2. Online Organization Governance

The following councils, organizations, and groups have been established to govern the Online Organization at BYU-Idaho.

2.2 Online Development Council (ODC)

2.2.1 Role

The ODC is the exchange team between Online and campus and is responsible for determining strategy, vision, and direction for Online at BYU-Idaho.

2.2.2 Membership

The ODC generally meets weekly and consists of the following members:

1. Online Vice President
2. Dean of Online Programs
3. Dean of Online Student Services
4. Associate Dean of Online Programs
5. College Online Associate Deans
6. Managing Director of Curriculum Development
7. Managing Director of Online Learning
8. Managing Director of Pathway
9. Online IT Systems & Services Coordinator
10. Online Programs Office Assistant

2.2.3 Responsibilities

1. Govern Online policy at BYU-Idaho in coordination with the OEC and University leadership.
2. Develop delivery standards for online courses in coordination with the OLC.
3. Prioritize new development and redevelopment projects.
4. Work with CES, Pathway, and others engaged in Online to develop  strategy for the world-wide reach of the University.
5. Facilitate collaboration between Pathway, OLC, departments, and colleges.
6. Coordinate the online efforts of colleges and departments.
7. Disseminate best practices between colleges/departments and Online.

2.3 Online Learning Council (OLC)

2.3.1 Role

The OLC determines and ensures quality practices in online pedagogy, delivery, and course design for BYU-Idaho. The OLC represents the perspective of curriculum designers, remote instructors, and Online administrators as they lead the Online Learning and Curriculum Development organizations and assist in the development of strategy and policy.

2.3.2 Membership

The OLC generally meets weekly and may consist of the following members:

1. Online Vice President
2. Managing Director of Online Learning
3. Managing Director of Curriculum Development
4. Directors within Online Learning
5. Directors within Online Curriculum Development
6. Dean of Online Student Services
7. Associate Dean of Online Programs
8. IT Systems & Services Coordinator for Online
9. A Pathway representative

2.3.3 Responsibilities

1. Provide leadership for, and coordinate efforts within, the Online Learning and Curriculum Development organizations.
2. Propose policy to the ODC.
3. Establish procedures to implement approved policy and strategy.
4. Establish procedures for issues under OLC stewardship in coordination with ODC and/or OEC.
5. Develop delivery standards for online courses in coordination with the ODC.
6. Evaluate online courses based on design, deliverability, pedagogy, and the achievement of course outcomes. Resolve concerns by working with Course Councils to improve the academic success of online courses.
7. Determine if a course can be offered based on the Online Course Design and Delivery Principles and Standards. Disagreements follow established remediation processes.
8. Direct curriculum designers and ACLs as they fulfill their role on Course Councils.

2.3.4 Definitions

Online delivery: The OLC is responsible for ensuring courses can reach the intended audience. This organization uses the Online Course Design and Delivery Principles and Standards as parameters in fulfilling this responsibility. The OLC also works through the Online Learning organization to ensure instructors are appropriately hired, trained, and supported.

Online pedagogy: The Online Learning and Curriculum Development organizations are responsible to continuously learn, facilitate, and use best practices in online teaching.

Online course design: The Online Learning and Curriculum Development organizations are responsible to learn and implement best practices for online learning activities. Campus and Online organizations proactively foster a synergistic relationship in this area.

Online Learning organization: consists of the following departments: Online Instruction and Online Employment & Scheduling.

Curriculum Development organization: consists of the following departments: Online Curriculum Development and Online Quality Assurance.

2.4 Department Chairs

2.4.1 Role

Department chairs encourage campus and online instructors in the united effort to serve students through instructional excellence, inspired educational innovation, and the mentoring of everyday students. Department chairs work with Online Learning to accomplish this.

Department chairs represent the academic interests of the University and have stewardship over outcomes, content, content pedagogy, and key assessments for online courses in their department; they determine department priorities in these areas. Department chairs also direct faculty efforts to create and improve online courses.

2.4.2 Responsibility

1. Assign online course leads to online courses in the department and determine faculty load as needed for specific course circumstances (see  Determining Course Lead Loadbelow and section  3.2 “Course Leads”).
2. Direct and support course leads as they fulfill their role on Course Councils.
3. Evaluate online courses based on the quality of content and student achievement of course outcomes, and resolve concerns by working with Course Councils.
4. Work with department faculty to create course outcomes, core content, and key assessments to be shared across modes of delivery (see  8.1 “The Integrated Curriculum Model”).
5. Ensure wise use of campus and online resources by minimizing non-essential course changes and promoting course  continuity during course lead transitions.
6. Recommend the development and redevelopment of online courses for approval by the ODC.
7. Provide initial approval of online instructor applicants and ensure they have sufficient expertise and appropriate credentials to teach courses in the discipline.
8. Refer concerns about online instructor performance to Online Instruction for appropriate joint resolution (see  4.1.3 "Probation and Termination").
9. Oversee, in partnership with Online Learning, faculty and instructor efforts to identify and adopt discipline-specific practices and methods that may be incorporated into the online courses.
10. Communicate, in partnership with Online Learning, department and program goals to faculty and online instructors, and help online instructors feel invested in a shared vision.

2.4.3 Determining Course Lead Load

Course leads work closely with department chairs to determine the appropriate load for working within a Course Council. Department chairs consider the faculty resources necessary to maintain online courses and programs, and seek additional resources, as needed, through the stewardship review process. Department chairs should carefully review section 3.2 “Course Leads” before determining load.

When assigning load, the following guidelines should be considered:

• Factors that affect appropriate load vary significantly between courses.  Assigned load should be consistent with the actual need and time required for the course in question.
• The load assigned for course leads should be consistent with defined roles and responsibilities within the Course Council. (See section  3 “Course Councils”).
• Load for course lead duties is generally part of the 30 hours allocated for faculty teaching load and not from professional development and administrative assignments. If this is not possible, chairs and deans should discuss with the faculty member the use of their six-hourprofessional development or other arrangements to fill the need for course lead load.  
• Load for scaled courses: After development, courses typically require load ranging from zero to one load hour per semester.
• Load for development or redevelopment: Courses usually require three load hours during the development (or redevelopment) semester.
• Additional load: Planned improvement projects may require  additional load.

2.4.4 Definitions

Content: Stand-alone materials to be used by students such as readings, videos, and textbooks. Content is separate from instructions and learning activities. Under this definition, content could be used in face-to-face, online, full-semester, block, hybrid, or competency courses without modification.

Content pedagogy: Department chairs direct course leads as they contribute their experience and expertise regarding which learning activities work well in the face-to-face environment, the sequencing of prerequisite knowledge, etc. In practice, curriculum designers, ACLs, and course leads work together to determine the best online learning activities.

Continuity: Course outcomes, content, and key assessments should remain relatively consistent over time. Course changes should be data-driven and consistent with department goals and outcomes.

Key assessment: While a course may include any number of assessments designed to measure course outcomes, between one and three key assessments should be department-approved to report on outcome achievement.

2.5 Online Associate Deans

2.5.1 Role

Online associate deans are department faculty members who serve on the ODC. As members of this exchange team, online associate deans facilitate healthy collaboration between their respective colleges and departments, the ODC, and the OLC.

2.5.2 Responsibility

1. Help establish positive working relationships between the Online and campus organizations.
2. Represent the views and concerns of campus faculty, department chairs, and college deans to the Online organization.
3. Represent the views and concerns of the Online organization to campus faculty, department chairs, and college deans.
4. Participate in the development of Online policies and strategy.
5. Mediate concerns that escalate beyond normal Course Council and/or Online procedures.
6. Disseminate best practices between Online and colleges and departments.
7. Represent new and redevelopment requests from assigned colleges in the prioritization process.
8. Present policy exception requests from assigned colleges to the ODC and/or OLC.