ICN Users Guide

Roles and Responsibilities: ICN Campus Coordinator

All college and university campuses that list distance education classes and/or programs with ICN have an ICN Coordinator (Campus Coordinator) whose office provides one-stop service for distance learners. Below are some general activities and expectations for individuals filling this role. This document does not prescribe how individual institutions may fill this role, rather it suggests how this role is perceived by other coordinators throughout the state.

The ICN Coordinator:
• is the primary ICN contact at each campus, overseeing the distant learner’s interaction with the following campus offices: admissions, advising, orientation, registrar, financial aid, and bursar.
• establishes contacts and seeks information from other student offices: library, bookstore, disabilities, and other student services offices on campus may need to contact instructors and staff in other campus offices to resolve a student’s question, establish transferability of courses from one campus to another, or plan a path for grade reporting at the end of the course.
• works cooperatively with other ICN Coordinator to assist students (Home and Originating Institutions).
• is able to discuss all the distance programs of your university or college.
• lets existing distance programs on your campus, particularly graduate programs, know you may be getting phone calls for them, and work out arrangements for hand offs.
• ensures that students receive class materials and tests in a timely fashion, and suggest changes for improvement.
• suggests campus offices, faculty, and staff who should know about the Indiana College Network, and work with ICN personnel to make sure materials are sent.
• gets to know other university or college staff working with distance students and maintains a dialogue throughout the semester. Ongoing communication improves on-campus services.
• recognizes when the work becomes too overwhelming in light of your other duties and trains other staff to work with students taking distance courses, or seeks assistance from your IPSE representative.
• attends ICN Meetings or keeps up by reading meeting minutes, email messages, and the At-A-Distance e-newsletter.
• makes your voice heard to make improvements for distance students.
• posts messages to coordinate@ihets.org with class closings, cancellations, and new classes and programs.
• practices civility with all Coordinators who seek answers on a student’s behalf.

One-stop service: The role reflects the goal of all ICN student transactions
Convenience and accessibility are key to the student’s satisfaction with distance education classes and programs. This requires all Coordinators to have answers at their fingertips or know where to look. For example, when forwarding a call, the ICN Coordinator stays on the line with the student until a live person with an answer handles the question. When forwarding an email, the ICN Coordinator copies the student. The ICN Coordinator also makes sure that students know his/her name, phone number, and/or email address before concluding a call or email. And lastly, the ICN Coordinator follows up with students to make sure their needs are met.

REMEMBER: The student’s initial call or email is in lieu of an on-campus visit, so be a friendly open door for your institution. It can make the difference in an additional enrollment and may be the turning point in an adult’s life!

Qualities of an Effective ICN Coordinator

Who can fulfill this role?

An effective ICN Coordinator:

• is optimistic.
• learns new information quickly and easily.
• adapts to changing circumstances with flexibility and a sense of humor.
• practices good organizational and scheduling skills
• advocates on the student’s behalf with awareness of nontraditional students’ complex lives.
• advocates on behalf of ICN institutions for students prepared for success and the integrity of college and university programs.
• seeks answers creatively with ICN and IHETS staff help.
• looks beyond ICN for other postsecondary opportunities if necessary.
• knows the community he or she serves and speaks up for its needs.
• markets distance education programs.
• shares.
• has a fund of experience in education, adult education, training, marketing, and customer service.
• is a can-do, high-energy, achievement-oriented representative who understands the mission.