These awards recognize outstanding contributions by Athabasca University staff members for teaching, instructional service, or service excellence. Nominations should be forwarded to the Coordinator, Staff Development in Human Resources by Wednesday, April 23, 2003.

PRESIDENT’S AWARD FOR TUTORING/MENTORING EXCELLENCE

Recognizes up to two individuals each year for excellence in instructional service to AU students. CUPE employees(tutors, academic experts, markers), graduate instructors, and academic coaches are eligible for nomination by AU staff and/or students. Graduate recipients are recognized in June at a staff recognition function and undergraduate recipients are recognized at the Learning Services Conference in the fall.

CRAIG CUNNINGHAM MEMORIAL AWARD FOR TEACHING EXCELLENCE

Awarded annually to one faculty member in recognition of excellence for past achievements in teaching at AU. Faculty members (regular/term, part/fulltime) who have continuous service of at least three years are eligible for nomination by AU staff and/or students.

Recipients are recognized at the staff recognition event in June.

SUE AND DERRICK ROWLANDSON MEMORIAL AWARD FOR SERVICE EXCELLENCE

Awarded annually to up to two staff members or teams in recognition of their continual provision of exceptional service to AU and members of the AU community. Support and professional staff (AUPE, AUFA, excluded, permanent or temporary/term) who have continuous service of at least three years are eligible for nomination by AU staff and/or students.

Please contact Joyce Loxam, Coordinator Staff Development for further information. The award guidelines and nomination forms and procedures are available on the Athabasca University website – go to the “Current Students” page.

Joyce Loxam
Coordinator, Staff Development
Human Resources
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
email: joycel@athabascau.ca
Phone: (780) 675-6139
Fax: (780) 675-6135

Athabasca University is proceeding with its efforts to achieve full accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an accomplishment that will help facilitate AU’s expansion into the US market. Last issue, we learned why accreditation is important to AU’s expansion, why the Middle States body was chosen, and how the accreditation process takes place. This week, Ken Collier, chair of the steering committee, provides more details.

FOR PART ONE OF THE MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION STORY, SEE OUR LAST ISSUE (http://www.ausu.org/voice/announce/announcefull.php?ANN=346)

GOING GLOBAL
The accreditation theme does not stop with the US. AU already has projects and considerable experience in overseas education projects. Japan and China are two recent examples of countries where AU has or had contracts. The very existence of distance education, electronic communications and the capacities of the web allow the educational enterprise to leap over national boundaries. It was just a matter of time until education quality, standards, security and trustworthiness, administrative and practice questions moved beyond regional or national regulatory bodies.

Nonetheless, existing accreditors will have large influence on global education and DE rules, as well as the mechanisms to enforce them.

AU is already in the global arena, alongside very large players from Europe, the US and Australia. Southeast Asian DE bodies are also growing fast because their national populations’ educational needs cannot be met by either current or forecasted higher education building in the foreseeable future. Offshore (including Canadian) DE capacity may very well play a big role in meeting this pressure.

Recent global education conferences took up this theme. One conference in particular, the OECD/US Forum on Trade in Educational Services (1), included key sessions on quality and standards, accreditation, credit transfers and other agenda items of importance to the AU internationalization projects (2).

Athabasca University Middle States Accreditation Initiative situates us firmly in the terrain of higher education and distance education on a global plane. The quickly unfolding context within which AU operates is known from the literature and sites mentioned above. The Middle States Accreditation Initiative is but a first step in becoming a recognized part of that context.

(1) Duepree, John L., Maisia E. Johnson and Marjorie Peace Lenn (Eds.) (2002). OECD/US Forum on Trade In Educational Services: Conference Proceedings, Washington: The Center for Quality Assurance in International Education.

(2) See, from another conference, Dirk Van Damme (http://www.unesco.org/education/studyingabroad/highlights/global_forum/presentations/keynote_eng.doc).

Athabasca University’s Mathematics Diagnostic Assessment is now published online at: http://www.athabascau.ca/html/services/counselling/math/.

Two versions of this online test contain 30 or 70 questions that will help assess students’ mathematical skills. Based on their score, the assessment will recommend which Athabasca University mathematics course a student is likely ready to take successfully.

You may also find the online English Language Skills Assessment useful. It is found at http://www.athabascau.ca/html/services/counselling/esl/.
Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Please contact me at the phone number or e-mail address below if you have any questions or concerns.

Dean Caplan
Instructional Media Analyst
Dept. of Educational Media Development
Athabasca University

Phone: (780) 675-6813
Fax: (780) 675-6730
E-mail: deanc@athabascau.ca

Athabasca University Governing Council invites nominations for Honourary Degrees to be presented at Convocation ceremonies on June 13 and 14, 2003 in Athabasca, Alberta.

Candidates will have distinguished themselves in education, science, the arts, public service, or other areas, and have made significant life-long contributions to endeavours consistent with the mandate and purpose of Athabasca University.

A letter including the rationale for the nomination, résumé of the nominee, and any supporting documents must be received by Monday, December 2, 2002. The nominator must include his/her address and signature. All nominations should be marked “Personal and Confidential” and should be addressed to:

Carol Lund
Office of the Governing Council
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3

For further information, contact Ms. Lund at the above address, by phone (780-675-6271), by fax (780-675-6450), or by email (caroll@athabascau.ca).

Specializing in distance online education, Athabasca University delivers university education to approximately 26,000 students per year. Athabasca University is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict access to, and success in, university studies, and to increasing the equality of educational opportunity for adult learners worldwide.

For information about Athabasca University, visit http://www.athabascau.ca

Athabasca University has approved a new Alpha/4.0 grading scale for undergraduate studies effective January 1, 2003. The grades that students achieve will be stated, on transcripts and in student records, as alpha grades on a scale from A to F. Grade averages will be expressed as Grade Point Averages using the 4.0 grading scale.

These changes in grading scale are part of a province-wide initiative in Alberta.

Undergraduate courses that began before January 2003 will be graded using the percentage grading scale.

For a complete statement of this Athabasca University policy please go to:
http://www.athabascau.ca/policy/registry/gradingpolicy2002.htm

If you have questions please contact me.

Bruce Dawson
Assistant Registrar, Registration Services
Athabasca University
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
Phone 780-675-6147, Fax 780-675-6174

I would like to respond to the very interesting article by Tamra Ross Low “What I’ve Learned About AU Students” and perhaps provide some helpful advice for all AU students. The Information Centre was established to provide a first point of contact for prospective and continuing students. We have a staff of sixteen full-time, part-time and casual Information Attendants who answer a wide range of questions through our toll free number 1-800-788-9041. Attendants undergo a rigorous 2-month training period and provide general information. Students requiring more detailed or specific information are transferred to the appropriate department. Most concerns can be resolved by an Attendant. The Information Centre receives an average of 8,500 calls per month.

Another means of communication for students is to access our instant response e-mail system at AskAu (http://www.askau.ca). It is designed to respond immediately to individual questions. We have a bank of over 150 responses covering a wide range of areas from how to become a student and register in a course, transfer credit information, exam bookings and invigilation, contact information for various departments, and a host of other information to ensure students are given the assistance they need. Students may also e-mail the Information Centre directly through AskAu if they require more specific information, or their question has not been fully answered. During the month of August ’02, over 7,000 students got an instant response through AskAu. We invite all new and continuing students to visit this site.

Another function of the Information Centre is to process Calendar and other publication requests. Requests are generally processed within 2 business days, and are sent out by Canada Post 3rd Class Mail.

Tamra mentions that AU is very fast and effective at dealing with individual concerns, but that they often do not work to solve the underlying problems that tend to repeat with other students. The Information Centre provides a monthly Caller Concern report, which tracks individual and group concerns, and will highlight patterns of repeated problem areas. Students are encouraged to contact the Information Centre with their concerns, and these concerns will be documented if the student wishes, and then forwarded to appropriate departments for resolution.

The Information Centre is committed to providing professional, superior customer service for all our students. We accept calls from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. MST and are here to assist you and make your educational experience with AU a positive one.

For further information, please contact ausu@ausu.org, or call 1-800-788-9041, ext. 3413.

Nominations are being accepted for the President’s Award for Tutoring/Mentoring Excellence. Nominations must be submitted to the Coordinator, Staff Development in Human Resources by September 30, 2002.

This award recognizes up to two individuals each year for excellence in instructional service to AU students. CUPE tutors, graduate instructors, and academic coaches are eligible for nomination by AU staff and/or students.

Award recipients will be honoured at the Learning Services Conference on October 26th.

The award guidelines have a link to the nomination form and have information on the nature of the award, eligibility, criteria, the nomination process composition and role of the review committee. The guidelines are available at:

http://www.athabascau.ca/policy/humanresources/160_003_2002.htm

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Joyce Loxam
Coordinator, Staff Development
Human Resources
Athabasca University
Phone: (780) 675-6139
Fax: (780) 675-6135