Online Education
OFFICIAL DIVISIONAL POLICY
Policy on Online Education at the College of Charleston
Contents
2.0 SACSCOC Definition of Distance (Online) Education
3.0 SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation for Distance (Online) Education
5.0 Academic Responsibilities for Online Education
6.0 Responsibilities for Online Education Preparation
8.0 Policy Manager and Responsible Party or Office
9.0 Departments/Offices Affected by this Policy
10.0 Procedures Related to this Policy
11.0 Related Policies, Documents or Forms
1.0 Introduction
Although the College of Charleston is not primarily an online education institution, through guidance, leadership and direction from the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Advisory Committee, the College of Charleston provides exceptional, high-quality, and flexible online education.
Distance (online) education courses must comply with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) Principles of Accreditation. The relevant SACSCOC policy statements apply to both degree and certificate programs, and the courses associated with those programs.
2.0 SACSCOC Definition of Distance (Online) Education
The following definition of distance/online education (hereafter, “OE”) is provided in the SACSCOC Policy Statement on Distance and Correspondence Education: “For the purposes of SACSCOC’s accreditation review, distance education is a formal educational process in which the majority of the instruction (interaction between students and instructors and among students) in a course occurs when students and instructors are not in the same place. Instruction may be synchronous or asynchronous. A distance education course may use the internet, one-way and two-way transmissions through open broadcast, closed circuit, cable, microwave, broadband lines, fiber optics, satellite, or wireless communications devices; audio conferencing; or other digital media if used as part of the distance education course or program.”1 Additional information on the SACSCOC definitions for distance education and correspondence education is available from the SACSCOC Policy Statement on Distance and Correspondence Education.
3.0 SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation for Distance (Online) Education
The College of Charleston (hereafter, “College”) follows the principles and standards of SACSCOC, its regional accreditor, as published in the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation, in the SACSCOC Policy Statement on Distance and Correspondence Education, and in such other relevant policy statements or accreditation standards as may be promulgated by SACSCOC.
The standards outlined in the SACSCOC Policy Statement on Distance and Correspondence Education have been adapted from the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation specifically to address OE concerns. OE courses must adhere to both sets of standards.
4.0 Types of Online Courses
The College provides three kinds of online courses. See the Online Course descriptions.
Online Asynchronous (ONL)
These asynchronous online courses do not require any scheduled class meeting times, either virtually or face-to-face. These courses may require that examinations be completed in an online proctored environment. There may be an additional cost for online proctoring.
Online + Scheduled Online Meetings (OSM)
These online courses require students to be available for scheduled synchronous virtual class meetings. For these scheduled meetings, students will be expected to participate in real-time. These courses may require that examinations be completed in an online proctored environment. There may be an additional cost for online proctoring. Some courses may offer other proctoring options (e.g. on campus or at an approved testing center).
Online Course + Scheduled Campus Meetings (OCM)
These courses will include a combination of online instruction and scheduled face-to-face class meeting times when students will be expected to be present in an on-campus classroom. The proportion of online and face-to-face meetings will differ by course and by instructor and may vary at the instructor’s discretion. Students will find these dates in the course offerings schedule. These courses may require that examinations be completed in an online proctored environment. There may be an additional cost for online proctoring. Some courses may offer other proctoring options on campus.
5.0 Academic Responsibilities for Online Education
5.1 Students
All new and continuing College of Charleston students are eligible for enrollment in OE courses for which course prerequisites have been met.2 Each student, whether degree- or non-degree seeking, must meet the admission requirements for the College of Charleston and the approved prerequisites for the specific OE course.
OE students are also governed by the College of Charleston Student Handbook, the College of Charleston Undergraduate Catalog, the Graduate Catalog, and all other student regulations at the College of Charleston (e.g., Honor Code, Code of Conduct). See the College of Charleston Student Handbook at College Policy 13.1.
5.2 Faculty
Faculty members who teach a class online must first complete the College’s CETL OE Certification course or meet alternative requirement qualifications approved in writing by the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs (hereafter, “Provost”) and with the recommendation of the relevant Dean.
An online course must adhere to the same standards of quality found in the face-to-face classroom and must result in collegiate-level learning outcomes appropriate to the rigor and breadth of the course (or to comparable courses) offered in a face-to-face setting. A three-credit-hour online course should engage students for the time equivalent to what would be spent in a face-to-face class (2,100 minutes). Additional information about the meaning of credit hours at the College of Charleston is available at College Policy 12.1.5, “Assignment of Credit Hours.”
Non-credit courses may carry time requirements, consistent with any applicable divisional or school policy and subject to the review and determination of the relevant Dean(s) or Provost. Faculty teaching OE course sections must comply with all applicable College policies, including those concerning information security and the protection of student privacy.
5.3 Department Chairs and Program Directors
Department Chairs and Program Directors must approve the offering of OE course sections for their relevant unit. Working in consultation with the Office of the Registrar, Department Chairs and Directors are responsible for ensuring that their online course offerings are clearly designated (ONL, OSM, OCM) and include any scheduled meeting dates in all applicable College software systems. Department chairs must also ensure that online versions of courses are equivalent to the same in-person course offered and that the instructor of record is OE certified through CETL or by the College’s alternate certification process
5.4 Academic Deans
Academic Deans have oversight over OE courses taught in their schools. Deans should work in consultation with the relevant Programs Directors, Department Chairs, and other Deans (e.g., Dean of the Honors College, Graduate Dean) as needed when considering OE course offerings.
5.5 Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) Advisory Committee and Faculty Online Education & eLearning Coordinator
The CETL Advisory Committee, chaired by the CETL Director with membership from each school, the CETL OE & eLearning Coordinator, and IT representative, addresses issues related to Online Education, including developing and promoting best practices of online education, guiding faculty with online teaching and learning, and other duties. The CETL OE & eLearning Coordinator will develop, facilitate, and keep up-to-date with best practices the College's OE Certification Course.
5.6 Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
The Provost is the final authority for academic policy and resolving academic disagreements concerning online and other OE courses. Certain matters of institutional policy may require consultation by the Provost with the General Counsel, the President of the College, and/or various standing and ad hoc faculty or administrative committees.
The Provost and all other academic administrators should be attentive to the relationship between expanded OE course offerings and College Policy 7.6.8, “Substantive Change.”
6.0 Responsibilities for Online Education Preparation
6.1 Student Expectations
Students are expected to navigate the College’s learning management system and acquire other technical skills required by and outlined in each OE course.
6.2 Faculty and Instructional Strategies
Instructional strategies for OE differ from those strategies recommended by more traditional (face-to-face) teaching models. Faculty teaching OE courses should have a working knowledge of OE, including the ability to design appropriate strategies and implement effective OE practices in compliance with the College’s policy 9.1.11.1 "Digital Accessibility.” Faculty members are expected to provide students tutorials on any additional applications needed to succeed in the course.
Faculty are expected to identify and provide students with measurable learning outcomes and objectives that meet the goals of their OE course. These learning outcomes and course objectives should be consistent with the course’s official description and learning outcomes, as approved by the Faculty Senate (See the Faculty Administration Manual: VIII Faculty Responsibilities to Students).
6.3 Faculty Training
As required by SACSCOC, faculty will complete the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Online Education Certification Course to learn best practices for teaching online and to select and become proficient in using any technology specific to the goals and learning objectives of the course. A stipend, subject to the approval of the Provost, may be paid to participants for successful completion in the required Online Education Certification course. This course will be offered several times throughout the year. Instructors must pass the OE Certification Course prior to teaching an OE course.
Faculty members who have earned alternative requirement qualifications to teach online courses may be granted an exemption from the Online Education Certification course. Requests for exemption must be made by the department chair/program director, supported by the respective dean, and submitted to the Office of the Provost.
During Fall 2020 and Spring 2021, the Provost approved a policy on Emergency Remote Teaching which allowed faculty to teach online with the completion of a shortened, self-paced OE Readiness Course. The Provost approved an additional policy ending the use of this alternative certification on August 15, 2022, and requiring all faculty not fully certified to complete the full, online OE Certification Course offered through CETL.
Department Chairs and Program Directors in consultation with their Deans are responsible for ensuring that faculty members have completed the CETL OE Certification Course prior to teaching OE courses.
6.4 Protection of Student Privacy
Faculty teaching OE courses are required (a) to use the College’s learning management system to share course content and to ensure the security of student work and grades; (b) to use the College’s Secure Share web-based application for sharing all confidential information; (c) to keep student work and grades confidential; (d) to keep passwords secure, to avoid sharing of passwords, and to instruct students and instructional support staff to keep passwords secure and to avoid sharing of passwords; and (e) to follow all applicable FERPA policies and procedures (see 7.4 below).
All College policies addressing student privacy and institutional security apply to OE courses. Faculty teaching OE course sections must comply with these policies.
The College uses secure authentication (e.g., single sign-on through OAKS) to verify student identity in all distance education courses.
6.5 Course Accessibility
Faculty teaching OE courses are expected to design and deliver courses that follow the College’s policy 9.1.11.1 "Digital Accessibility” and are accessible to all learners through principles of Universal Design. This requires designing for accessibility using the AEM Center's POUR principles, including closed captions/transcripts for all audio and videos and alt text for all images.
6.6 Course Conflicts
Online and other OE instructors may not use the syllabus to introduce assignments that potentially create conflicts with face-to-face courses (e.g., the scheduling of final exams). Unavoidable conflicts are always settled in favor of the face-to-face course, via make-up exams and alternative assignments.
7.0 Legal and Policy Issues
As with traditional, face-to-face classes, online and other OE courses also must be designed and delivered in accordance with certain legal and policy constraints and obligations. All web addresses listed below are subject to change.
7.1 TEACH Act and Use of Copyrighted Material
Faculty teaching OE courses are expected to deliver online course materials in accordance with copyright law, including the Technology, Education and Copyright Harmonization (“TEACH”) Act. Copyright information may be found on the Teach Act Guidelines page.
7.2 Disability Services
Approved accommodations apply regardless of the mode of delivery. For answers to specific questions, contact the Center for Disability Services (843-953-1431 or SNAP@cofc.edu).
7.3 Intellectual Property Rights
The College does not claim ownership of online or digital course content when the development of that content does not make substantial use of College resources and facilities or the receipt of a stipend for the development of OE Teaching Material. The controlling authority on this topic is College Policy 9.1.13, “Intellectual Property Policy” includes specific information about OE Teaching Material and other topics relevant to OE.
The College reserves the right to use online or digital course content for up to one year after the instructor of an OE course leaves the College.
7.4 Privacy and FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974)
The College is committed to protecting the privacy of students enrolled in OE courses. Specifically, FERPA applies to all students, without regard to the mode of delivery for the courses in which they are enrolled. For details on FERPA, see the Registrar Office webpages or contact the Office of the Registrar by email at registrar@cofc.edu.
7.5 Final Authority on Legal Issues
The College of Charleston Office of Legal Affairs is the final authority on legal issues germane to the subject matter of this Policy.
8.0 Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office
Provost (or Provost’s Designee), Office of the Provost
9.0 Departments/Offices Affected by this Policy
Office of the Provost
Office of Student Success
Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Office of Institutional Research
Office of the Registrar
Division of Information Technology
All Deans, Departments, and Academic Programs
10.0 Procedures Related to this Policy
None
11.0 Related Policies, Documents or Forms
Policy 7.6.8, “Substantive Change”
Policy 7.6.10, “Policy on Course Syllabi”
Policy 9.1.13, “Intellectual Property Policy”
Policy 9.1.11.1, “Digital Accessibility Policy”
Policy 11.1, “Privacy Policy and Procedure”
Policy 12.1.5, “Assignment of Credit Hours”
Divisional Policy on Instructors of Record and Faculty Credentials
Online Education Steering Committee Bylaws
12.0 Review Schedule
Approved: July 2016
Revised: August 2017
Revised: December 2018
Revised: November 2021
Revised: June 2026
Next Review Date: October 1, 2029
1 See the current SACSCOC Policy Statement at DistanceCorrespondenceEducation.pdf (sacscoc.org).
2 State Authorization restrictions may apply in certain cases.