2/10/21

FHSU Online – the distance education arm of Fort Hays State University – continues to meet the strict requirements of membership in the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA). The association recently announced that Fort Hays State had earned certification for a period to run through 2021.

The USDLA is a nonprofit distance learning association whose work focuses on supporting distance learning research, development, and praxis across the complete arena of education, training, and communications.

In the fall of 2019, FHSU met the exhaustive, 120-standard assessment process for membership in USDLA and became one of only six USDLA-certified institutions in the world during 2020. Qualities that make USDLA membership so exclusive are a thorough annual review that requires extensive reporting on all areas of online education at the university.

“Membership in the USDLA shows that FHSU’s online programs go beyond their many accreditations to satisfy more than 100 additional standards and benchmarks,” said Dr. Greg Atkins, interim assistant director of FHSU Online. “Only a few dozen institutions in the world meet such stringent requirements. What a testimony to the caliber of dedication and skill of FHSU’s Online faculty, students, staff and alumni.”

About FHSU Online

Fort Hays State, founded in 1902, entered into distance education in 1911 when faculty voted to offer courses free by mail so that one-room school teachers across western Kansas could afford to pursue the continuing education required to teach. The distance education department created then evolved continuously with changing technology and culture. In 1997, the Department of Continuing Education and Instructional Technology became the FHSU Virtual College, which was renamed FHSU Online in 2020.