Has anyone had recent experience with distance education at Texas Tech University? After discovering what appeared to be a great opportunity in Plant & Soil Science (PSS) at both the undergraduate and graduate level, I applied as an undergrad. nondegree student to try a few courses. I already have two degrees, one related to this program. I sent a few emails to the distance advisor in PSS, an associate professor. I always received prompt answers to my questions and was encouraged to take a course (a graduate one of her own) and consider the graduate program. I asked if I would be able to register if I wasn't official by the deadline for spring '09, was told that I could and was given the name of an assistant advisor in the department who could handle things. This person was copied on the email. As the term neared, I telephoned the assistant advisor regarding registration and left a voicemail message. I followed-up on the same day with an email. I never received a response, so sent another email a week later. Still nothing. Then I emailed the distance advisor and was told that the assistant advisor had no record of any email from me (or, presumably, the email copied by her or my telephone message). Did I have the correct address? Well, it's the only one on their Web pages and none of them bounced back. But they couldn't help me anyway due to "the security currently in place." I was told to call another office. I was at work and not able to, so I forwarded the email discussion and asked if anyone would be able to assist me at that point (near the end of the add/drop period). I also copied the faculty graduate advisor in the department. To this day, nothing. The admissions office won't respond to my email either. I wanted to change my address but couldn't because the Web portal for everything Texas Tech--Raiderlink--would be more appropriately called Errorlink. Ironically, one of the few good links exists solely to highlight the importance of keeping one's address current. The site has been a wreck since at least November. Needless to say, I'm very disappointed at the outcome. I'd be paying cash up-front at out-of-state rates; you'd think someone would take a few minutes to get that four-figure payment. I'm out nearly $100.00 (the application fee and fees for seven official transcripts), with no idea how long it takes to achieve nondegree status...no one will respond.
Yikes. I live in Texas and I know a mass quantity of people that have graduated from Tech with every degree imaginable. Of course, they all went on-site. I would never expect something like this from Tech and they're very highly regarded. Sounds like someone (or some people) dropped the ball big-time. Definitely e-mail the upper echelon (you might even call) and see if it gets you anywhere. Good luck with all of this. - 27
I emailed Texas Tech President Guy Bailey this evening and promptly received the following reply: The recipient's mailbox is full and can't accept messages now. Microsoft Exchange will not try to redeliver this message for you. Please try resending this message later, or contact the recipient directly. I am not making this up. What a disgrace!
Maybe they are bitter about losing to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl and decided to pack it in and close up shop.
Since I have been on the other side of this point I won't say much. Congratulations, enjoy the win, it was a good one.
Wow, most all of my family have graduated from TTU (and 2nd TAMU), except me (though I am named for Miss Texas Tech of the late 50's). I know TTU to be an excellent school, etc. as I have kin there right now. I'd keep calling. In fact, I'm interested to see how this turns out because I thought about taking a distance course from them but I thought the price was kind of high. I'm also 2 hours away from one of their extension campus'. Nana (Revis)
I am south of Junction about 100 miles on Hwy. 83. I can actually make it to Fredericksburg in just a little over 2 hours and they have a campus there also.
While President Bailey's mailbox may have been full (see my post above), the College of Outreach and Distance Education's (CODE) Marketing Director's wasn't, and it was to her that my email went. I received a lengthy reply today, as did the prof. that until today was the only person I've been able to contact, and 10 (yes, ten) other people copied on the email. I'll research who they all are tomorrow. While CODE may at first glance seem to be exactly where I should be, it's actually not. To quote their Web page, "Texas Tech offers both non-semester-based, independent study (administered by the College of Outreach & Distance Education) and semester-based undergraduate courses." Translation: Nothing that I would ever do at TTU would fall under their administration. Anyway... The marketing director feels that I applied as an undergrad. in error, even though that's all I could have done to have been able to take a course on relatively short notice. So sure is she that she contacted the Graduate School to see if my undergrad. application could be transferred to them. Not surprisingly, it can't be. I won't bore you all even more with a summary of the rest of the grad. school presentation. To make matters worse, I wasn't looking to take a graduate course. That a faculty member would suggest one to a nongraduate student with a related degree doesn't seem odd. As far as I am aware, it's allowable by TTU's stated policy. In any case, it was the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources call to make, not CODE's--retroactively. And if I'd been told that I couldn't take any course until I was formally admitted, that would have been fine. Except that... As far as TTU is concerned, it's my fault that I wasn't admitted due to not supplying a high school transcript. To quote just one of several relevant lines from Admission's transfer info., "An unofficial high school transcript is necessary for academic advising, but not required for admission." Trust me, I more than meet the 12-hour requirement for this exemption. On the rare ocassions I was able to see a chart of what Admissions was expecting to log in (Raiderlink, mentioned in an earlier post) I noticed that a high school transcript was listed. I emailed Admissions but like all of my emails, never received a reply. Wouldn't one expect to get some sort of notification that they were still waiting for something after months have passed? As far as why both Web portals--Raiderlink and TechSIS--that provide access to student records, registration, etc. have been unusable for months, no explanation was offered. These sites are used by all TTU students, so there seems to be something amiss. But then again if no one responds to questions or has any idea what the university's policies are, maybe not.
You seem to be mirroring a few horror stories I had while finishing up my degree through Excelsior. I needed a few upper level courses and decided to attend a local University. I applied as a non-degree student taking online courses. You would have thought I asked them to solve world hunger. It literally took a small army of people to finally figure out how to get me properly registered. I honestly think many B&M school simply stick the wrong people in areas that see little traffic and thing's fall through the crack. Just my 2c.
I had the complete opposite experience with Penn State's distance learning/world campus department. They have been fantastic and were super nice every step of the way. They have distance education figured out. I'm sorry to hear of your issues at Texas Tech. Hopefully you'll get some resolution so you can take the classes are you interested in.
I had the same experience trying to get enrolled and accepted into Western New Mexico University. Many conversations would start with "I'd like to enroll in your online Master of Arts program" and the more often than not reply was "we have an online program?" Yeah, the conversations usually went downhill from there.
