Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels
Since his selection by the Purdue University Board of Trustees in June, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels has been a polarizing figure for the college. His appointment sparked protests, petitions, and accusations of unethical practices on the parts of both Daniels and the Purdue board.
Daniels’ high-profile has brought additional scrutiny to Purdue and turned even, relatively, minor day-to-day occurrence, like remodeling, into headline grabbing news stories. So it comes as no surprise that when Daniels issued a policy statement it would receive a mixed reaction on the Purdue campus.
The governor recently indicated< that one of his goals is to increase the amount of online classes offered by Purdue. While the university currently offers 60 courses online, 34 of which are lower division undergraduate classes, it only has one online undergraduate degree—an associate degree in veterinary technology.
Purdue also offers 20 master’s degrees and seven graduate certificates online. Some members of Purdue’s faculty and student body are urging caution as the administration attempts to take traditional classes online, reported Purdue’s student newspaper The Exponent. Additionally, some of the Purdue community expressed skepticism about Daniels’ motives for increasing online programs.
Stephanie Gardner, a continuing lecturer in the College of Science, told The Exponent that she was concerned that the push to take more core curriculum classes online was not based on a desire to benefit students, but to “push them through their core classes quickly.”
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