Application of Online Ocean Studies and Weather Studies at New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs, New Mexico

As a means to continue to serve our online community, New Mexico Junior College (NMJC) has partnered with the American Meteorology Society to provide an online Ocean Studies & Weather Studies course. NMJC is a rural community college in SE New Mexico. It is a Hispanic serving institution with an enrollment of about 2700 students. Ocean Studies was first introduced in fall of 2007. Weather studies was introduced in spring of 2007. Following a probationary period these courses were approved by our Curriculum Committee as a permanent schedule listing in early spring 2009. NMJC was using WebCT as our online delivery system for all online courses, up to summer of 2009. In fall 2009, all New Mexico State Colleges and Schools (K-12) switched over to Blackboard Vista. This will make online courses more available now to high school students as well as the traditional college student.