YSU, Butler college offer transfer option

By HAROLD GWIN

VINDICATOR EDUCATION WRITER

YOUNGSTOWN — An agreement between Youngstown State University and Butler County Community College allows students to transfer credits earned at BC3 to YSU if they choose to continue their education here.

Talk of the arrangement came up at the opening of a new BC3 campus at Lawrence Crossing, just east of Poland Township in Lawrence County, Pa., on Tuesday, but it’s not a new agreement, said Dr. Jane Kestner, associate dean of YSU’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. It was penned when BC3 opened a campus in Hermitage, Mercer County, several years ago, she said.

The dual-admission agreement has specific ties to YSU’s arts and sciences four-year programs, its Computer Science Information Systems four-year program and its two-year power plant technology program, said Dr. George McCloud, YSU vice president for university advancement.

However, it goes beyond that and really extends to any YSU degree programs, he said, pointing out that the practice of allowing credits to transfer is consistent with arrangements YSU has with other in-state schools.

The dual-admission program requires students to be accepted for enrollment at both BC3 and YSU, said Thomas Bodnovich, associate professor and chairman of Computer Science and Information Systems at YSU.

It assures students that they can come into YSU with junior level status after completing two years at BC3, he said.

Dr. Ted Bosela, associate dean and professor of electrical engineering technology, said students can take about half of their course credits for the power plant technology program at BC3, but the technology courses must be taken at YSU.

Youngstown State plans to be part of a Mahoning Valley community college slated to begin operations in fall 2009, but McCloud said that’s no reason to discourage students in Western Pennsylvania from pursuing their education at BC3.

“You don’t close one door just because you’re opening another,” he said, noting that the link between the two schools encourages those students to come to YSU when they finish at BC3 and makes the process simple.

YSU does get students from Western Pennsylvania, he said.

“Our job is to make things possible, not to make things harder,” McCloud said.

gwin@vindy.com