The institution provides instruction for all course work required for at least one degree program at each level at which it awards degrees. If the institution does not provide instruction for all such course work and (1) makes arrangements for some instruction to be provided by other accredited institutions or entities through contracts or consortia or (2) uses some other alternative approach to meeting this requirement, the alternative approach must be approved by the Commission on Colleges.  In both cases, the institution demonstrates that it controls all aspects of its educational program. (See Commission policy “Core Requirement 2.7.4: Documenting an Alternate Approach.”)

JUDGMENT: Compliant

STATEMENT OF RATIONALE FOR JUDGMENT OF COMPLIANCE

Southwest Texas Junior College provides all instruction for course work necessary for all degrees and certificates. Course requirements are recorded in the Catalog and course offerings are published each semester in the course schedule. Both documents are available on the College website.

On occasion, a student may choose an elective course for which SWTJC does not provide instruction. In those cases, the student may arrange to take the course through the Virtual College of Texas (VCT). The VCT is a State-wide consortium of two-year colleges designed to allow “Host” institutions to transcript courses offered by “Provider” institutions. Students are actually enrolled in “Host” colleges, which are responsible for the quality of instruction and providing all related services.

For example, at this writing SWTJC is not able to offer Physics, which a student may wish to take as an elective or to satisfy a Science requirement. In this event SWTJC, as the “Host” college, contracts with a VCT “Provider” college to make the course available to the student online. The SWTJC Vice President of Academic Affairs confirms the unavailability of the course at SWTJC, reviews the credentials of the “Provider” college’s assigned faculty member, validates the accuracy of the “Provider” course number and title, reviews the course syllabus, and allows or disallows the course via SWTJC documentation. This process is followed for all student requests to enroll in a VCT course.

In a 2007 Memorandum from SACSCO President, Dr. Belle Wheelan, SWTJC was confirmed as an approved institution to participate in the Virtual College of Texas.

Evidence

SWTJC Catalog, 2014-2016, pp. 108-110
SWTJC Course Schedule Fall 2014
SWTJC Website Catalog and Course Schedule
SWTJC VCT Request Form Samples
Commission on Colleges VCT Approval Memorandum, July 12, 2007