Western Governors University

Transcription

1 Western Governors University Prepared for the EWU Board of Trustees Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Office of Institutional Research, Demography & Assessment Bamby Fields, Research Analyst

2 WGU Mission to improve quality and expand access to post-secondary educational opportunities by providing a means for individuals to learn independent of time and place and to earn competency-based degrees and other credentials that are credible to both academic institutions and employers.

3 WGU Background Founded 1997: 1 st enrollments 1999 Exclusively online Accredited by 4 regional agencies in 2003, including a home NWCCU accreditation, and CMBA (Certified MBA professional certification), NCATE, CCNE, CAHIM, & IACE accreditations 50 bachelor s and master s degrees 936 Students in WA and over 1,000 students in UT, CA, FL, TX, IN, GA

4 WGU Scope of Enrollment

5 WGU Student Demographics

6 WGU Authority in WA HB 1822 creates WA Higher Ed partnership with WGU similar to 2010 Indiana partnership HECB is tasked with reviewing and integration of WGU programs into the WA Higher Education mix No state funds are allocated to WGU Cost savings: In effect, WA has opened a new public university without constructing a single building.

7 WA Higher Ed Goals Complete to Compete Goal of increasing college completion for WA adults who started, but never finished a degree Reduction in transfer seats in 4-year publics due to budget cuts WGU can fill the gap

8 WGU: A Competency-based Institution Traditional Higher Ed: theoretical, developing analytical skills WGU: demonstrating competency in subject matter knowledge WGU issues competency units, not traditional credits Proctored final Exams, B grade to pass, pass rates = 68% (rigorous) Transferability A challenge: some universities accept the units on a pass/fail basis

9 Faculty vs. Mentors WGU faculty do not teach Faculty construct curriculum by choosing courses from available online courses or training programs or by creating a new online course Mentors work with students Once a week calls to keep on track

10 Technology is the Teacher WGU President, Robert Mendenhall: We use the technology to teach not the faculty

11 EWU/WGU Comparison Both: Bachelor s, Master s and Post Baccalaureate certificates (EWU has 1 applied Doctorate) Both: Accredited by NWCCU EWU: Regional WGU: National EWU: over 100 degree options WGU: 50 degree options EWU: Brick-and mortar WGU: Online degrees only

12 Online Degree Comparison EWU: M.S. in Dental Hygiene; online courses in majors for degree completion (Children s and Interdisciplinary Studies); six minors; two certificates; and 70+ individual course options EWU students can get an online degree with AA transfer credits WGU degrees: Teaching, B.A & M.A. / Business, B.S. & M.B.A. Healthcare Management, M.B.A. Information Technology, B.S.

13 Faculty, 2011 WGU Full-time: 475 EWU Full-time: 410 WGU Part-time: 308 EWU Part-time: grad assistants WGU Student to Faculty Ratio: 47 to 1 EWU Student to Faculty Ratio: 22 to 1

14 Financial Aid, All Students WGU: 73% Federal Student Loans EWU: 50% Federal Student Loans WGU: 38% Pell Grants EWU: 29% Pell Grants

15 Undergraduate Age WGU EWU

16 Graduation Rates WGU EWU

17 WGU: Competitor or Sister? 1.3% increase in WA transfers to 4-yr publics in past 5 yrs (HECB March 2011 Transfer Report) 36.9% increase in transfers to private 4-yr schools U. of Phoenix is one of top 2 transfer destinations, on par with UW, Seattle Reason: the University of Phoenix s transfer-friendly policies (HECB March 2011 Transfer Report) Bottom Line: Our major competitors for adult degree completions are private online universities

18 Recommendations What not to do:

19 We Can Establish workable transfer policies Learn from what WGU does well Cooperate with curriculum and course creation Explore online solutions to remedial issues Refine what EWU does best and just do it