HLS 15RS-185 ORIGINAL
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 161
BY REPRESENTATIVE BADON
COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES: Requests public universities to offer all bachelor's degree
programs online
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To urge and request Louisiana's public universities to continue to develop and offer online
3 courses such that all bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely online.
4 WHEREAS, institutions under the management of each public postsecondary
5education management board offer some courses and degree programs online; and
6 WHEREAS, the benefits of online degree programs are numerous, for example,
7students can work at their own pace and schedule, which allows students to more easily
8integrate pursuit of a degree with the rest of their work and family obligations; and
9 WHEREAS, online degree programs also allow students to overcome geographic and
10transportation obstacles by providing the same opportunities to students in other parts of the
11country or world as those available to students who live in the neighborhood of the
12institution, which in turn can dramatically reduce the total cost of completing a degree; and
13 WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognized the importance of reducing
14geographic limitations to student learning in passing Act No. 13 of the 2014 Regular Session
15of the Legislature, which authorizes the Board of Regents to enter reciprocity agreements
16with other states such that online instruction from an institution in one state can be offered
17in other states; and
18 WHEREAS, though the number of available online courses at Louisiana's public
19universities and the popularity of such courses have grown tremendously over the past
20several years, there are still few opportunities for students to complete a bachelor's degree
21entirely online; and
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HCR NO. 161
1 WHEREAS, many of the advantages of online courses are lost if a student cannot
2complete a bachelor's degree entirely with such courses because eventually the student will
3have to arrange to be on campus, to work around fixed-time course offerings, and to pay the
4personal and financial costs associated therewith, or he or she will not be able to complete
5a degree and will not have a credential to show for the work that was done.
6 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
7urge and request Louisiana's public universities to continue to develop and offer online
8courses such that all bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely online.
9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted
10to the chairman of the Board of Regents for distribution to all Louisiana public
11postsecondary institutions that offer bachelor's degrees.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 161 Original 2015 Regular Session Badon
Requests public universities to continue to develop and offer online courses such that all
bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely online.
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