The CSU is making progress towards creating a bigger online presence. In addition to CSULB’s decision to add more e-textbooks for classes, the university has added a virtual viewing room to the University Art Museum.
Now the CSU has announced that it will launch Cal State Online next semester. CSULB has undergone many changes over the years as a result of budget cuts, and has struggled to accommodate its students.
Also, the number of students who apply to CSULB and all 23 CSU campuses increases every year. The decision to create more online options for students was inevitable and it will only bring good things to CSULB and all the CSU campuses.
The goal in developing CSU Online is to promote online courses that already exist and to encourage more students to take them. If more students sign up for online classes, the university will be able to increase the number of students it enrolls, giving more students in California the chance to attend college. If CSU Online catches on, the CSU will encourage its universities to create more online courses and increase enrollment even further.
The program will be in a beta-testing phase during the Fall ’12 semester and, if all goes well, will officially debut during the Spring ’13 semester.
Creating more online classes would be great for CSULB, which has cut classes many times due to budget cuts. These classes will help students meet their degree requirements faster, saving them money in the process.
CSU Online isn’t the only online addition to CSULB, though.
Next fall, e-textbooks will be available to rent at reduced costs. Buying textbooks at the bookstore is a burden on students and so is getting ripped off during Textbook Buyback. Ordering books on Amazon is a popular alternative, but waiting for your books to arrive can be pretty inconvenient. Having the option to rent e-textbooks will be good for CSULB students and not having to carry them around campus is an added plus.
CSULB also just announced a new online collections viewing room in conjunction with the University Art Museum.
The online viewing room will feature work that is currently in the UAM’s vault. The viewing room will allow students who are interested in art to view the pieces at their leisure and within the comfort of their own homes. It’ll also be great for procrastinating. Overall, CSULB’s larger online presence will affect students positively.
Alexis Reza is a senior journalism major and opinions editor for the Daily 49er.
