AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. JAMES SIMMONS, PRESIDENT OF LAMAR UNIVERSITY

     In January 2008, Lamar University entered into a distance learning partnership with Higher Ed Holdings. The partnership enabled the university to provide an online platform that would give teachers throughout the state of Texas the option of affordable, accessible master’s degree programs.  As of June 2009, 4,000 students had enrolled in Lamar’s master’s degree programs in educational administration, teacher leadership and educational technology leadership.  Lamar’s first group of online graduates passed their principal exams in the spring 2009 semester with a success rate of nearly 99 percent, substantially exceeding the 82 percent success rate of that semester’s on-campus program graduates.

     In the following interview, Dr. James Simmons, the president of Lamar University, reflects on the reasons the university chose to give students the option of distance online learning and the impact of implementing the online platform. 

1) Why was Lamar University interested in distance learning? 

Dr. Simmons: Lamar University has a long and rich history in distance education dating back decades to off-campus course delivery and, so-called, telecourses.  Online delivery is the next evolutionary step in distance education.  Lamar is challenged in its growth by a limited geographic recruiting area. We were already capturing a very high percentage of college-going students from the region. We were already building some of the best faculty, programs and facilities for students in the state, and filling our residence halls as quickly as we could build them.  We had to ask ourselves, where is there opportunity for growth? The answer was the expansion of online courses and programs. Also, when you think about growing a university, what you are really doing is being a good steward of the investment the state has made in you. We saw distance online learning as an opportunity to help the state meet its need for high-quality teachers while leveraging the investment the state has made in us. By seizing this opportunity, Lamar has been able to provide access statewide to underserved Texas students at an affordable price.

 2) Has the experience been what you expected?

Dr. Simmons: We have seen tremendous support across the state from governing bodies and from peer institutions, but also internally. Our faculty have seen how challenges are wisely addressed, technology leveraged to best advantage, and the quality of instruction and content kept paramount. Continual communication has been key to the success of the programs. We truly are a partnership providing opportunity for Texans that would not otherwise exist.

3) How has distance learning impacted Lamar University's overall enrollment?

Dr. Simmons: Obviously the enrollment growth we've experienced through distance learning has been exceptional.  While we have suffered through two major hurricanes (Rita and Ike) that caused tremendous damage throughout Southeast Texas, we have still seen some growth in our traditional programs.  But it is the growth in distance learning that is the big story here. Thousands of students from across the great state of Texas are taking part in rigorous, high quality programs. We are delighted to welcome them to our alumni rolls when they have earned their diplomas.  The overall growth of 28% in one year, largely due to our distance learning enrollment, has allowed Lamar to hire additional faculty and support staff without a campus-wide loss in revenue.   

4)  Have your faculty and deans been supportive of the online initiatives?

Dr. Simmons: Distance learning is not new to Lamar University. We've been offering courses online, via closed circuit TV and at off-campus locations for many decades. What is different is the scale - from a few hundred to thousands of students - so the mechanics of making that possible, and the level of support our faculty must have to remain successful in delivering high-quality instruction, were the big questions at the start. I'm glad to say that as those issues were resolved and unforeseen challenges met, our faculty and the leadership across the campus have been enthusiastically supportive. While the delivery is different, the content, the instruction and the outcomes are the same.  Our professors are passionate about teaching. They care just as much about the success of our online students as those they meet in classrooms on campus.

5)  With declining state support for public universities, can distance learning programs provide meaningful revenue to the university?

Dr. Simmons: External factors affecting the costs of providing quality education are a continual challenge for all institutions of higher learning. Finding innovative ways to provide access to higher education and opportunity to Texans while controlling costs is a top priority.  In that context, the innovative delivery methods embodied in our partnership with HEH and the resulting enrollments do provide a new source of revenue that supports the overall mission of the university. From the consumer side, the scale of this venture has allowed the university to offer one of the most affordable—perhaps the most affordable—master’s programs in the nation.  In these economically tight times, students and their families appreciate the lower cost.

6)  How would you describe the experience of working with Higher Ed Holdings?

Dr. Simmons: Higher Ed Holdings is as passionate about delivering a high quality educational experience as we are about providing outstanding curricula and world-class instruction.  It is a partnership where both parties are committed to providing the best for Texas teachers. That commitment drives decisions and keeps our students' needs foremost.

7)  Would you recommend HEH partnerships to other universities?

Dr. Simmons: Absolutely.

8)  Do you have any data on how your online students are performing compared to your campus-based students?

Dr. Simmons: The program is new, but preliminary data show the online students have outperformed our face-to-face students on the state’s principalship examination.  And, student retention and graduation rates for the online students will surpass those for their face-to-face peers.

 Editor’s note: Dr. James Simmons, 10^th president of Lamar University, has held that position since September of 1999.  Dr. Simmons moved into the role of president as a 35 year veteran of the Lamar faculty and leadership team.