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October 13, 1999 - New Alliance Will Promote Student Access to MnSCU
Institutions
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities ushered in a new era of cooperation
among its 11 metropolitan institutions today when college officials unveiled
the Metro Alliance, a higher education network to provide students greatly
expanded access to cross-campus programs and services.
Thomas Horak, president of Normandale Community College, told members
of the state Higher Education Finance Committee that metro-area colleges
and universities will provide students enrolled at each institution access
to programs and services at every other institution. Horak is chair of
the Metro Alliance, the newly formed network consisting of Metropolitan
State University and 10 two-year community and technical colleges located
in the Twin Cities.
"The Alliance is a historic step forward for higher education in
the metropolitan area," said Horak. "With students as its focus,
it aims to reach out to those students who traditionally are not well-served
by higher education."
Courses and programs across the metro-area MnSCU institutions will be
aligned so that students can work toward their learning goals without
fearing that credits will not transfer to other metro-area institutions.
Students who choose to can complete a Metropolitan State University baccalaureate
degree at selected two-year colleges around the metropolitan area.
"This planning effort sets an important new standard for the way
we serve students as we move into the next century," said Linda Baer,
MnSCU senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. The Alliance
grew out of a metropolitan area higher education planning process that
was undertaken at the direction of the state Legislature. The Alliance
aims to address the state's current shortage of skilled workers by providing
people the opportunity to upgrade their skills and attain their higher
education goals without traveling far from home.
The Alliance also aims to increase the participation rate of metropolitan
area high school graduates who attend college right out of high school.
Currently the median age of students attending MnSCU institutions in the
metropolitan area is 25.
The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system is made up of 36
state universities, community and technical colleges and a campus in Japan.
The system serves approximately 230,000 students a year with a fall 1998
enrollment of about 140,000.
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