UNC Online Leadership Collaboration

The UNC Online Leadership Collaboration (OLC) is a group made up of distance education and online learning leaders across all institutions of the University of North Carolina System.

Mission

To share knowledge and collaborate on initiatives that serve online and distance learners.

Vision

To offer mutual support, share ideas and faculty development techniques, and provide continued education and advocacy for online learning offices in the UNC System.

Values

• Communication: The effectiveness of the UNC OLC will stem from our ability to communicate in both writing and digital formats across our institutions and with personnel from the UNC System Office. Communication consists not only of disseminating pertinent information that can impact online and distance learners but resources to support and enhance the delivery of online programs at each institution.

• Collaboration: There is an adage that higher education institutions often operate in a silo. Relative to distance education, the UNC OLC will meet regularly to share resources, best practices, funding strategies, and institutional initiatives to empower each institution to fulfill its strategic goals. Collaboration can enhance operational efficiencies and fiscal responsibility across the seventeen constituent institutions of the UNC System.

• Advocacy: The academic rigor, convenience, and affordability of distance or online education in North Carolina are marketable characteristics. The technological and resource support to sustain online programming requires the engagement and support of system governance. The inclusion of diverse institutional contexts is necessary to advance system-level initiatives.

Strategic Areas

The UNC Online Leadership Collaboration is currently working on an action plan to address common online learning issues and needs across institutions in these five strategic areas:

• Faculty support
• Student success
• Organizational development
• Policy and accreditation
• Technology development and application

Activities

The UNC Online Leadership Collaboration meets monthly for 1 hour. In addition, the following activities and resources are part of the group:

• Action Plan: A working document with objectives, deliverables, dates, and action items to improve and advocate for online learning and distance education across institutions in the system.
• Subject Matter Expert Directory: A list of the areas of expertise for each member of the group.
• Professional Development Assessment: Working document with online learning and distance education professional development needs across institutions.
• Digital Repository: A platform for the exchange of documents, templates, and other resources related to online learning and distance education.

History

The Online Leadership Collaboration group was founded in 2021. The mission of this organization is to share knowledge and collaborate on initiatives that serve online and distance learners within the 17 UNC institutions. The UNC OLC group goals are to provide support by sharing ideas, faculty development techniques, continued education, and advocacy for online learning offices within the UNC system. Over the past 3 years, the Online Leadership Collaboration group has been actively working on action plans to address common online learning issues and needs across institutions in five strategic areas: faculty support, student success, organizational development, policy and accreditation, and technology development and application. The founding officers were, chair: Dr. Miko Nino (UNC Pembroke), Vice-Chair Dr. Tonya Amankwatia (N.C. A&T), Communications Officer: Dr. Wendy Creasey (ECU), and System Liaison, Dr. Ben Powell. The organization is currently under the leadership of chair, Dr. Jeremiah Shipp (WSSU), vice-chair Dr. Racheal Brooks (NCCU), and communications officers Dr’s. Claudette Fuller and Shunta’ Hailey Gregory (FSU).  

UNC Online Leadership Collaboration Charter

Leadership

Chair

Dr. Jeremiah E. Shipp, Winston-Salem State University

Vice-Chair

Dr. Racheal Brooks, North Carolina Central University

Communications Officer

Dr. Claudette Fuller, Fayetteville State University

Communications Officer

Dr. Shuntá Hailey Gregory, Fayetteville State University

Membership Directory