Distance learning has been used in the United States dates dating back to the mid-1800's. The increased functionality of the internet in the late 1990's led to asynchronous learning networks growing exponentially (Cahoy & Moyo, 2006); there were 1.6 million students learning online in 2002 and as of 2008 those numbers increased to 4.6 million (Allen & Seaman, 2009). Many of these online learners are in a graduate program with a dissertation requirement. There is research (Freedenthal, S., Potter, C., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2008) that demonstrates a comprehensive faculty support system is necessary for the success of an institution of higher education. For many of these institutions, this support should extend toward faculty members successfully mentoring their graduate students to complete their dissertation. Less documented, however, are the supports that online institutions, or institutions with online graduate programs, specifically find the most effective. Two faculty members and the Director of Research and Scholarship from Capella University, an online university, that predominantly offers graduate programs, developed this presentation. The goals for this presentation include discussing the specific research support systems for faculty dissertation mentors, how these research supports were implemented and where they are placed institutionally will be included, and, the strengths and challenges of this particular institution's experience in terms of supporting faculty dissertation mentors. Allen, I. and Seaman, J. (2010). Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009. The Sloan Consortium. Freedenthal, S., Potter, C., & Grinstein-Weiss, M. (2008). Institutional Supports for Faculty Scholarship: A National Survey of Social Work Programs. Social Work Research, 32(4), 220-230. Mutinta Moyo, L., & Stern Cahoy, E. (2006). Library Use in the E-learning Environment: A Profile of Penn State' s World Campus Faculty and Students. Journal of Library Administration, 45(3/4), 339-359. Olson, L. (2010). Developing a Framework for Assessing Responsible Conduct of Research Education Programs. Science & Engineering Ethics, 16(1), 185-200.
