Faculty Handbook – Online Course Policy
Online courses are offered at the discretion of the University. TCU courses taught online (synchronous and asynchronous) require sufficiently prepared faculty. This policy informs academic unit leaders and faculty on what is expected of TCU online courses and faculty in terms of mandated regulations (compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Regular and Substantive Interaction (RSI)), university procedures, and best practices for online courses. It solidifies TCU’s goal to provide online students with fair and equitable learning opportunities and online courses that are equivalent in rigor and excellence to on-campus courses at TCU. Online courses must comply with:
- Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 34 section 600.2 on Regular and Substantive Interactions mandate for distance education, section 668 on student assistance
- Americans with Disabilities Act of Section 508 on preventing barriers to students with disabilities
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) on protecting privacy of student education records
- National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) on interstate distance education and consumer protection
- Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) Title 19 Chapter 4 Subchapter 9 on approval of distance education courses in Texas
- Council of Regional Accrediting Commissions (C-RAC) on navigating accreditation standards, policies, and guidelines related to distance education.
TCU online best practices are informed by Quality Matters Standards.
Access the entire Online Course Policy here.
Implemented by Faculty Affairs in 2021. Revised January 19, 2024. Included in the Faculty Handbook summer 2024.
Formerly called Distance Learning and Web-Enhanced Course Policy.