- April 17th, 2013, 9:25 pm
#427734
This is my understanding of where things right now. The SBC was to have visited the campus this week. However, Bennett was unable to get any of the SBC Presidents to step on campus...basic problem: we are perceived as a Bible college with an online degree mill that lacks any academic credibility. Of course this isn't true, but this is their perception. This is what Jr has referenced repeatedly concerning the academic elitists that frown upon online education and his desire that they stay that way so we can continue to roll our wheel barrel full of cash to the bank while they scramble to keep their budgets in tack all while they stick their elitist nose in the air toward any online program of study.
Foe example, the UVA attempt at the firing of their President this past year. Gov McDonnell made it clear to her and the Board that UVA needed to explore and develop online programs of study. The reason, to reduce their consistent need for public funds by creating other funding sources; online programs of study. He used Liberty as a successful example of how online programs can sustain and expand a univerity budget through increased sources of revenue. He has sent other VA institutions to LU to examine how we have been so successful...I know, I've been in the meetings. One such institution made the comment upon leaving, will you please call the Governor and tell him why it is impossible for us to do what you've done here. The reason, we aren't tied to the traditional approach to higher education, tenure, etc...as Doc Falwell used to say, the inmates don't run this asylum! Probably didn't win anyone over with those comments either, although it is relevant to the success of LU, it could have been said without disdain for faculty and academics.
UVA's president was given a time frame to get the process started and the programs offered...she stonewalled and did nothing, so the board moved to fire her for her insubordination. However, as we all saw played out, the academic elitists won out. Soon after her reinstatement, UVA announces its exploration of MOOCS course...basically free online courses available for anyone but that do not lead to any academic credit or increased revenue. Apparently, her attempt to satisfy the Governors mandate...what a joke.
What Liberty has done in online education is unparalleled in non-profit institutions of higher Ed. And the academic elitists resent it and look down upon it and us for it. Liberty operates like a for-profit business, checking and balancing revenue sources and making sure all programs are effective. That doesn't mean if a program isn't it is immediately cut, the Law School hasn't made a profit yet, and the school of Engineering may never make a profit but these are programs that LU's leadership has determined are necessary regardless of their profit margin, may be the case with the new Med program too as a tremendous amount of funding has already been infused without one student admitted and enrolled in courses until fall 2015 at the earliest.
So, as it stands now, LU is submitting a full report of our academic credentials and success of our graduates in the market place, especially the changes since the passing of our founder, to the SBC. If we can't get them on campus now, the thought is that maybe this report can open their eyes a bit, and possible get them to at least visit the campus. We all know how impressive the campus is and what a positive impression it makes on anyone who visits. But they have to agree to visit, which may what they are afraid of! We've all known for years that one of the successes of student recruiting is CFAW, if we can get a student on campus the majority of the time they will apply and enroll. Now if we just get a few SBC Presidents to visit! I submit that we should all pray for this report to be effective, impressive and present what we all know to be true about Liberty so that some may come.
- By thecomeback
- By cruzan_flame13