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<p>I was made aware of a new partnership today between Ohio
Community Colleges and an accredited online university, western
governors university. What impact will this have on Ohio Public
Libraries public internet computer usage and wifi accommodations?
Do you think we will see more internet usage by patrons for online
classes using public internet computers or more Internet usage by
patrons with their own devices using wifi taking online classes ?
<br>
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<p>-Ed Liddle, <br>
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<p>Marysville Public Library <br>
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<p><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.wgu.edu/about_WGU/ohio_partnership_10-14-16#">www.wgu.edu/about_WGU/ohio_partnership_10-14-16#</a><br>
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<h2 class="no-top">Ohio Community Colleges Announce Partnership
with Western Governors University</h2>
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<h2><span>News Brief - 10/14/16</span></h2>
<p><strong class="accent">Agreement extends online,
competency-based learning opportunities to all
community college graduates, offers a tuition
discount to community college graduates and
employees, and establishes a 3+1 transfer
program in Nursing</strong></p>
<p>
The Ohio Association of Community Colleges (OACC)
today announced a new partnership with Western
Governors University (WGU) that allows Ohio
community college graduates to seamlessly transfer
their coursework to WGU while also receiving
discounted tuition to the accredited, online
university.</p>
<p>
“The needs of adult college students are different
than those attending straight out of high school.
Ohio’s community colleges understand that because
we have adult students in our classroom every day.
Those students need the option of having different
and flexible pathways if we want more of them to
finish their bachelor’s degree,” said Jack
Hershey, President of the OACC. “By partnering
with an online, competency-based university, Ohio
community colleges are once again responding to a
call from Governor John Kasich and doing our part
to help increase the number of Ohioans who will
obtain a bachelor’s degree and advance in the
workforce.” </p>
<p>
The idea to expand online, competency-based
education options for Ohioans, particularly adult
students and workers, as well as the idea to
establish more transfer pathways in the state that
allow students to complete their first three years
of education at a community college, were both
part of a higher education reform package offered
earlier this year by Governor John Kasich. Today’s
agreement moves the ball forward on both of the
Governor’s proposals. </p>
<p>
Under the terms of this agreement, WGU will: </p>
<ul>
<li>Offer Ohio community colleges’ graduates and
staff a five percent 5% tuition discount.</li>
<li>Graduates and staff of OACC colleges will also
be eligible to apply for scholarships offered
through the WGU Institutional Partner Fund.
Scholarships are valued up to $2,000.00.</li>
<li>Prepare seamless associate degree to bachelor
degree articulation agreements for all related
degree programs in education, business,
Information Technology and health professions.</li>
<li>Create a 3+1 transfer option for OACC
colleges’ nursing graduates who possess an Ohio
RN license and are employed as a nurse. </li>
<li>OACC college nursing graduates who are
eligible for the 3+1 program may also enroll in
the MS, Nursing bridge programs, in nursing
education or nursing leadership and management.
The BS, Nursing degree is awarded to the 3+2
student as they progress toward the MS, Nursing
degree. </li>
<li>WGU will work with OACC colleges to develop a
reverse transfer program. The reverse transfer
program will permit OACC college students, who
may transfer to WGU without an associate’s
degree, to obtain an associate’s degree from
their OACC college, while enrolled in a WGU
bachelor’s degree. Upon completion of the
associate’s degree, these students will be
eligible for the 5% tuition discount. </li>
</ul>
<p>
“Even before signing this partnership, we have
already seen 500 graduates from Ohio community
colleges go on to earn their bachelor’s degree
from Western Governors University, but that is a
number that we now expect to see grow
significantly,” said Hershey. “A similar
partnership in the State of Washington saw that
state’s numbers of graduates grow to over 5,000
within five years. We believe that similar growth
is possible in Ohio, because WGU is proving itself
to be an institution that is very accommodating to
the needs of transfer students. ” </p>
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