Timeline
- 25 Years in Distance Education -

The Wisconsin Legislature mandates a Task Force on Open Learning be established to design an external degree program for the University of Wisconsin System.

John Weaver, president of the newly consolidated UW System, appoints Al Swinerton and James Kolka as University of Wisconsin System planners to head the Task Force on Open Learning. This effort is funded by a grant of $100,000 from the National Fund for Improvement of Post Secondary Education.

Kahtan Al Yasiri, dean of the College of Business, Industry, and Communication, proposes that the University of Wisconsin-Platteville house the Extended Degree Program in Business Administration. Faculty from UWP begin attending workshops on developing the program.

Under Acting Governor Martin J. Schreiber's instigation, the Wisconsin Legislature's annual budget includes funds for two trial efforts: a general studies major at UW-Green Bay and individually designed majors at UW-Superior. The University System provides funds for a business administration major at UW-Platteville. The UWP Extended Degree Program is established with 10 and one-half faculty members involved under the direction of Raymond Bourkney and later William Van Deest.

Fourteen students are admitted to the program at UW-Platteville.

A fourth Extended Degree Program is established at UW-River Falls for students pursuing a degree in agriculture and agribusiness.

Dr. Harry Mitchell becomes director of the UWP Extended Degree Program. The first issue of PLEXUS, the UWP distance learning newsletter, is published. A 24-hour answering service is started.

Marianne Niemann Anderson, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, becomes the first graduate of the UWP Extended Degree Program.

Because the program exceeds the goal of 100 full-time-enrolled (FTE) students, the Wisconsin Legislature provides funding to continue the program and to increase enrollment by another 100 students. Three additional staff members are added, and 23 faculty members are now involved with the program.

Wisconsin Farm Equipment Association and Foundation Fund sponsors the first UWP EDP scholarship, which is awarded to Clayton Arndt.

Dr. John Adams becomes director of the UWP Extended Degree Program after Dr. Harry Mitchell resigns to become professor of business administration at Culver-Stockton College in Canton, Missouri.

A computer is installed for use in administering the program. UWP's Extended Degree Program is the first UW System EDP to add a toll-free telephone number as a service to its students.

A systematic student development campaign is started, centering around the information meetings that are publicized via newspaper announcements, press releases, and public service announcements.

Christine Durski, a 1982 EDP graduate, ranks in the 99th percentile on the GMAT.

Chere Coggins, UW System academic planner, coordinates a UW System grant that results in a three-day workshop in Spring Green, Wisconsin, for the faculty and staff of all the UW Extended Degree Programs.

The Extended Degree Program has 344 students, for an FTE of 210.

Teleconferencing course sessions are offered for the first time over the Statewide Extension Education Network/Educational Teleconference Network (SEEN/ETN).

A student peer group is formed in the Wausau area.

The UWP Extended Degree Program passes its UW System five-year review and publishes its report of this assessment of the program.

The program establishes an accounting minor.

The North Central Accreditation team reviews the program as part of the university-wide accreditation.

Brenda Freiberg is the first EDP student to be awarded a Business, Industry, and Communication (BIC) Scholarship from a fund established through the sale of BIC cookbooks.

Former director Harry Mitchell dies in Canton, Missouri. The Mitchell Memorial Portfolio Scholarship Fund is established in his memory, with the first scholarship granted to Enid Cleaves of Appleton, Wisconsin.

Graduates number 95, with December graduation yet to come.

The program consists of 468 students for an FTE of 244, 30 part-time faculty, 4 full-time staff members, and 7 part-time staff.

The Extended Degree Program observes its 10th anniversary.

The University of Wisconsin-Platteville celebrates its 125th anniversary.

EDP instructors begin to communicate with students via email.

Students under the age of 26 are accepted into the Extended Degree Program for the first time.

EDP students are able to access the university library database via the Internet.

EDP purchases its own fax machine.

The first interactive television classroom is built on campus.

Computer-mediated courses (print-based courses combined with online chats and email assignments) are offered through EDP. BSAD 120, Introduction to American Business Enterprise, is the first course adapted.

EDP announces the creation of an Internet home page.

EDP reaches beyond Wisconsin to include students throughout the nation.

Marge Karsten is appointed director of the Extended Degree Program, which offers print-based courses.

Dawn Drake is appointed director of the newly formed Distance Education Resource Center, which offers online courses.

UWP partners with Learning Innovations to offer online courses. Distance education goes global as the first online course - BSAD 233, Leadership and Management - is offered.

The Master of Science in Project Management program is approved to be offered online by the UW Board of Regents.

The UWP Extended Degree Program and the Distance Education Resource Center merge to create the Distance Learning Center, offering print-based, interactive television, and online courses.

Program coordinators Lisa Riedle, Engineering; Cheryl Fuller, Criminal Justice; and Donna Perkins, Project Management, help develop the online degrees.

The Master of Science in Criminal Justice program is approved to be offered online by the UW Board of Regents.

The Master of Engineering program is approved to be offered online by the UW Board of Regents.

Online payment option is made available for students.

The online project management program becomes a Global Registered Education Provider of the Project Management Institute.

More than 1,000 students are served through distance education this year.

Lisa Cousins is the first graduate of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice online program.

The first faculty/staff recognition event for people working at a distance is held on campus.

A virtual Student Advisory Board is formed for the distance learning programs. Web conferencing is used to host meetings with this group.

Brian Schneider is the first graduate of the Master of Science in Project Management online program.

Ron Thomas is the first graduate of the Master of Engineering online program.

Tony Munos is appointed coordinator of the Project Management program. Susan Hansen is appointed coordinator of the online Business Administration program.
A new distance education web site is created at www.uwplatt.edu/disted/.

Distance Education receives awards from U.S. News and World Report, Get Educated.com, and AG&H web site review.

Nearly one-third of the teaching faculty/staff at UWP are involved in teaching distance education courses.

A virtual graduation web site and a virtual orientation web site are created.

Online evaluations are made available to students.

UWP celebrates 25 years of offering distance education.

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