Why are you excited to be the founding dean of the College of Online Programs?

As a psychotherapist and instructor, I’m a firm believer in social justice and increasing higher education accessibility and equity. So many people are digging themselves out of difficult situations, trying to build better futures, and need to be able to fit school into their already busy lives. With fully online programs, they don’t have to uproot everything and move to Goodwell, Oklahoma. Online students can stay right where they are and still be a part of the Aggie family.

What’s the biggest lesson the pivot to remote learning taught you?

We need to do better by our students. While some students were able to successfully make the transition to remote learning, some struggled and had a difficult time adjusting to Zoom classes. Without a comprehensive safety net in place, some students may slip through the cracks. The College of Online Programs seeks to provide a more consistent and unified virtual student experience, with plenty of extra support in place for those who need it.

What’s the difference between “online learning” and “remote learning”?

Great question! For online learning, students log into a Learning Management System (LMS) to access their course(s) and complete assignments. These courses are designed to be offered online, so the content is built well in advance. Remote learning is a way to conduct face-to-face courses in a virtual manner. Professors may use Zoom to conduct and record live lectures, with some students in class and others joining the lecture “remotely” from another location. Depending on the situation, students may submit assignments via email, or in an LMS if there is a course “shell” set up for document submission. OPSU uses both options, so please reach out if you have further questions!