WAOL+Instruction+Fee+Research

We recommend using the following formula to determine the Instruction Fee for shared courses on WAOL:

(X * Y%)/45 = Instruction Fee X = average cost per FTE for all CTCs Y = average percentage of what each CTC spends on faculty salaries

The State Board will provide information for the variables (X and Y) after they run their numbers around November each year.

The numbers from last November produce the following result: ($6,798 * 45.7%)/45 = $69.03 Since the Instruction Fee has not been updated in quite some time the cost provided by the formula above is much higher than the current fee. To eliminate a large jump in fees we have provided a couple of options that will bring the fee up to a more accurate level over time:

Option 1 – Increase the instruction fee by $10/year until it matches the value provided by the formula (approximately 2 years). Then use formula value for each year after. Option 2 – Increase the instruction fee by $5/year until it matches the value provided by the formula (approximately 4 years). Then use formula value for each year after.

Research
Instruction Fee The WAOL __ instruction __ fee remains $50 per credit per enrollment. This fee passes directly from the college that enrolled the student to the college that hired the instructor, and it applies only to classes that have shared enrollments. WAOL will continue to use the established WAOL count day to calculate the instruction fee that enrolling colleges must pay to teaching colleges. The instruction fee process works like this: · WAOL sends an invoice to each college that enrolled students in system-owned shared courses. · The enrolling college pays WAOL $50 per credit per enrollment. · WAOL tells colleges that hired an instructor for system-owned shared courses how many enrollments remain in each classroom on the Count Day. · Once WAOL has received funds from the enrolling colleges, WAOL pays the teaching college. · The entire $50 per credit passes through to the teaching college. · The billing process does not calculate a college’s total revenue or charge if the college has both students enrolled in system-owned shared courses and instructors teaching system-owned shared courses. Enrolling colleges are charged for all enrollments—even those taught by their own instructors. If the college is also the teaching college, it will collect the funds as the teaching college. In this way, there is no net gain or loss for the college. · WAOL has contracted with Pierce College to manage the billing transactions. · For college-owned shared courses, WAOL provides the teaching college with a roster of enrollments from the Count Day, and the teaching college bills the enrolling college $50 per credit per enrollment. The only change here is that WAOL does not stand in the middle of this process. The transactions are between the teaching college and the enrolling colleges. Instruction Fee for Shared Courses: This is a pass-through fee charged to the enrolling college and sent in full to the teaching college for shared courses. The current fee is $40 per credit per enrollment, and that fee was based on the average cost in 1998 to offer one credit across the system. This fee is intended to cover instructor salary only. For a five-credit class, that means $200 per enrollment. If we were to do a similar calculation today, it would look like this: CTC’s spent $6256 per FTE 47.2% was spent for faculty salaries, which equals $2952.8 per FTE At 45 credits per FTE, that is $65.60 per credit. $6256 x .472 divided by 45 = $65.60 The E learning Council will be asking the Instruction Commission to raise the instruction fee next year. The ELC recommendation is that the fee be raised $10 per credit per enrollment next year and $10 each of the following years. $40 to $50 to $60 to $70 by 2010-11.
 * 1) Poll eLearning directors to see who (full time/adjunct) is teaching on WAOL for colleges. Also adjunct, moonlight and average full time cost. Does the current model work for college that teach on WAOL? [|Poll Results]
 * 2) Adjust formula to represent this population
 * 3) Factor in benefits
 * From WAOL Report to Instruction Commission Spring 2008**



A second proposal was brought forward by the eLearning Council related to instruction fees for shared courses hosted through WAOL. The proposal relates to the instruction fee only, not the technology fee. The instruction fee is currently $40 per credit and colleges are running at a loss. The actual cost is closer to $65.60 per credit. The eLearning Council proposes a compromise to increase the instruction fee for shared courses hosted through WAOL to $50 per credit starting July 1, 2008. //Patti McKeown moved and Jean Hernandez seconded the motion to accept the instruction fee increase to $50 per credit with the intent of more study for a better model that supports the system. Seventeen members approved, three opposed, one abstention. Motion carried.//
 * From Instruction Commission meeting minutes, May 2008 **