Csu’s New Online Campus Opens for Business
Note to Editors: After two days, CSU-Global Campus has received four applications and has had 70 inquires over the last several months. Applicants’ Selected Programs: 1 application for Masters of Science in Education: Online Teaching and Learning 3 applications for BS in Leadership and Organizational Studies
The Colorado State University System has officially begun enrolling students in a new generation of online degree programs that will be offered under a new enterprise called CSU-Global Campus. The new campus will serve the growing number of nontraditional students who would not be able to travel to a physical campus to complete a four-year degree or earn a master’s degree.
After more than a year of researching the educational online market, the CSU System saw an opportunity to dramatically increase access to a high-quality public education by offering it to students at the time and place of their choice.
"CSU has been successful in attracting students who have the financial resources and with high index scores. However, the traditional university paradigm is challenged with providing access to broader student populations, particularly those who are geographically isolated from a campus, working or otherwise considered nontraditional students," said Rich Schweigert, chief executive officer of CSU-Global Campus.
CSU-Global Campus will be its own enterprise, with its own faculty and staff. It will also be the first of its kind in the western United States, among large public research universities.
The new online campus can respond quickly to changing market needs, unlike traditional four-year institutions that do not always have the flexibility to adapt to meet urgent market and societal demands. By offering programs that are career-relevant and tailored to existing and emerging industry and occupational trends statewide, the new online campus will help maintain Colorado’s economic strength and resiliency.
The state anticipates population growth of 58 percent over the next 20 years. Over the next 10 years, the Governor wants to double the number of college degrees and certificates among Coloradoans. If Colorado continues to lag behind in state support for public higher education, universities and colleges will be hard-pressed to provide the space and faculty to accommodate that additional demand without jeopardizing quality and affordability.
The new CSU-Global Campus is not intended to compete with community colleges. In fact, it will bridge the barriers that exist between completing a four-year degree for those students who want to continue on after community college, who have dropped out of a four-year university or who want to earn an advanced degree but find the traditional university isn’t a match for them.
The online campus offers individualized road maps for each student to ensure success. Success advisors will create personalized plans for program or course selections taking into account the student’s goals and lifestyle. Progress checkpoints will help gauge the student’s learning curve. Additionally, there will be a 24-hour response time from faculty to create a more personal setting. Students can also work with advisors to develop an acceleration plan for degree completion.
The programs will be offered at guaranteed rates, which means that the price for courses will remain the same from the beginning of a student’s program to completion. Students who enroll for the September term will receive special incentive scholarships to further reduce students’ costs.
Applications are being accepted now for September classes. Students can apply by going to www.csuglobal.org or by calling 1-877-345-GLOBAL.
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