Central Michigan University. Innovation and Online History collection, 1970-2015, and undated

Summary

Creator:

Central Michigan University. Office of the President.

Abstract:

This is an incomplete historical collection of audiovisual, digital, and paper-based materials documenting the history of distance learning at Central Michigan University (CMU).

Extent:

7 Cubic ft. in (13 boxes, 1 Oversized Volume)

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by Marian Matyn

Background

Scope and Content:

This is an incomplete historical collection of audiovisual, digital, and paper-based materials documenting the history of distance learning at Central Michigan University (CMU). Papers include CMU publications such as fliers, brochures, reports, and class schedules, correspondence and memos, Memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and contracts for non-Michigan centers and military bases, budgets and financial reports, newsletters, faculty handbooks, and meeting minutes. Audiovisuals include photographs, photograph albums, CDs of images, VHS videotapes, and scrapbooks. Images document faculty, staff, librarians, and students and their families, at various centers working, learning, teaching, being trained, graduating, receiving awards, and attending social events such as Lem Tucker Award ceremonies, commencements, retirement parties, baby showers, and Halloween and Christmas gatherings, Military nurses are uniquely identifiable and documented in the CMU.IPCD Photograph Album, 1982-1988. Photographs also document buildings renovated for CMU purposes, the types of rooms created, how these rooms were equipped, and open houses. Most of the VHS videotapes are CMU-generated promotional and recruitment videos. There are three VHS videotapes of unedited and edited versions of testimonials of CMU students and faculty at the Atlanta, Georgia center, including military members, which were created by Barnes, Chase, and Davis. One video aimed at Detroit Metro recruitment and promotion includes President Mike Rao documents CMU Homecoming for online students and includes two Detroit Spots (short sections or advertisements) which feature John Arnold talking about Terry Faster and Ricardo Solomon, both Detroit CMU alums. Faster and Solomon each make very brief statements about CMU at the end of each spot. All boxes are letter-size and .5 cubic foot boxes unless otherwise specified. The collection is organized alphabetically and by format. The collection is in good physical condition

The strength of this collection is in the documentation of multiple CMU national centers and organizations CMU collaborated with including: Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland; Andrews Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.; Army National Guard, Washington, D.C.; ASIS (American Society for Industrial Security Foundation) in Dallas/Fort Worth Cohort, Texas; Atlanta, Georgia; Central Texas College, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Joint Education Center; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; Fort Detrick, Maryland; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Myers, Virginia; Hawaii; Merrifield, Virginia; the Pentagon; Portugal; Richmond, Virginia; Virginia National Guard (VaNG); Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; and Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Columbus, Ohio. Having functioning air conditioners and photocopiers and getting the garbage picked up regularly in southern locations was sometimes a challenge for CMU, as documented in the Center folders.

For CMU to teach out-of-state and on military bases or locations, CMU signed and gathered approved Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) and agree to follow certain base and building rules approved by the boards of education in various states. CMU faculty, students, librarians, and staff worked with base ESOs or Education Service Officers, as documented in multiple communications. Off Campus Services librarians and staff were crucial to the success of distance faculty, students, and programs documented in the collection.

Michigan centers documented in the collection include Auburn Hills, metro Detroit, Flint, Mott College, Lansing, Livonia, Mount Pleasant, Southfield, and Troy.

Researchers may be interested in related collections documenting the evolution of CMU distance learning at the Clarke Historical Library and Off-Campus Library Services, part of CMU Libraries’ history. Researchers should search under the various names the unit had over time.

Processing Note: Approximately 6 cubic feet of duplicate, unidentified, and poor-quality audiovisuals and papers, including miscellaneous notes and financials, duplicates, reading materials, and materials with social security numbers, were withdrawn during processing. Scattered issues of two newsletters, CMU Communicator and CEL’s On Target, were added to those with the same title already separately cataloged in the Clarke Historical Library.

Biographical / Historical:

Organizational History:

In 1971, Central Michigan University (CMU) established the Institute for Personal and Career Development (IPCD) to coordinate existing off-campus degree delivery programs. This allowed students to take CMU classes at local colleges near military bases or through programs at other bases for transfer college credits. The IPCD became the School of Continuing Education and Community Services, and then the School of Extended Learning (SEL), which shifted its focus to degree programs coordinated by the IPCD. In 1989 SEL became the College of Extended Learning (CEL) which offered extended degree programs, credit courses and educational and professional development programs. Students in these programs were supported by the IPCD Library Program, which was renamed Off-Campus Library Services (OCLS) in 1982. OCLS staff helped students find research sources, photocopying and mailing materials to students before they were available online. The program’s first cohort in a non-English speaking country was in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1991. CEL offered its first internet courses in 1994. CEL celebrated 25 years of distance learning in 1996. In 1999 CEL moved to 80-2 Industrial Drive building in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, near the 127-highway ramp. CEL became the Professional Education “ProfEd” Center for Instructional Design to advocate for online teaching and instruction with its own Student Services call-in center in 2004. In 2012 CEL’s name changed to Global Campus. By 2014 Global Campus had physical sites in George, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Auburn Hills, metro Detroit, Flint, Mott College, Lansing, Livonia, Mount Pleasant, Southfield, and Troy, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, the District of Columbia, and the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. In summer 2022 Global Campus was reimagined into Innovation and Online to focus on flexible learning opportunities, expanded partnerships with business, industry and community organizations to identify and address employee skill gaps, develop stackable degrees and competency-based educational programs, expand non-credit courses, training and workshops to meet the needs of adult learners seeking to reskill throughout their careers, and to build upon CMU’s strong history of serving U.S. Military services members and veterans, as well as launch the new unit’s online presence and assist with marketing it. The first vice president of the unit was Dr. Elizabeth Kirby. (This information is from the collection, predecessor units, and CMU news announcements.)

Acquisition Information:

Acc# 77733

Arrangement:

Arrangement is alpabetical and by format.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Distance education--United States--History.
Distance education--Portugal--History.
Distance education students.
Libraries and distance education.

Names:

Central Michigan University. Innovation and Online.
Central Michigan University. College of Extended Learning.
Central Michigan University. Off-Campus Library Services.
Central Michigan University. Institute for Personal Career Development.
Central Michigan University. Global Campus.
Central Michigan University--History.
Central Michigan University--Commencements.
Central Michigan University--Faculty.
Central Michigan University--Students.
Virginia. National Guard.
Walter Reed Army Hospital (Washington, D.C.)
Mott Community College--History.
Central Texas College--History.
Pentagon (Va.)

Places:

Fort Belvoir (Va.)
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (Ohio)--History.
Joint Base Andrews (Md.)
Fort Worth (Tex.)
Auburn Hills (Mich.)--History..
Detroit (Mich.)--History.
Flint (Mich.)--History.
Lansing (Mich.)--History.
Mount Pleasant (Mich.)--History.
Southfield (Mich.)--History.
Troy (Mich.)--History.
Camp Pendleton (Calif.)
Fort George G. Meade (Md.)
Fort Myer (Va.)