Following through on the promise of increased transparency and open communication with faculty and administrators across IU, a team of IU Online leaders set out in early January to visit seven campuses with a presentation titled “Reimagining IU Online.” The presentation and ensuing discussion were delivered to academic leadership and faculty governance groups in hour-long sessions that often spilled over into additional conversations and follow-up meetings. By the conclusion of this series of visits in late February, each member of the team had built new relationships, reinforced existing partnerships, and gathered important feedback regarding the next steps in the continuing development of IU Online.
A key takeaway from these conversations was the need for increased sharing and collaboration between student services across online and campus groups. Building trust and integration in this area could create even better support for our students. Another recurring theme was the desire to eliminate competition in online course sharing and to commit fully to the more intentional model used by collaborative programs. Overall, the road show team recognized university-wide enthusiasm for the progress in IU Online program support and student services over the recent years and a universal belief the online education is an important part of Indiana University now and in the future. Despite some rough patches and challenges, all are motivated by the opportunity to expand the reach of IU education to students who depend on the flexibility of online programs.