Hello Fellow Penn Staters,

The Academic Affairs Committee for the Inaugural World Campus Student Government is dedicated to providing you with the best academic experience possible and making your voice a part of our process. 

One initiative we are currently working on is making sure class materials are decided upon and posted to our World Campus bookstore in a timely fashion. According to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, materials are to be provided to students at the time of registration and confirmed at least 8-weeks before the first day of class. Occasionally, there are unforeseen circumstances that cause materials to change, like availability or changes in course design. While keeping that situation in mind, the Academic Affairs Committee is working towards ensuring that World Campus course materials are consistently posted in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act, providing the student body with sufficient time to assemble their course materials well before the beginning of the semester.  

This goes hand-in-hand with another initiative we are working on, which is to provide students with as many open and affordable educational resources as possible, for instance, using multiple versions of a textbook or free online material. There is a committee called the Open & Affordable Educational Resources Working Group who are researching this matter as we speak, looking into courses and associated costs to the students.

Why are these initiatives important? As fellow World Campus students, we are aware of the costs and planning associated with taking online courses. Our goal is to make your academic goals more attainable by providing time for you plan financially based on what courses you desire to take as well as making sure the most is being made of the resources available to all of us in the technology age. We do not want anyone to miss a class opportunity due to a lack of information regarding the required materials, or the cost of those required materials. If we can raise awareness of the 8-week deadline and devise a way to contact professors or a department regarding missing materials on the bookstore or various resources, we can make a positive impact on the academic experience that we are all here to achieve!

 

WE ARE…PENN STATE!

 

Written By: Amber Rose Thomas

Academic Affairs Committee Chair 2019-2020