the online learning community

2012-01-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

I like quoting the world famous technologist and educator Homer Simpson who once said, “They even have the Internet on computers.” Not even Homer could have imagined the worlds the Internet has created, including the world of online learning.

As some have noted, learning online is substantially different than learning in the traditional classroom. After all, in the classroom I can talk to my students face to face, see them engage other students, and can hear conversations and comments. Most students taking classes online are usually alone and separated by significant physical distances when they are online, and most communication between the instructor and other students is mediated by a computer screen and an Internet connection (either that or a telephone). Learning takes place in community, and the establishment of an online learning community is met with skepticism by critics and seen as a challenge by advocates.

The claim is that dynamics of learning online prevent students from engaging the subject matter, the instructor, or other learners – that students will remain invisible and “lurk” on the fringes or in the shadows of the virtual classroom without really participating in the class (however, the same problem may occur in a traditional classroom). Those supportive of online learning acknowledge the importance of establishing a learning community, and see it as a shared responsibility.

The course design itself, when done right, creates an ease of use for both instructor and student. Since the classroom is mediated by technology, keeping it as “human” as possible makes it more inviting. Profiles of both students and instructors that include pictures help personalize the class. Welcoming and informational messages often provide important guidance for students. Course material delivered using audio and video (and not just presentation of text) appeals to students who may learn in different ways. Limiting the class size helps provide opportunities for individual attention from instructors students may not get in a larger class. Finally, incorporating assignments requiring students to interact with each other gives them a chance to get to know each other in much the same way as a traditional classroom.

Instructors also have a part in establishing an online community. Commenting or responding to students in discussion boards is often the easiest and best way for the instructor to be visible and available online. Telling personal stories or experiences is also a good way for instructors to be more human. A telephone call from the instructor to students is another way instructors can develop a personal relationship with students, and the phone calls don’t have to always be about the class. Instructors who promptly respond to emails are also seen as more caring and involved.

Lastly, learners also have a role to play in creating an online community, and their responsibilities are similar to the instructors: post on the discussion boards, promptly answer emails, and start conversations with either the instructor or other students. Sharing personal stories or experiences works just as well for students as for the instructor. It is through stories that the community gets to know each other a bit better.

The benefits of developing an online community are many, and include forming friendships that last after students have graduated. Perhaps the most important benefit is that studies have shown a positive correlation between student persistence and the quality of the online community students experienced — the better the online community, the higher the persistence rate of students.

Each group is responsible for certain tasks that help foster a rich and vibrant community.

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Kurt Takamine,
Academic Dean/Vice President, APOU

The Future of Higher Education: The Class of 2030

2011-12-28T10:24:00.000-08:00

Editor’s Note: CEO John Reynolds will begin a series of posts exploring the future of higher education and the factors driving universities to change, as well as how Azusa Pacific Online University fits into this horizon.

Entering into this new year, it seems fitting to address the future of higher education. With new technology infiltrating classrooms on a daily basis, the future of higher education is a widespread and newsworthy topic. Our children and grandchildren born at this present time -- the Class of 2030 -- will see the direct impact of these conversations.

After the 2008 economic crisis, Azusa Pacific was thinking about what the future of higher education looked like and if APU had a sustainable model. Universities have been traditionally slow to adapt, and there are a couple things that need to change. The first is affordability. With the current average increase in higher education, it will cost about a quarter of a million dollars per year to send a student to school in 2030. The second is the power of the Internet and the availability of information causing a need for teaching to be different.

Defining these issues into two key points, the future of higher education will be shaped by two drivers: value and delivery. These drivers will address two different sets of stakeholders. Value will address the external stakeholders asking if higher education is necessary and worth their money. They will want to know what’s the best value in terms of economy, respect, and reputation. This driver will be the motivator for learners to pursue higher education. Delivery calls for institutions to supply education at a much lower cost than we are doing right now, or else we’ll not be affordable. For example, in particular with the delivery, the model of faculty in classrooms comes into question considering our highest cost is labor (faculty and staff).

However, this is not new thinking, the Spellings Report (2006), outlined the future of higher education in value, access, affordability, financial aid, learning, transparency and accountability, and innovation.

The idea of higher education’s rate of adaptability will have to change, and it may take universities a while to do. Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) is built to be agile, to learn, and to make changes on the fly. We believe affordability, accessibility, identity, academic excellence, and the principle of market relevance are the underpinnings of higher education’s future. In general, for higher education, for us to exist in 20 years time, we’ll have to drive around value and delivery. How we increase our value to our constituents and how we have the most effective and excellent delivery systems possible will determine our sustainability and success for the Class of 2030.

Coming up: The role of reputation in the value of higher education

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John Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, APOU

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T16:31:00.000-08:00

The APOU executive team wishes everyone a Merry Christmas! We pray our students have a restful time off, and we look forward to starting our first session of 2012 on January 9!

APOU Infrastructure: Cloud or bust

2011-12-14T16:54:00.000-08:00

As an online university, technology is a critical component to fulfilling our vision. As John Reynolds, APOU’s CEO, mentions in his recent blog post, “Technology enables us to truly offer a Christian worldview, with faculty from around the world sharing their faith and perspective with learners.”

When Reynolds and I first began discussing the online university and what its infrastructure would look like, it was clear the goal was to keep costs at a minimum and link system costs to unit costs as much as we could. One way to achieve this goal was to find partners who could provide solutions that did not require APOU to build a server room, hire multiple IT staff, or purchase hardware. The method chosen was to have all of our IT services in the cloud, meaning we would at minimum have applications hosted and, whenever possible, partner with providers who offer software as a service (SaaS).

As a start-up organization, we needed to implement all the systems necessary to run an university: email; student information system; website; portal; learning management system; human resources and payroll system; employee recruitment and application; document collaboration and sharing; project and task management; library resources including authentication, course, and faculty evaluation; and career services including resume support. The majority of these systems were live within weeks of signing agreements. The learning and amazement is how fast cloud service providers respond. In the case of our learning management system and employee recruitment application/system, the services were available for configuration within days of signing an agreement.

We have no servers on site; even our telephone system – Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) – is hosted and serviced by Azusa Pacific University. Reflecting back, the majority of our challenges were in the “small” yet important items like file share and printing. Without a print server on site, we had to configure our multi-function devices to print via IP address, not necessarily complicated, however a new way of thinking. Another example was the need for hosting vendors to redirect web traffic to specific directories on their servers, something they typically do not have to do when the web servers are on site.

Beyond the actual systems, we also needed to provide key support services to our students. We partnered with vendors to provide technical support and tutoring services, as well as virtual reference librarian support through APU Libraries.

In closing, I would be amiss not to mention one extremely critical component to having all of our services hosted – our staff! We have made a commitment to hire staff that are not only competent in their area of expertise (enrollment, student development/support, operations, course development, teaching, etc.), but also understand systematic thinking and are technologically literate. For a start-up and growing university, this has been key to our success.

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Don Davis
Chief Operations Officer/Vice President, APOU

In the news: Higher education and affordability

2011-12-09T12:02:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama met with several higher education leaders this week to discuss student debt (affordability) and poor graduation rates. Interestingly, the fastest growing segment of the education industry (often accused of driving student debt beyond prudent thinking and retention rates where 1 in 2 students start but never graduate), the proprietary higher education institutions were not at the table.

The topics, however, focus accurately on the key questions of the day, my concern being that they are symptoms, and not the root issues. The "further education" industry, specifically the college level, must rebrand itself in order for stakeholders to believe, with integrity, that college is a valued part of life's learning. Value is found through academic reputation, a market-relevant product, and a price learners are prepared to invest their personal dollars. Value partnered with an effective and efficient delivery system that is student-centric (that positions the student at the center of the learning process) and managed as a performance/metric driven infrastructure will be foundational to the sustainability of higher education, and fundamental in addressing the challenges of affordability and societal relevant graduates.

Article: At the White House Roundtable by Inside Higher Ed
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John Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, APOU

Career support to distance learners

2011-12-07T15:29:00.000-08:00

With all of APOU’s students participating in a fully online environment, a constant question on my mind is, “How do we effectively translate services that our fully online learners not only expect, but are traditionally experienced through a face-to-face visit?”

This was never more evident, and challenging, than when my team tackled the question of providing career services to APOU learners. As we researched what online schools were offering, it ranged from almost nothing to a pretty basic website with links to other websites. Not being a $6 billion for-profit school with significant resources, we were challenged to provide a service and the opportunity to have an educational experience, supported with practical tools, to intentionally connect a learner’s career and education goals. We have made an institutional commitment to not just offer a degree, but to offer a perspective on how an integrated understanding of education, career, and vocation can help a learner discover his or her unique contribution to the world.

A website was an obvious delivery tool, but we wanted it to be useful. We wanted the site to be an environment where a user could choose the depth of their interaction -- a place they would want to come back to and a hub where we could help them sift through a worldwide web of career resources. But how do you make it personal as well as practically useful? Through Optimal Resume, we think we may have partially answered this. This paid service allows learners on our site to take assessment tools, create resumes, and submit for personal feedback from an APOU career specialist, practice interviewing techniques using a web cam, create a personal career website, and much more.

With the hope it isn’t just a site a learner visits approaching graduation, we are experimenting with a part-time transition specialist role who intentionally helps incoming students feel a sense of “fit” to APOU and connect their education and career aspirations before they even step into the online classroom. I’m going to be very interested to see the impact of this role. All APOU learners are also required to interact with the site and resources as part of the mandatory APOU 101 Momentum class.

APOU’s Career and Vocation Center website launched just last month, supported by intentional people resources, so these are early days. I hope the intentional thinking and development of the last few months will help our online students feel connected, supported, and resourced to make a unique difference in the world.

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Andrew Barton
Chief Learner Officer/Vice President, APOU

WASC Accreditation: APOU Reflections

2011-12-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

On October 31, 2011, Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) was granted eligibility status to apply for Candidacy and Initial Accreditation from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, or WASC, which is the regional accreditation body for California, Hawaii, and the Pacific Island territories.

This eligibility phase is the first “gate” an institution must pass through to obtain accreditation. To pass through this gate, APOU had to successfully address 23 eligibility criteria from WASC. Some of this criteria included:

Administrative capacity (Are qualified administrators, faculty, and staff hired and positioned properly?)
Clarification of an education plan (Are educational objectives and learning outcomes articulated and established?)
Institutional evaluation and assessment (Is there an acceptable procedure for program and unit review?)

When these and 20 other eligibility criteria were successfully met or exceeded, WASC allowed APOU to move through the next gate, called the Candidacy or Initial Accreditation phase. This is where we currently stand. At this phase, APOU will conduct a self-study report, which examines the strengths and developmental areas of the institution. Once that report is submitted to WASC, and if it is found to adequately reflect on the workings of the university, preparations are made for an on-site visit by a WASC team that surveys the operations of APOU. This is the third and last gate. Our goal is to pass through all three gates by the summer of 2012.

Below are some common questions APOU receives about WASC accreditation:

Why would APOU apply for WASC accreditation?
There are several advantages to having WASC approval. First, WASC accreditation signifies that APOU emphasizes “academic quality and processes that ensure educational effectiveness throughout the institution” (WASC, 2010, p. 2). WASC-approved universities have demonstrated they have the structures, processes, resources, procedures, and program outcomes that lead to academic excellence and efficiency. Second, courses from APOU will transfer to any regionally accredited university (such as Stanford, UCLA, USC, or Cal State Fullerton). Many students don’t realize this, but non-accredited courses may not transfer (or be accepted) into regionally accredited schools. WASC accreditation signifies that a member institution has met the highest standard of excellence in higher education.

Why is APOU attempting to gain separate accreditation from Azusa Pacific University (APU)? Aren’t they part of the same university?
Quite simply, the answer to the latter question is a resounding, “Yes!” The answer to the former question requires a little more elaboration. On September 24, 2010, the APU Board of Trustees voted to form APOU to reach a growing segment of students that were (for a variety of reasons) not able to attend the APU campus. These students are often referred to as “nontraditional” students, since they are often older than 25, have full-time jobs, may be raising families, or might live too far away to attend campus. The board members recognized there was an under-served population of potential students that could be reached with a distance-education model, while holding to a Christ-centered, academically excellent, affordable, sustainable, and market-relevant model. Thus, APOU was born.

WASC. (2010). How to become accredited: Procedures manual for eligibility, candidacy, and initial accreditation. Alameda, CA: Western Associations of Schools and Colleges.

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Kurt Takamine
Academic Dean/Vice President, APOU

How APOU began

2011-11-23T14:35:00.000-08:00

Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) truly began as a start-up organization. After APU’s board made the decision to move forward with APOU, our first meeting included myself and Don Davis, chief operations officer. We met every Monday morning to discuss the decisions that needed to be made, and made them. At this time, we were deciding on the organizational structure and design, and how each department would work.

Forming APOU was an incredibly dynamic experience. It was very exciting, energizing, and it was moving all the time. We both had two jobs -- fulfilling our work at APU and trying to run a new organization.

After all our initial decision-making, the hard work began to fill the structure we created. While we were seeking to become an accredited university, we needed to have programs immediately. However, we didn’t have our own accreditation, and this is where APU’s piece entered. We worked closely with APU’s faculty to get our programs approved and accredited.

The first couple months were filled with very high energy and many decisions to be made. There was this excitement of starting up a new university from scratch and how could we do it differently.

Even our concept of having a chief learner officer was part of our new idea of seeing the student as a learner. The position was created under the concept of lifelong learning. From the time a person first hears about APOU to the day they graduate, a chief learner officer will guide that journey. Additionally, the idea of having a very small team was new and nontraditional. Our decisions with organizational structure were made to create a scalable model to change with us as we grew.

In January, we brought in staff, acquired the building, and launched the process of seeking WASC approval in time to market our programs and bring in students. We went from being architects in December to builders in January. Now with three sessions completed, we’re having to return to our decisions and re-evaluate what may have made sense on paper may not in action.

From June, when we began our first session, we’ve been learning and qualifying what systems work, and how to continue growth in our programs and course development. Each session has provided a valuable learning opportunity, and we will continue seek new ways to improve as we grow.

Blessings,
John Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, APOU

Why APOU began

2011-11-21T15:37:00.000-08:00

Birthed on the principles of academic quality, accessibility, affordability, market relevance, and sustainability, Azusa Pacific Online University (APOU) began its journey more than a year ago.

The concept of APOU first began at our sister ground campus, Azusa Pacific University (APU). Online higher education has always been a component of APU’s internationalization strategy. When considering how to implement this strategy, online delivery was targeted as one of the key alternative methods to handling geography beyond Azusa.

The challenge to setting this idea in motion was that APU was created as a traditional university and not set up to handle the virtual student. Another challenge we considered was affordability and accessibility. For many people in the U.S., a private, residential college education was outside their price range. In response to these challenges and strategic goals, the board then decided to create a separate, accredited institution in September 2010.

APOU was created to address the future of higher education. Moving forward, I believe higher education will be a constellation of purpose-driven units that compose a larger picture. Our purpose is to provide excellent education to everyone, everywhere in an economical format. Another concept a part of this purpose is the idea of lifelong learning. A person does not stop learning after they earn a degree. Learning also doesn’t necessarily need to be formal training, but it can also include certification and personal growth.

The birth of APOU also left a unique mark on the world of online higher education. To my current knowledge, APOU is the only Christian online university that does not have some kind of residential component -- no other institutions are completely virtual. Another part of APOU’s uniqueness is its dedication to affordability. It is my goal to always give a full 120 units for an accredited bachelor’s program for less than the U.S. median household income. Education should be accessible within your lifestyle. Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom or working in the ministry, we wanted to create a university where you didn't have to change your life situation. You can achieve an excellent, Christ-centered education at a price that was affordable to everyone.

The opportunity to receive a Christian education is truly a privilege. I don’t think we fully understand this blessing in the U.S. Coming from outside the U.S., I know how limited Christian education is in other places in the world, and it doesn’t exist. Think of all the Christians worldwide who’d like to go to college; and would love to do it with Christian faculty who can love them, relate to them, and be part of their faith. Online gives us the ability to serve these people. It gives us the opportunity to work with Christian faculty from outside the U.S. to create a Christian worldview within the U.S. Technology enables us to truly offer a Christian worldview, with faculty from around the world sharing their faith and perspective with learners.

Blessings,
John Reynolds
Chief Executive Officer, APOU

Welcome to Inside APOU

2011-11-21T10:14:00.000-08:00

Welcome to a new blog by Azusa Pacific Online University's executive team called "Inside APOU." Through this venue, we will share the journey of APOU as a start-up online university. Additionally, we will explore relevant issues surrounding APOU and online higher education, as well as discuss challenges and milestones; share topical articles; and document the process of developing a successful online university.

Seeing our students as lifelong learners, we also strive to continue learning and growing from this experience. We hope this blog becomes a place for discussion and collection of knowledge in the world of online higher education. Thank you for reading.

Blessings,

John Reynolds, Chief Executive Officer
Don Davis, Vice President/Chief Operations Officer
Kurt Takamine, Vice President/Academic Dean
Andrew Barton, Vice President/Chief Learner Officer