Governance Structure

SMU's online education governance model separates authority, standards, execution, and funding across four defined layers — ensuring that strategic decisions, quality coordination, operational delivery, and resource accountability are each housed with the appropriate institutional actors.

 

Authority & Strategy

Council for Online Education (COE)

Joint Governance · Academic Affairs & OIT · Quarterly or as necessary · Est. 2022

Executive governance over online education strategy, institutional policy, quality standards, production resource allocation, and compliance. Receives reports from the FTC Online Education Sub-Committee and OPS; documents resource and policy decisions.

 

Standards & Coordination

FTC Online Education Sub-Committee

Faculty Oversight · School Representatives · Monthly · Within FTC since 2022 (formerly OESTE)

Operational advisory body with broad school representation. Coordinates production standards, facilitates cross-institutional communication, surfaces issues for escalation to COE, and provides feedback on policies and processes. Does not set institutional priorities or manage production work.

 

Execution & Reporting

OIT — Online Production Services (OPS)

Operational · OIT Academic Technology Services · Ongoing

Manages online course production, QM reviews and reporting, capacity and pipeline management, and faculty certification and training. Supervises both centralized and school-funded online production staff. Reports compliance and quality data to COE and to the FTC Online Education Sub-Committee.

Funding & Accountability

Schools & Colleges

Academic & Fiscal · Individual Schools · Ongoing

Fund most online production staffing positions. Retain academic accountability for program quality and compliance. Make program and faculty decisions. Appoint school representatives to the FTC Online Education Sub-Committee. Coordinate with OPS, COE, and OIT.