The Washington Higher Education Telecommunications System received initial funding from the State Legislature in 1984 and came on-line in the Fall of 1985. This electronic communications system is a critical component for multi-campus program delivery. It efficiently offers courses to students at multiple sites, and makes experts accessible from across the state. It has been operational since 1985. Students ask questions over microphones at their desks, and watch the professor on a television monitor.
Classes also are video-taped for later use by students.
The system's present three channel digital and two channel analog microwave configuration allows for an average 90 courses to be delivered system wide per semester. The system also is used for teleconferencing between campuses to conduct personnel searches, press conferences, staff training, collaborative research, administrative planning, and student-faculty advising. Sub channels on the microwave system are used to transmit data and voice signals. Since the majority of branch campus students are professionals or place bound adults, the peak hours for classes are from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Select engineering, management, nursing and vocational education classes are scheduled during the day, as is teleconferencing.