Oregon State, Eastern Oregon see growth in online programs

(AP) — In 2002, Oregon State University's distance education program looked sort of like a Blockbuster video store.

The school had a storage room in Corvallis with lectures on VHS tapes, which staff would mail to students enrolled at OSU who rarely set foot on the main campus.

Students take courses from the same professors who would lecture in Corvallis or La Grande and have easy access to advisers and other campus services.

Eastern Oregon University, the state's smallest public school situated in rural La Grande, is also all-in for online education.

The university says it's a hybrid model, where students can go to one of the 11 centers for some coursework if they desire, or to meet face-to-face with faculty or staff, depending on the location or program.

Insko said the school, which has endured enrollment declines and numerous leadership changes, is trying to offer more options for students to finish degrees.

Coursework is vetted through the same academic process as other classes, and instructors go through training with Templeton's staff to develop online curriculum.