R 050900Z MAR 98 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//M&RA//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N01560//
ALMAR 090/98
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MHE//
SUBJ/OFF-DUTY VOLUNTARY EDUCATION ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS OFFERED
/VIA THE MARINE CORPS SATELLITE EDUCATION NETWORK (MCSEN)//
RMKS/1.  THE MOBILE NATURE OF OUR LIFESTYLE CHALLENGES OUR MARINES'
ABILITY TO COMPLETE ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS IN THE TRADITIONAL
MANNER.  IN AN EFFORT TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR
MARINES, WE NOW OFFER ACADEMIC DEGREE PROGRAMS VIA THE MARINE CORPS
SATELLITE EDUCATION NETWORK (MCSEN) THAT ENABLE MORE EFFICIENT DEGREE
COMPLETION, MORE EFFICIENT USE OF TUITION ASSISTANCE, AND OFFER
DEGREE PROGRAMS THAT MAY NOT BE LOCALLY ACCESSIBLE TO MARINES FROM
THEIR DUTY STATION.
2.  EFFECTIVE 24 DEC 97, THE MCSEN COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACT WAS
AWARDED TO MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY (MSU)/HINDS COMMUNITY COLLEGE
(HCC).  MSU/HCC ARE ACCREDITED BY THE SOUTHERN ASSOCIATION OF
COLLEGES AND SCHOOLS.  ADDITIONALLY, MSU'S MBA PROGRAM IS ACCREDITED
BY THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MANAGEMENT EDUCATION, FORMERLY
THE AMERICAN ASSEMBLY OF COLLEGIATE SCHOOLS OF BUSINESS.  THE
FOLLOWING
MCSEN PROGRAMS WILL BE OFFERED BY MSU/HCC.
   A.  MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION.
   B.  BACHELOR DEGREE IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT.
   C.  ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE.
   D.  ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN GENERAL STUDIES/LIBERAL ARTS.
3.  MCSEN IS A NETWORK OF TWO-WAY INTERACTIVE "REAL TIME"
VIDEO-TELECONFERENCING SYSTEMS LINKING MARINE CORPS EDUCATION CENTERS
AROUND THE WORLD.  THROUGH THIS LINKAGE, MCSEN TRANSFORMS MARINE
CORPS EDUCATION CENTERS INTO ONE WORLDWIDE COLLEGE CAMPUS ALLOWING
MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS TO ENROLL IN COLLEGE
CLASSES AND COMPLETE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS REGARDLESS OF DUTY STATION.
4.  PRIOR TO INITIAL DELIVERY OF MCSEN COURSES, A STRATEGIC TEAM
BUILDING AND TRAINING INITIATIVE BETWEEN BASE/STATION EDUCATION
SERVICES OFFICERS (ESOS) AND MSU/HCC PERSONNEL WILL BE HELD 20-23
APRIL 98 AT THE HCC EAGLE RIDGE CONFERENCE CENTER IN RAYMOND, MS.
THIS JOINT TRAINING AND TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITY WILL:
   A.  PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE BRIEFING AND TRAINING FOR ESOS AND
MSU/HCC PERSONNEL REGARDING MCSEN COLLEGE UNIVERSITY CONTRACT AND
MARINE CORPS VOLUNTARY OFF-DUTY DISTANCE EDUCATION PLAN.
   B.  ACQUAINT MARINE CORPS ESOS WITH MSU/HCC DISTANCE EDUCATION
PROGRAM POLICIES, ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES AND STRATEGIES FOR
DELIVERING VIDEO-TELECONFERENCING EDUCATION PROGRAMS TO MARINES AND
THEIR FAMILY MEMBERS.
   C.  DEFINE AND CLARIFY ESO RESPONSIBILITIES RELATIVE TO MCSEN
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACT.
   D.  ALLOW MARINE CORPS ESO AND MSU/HCC PERSONNEL TO PARTICIPATE
IN JOINT TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE WORKING PARTNERSHIPS
FOR SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY OF VIDEO-TELECONFERENCING DISTANCE EDUCATION
PROGRAMS.
5.  REQUEST ALL ESOS AND OTHER PERSONNEL WHO HAVE RESPONSIBILITY FOR
COORDINATING OR DIRECTLY SUPPORTING DELIVERY OF MCSEN
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CLASSES ON THEIR INSTALLATION ATTEND THIS EVENT.
ESOS WHOSE MISSION REQUIREMENTS PRECLUDE THEIR ATTENDANCE WILL BE
PROVIDED TRAINING VIA ON-SITE VISITS AND/OR VIDEO-TELECONFERENCING
AT A LATER DATE.
6.  FOL ARE MCSEN COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACT RESPONSIBILITIES OF
BASE/STATION COMMANDERS AND ESO.
   A.  ATTEND AND ASSIST IN SCHEDULING INITIAL JOINT EDUCATION
BRIEFINGS WITH CMC(MHE) AND MSU/HCC PERSONNEL.
   B.  PROVIDE MSU EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL PRIORITY ACCESS TO MCSEN
CLASSROOM TO PERFORM AND COMPLETE INITIAL SET-UP REQUIREMENTS
AND TO DELIVER COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY PROGRAM.
   C.  WHEN AVAILABLE, PROVIDE MSU A SECURE STORAGE SPACE FOR
MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.
   D.  ASSIGN A POC FOR MCSEN PROGRAMS THAT IS READILY AVAILABLE TO
ASSIST CMC(MHE) MSU/HCC AND PERSONNEL WITH INITIAL MCSEN
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACT SET-UP REQUIREMENTS AS WELL AS MCSEN
ADMINISTRATION AND COORDINATION FOR DURATION OF THE
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACT.
   E.  DISSEMINATE RELEVANT INFORMATION ABOUT MSU/HCC PROGRAMS
THROUGH THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND LOCAL PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICES.
7.  DELIVERY OF MCSEN COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS BEGINS IN APRIL.
8.  VOLUNTARY EDUCATION PROGRAMS SUCH AS TUITION ASSISTANCE, G.I.
BILL, FINANCIAL AID, ETC. ARE APPLICABLE TO MCSEN DELIVERED COURSES
IN ACCORDANCE WITH ELIGIBILITY AND POLICY REQUIREMENTS OF THOSE
PROGRAMS.
9.  MARINES OR FAMILY MEMBERS INTERESTED IN ATTENDING MSU/HCC CLASSES
SHOULD CONTACT LOCAL BASE/STATION EDUCATION OFFICE.
10.  FOL MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS ARE CURRENTLY PART OF THE MCSEN
WORLDWIDE COLLEGE CAMPUS:
   CONUS INSTALLATIONS
MCB QUANTICO, VA                      MCRD SAN DIEGO, CA
MCRD PARRIS ISLAND, SC                MCAGCC 29 PALMS, CA
MCLB ALBANY, GA                       MCLB BARSTOW, CA
MCB CAMP LEJEUNE, NC                  MCAS YUMA, AZ
MCAS CHERRY POINT, NC                 MCB KANEOHE BAY, HI
MCAS BEAUFORT, SC                     MCB CAMP PENDLETON, CA
HQMC ARLINGTON, VA                    * MCAS EL TORO, CA
*THE MCSEN SYSTEM LOCATED AT MCAS EL TORO IS PLANNED TO BE MOVED TO
MCAS MIRAMAR DURING THE FIRST QUARTER OF FY99.
   OCONUS INSTALLATIONS
MCAS IWAKUNI, JA
MCB CAMP COURTNEY, OKINAWA, JA
MCB CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA, JA
MCAS FUTENMA, OKINAWA, JA
MCB CAMP KINSER, OKINAWA, JA
11.  OFF DUTY EDUCATION IS A WIN-WIN FOR OUR MARINES, FAMILIES AND
THE CORPS.  UNITS THAT EMPHASIZE OFF-DUTY EDUCATION, REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER THE MARINE IS ASHORE OR ON DEPLOYMENT, EXPERIENCE FEWER
PROBLEMS WITH ALCOHOL RELATED INCIDENTS, FAMILY VIOLENCE, AND
INDEBTEDNESS, AND MARINES DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE.
COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUPPORT THEIR MARINES' PARTICIPATION IN
THESE EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  IF YOU HAVE NOT VISITED YOUR LOCAL
EDUCATION CENTER, VISIT SOON TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE MCSEN COURSES
AND OTHER AVAILABLE PROGRAMS.
12.  POC FOR MCSEN ACADEMIC PROGRAMS IS MR. GREG SHIELDS, MCSEN
PROGRAM MANAGER AND MCSEN COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY CONTRACTING OFFICER
REPRESENTATIVE, OR MS. CATHERINE MAHONEY, MCSEN PROGRAM
COORDINATOR AND TECHNICAL DIRECTOR, DSN 278-5722 OR COML
(703)784-5722.//
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