ENROLLED
2015 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 161
BY REPRESENTATIVE BADON
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request Louisiana's public colleges and universities to continue to develop and
offer online courses such that all bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely online.
WHEREAS, institutions under the management of each public postsecondary
education management board offer some courses and degree programs online; and
WHEREAS, the benefits of online degree programs are numerous; for example,
students can work at their own pace and schedule, which allows students to more easily
integrate pursuit of a degree with the rest of their work and family obligations; and
WHEREAS, online degree programs also allow students to overcome geographic and
transportation obstacles by providing the same opportunities to students in other parts of the
country or world as those available to students who live in the neighborhood of the
institution, which in turn can dramatically reduce the total cost of completing a degree; and
WHEREAS, the Legislature of Louisiana recognized the importance of reducing
geographic limitations to student learning in passing Act No. 13 of the 2014 Regular Session
of the Legislature, which authorizes the Board of Regents to enter into reciprocity
agreements with other states such that online instruction from an institution in one state can
be offered in other states; and
WHEREAS, although the number of available online courses at Louisiana's public
colleges and universities and the popularity of such courses have grown tremendously over
the past several years, there are still few opportunities for students to complete a bachelor's
degree entirely online; and
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WHEREAS, many of the advantages of online courses are lost if a student cannot
complete a bachelor's degree entirely with such courses, because eventually the student will
have to arrange to be on campus, to work around fixed-time course offerings, and to pay the
personal and financial costs associated therewith, or he or she will not be able to complete
a degree and will not have a credential to show for the work that was done.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
urge and request Louisiana's public universities to continue to develop and offer online
courses such that all bachelor's degrees can be completed entirely online.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
chairman of the Board of Regents for distribution to all Louisiana public postsecondary
institutions that offer bachelor's degrees.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
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