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YSU works to meet state’s 3-year-degree mandate
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
By increasing participation in its College in High School program, Youngstown State University will be able to offer some three-year degrees.
“I think it’s very doable,” said Ikram Khawaja, provost and vice president for academic affairs. “I’m very much on board with that.”
The three-year-degree plan is required in Gov. John Kasich’s 2012-13 state budget. It calls for state universities to transition 10 percent of their programs to three-year degrees in 2012 with 60 percent of programs available in three years by 2014, said Kim Norris, deputy chancellor and communication director at the Ohio Board of Regents.
Some degrees may not be attainable in three years, she acknowledged.
But the overarching goal is making three-year degrees available to students who want them, she said.
“What it simply says is we want to make this easier for students and parents,” Norris said. “They’re often paying the cost.”
YSU’s College in High School program allows high school students to earn college credit at the same time they complete courses in high school. More than 30 Mahoning Valley high schools participate.
High school instructors must be approved by the university to teach a College in High School course. They apply just as if they were seeking a job on campus. Their credentials are reviewed and if they’re approved, the teachers become adjunct YSU professors.
The courses are offered to students at a lower rate than what they would pay on campus.
Khawaja said that by offering general education courses to more students through CHS, YSU will be able to achieve the mandate of the budget.
“College readiness is what we’ll be emphasizing,” Khawaja said.
The program realized a 136 percent growth between 2010 and 2011 with an additional increase expected for 2012.
Khawaja acknowledged that meeting the 60 percent of programs requirement by 2014 will be challenging.
YSU’s graduation rate is about 37 percent with the majority of those students graduating in five years. About 10 percent graduate in four years with the remainder graduating in six years.
Many incoming freshmen must take remedial coursework, adding to the length of time they spend at YSU, officials have said.
Khawaja said the next foray for CHS is offering remedial courses in high schools. He hopes that begins next year, concentrating first in schools that have been part of the College in High School program for a couple of years.
Norris said advanced placement courses that enable high school students to take classes for college credit, online courses and summer classes are some other options that universities may employ in the transition.
“Clearly there’s a need to increase completion,” Norris said.
It’s not enough to have more students enrolled in colleges and universities. The focus has to be on completion and degree attainment, she said.
“The three-year degree will help with that,” the deputy chancellor said. “The sooner you can complete your degree, the less life obstacles get in your way.”
It’s part of Ohio Chancellor Jim Petro’s plan to increase the number of Ohio residents with degrees.
Increasing the number of people with degrees increases economic activity, he said.
“The higher percentage of degree attainment, the higher the per-capita income of the state,” Petro said while in town last week.
A more educated work force also will attract more businesses to the state, the chancellor said.
Norris said 26 percent of Ohioans possess bachelor’s degrees. The national average is 31 percent.
“For every 1 percent we move up, it means economic activity growing the next year and for each year thereafter of $2.5 billion,” she said.