About Us

The Division of Digital Learning at Lamar University stands at the forefront of digital education excellence, bringing together comprehensive faculty and student support through two key units: the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning (CITL) and LU Online Advising.

Under the umbrella of Academic Innovation and Quality Assurance, we drive continuous improvement in digital teaching practices, embrace emerging technologies including generative AI, and maintain high standards of academic excellence. Together, these integrated services demonstrate our unwavering commitment to advancing digital learning and ensuring success for both faculty and students in the modern educational landscape.

Our Mission

The Division of Digital Learning at Lamar University is committed to advancing the institution's academic mission by:

Cultivating a culture of innovation in teaching and learning across all modalities.
Providing comprehensive support for faculty in course design, delivery, and assessment.
Enhancing student success through targeted online advising, support for creation of quality courses, training in evidence-based instructional techniques, and cutting-edge educational technologies.
Leading the integration of artificial intelligence in education to improve learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness.
Fostering collaboration across university departments to create a seamless digital learning ecosystem.
Assisting in ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements for distance education, including student authentication, privacy protection, and financial aid regulations in collaboration with the appropriate university departments.

Our Vision

To be a driving force for positive change and support at Lamar University, by pioneering innovative digital learning experiences that empower faculty and students, foster academic excellence, and prepare graduates for success in an increasingly digital world.

Our Strategic Objectives

Elevate Instructional Quality and Innovation

Implement and maintain rigorous course quality standards through Quality Matters and internal evaluation processes.
Provide state-of-the-art instructional design support for online and face-to-face courses.
Continuously assess and incorporate new educational technologies to improve the quality of teaching and learning.
Ensure all distance education courses and programs are coherent, complete, and comparable in academic rigor to on-campus offerings.

Empower Faculty Excellence

Deliver comprehensive faculty development programs covering teaching, learning, research, and service that support faculty retention, tenure, and promotion.
Offer specialized training and support for online course development and delivery.
Provide guidance, peer assessment, and resources for faculty evaluation, tenure, and promotion processes.
Develop and implement clear evaluation criteria specific to distance education faculty, ensuring these are communicated to faculty at the start of their online teaching assignments.

Enhance Student Success

Implement proactive online advising strategies to support student retention and completion.
Ensure accessibility and support in all digital learning environments, in compliance with federal and state accessibility requirements.
Use data analytics to identify and address student needs and improve learning outcomes.
Ensure distance education students have equitable access to learning resources, including libraries, laboratories, and equipment appropriate to their academic programs.
Provide comprehensive orientation programs for distance education students, covering technology requirements, available support services, and strategies for success in online learning environments.

Lead in Educational Technology Integration

Maintain and optimize the learning management system to support various teaching methods.
Provide expert support for the use of educational technology throughout the university.
Manage and negotiate educational technology contracts to ensure cost-effectiveness and alignment with institutional goals.

Pioneer Artificial Intelligence in Education

Develop and implement a comprehensive AI strategy for the university in coordination with University committees and various divisions, colleges, departments, and offices.
Assist in the creation of policies, procedures, and guidelines for ethical AI use in educational contexts.
House said policies, procedures, and guidelines for public consumption.
Provide training and support for faculty and staff on AI applications in teaching, learning, and administration.

Foster Cross-Institutional Collaboration

Work closely with key university offices including but not limited to Registrar, IT, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Institutional Research, etc.
Align digital learning initiatives with accreditation requirements and institutional goals.
Collaborate on data-driven decision-making to improve educational outcomes and operational efficiency.
Work with the Financial Aid office to ensure compliance with federal student financial aid requirements for distance education programs.
Where appropriate, actively participate in ensuring the effectiveness and quality of courses/programs offered through consortial arrangements or contractual agreements for distance education.

Ensure Operational Excellence

Manage incentive programs and support services for large online classes and quality assessment initiatives.
Oversee the production of high-quality instructional media, including film, audio, and captioning services.
Continuously evaluate and improve processes to ensure efficient and effective service delivery.
Conduct regular evaluations of distance education programs and courses, using results to drive continuous improvement in curriculum, delivery, and support services.
Implement robust student authentication methods and privacy protection protocols in alignment with federal requirements and best practices for distance education.
Establish and communicate clear procedures for distance education students to resolve complaints, ensuring these can be accessed and used electronically.

By fulfilling this mission and pursuing these strategic objectives, the Division of Digital Learning will play a crucial role in positioning Lamar University as a leader in innovative, technology-enhanced education, preparing students for success in the digital age while supporting faculty in their pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and service.

As of the beginning of 2025, the Division of Digital Learning has restructured our internal departments to better achieve our goals. The majority of changes are present in the structure of the Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning, detailed below.

To see how the Division is supporting students with our Academic Advising department, check out our LU Online Advising page!

Our Team

Administration

Brett C. Welch, Ph.D.
Acting Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs
Vice Provost of Digital Learning
Dean of the College of Graduate Studies
Division of Digital Learning
bwelch5@lamar.edu

Ashley Dockens, Ph.D., Au.D., CCC-A
Assistant Provost of Academic Innovation and Quality Assurance
Associate Dean of Policy and Procedure for the College of Graduate Studies
Division of Digital Learning
adockens@lamar.edu

Amy Jones, B.S.
Senior Administrative Assistant
Academic Innovation and Quality Assurance
ajones165@lamar.edu

Timothy Smith, M.S.
Executive Director for CITL
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
timothy.smith@lamar.edu

Instructional Technology

Craig Pember, M.Ed.
Asst. Director of Instructional Technologies
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
craig.pember@lamar.edu

Kylie Barras, B.A.A.S.
Sr. Instructional Technologies Specialist
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
kkwalker@lamar.edu

Brandi Livingston, M.Ed.
Sr. Instructional Technologist
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
brandi.mcclary@lamar.edu

Monty Evan Lewis, A.A.S.
Instructional Technologies Specialist
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
mlewis52@lamar.edu

Instructional Design

Edward Long, M.B.A., M.S.
Asst. Director of Instructional Design
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
elong3@lamar.edu

Ibrahima Poda, Ed.D.
Instructional Designer
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
ibrahima.poda@lamar.edu

Zachary Dubuisson, M.F.A.
Instructional Designer
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
zdubuisson@lamar.edu

Robyn Massa, B.G.S.
Associate Instructional Designer
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
rmmassa@lamar.edu

Instructional Media

Jack Fitch, B.S.
Sr. Videography/Photography Coordinator
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
jack.fitch@lamar.edu

Christopher Busselle, B.S.
Videography/Photography Coordinator
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
christopher.busselle@lamar.edu

Faculty Success

Casey Ford, M.F.A.
Asst. Director of Faculty Success
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
cford4@lamar.edu

Eugenia Johnson-Whitt, Ph.D.
Faculty Success Facilitator
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
ejohnsonwhit@lamar.edu

Ray Seiden, B.F.A.
Faculty Success Designer
Center for Innovation in Teaching and Learning
ray.seiden@lamar.edu

Academic Advising

Elizabeth Lea, M.S.
Senior Director of Advising
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Angela Letulle, M.S.
Associate Director of Advising
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Katherine Sozzi
Administrative Coordinator
Division of Digital Learning
onlineadvising@lamar.edu

Joel Laningham, M.S.
Team Lead
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Theresa Edgerton, B.S.
Team Lead
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Stephanie Allen, B.S.
Senior Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Dhonte Ferguson, M.B.A., M.S.
Senior Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Rose Martin, B.A.A.S
Senior Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Aubrey Smith, B.S.
Senior Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Ashley Glenn, B.B.A., M.S.
Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Holly Badon, M.S., B.S.
Advisor Senior
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Cory Letulle, B.B.A.
M.Ed Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Gretchin Marshall, B.S.
M.Ed Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Tina Siau, M.B.A.
M.Ed Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Chandra Bryant, B.A.A.S.
M.Ed Advising
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Cecilia Terry, B.S.
M.Ed Advising
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Nadria Moore, B.S., M.A.
M.Ed Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Dana Fontenot, B.A., B.S.
Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Jessica Legato, B.B.A.
Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Dana Prejean Haynes, B.S.
Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page

Juliana Rodriguez, B.S.
Advisor
Division of Digital Learning
See Advising Page