Fort Valley State University News September 8, 2010 Warner Robins Center adds recruitment, financial aid professionals The number of Fort Valley State University online students over two years is testament to two things: going back to school is not limited by your ability to commute and FVSU has online programs people want. The program’s enrollment has increased by 32 percent: from 496 students in spring 2008 to 732 students, spring 2010. “FVSU has stepped up in online-only classes,” said senior criminal justice student W. Allen Wigington from Jasper, Ga. “WIMBA Pronto software allows students and staff to chat at convenient times, and it provides meaningful feedback to the student in real time. WIMBA Pronto is the best tool for online learning support I’ve ever seen.” To help serve the growing number of online students, the college has hired two additional staff members at the Warner Robins Center on Osigian Boulevard. Ashley Ballard is the new director of distance education advisement and enrollment. Belinda Oates will serve as distance education student support specialist. “I’m excited about providing a much-needed service to our distance education students,” Ballard said. “We hope to reconnect with the Robins Air Force Base and enhance our enrollment.” Ballard served in a number of positions in recruitment and advisement before becoming director of advisement. “I am very happy to have Mr. Ballard join us,” said Anna Holloway, dean of graduate studies and extended education. “I have worked with him in a number of capacities involving enrollment and retention, and I know he will go all the way to provide service and assistance to online students.” For the one-stop shop at the FVSU Warner Robins Center, Belinda Oates will serve as distance education student support specialist. Oates, who worked as a financial aid counselor at FVSU before resigning to pursue a graduate degree, will provide information to the public and assist enrolling students in Warner Robins. She also will assist online students with financial aid. Ballard and Oates also will review transfer students’ transcripts and serve as points of contact for military students and dependents (their spouses and children who are under 23 years old) and other adults students. The rapid increase of online students has created the need for more training, online course evaluation, and communication between faculty, staff, and online platform providers. Karen Watson, assistant professor of mathematics and assistant coordinator of online instruction, is taking on the additional role of part-time online services administrator. Watson assists students, provides online orientation, conducts training for faculty and staff, and oversees online course evaluation. With the addition of Ballard and Oates and the expanded responsibilities of Watson, seven staff members are now spending at least part of their time serving online, Warner Robins, military, and adult students. Dean Holloway serves as coordinator of online instruction; Paul Small is a full-time instructional designer; Dr. Jean Wacaster, associate dean of education, coordinates adult learning; and Christina Jones assists veterans in the financial aid office. Ballard will divide his time at the FVSU Warner Robins Center while continuing as director of advisement on the main campus in Fort Valley. Ballard will be the main point-of-contact for students in online programs. FVSU currently has online bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice, political science, psychology, and technical/professional writing and an online master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and case management. For more information, please contact regarding FVSU’s online programs contact Ballard at (478) 953-3911 or ballarda@fvsu.edu<mailto:ballarda@fvsu.edu>. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Program Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 404.592.4820 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/meeting-form.html for the October 24-26, 2010 HBCU Library Alliance 4th Membership Meeting and the "Conference on Advocacy" pre-conference in Montgomery, AL. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.