8/14/2019 TeleCampus Persuasive Letter
1/1
Matthew Guay
1155 North Highway 67
Cedar Hill, TX 75104
[email protected]
February 25, 2009
Dr. Darcy Hardy, Executive Director UT TeleCampus
The University of Texas System702 Colorado Street, Suite
4.100
Austin, TX 78701
Dear Dr. Hardy:
I am a Sophomore student with UTPA, and I have studied
exclusively through TeleCampus. I have
done most of my courses from Thailand, where my parents are
missionaries. TeleCampus is a greatsystem and enabled me to pursue
my dreams even from another country. I am writing in regards to
some policy changes that I believe would improve TeleCampus.
Though I've enjoyed studying through
TeleCampus, I feel that TeleCampus needs to make a few changes
to its system to make it moreaccessible to current students and to
attract new students in the future.
The largest problem with TeleCampus is the lack of communication
between campuses. Tuition had tobe paid at each campus separately,
and then leftover grant and scholarship funds were refunded to
me
by my home campus. Each campus also charged student fees such as
registration, athletic activities,
and foreign exchange fees. Although some fees were waived after
I appealed them, it was a hassle that
seemed unnecessary. Then, each campus required separate email
addresses and login credentials fortheir school's website. Also
getting approved for classes that required prerequisites was very
difficult
due to lack of communication between campuses.
I believe many of these problems could be solved by making
TeleCampus exist as its own virtual
campus in the UT system. Instead of a traditional campus, it
would simply handle all the services for
its students. The classes could still be taught through the
other UT system campuses, but the processwould be invisible to the
students. This way, a student enrolled in TeleCampus would have
a
TeleCampus email and password, and all payments, grants, and
scholarships would go to TeleCampus
and then be distributed out to the other UT campuses. This would
make it much easier and less
confusing for students and faculty alike, and would save
everyone time and money.
Finally I believe that TeleCampus can and should increase the
amount of classes and degree programs
that are offered. I believe that the classes I have taken have
been as good as their on-site equivalents.Although I would prefer
to finish my degree with UT, I am going to be transferring to the
University of
Phoenix this summer because they offer a software engineering
degree fully online. I hope that in the
future this will be possible through TeleCampus, and I firmly
believe that the ideas I presented in thisletter could help
TeleCampus grow to be one of the largest campuses in the UT
system.
Sincerely,Matthew Guay
c. Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., Chancellor, The University of
Texas System
