鈥楶almetto College鈥� would meld current, new classes into four-year programs
麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 has long competed against the College of Charleston and Clemson for potential students.
Now, the state鈥檚 flagship school wants to fight for a different clientele: students more likely to consider the University of Phoenix or Strayer University.
An in-depth proposal 鈥� currently under consideration by the university鈥檚 administration and board of trustees 鈥� would deepen the university鈥檚 virtual education offerings, create new majors and boost conferred degrees. In essence, Palmetto College 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, as it is currently dubbed, would create a virtual university complete with a new chancellor, a separate admissions system and some new faculty members. Palmetto College would link current offerings, coupled with new classes created by 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒, into four-year degree programs.
Palmetto College would specifically target adults who are juggling work and parenting, technical college graduates, place-bound residents or first-time college families, according to Huron.
Here鈥檚 how it would work:
Students would achieve their first 60 hours at one of 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒鈥檚 campuses or another technical college.
These students would then affiliate with one of the regional campuses for student support, sports tickets, laboratory courses and more. Some classes could be taken on campus, but most would be virtual. These classes would be in areas like criminal justice, hospitality and retail, among others. They would be taught by either a new faculty member or existing faculty members at regional campuses.
鈥淚 believe this will be profitable, but that鈥檚 not why we鈥檙e doing it,鈥� said 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 President Harris Pastides. 鈥淲e are graduating too many people with associate鈥檚 degrees that don鈥檛 go on.鈥�
The plan was created by The Huron Group, a private consulting firm, for $247,500. The plan is designed to bring in more tuition dollars and students while not significantly driving up costs. Its announcement also comes as 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 officials say they cannot take in more students; capacity is already met in classroom buildings and dormitories around campus.
Huron officials and 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 administrators say the program could be profitable on its own within five years. The university would need to enroll between 175 and 300 students for the program to break even or earn money, Huron said.
鈥淲e believe you have the opportunity to reach further in South Carolina,鈥� said Ben Kennedy, a consultant with Huron. 鈥淲e believe the demand is there, and that the history of success in many of the things you do position you well.鈥�
The program鈥檚 initial start-up costs would be $1.5 to $2 million for course development. Those costs would at least partially replicate every five years 鈥� which Huron says is the 鈥渓ife of a course.鈥� Future costs would originate from salary fees and program development. Huron says much of the costs will come from faculty, but by using 鈥渓ess expensive regional faculty, 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 can minimize operating costs which enables it to offer very competitive prices to Palmetto students.鈥�
Officials point to a lack of infrastructure for the new classes, which could lead to a long term cash cow if the program became successful.
The university plans to directly compete with online providers 鈥� like Kaplan University, Strayer University and the University of Phoenix. A cost analysis completed by Huron indicates 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 can offer 60 credit hours or the final two years of a four-year degree, cheaper than any other state alternative. 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒鈥檚 would cost $20,085; 60 credit hours at Kaplan University currently costs $27,450.
麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 says its primary competitive advantage is the prestige of a 麻豆小蝌蚪传媒 degree, compared to another online degree. The program would be the first program of its sort or extent in South Carolina.
The university will tout this new initiative as a quality proposal that links asynchronous learning with the University of South Carolina鈥檚 curriculum. Officials plan to accredit the programs through already established four-year institutions. Pastides said establishing a new college could create political problems with state agencies, but this current proposal only further uses current colleges in a virtual manner.