By the numbers:
1,111 — Undergraduate enrollment, fall 2012
15 to 20 — Average class size
41 —Percent of traditional students living on campus
$20,869 — Undergraduate tuition
53— Number of full-time faculty
Source: Urbana University
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Increased competition and more demand for flexibility has led Urbana University to make program changes that officials said will make earning a degree more convenient for students at the private school.
The university, which serves about 1,100 undergraduate students and has a $32 million economic impact on Champaign County, will revamp its program for adult learners beginning this month at its Center for Adult and Professional Studies.
The changes come as the university is under the leadership of an interim president, Kirk Peterson.
In the past, students seeking to continue their education were able to take classes from a number of satellite locations, including sites in Springfield, Piqua and Bellefontaine, said Justin McCulla, associate director of admissions for the university. But in many cases, those students had to travel to other locations to take additional courses needed for graduation.
The revamped program will offer degrees such as criminal justice, human services leadership, healthcare management and business management leadership, and will be based primarily from Urbana University’s Dayton-Kettering location at 3085 Woodman Drive.
“We’re trying to go about it in a more structured manner, said Kelly Evans-Wilson, director of academic services for the CAPS program.
The goal is to increase enrollment in these programs, which serve 177 graduate students this year.
Now, students will be organized in groups of 10 to 15, who will continue together throughout the program of their choice. This month, programs scheduled to begin include a bachelor of science in criminal justice leadership and a master of business administration. The MBA program will be taught at Urbana University’s main campus in Urbana.
In June, the university will offer programs that include business management leadership, a bachelor of science in nursing and a Master of Arts in criminal justice.
The program will cost about $445 per credit hour, a little less than what a traditional full-time student would pay, McCulla said. Classes in the program are scheduled for one day a week, allowing busy students to work full-time and have a steady and predictable class schedule each term.
“It’s a great opportunity for an individual who is working 40 hours a week,” McCulla said.
Because each course only lasts eight weeks, students can typically finish the program in a couple years. In addition, the program does not take extended breaks, such as in the summer, allowing students to complete the program more quickly.
“That’s part of the strategic plan to grow our adult program,” Peterson said.
While most of the programs will be offered through the Dayton-Kettering location, it will still allow the university the flexibility to offer programs from its locations in Springfield or Piqua. Other universities have used similar models in the past but this is the first time this type of structure was offered at Urbana University.
“It’s really driven by student interest,” Evans-Wilson said.
The change to the CAPS program is just one area Peterson said the university is working on to make earning a degree more convenient for students.
He said the university wants to increase flexibility for students who want to take classes in person or online. Faculty and staff members also are trying to develop more opportunities for students to gain internships, and matching work study positions on campus so they more closely relate to the student’s major.
As higher education becomes more competitive, it will be increasingly important for Urbana University to be able to make sure graduates have the skills necessary to get a good job, while remaining affordable, Peterson said.
“The prospective students need to have a consumer mentality,” Peterson said.
Interim position
The former senior vice president of academic affairs, Peterson has been serving as the university’s interim president since Stephen Jones left to become president of Antioch University New England in New Hampshire.
Peterson said he is interested in taking the interim off his title and becoming president of the university. He credited the faculty and staff for working together to modernize the university’s programs.
The search for a new president will likely begin in September, when a search committee will be formed to accept and review applications.
Peterson said interviews could take place in December or January, and an offer could be extended to a prospective candidate by March or February. The new president would ideally be in place by March, he said.
For now, Peterson said his focus is serving the university until a president is named.
“It’s an exciting adventure and I’m thrilled to be named the interim president,” Peterson said.
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