Posts
I don’t know about you, but I’m a bit weary of news headlines at the moment. Of course, as a former journalist, I understand why they are so doom and gloomy because after all, we must be an informed citizenry and the unpleasantness going on the world is news. Since I like to keep up with current events I continue to scan headlines often.
A recent New York Times headline really caught my eye the other day – “Placing the Blame as Students are Buried in Debt” – and I immediately stopped what I was doing to read. It was shocking. It tells the story of a young woman determined to get a degree from a top college, assuming it would be worth it in the end. Well, she now has a degree from New York University which cost her nearly $100,000 and a job in San Francisco that pays her $22 an hour working for a photographer. She attends night school to defer her loan payments while interest is accruing. How on earth she will ever dig out is beyond her.
Who is responsible for this tragedy, and it is a tragedy because who in life can start out with that kind of debt and terrible credit history. Is it the student for continuously feeding the tuition monster of a private university? Is it her mother who co-signed from some of her daughter’s loans thinking the payoff would be worth it? The banks, perhaps, for still lending a student huge sums of money, or, financial aid advisors? These are all worthy things to consider because I certainly don’t have the answers.
What I do know is that ultimately, while higher education is worth it, bankrupting yourself to achieve it is not.
There are scholarship opportunities out there – it takes some due diligence to find them and apply – as well as Pell Grants and other federal aid that does not have to be repaid.
The cost of a degree from the College of Liberal Studies is broken down by credit hour in the box below. As you can see, these rates fall far below that of a private or for-profit institution and in my mind the result is the same which is a quality degree from a well known university. When it comes to value, the Princeton Review ranks OU in the top 10 in terms of academic excellence and affordability.
Resident Nonresident Military
Undergraduate $225 $550 $250
Graduate $260 $670 $275
I feel an obligation to help students make knowledgeable choices about financial decisions. Help and assistance is out there but you have to ask before you sign.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Walking the walk
I thought I would introduce you to another of our staff members here in the bachelor's advising office this week because she is someone who completed her degree with us while working here. If anyone understands what it is like to be a student in the College of Liberal Studies, it's Jennifer Gatlin. Here she is, in her own words.
My educational journey began like many students in the College of Liberal Studies. When I was in high school I did fairly well, hitting the honor roll enough times to hold my head high and simply assumed that college was in my future. After graduating, I decided to take a semester off and get a job while deciding what I wanted to do with my life.
Well, that one semester quickly turned into four-and-a half-years! I always intended to start on my degree, but life had fallen into a sort of stall pattern and I just never got the shove that I needed to make me take action. That is, until one evening when I was visiting with my mother-in-law and she said, “Jennifer, time will pass whether you do anything with it or not,” and it really hit home.
I think within a month of that conversation I had enrolled in my first courses at Oklahoma City Community College. What she said to me has become a mantra that I have tried to live by ever since.
When I joined the CLS staff in 2004, I boasted six college credits on my resume. I continued to take courses at OCCC in the evenings and on weekends as I became acquainted with, and talked to, other people about the CLS program. Eventually, I actually saw the liberal studies program working for people! I would attend our convocation ceremonies and recognize the names of graduates as they crossed the stage and recall conversations I had with them as prospective students. That was really inspiring.
In 2006 I enrolled in the 100 percent online bachelor’s in liberal studies program and never looked back. During the next three years I steadily worked my way through the program while” life” continued to happen. I maintained a full-time job, kept the home fires burning while my husband was mobilized for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, relocated upon his return and had a baby all by the time I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree in 2009.
In the criminal justice program I had the opportunity to learn more about our criminal justice systems than I ever had before. I reviewed and critiqued numerous case studies, learned about true crime scene processing techniques, and how to provide analytical analysis to debated issues in the criminal justice system – not so easy to do without letting my personal opinion cloud my judgment! I even had the opportunity to learn about criminal justice systems on a global level and compare our processes to those of other countries and to discuss how those differences impact global law enforcement initiatives. The things I learned in this program allowed me to see the bigger picture and look at individual processes and decisions with a more objective point of view, which is a valuable tool in every facet of life.
Earning my degree has meant so much to me. Not only has it opened a window of opportunity for me to explore new passions, but just as importantly, it has shown me that when I commit to a goal, I truly can see it through. That is a life lesson not easily forgotten. - Jennifer Gatlin, College of Liberal Studies Student Services Assistant,Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, 2009
My educational journey began like many students in the College of Liberal Studies. When I was in high school I did fairly well, hitting the honor roll enough times to hold my head high and simply assumed that college was in my future. After graduating, I decided to take a semester off and get a job while deciding what I wanted to do with my life.
Well, that one semester quickly turned into four-and-a half-years! I always intended to start on my degree, but life had fallen into a sort of stall pattern and I just never got the shove that I needed to make me take action. That is, until one evening when I was visiting with my mother-in-law and she said, “Jennifer, time will pass whether you do anything with it or not,” and it really hit home.
I think within a month of that conversation I had enrolled in my first courses at Oklahoma City Community College. What she said to me has become a mantra that I have tried to live by ever since.
When I joined the CLS staff in 2004, I boasted six college credits on my resume. I continued to take courses at OCCC in the evenings and on weekends as I became acquainted with, and talked to, other people about the CLS program. Eventually, I actually saw the liberal studies program working for people! I would attend our convocation ceremonies and recognize the names of graduates as they crossed the stage and recall conversations I had with them as prospective students. That was really inspiring.
In 2006 I enrolled in the 100 percent online bachelor’s in liberal studies program and never looked back. During the next three years I steadily worked my way through the program while” life” continued to happen. I maintained a full-time job, kept the home fires burning while my husband was mobilized for a year-long deployment to Afghanistan, relocated upon his return and had a baby all by the time I graduated with my Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree in 2009.
In the criminal justice program I had the opportunity to learn more about our criminal justice systems than I ever had before. I reviewed and critiqued numerous case studies, learned about true crime scene processing techniques, and how to provide analytical analysis to debated issues in the criminal justice system – not so easy to do without letting my personal opinion cloud my judgment! I even had the opportunity to learn about criminal justice systems on a global level and compare our processes to those of other countries and to discuss how those differences impact global law enforcement initiatives. The things I learned in this program allowed me to see the bigger picture and look at individual processes and decisions with a more objective point of view, which is a valuable tool in every facet of life.
Earning my degree has meant so much to me. Not only has it opened a window of opportunity for me to explore new passions, but just as importantly, it has shown me that when I commit to a goal, I truly can see it through. That is a life lesson not easily forgotten. - Jennifer Gatlin, College of Liberal Studies Student Services Assistant,Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice, 2009
Friday, June 11, 2010
Meet your advisor
From time-to-time, I thought it would be nice to include profiles of our academic advisors in the College. They work tirelessly to ensure that you have every opportunity for success as you work toward earning your degree.
Here is Kacee Robertson.
Kacee would love for life to be like a musical. A student needs something extra? Time or credits perhaps? In Kacee’s world, people randomly break out into song to express their point of view, plead their case or just simply for the fun of it.
In reality, Kacee helps College of Liberal Studies students the more predictable way in achieving their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree. Online and on the phone, she has been guiding CLS students from her third floor McCarter Hall office for more than a year-and-half. She provides the graduation plans, instructions and information they need to be successful.
A 2004 graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Kacee herself did not take the traditional same-school, four-year route to earn her bachelor’s degree. Kacee first attended Carl Albert State College (CASC) in her far east Oklahoma hometown of Poteau where she earned an associate’s degree in English. Then, she headed to Northeastern State College in Tahlequah before coming to OU to study journalism and public relations.
Kacee has experience working with Upward Bound, the federally funded program for first generation high school students who plan to go to college. She also worked as an ACT residual supervisor, general education academic advisor and was an adjunct instructor of Composition I and Business Communications at her alma mater, CASC.
After three years in Poteau, Kacee moved back to Norman in September 2008. In December of that year, she completed a Master of Arts in Leadership Education.
She loves live music, no matter what kind and attends nearly 30 concerts a year to hear it. Among her favorites – Miranda Lambert, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Folds, and old school country guys like Roger Miller.
Kacee played percussion in her high school marching band and more recently decided to take up a string instrument. She chose to learn to play the banjo because really, what’s cooler than a banjo?
Along with music and musicals, she enjoys independent films, comedies and foreign movies. The best part of her day is when she is greeted by Bark Robertson, her Corgi.
Here is Kacee Robertson.
Kacee would love for life to be like a musical. A student needs something extra? Time or credits perhaps? In Kacee’s world, people randomly break out into song to express their point of view, plead their case or just simply for the fun of it.
In reality, Kacee helps College of Liberal Studies students the more predictable way in achieving their goal of earning a bachelor’s degree. Online and on the phone, she has been guiding CLS students from her third floor McCarter Hall office for more than a year-and-half. She provides the graduation plans, instructions and information they need to be successful.
A 2004 graduate of the University of Oklahoma, Kacee herself did not take the traditional same-school, four-year route to earn her bachelor’s degree. Kacee first attended Carl Albert State College (CASC) in her far east Oklahoma hometown of Poteau where she earned an associate’s degree in English. Then, she headed to Northeastern State College in Tahlequah before coming to OU to study journalism and public relations.
Kacee has experience working with Upward Bound, the federally funded program for first generation high school students who plan to go to college. She also worked as an ACT residual supervisor, general education academic advisor and was an adjunct instructor of Composition I and Business Communications at her alma mater, CASC.
After three years in Poteau, Kacee moved back to Norman in September 2008. In December of that year, she completed a Master of Arts in Leadership Education.
She loves live music, no matter what kind and attends nearly 30 concerts a year to hear it. Among her favorites – Miranda Lambert, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Folds, and old school country guys like Roger Miller.
Kacee played percussion in her high school marching band and more recently decided to take up a string instrument. She chose to learn to play the banjo because really, what’s cooler than a banjo?
Along with music and musicals, she enjoys independent films, comedies and foreign movies. The best part of her day is when she is greeted by Bark Robertson, her Corgi.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
What is your Motivation for Learning?
About 50 years ago, roughly the same time the College of Liberal Studies was being created, a guy named Cyril Houle conducted a famous adult learning research project. The results of the project were published in a book, The Inquiring Mind, by the University of Oklahoma Press in the early 60s. The book had a big impact on adult learning theory, as well as my own thinking when I read it several years ago.
Houle wanted to know what it is that motivates adult students to seek learning opportunities. What makes an adult learner decide to actively seek out a class, a book, or a teacher? Why do they do it, and what is the payoff?
To answer these questions, Houle conducted in-depth interviews with 22 adults who were “conspicuously engaged in various forms of continuing learning” (p. 13). His interviews led him to identify three basic motivations for adult learners:
• Goal-oriented learners – who use education as a means of achieving some other goal(s);
• Activity-oriented learners – who participate in education for the sake of the activity itself and social interaction;
• Learning-oriented learners – who seek knowledge for its own sake.
Houle’s findings have been debated, challenged, disputed, affirmed and expanded upon for years. Some say the typology of learners he creates is too simplistic. Others say the number of students it is based upon was too small to have any validity. My personal experience after working with adult learners for 18 years is that Houle’s broad categories are very accurate.
By far, the majority of the students I deal with in CLS seem to be goal-oriented learners. They want, even need, a degree to help them advance in their professions and careers. These students are focused on moving through their degree program with the greatest efficiency and speed possible. We have designed our programs and student services to help them do just that.
Our hope, however, is that while we are helping goal-oriented learners to achieve their goal(s), we are at the same time serving – and even creating – students who are learning-oriented. We try to offer courses and curriculum that will entice, engage, interest and bait our students into a life-long, passionate pursuit of knowledge just for the sake of learning. It is my observation that most of us administrators and faculty members are learning-oriented ourselves. We enjoy learning and thinking about new things, whether or not they have a practical or pragmatic value to our lives or careers. We enjoy being engaged in what has been called “the life of mind.”
For our students reading this blog entry, I would ask you to pause for a moment and think about your own motivation for learning. Why are you pursuing your degree? Have you noticed yourself becoming more confident, more passionate, more interested in your studies and the world around you? If so, you may be discovering that you are, or have become, a learning-oriented adult learner.
Houle wanted to know what it is that motivates adult students to seek learning opportunities. What makes an adult learner decide to actively seek out a class, a book, or a teacher? Why do they do it, and what is the payoff?
To answer these questions, Houle conducted in-depth interviews with 22 adults who were “conspicuously engaged in various forms of continuing learning” (p. 13). His interviews led him to identify three basic motivations for adult learners:
• Goal-oriented learners – who use education as a means of achieving some other goal(s);
• Activity-oriented learners – who participate in education for the sake of the activity itself and social interaction;
• Learning-oriented learners – who seek knowledge for its own sake.
Houle’s findings have been debated, challenged, disputed, affirmed and expanded upon for years. Some say the typology of learners he creates is too simplistic. Others say the number of students it is based upon was too small to have any validity. My personal experience after working with adult learners for 18 years is that Houle’s broad categories are very accurate.
By far, the majority of the students I deal with in CLS seem to be goal-oriented learners. They want, even need, a degree to help them advance in their professions and careers. These students are focused on moving through their degree program with the greatest efficiency and speed possible. We have designed our programs and student services to help them do just that.
Our hope, however, is that while we are helping goal-oriented learners to achieve their goal(s), we are at the same time serving – and even creating – students who are learning-oriented. We try to offer courses and curriculum that will entice, engage, interest and bait our students into a life-long, passionate pursuit of knowledge just for the sake of learning. It is my observation that most of us administrators and faculty members are learning-oriented ourselves. We enjoy learning and thinking about new things, whether or not they have a practical or pragmatic value to our lives or careers. We enjoy being engaged in what has been called “the life of mind.”
For our students reading this blog entry, I would ask you to pause for a moment and think about your own motivation for learning. Why are you pursuing your degree? Have you noticed yourself becoming more confident, more passionate, more interested in your studies and the world around you? If so, you may be discovering that you are, or have become, a learning-oriented adult learner.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Scholarships 2010
I believe I can safely say that one of the first things students think about is how to pay for their education, no matter what their age. Students in the College of Liberal Studies are certainly no exception. Finances might be even more of a question for you with your many responsibilities as an adult student.
Good news! Here are some scholarship opportunities for you to consider.
1. The Undergraduate or Graduate Start-up Scholarship.
As the name implies, this scholarship is for students who are beginning their first semester in our bachelor’s or master’s program. The amount available is $500.
2. The Osher Reentry Scholarship.
The Bernard Osher Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, provides scholarship funds to colleges and universities across the country intended especially for students who are returning to school. Specifically, these funds are available by application for:
a. Students who have been out of school and are returning to complete their first undergraduate degree, or;
b. Students who are enrolled or were previously enrolled in on-site/hybrid classes at any University of Oklahoma site such as Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College, OU-Tulsa, OU-Norman, Ponca City, and Lawton/Ft. Sill.
Up to $1400 is available via tuition waiver.
The deadline for summer is soon – June 4 –and for the fall the deadline is Aug. 3.
In the fall two other scholarship opportunities are available:
The Undergraduate or Graduate Alumni Scholarship and the Ruth Coble Scholarship.
I encourage you to apply. You can contact our scholarship coordinator Christine Yeo at christineyeo@ou.edu.
Good news! Here are some scholarship opportunities for you to consider.
1. The Undergraduate or Graduate Start-up Scholarship.
As the name implies, this scholarship is for students who are beginning their first semester in our bachelor’s or master’s program. The amount available is $500.
2. The Osher Reentry Scholarship.
The Bernard Osher Foundation, headquartered in San Francisco, provides scholarship funds to colleges and universities across the country intended especially for students who are returning to school. Specifically, these funds are available by application for:
a. Students who have been out of school and are returning to complete their first undergraduate degree, or;
b. Students who are enrolled or were previously enrolled in on-site/hybrid classes at any University of Oklahoma site such as Oklahoma City Community College, Rose State College, OU-Tulsa, OU-Norman, Ponca City, and Lawton/Ft. Sill.
Up to $1400 is available via tuition waiver.
The deadline for summer is soon – June 4 –and for the fall the deadline is Aug. 3.
In the fall two other scholarship opportunities are available:
The Undergraduate or Graduate Alumni Scholarship and the Ruth Coble Scholarship.
I encourage you to apply. You can contact our scholarship coordinator Christine Yeo at christineyeo@ou.edu.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Are you ready for graduate school?
Congratulations. You’ve got your bachelor’s degree in hand along with a sudden bonanza of free time. Perhaps, though, since you are still in the zone, you are considering a graduate degree. You want to keep going along the higher education trail. Great idea and I am all for it. But before you dive in, there are some questions you should probably ask of yourself. This is a bigger decision than you may realize.
Much like your first year of college is not like the 13th grade of high school graduate study is not two more years of undergraduate work. It’s entirely different. As a graduate student, you learn to become a scholar, a deep thinker and a researcher.
Not to be discouraging in any way, I just want you to have clear eyes about what will be required of you if decide to go higher. So, here is a short, completely unscientific quiz to see if you have the right mindset to continue. Ready?
1. Are you prepared to be an independent scholar and figure things out on your own?
2. Do you have a clear sense of the area of concentration you would like to study?
3. If so, do you absolutely love it enough to spend two years dedicated to it?
4. How about: Do you have as much, if not more, time to devote to your studies as you did for undergraduate work?)
5. This implies the undergrad didn’t do this. How about “Are you ready to challenge your personal thought paradigms even further than you did in undergraduate studies?”)
6. Are you prepared to justify your work to your professors?
7. Is your writing sound, free of grammatical errors and flawed arguments?
8. Are you familiar with, and able to use, the standard citation systems of the American Psychological Association and the Multiple Language Association?
9. Are you going to graduate school as a refuge from real life or to elevate yourself to the next level of personal development or in your career?
10. Is there a plan in place to pay for it?
Scoring: I’ll make this easy. If you answered “no” to at least two of these questions, you should give serious thought to whether you are ready. A little time away from higher education is not always a bad thing. If you miss it, that is a good sign. Either way, call me. I am happy to help you decide.
Much like your first year of college is not like the 13th grade of high school graduate study is not two more years of undergraduate work. It’s entirely different. As a graduate student, you learn to become a scholar, a deep thinker and a researcher.
Not to be discouraging in any way, I just want you to have clear eyes about what will be required of you if decide to go higher. So, here is a short, completely unscientific quiz to see if you have the right mindset to continue. Ready?
1. Are you prepared to be an independent scholar and figure things out on your own?
2. Do you have a clear sense of the area of concentration you would like to study?
3. If so, do you absolutely love it enough to spend two years dedicated to it?
4. How about: Do you have as much, if not more, time to devote to your studies as you did for undergraduate work?)
5. This implies the undergrad didn’t do this. How about “Are you ready to challenge your personal thought paradigms even further than you did in undergraduate studies?”)
6. Are you prepared to justify your work to your professors?
7. Is your writing sound, free of grammatical errors and flawed arguments?
8. Are you familiar with, and able to use, the standard citation systems of the American Psychological Association and the Multiple Language Association?
9. Are you going to graduate school as a refuge from real life or to elevate yourself to the next level of personal development or in your career?
10. Is there a plan in place to pay for it?
Scoring: I’ll make this easy. If you answered “no” to at least two of these questions, you should give serious thought to whether you are ready. A little time away from higher education is not always a bad thing. If you miss it, that is a good sign. Either way, call me. I am happy to help you decide.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Interdisciplinary education
Inter: between
Disciplinary: study of an academic field.
Interdisciplinary: study between two or more academic fields.
I am often asked what it means to be a “liberal studies” student. I generally respond that it means to be broadly read, widely knowledgeable, and classically educated. But when I start talking about interdisciplinary study, that’s where I lose them.
Sometimes we use words without giving them much thought. I know what interdisciplinary means. Use it several times a day. What I forget is that while this word is a part of my work life, it probably doesn’t roll off the tongues of most people. (Try saying interdisciplinary three times fast.)
At colleges and universities, we have disciplines, areas where faculty members and students concentrate their time and effort. The word discipline has meaning. It indicates the mental discipline necessary to think in a particular, scholarly way. A novice student must discipline their thinking to the most current knowledge in their elected area of study. That includes becoming familiar with the vocabulary, the discoveries and the particular research methods within the discipline. And most students spend most of their time focusing on one specific disciplinary area. It could be electrical engineering, or meteorology or elementary education. These are single, focused disciplines with a specific outcome. Graduates become engineers, meteorologists or teachers.
Interdisciplinary study implies a broader range of focus, if you will. It is a generalist education where students take a wide variety of courses that may at first seem unrelated but in reality are teaching critical thinking skills. By studying across disciplines, students become knowledgeable in the research methods, the vocabularies and the current knowledge in a variety of academic areas. Students with an interdisciplinary background are able to access and evaluate information from a wider range of intellectual perspectives.
In the College of Liberal Studies, we recognize three broad areas of academic knowledge: humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Courses in our programs generally fall within one of the three broad areas, and then draw upon knowledge available from several disciplines within the knowledge area. For example, looking at the course list for the College of Liberal Studies, you will see topics such as Evil Acts, Religious Reasons, Humanities of the Ancient World and Mathematics in Liberal Studies. The first course straddles the humanities and social science areas of knowledge. The word “humanities” in the second course is self explanatory. And mathematics is, of course, a foundation for many endeavors within the natural sciences. Although the courses fall in different knowledge areas, they are all woven together by the thread of critical thinking informed by learning across disciplines. This is the foundation for interdisciplinary studies and for the type of degrees that are conferred on our graduates.
By learning to read closely and attentively, as a student you become a more reflective writer. By learning how to gain knowledge from broad academic perspectives, you become a better thinker and scholar. You learn to form solid arguments and then support your position with sound reasoning. Plus, you discover many things about yourself along the way.
How does this help you in the “real” world? That is a topic for another day.
Disciplinary: study of an academic field.
Interdisciplinary: study between two or more academic fields.
I am often asked what it means to be a “liberal studies” student. I generally respond that it means to be broadly read, widely knowledgeable, and classically educated. But when I start talking about interdisciplinary study, that’s where I lose them.
Sometimes we use words without giving them much thought. I know what interdisciplinary means. Use it several times a day. What I forget is that while this word is a part of my work life, it probably doesn’t roll off the tongues of most people. (Try saying interdisciplinary three times fast.)
At colleges and universities, we have disciplines, areas where faculty members and students concentrate their time and effort. The word discipline has meaning. It indicates the mental discipline necessary to think in a particular, scholarly way. A novice student must discipline their thinking to the most current knowledge in their elected area of study. That includes becoming familiar with the vocabulary, the discoveries and the particular research methods within the discipline. And most students spend most of their time focusing on one specific disciplinary area. It could be electrical engineering, or meteorology or elementary education. These are single, focused disciplines with a specific outcome. Graduates become engineers, meteorologists or teachers.
Interdisciplinary study implies a broader range of focus, if you will. It is a generalist education where students take a wide variety of courses that may at first seem unrelated but in reality are teaching critical thinking skills. By studying across disciplines, students become knowledgeable in the research methods, the vocabularies and the current knowledge in a variety of academic areas. Students with an interdisciplinary background are able to access and evaluate information from a wider range of intellectual perspectives.
In the College of Liberal Studies, we recognize three broad areas of academic knowledge: humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. Courses in our programs generally fall within one of the three broad areas, and then draw upon knowledge available from several disciplines within the knowledge area. For example, looking at the course list for the College of Liberal Studies, you will see topics such as Evil Acts, Religious Reasons, Humanities of the Ancient World and Mathematics in Liberal Studies. The first course straddles the humanities and social science areas of knowledge. The word “humanities” in the second course is self explanatory. And mathematics is, of course, a foundation for many endeavors within the natural sciences. Although the courses fall in different knowledge areas, they are all woven together by the thread of critical thinking informed by learning across disciplines. This is the foundation for interdisciplinary studies and for the type of degrees that are conferred on our graduates.
By learning to read closely and attentively, as a student you become a more reflective writer. By learning how to gain knowledge from broad academic perspectives, you become a better thinker and scholar. You learn to form solid arguments and then support your position with sound reasoning. Plus, you discover many things about yourself along the way.
How does this help you in the “real” world? That is a topic for another day.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
The contradiction of for-profit education
I recently saw an episode of Frontline on PBS called “College, Inc.”, that truly alarmed me. Frontline, in case you are not familiar, is an excellent weekly program that features good, solid reporting on timely subjects. And yes, I know as students, TV watching is not high on the list of things you have time to do right now.
However, you might find this interesting as a student at the University of Oklahoma, a nonprofit, state institution because “College, Inc.” delves into the, for lack of a better word, underbelly of for-profit colleges and universities.
There is a huge difference between nonprofits and for-profits, as their very names imply. Traditional brick and mortar institutions such as OU are funded partly by the state legislature, through tuition and fees and raise money from donations by wealthy donors and alumni.
Conversely, for-profit institutions, like the University of Phoenix, sell shares to investors. That’s right. These colleges and universities are commodities, part of Wall Street. They are in the business of selling education and make millions, no, make that billions, of dollars.
What was particularly disturbing to me were comments made by former employees of the for-profit institutions. It seems like, from what was said, that many students who least can afford it are sold on earning a degree from one of these colleges. The loans they take out to pay for their educations are huge and often they cannot get the kinds of high paying jobs when they graduate that will help them pay back their loans.
One young woman earned a doctorate in psychology but cannot practice because the degree is not accredited. In other words, she now has more than $100,000 in loans with compounding interest that she cannot pay back because she cannot practice. Technically, she is not a psychologist at all. But she has a very expensive piece of paper with her name on it. Heartbreaking.
Of course, of the thousands of students that attend these schools, there are success stories.
The reality is career-oriented students are coming to school in droves, particularly due to the slow economy. A college education is fundamental and there is a huge demand that traditional two and four-year colleges and universities are trying to meet. As a business, for-profits are rising to the occasion and filling this need.
If a degree plan sounds too good to be true, or too easy, it most likely is. For-profit tuition costs up to seven times that of tuition at nonprofit institutions. All I can say is, buyer beware. Earning a quality degree from a traditional institution takes time and effort. You are becoming educated. I am not sure the same can be said of some of our business-based competitors.
However, you might find this interesting as a student at the University of Oklahoma, a nonprofit, state institution because “College, Inc.” delves into the, for lack of a better word, underbelly of for-profit colleges and universities.
There is a huge difference between nonprofits and for-profits, as their very names imply. Traditional brick and mortar institutions such as OU are funded partly by the state legislature, through tuition and fees and raise money from donations by wealthy donors and alumni.
Conversely, for-profit institutions, like the University of Phoenix, sell shares to investors. That’s right. These colleges and universities are commodities, part of Wall Street. They are in the business of selling education and make millions, no, make that billions, of dollars.
What was particularly disturbing to me were comments made by former employees of the for-profit institutions. It seems like, from what was said, that many students who least can afford it are sold on earning a degree from one of these colleges. The loans they take out to pay for their educations are huge and often they cannot get the kinds of high paying jobs when they graduate that will help them pay back their loans.
One young woman earned a doctorate in psychology but cannot practice because the degree is not accredited. In other words, she now has more than $100,000 in loans with compounding interest that she cannot pay back because she cannot practice. Technically, she is not a psychologist at all. But she has a very expensive piece of paper with her name on it. Heartbreaking.
Of course, of the thousands of students that attend these schools, there are success stories.
The reality is career-oriented students are coming to school in droves, particularly due to the slow economy. A college education is fundamental and there is a huge demand that traditional two and four-year colleges and universities are trying to meet. As a business, for-profits are rising to the occasion and filling this need.
If a degree plan sounds too good to be true, or too easy, it most likely is. For-profit tuition costs up to seven times that of tuition at nonprofit institutions. All I can say is, buyer beware. Earning a quality degree from a traditional institution takes time and effort. You are becoming educated. I am not sure the same can be said of some of our business-based competitors.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Life happens but the clock keeps ticking
The last two weeks of any eight-week session can really create panic. Here it is, two weeks before the end of class and you find yourself way behind. It happens to the best of us because as working adult students, life happens. What should you do? First and foremost, communicate, communicate, communicate. As soon as possible contact your faculty member and let them know what is going on. This is paramount.
If you find yourself in this circumstance, you have the right to ask your faculty member for a grade of incomplete … but only if you meet certain criteria. An incomplete grade is only appropriate if you have completed a significant portion of the course work. But the College of Liberal Studies allows faculty certain leeway to decide what must be done to help you. If they agree to give you an incomplete grade, they also are empowered to set a time limit appropriate to the circumstance. Keep in mind that the time allowed to make up the work cannot exceed one calendar year. Whatever your faculty member tells you to do, be sure to do it. Meet the deadline. There can be serious implications to your financial aid if you don’t.
An “I” for “Incomplete” is not an alternative to an “F” so if you are failing a course you will not be able to receive an “I”. That said, if you have finished a majority, but not all, of the required coursework for the semester, you are eligible for an “I”.
Here is a rundown of the CLS incomplete policy.
Students must have:
1) Completed a significant portion, ideally at least 50 percent, of the course material assignments.
2) Contacted the instructor prior to the end of the course and have arranged to receive a grade of “Incomplete.” It will be at the discretion of the instructor to assign a grade of “I.” Although you may have submitted 50 percent of the course work, that is not a guarantee that the instructor will assign the student an “I” grade).
3) Agreed upon a timeline for completing outstanding assignments with your faculty member. You will have no more than one year from the date the grade is awarded to complete outstanding assignments. A faculty member may give you a much shorter time frame if they deem it appropriate to do so.
The “I” will become a permanent mark on your transcript if the calendar year goes by and you have not made up the remaining work. To receive credit for the course, you will then have to re-enroll for the same course and pay for it again.
If you find yourself in this circumstance, you have the right to ask your faculty member for a grade of incomplete … but only if you meet certain criteria. An incomplete grade is only appropriate if you have completed a significant portion of the course work. But the College of Liberal Studies allows faculty certain leeway to decide what must be done to help you. If they agree to give you an incomplete grade, they also are empowered to set a time limit appropriate to the circumstance. Keep in mind that the time allowed to make up the work cannot exceed one calendar year. Whatever your faculty member tells you to do, be sure to do it. Meet the deadline. There can be serious implications to your financial aid if you don’t.
An “I” for “Incomplete” is not an alternative to an “F” so if you are failing a course you will not be able to receive an “I”. That said, if you have finished a majority, but not all, of the required coursework for the semester, you are eligible for an “I”.
Here is a rundown of the CLS incomplete policy.
Students must have:
1) Completed a significant portion, ideally at least 50 percent, of the course material assignments.
2) Contacted the instructor prior to the end of the course and have arranged to receive a grade of “Incomplete.” It will be at the discretion of the instructor to assign a grade of “I.” Although you may have submitted 50 percent of the course work, that is not a guarantee that the instructor will assign the student an “I” grade).
3) Agreed upon a timeline for completing outstanding assignments with your faculty member. You will have no more than one year from the date the grade is awarded to complete outstanding assignments. A faculty member may give you a much shorter time frame if they deem it appropriate to do so.
The “I” will become a permanent mark on your transcript if the calendar year goes by and you have not made up the remaining work. To receive credit for the course, you will then have to re-enroll for the same course and pay for it again.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Pomp and Circumstance
I think graduation is one of the best times of the academic year. Everyone is happy. Really, really happy. As they should be. The hard work is done and it is time to celebrate one of life’s major accomplishments. To that end, I want to tell you about the convocation ceremony for the College, as well as the all-campus graduation celebration.
The College of Liberal Studies convocation will be held Saturday, May 15. This is a festive occasion just for our graduates and you can meet CLS faculty, administrators and deans, as well as see them in their full academic regalia. This year we have invited Oklahoma head women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale to be our convocation speaker. I am really looking forward to hearing her and am sure you will find her very inspirational.
For convocation, you will dress in traditional academic ceremonial costume, be recognized by name, have your photo taken and receive your official degree cover from CLS Dean James Pappas.
Plan on arriving at the Rupel Jones Theater, on the corner of Boyd and Elm Streets, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will start at 10:30. There is a parking garage is right across the street.
In addition to convocation, you also can participate in the university-wide commencement ceremony Friday night, May 14. All summer, December and May graduates can participate. I highly recommend you walk in this exciting event held in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It is filled with pageantry and includes an address from OU President David Boren and commencement speaker, Pulitzer Prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
All-university graduation concludes with a mammoth fireworks display. More information is on the OU Commencement Web site.
Looking forward to seeing you!
The College of Liberal Studies convocation will be held Saturday, May 15. This is a festive occasion just for our graduates and you can meet CLS faculty, administrators and deans, as well as see them in their full academic regalia. This year we have invited Oklahoma head women’s basketball coach Sherri Coale to be our convocation speaker. I am really looking forward to hearing her and am sure you will find her very inspirational.
For convocation, you will dress in traditional academic ceremonial costume, be recognized by name, have your photo taken and receive your official degree cover from CLS Dean James Pappas.
Plan on arriving at the Rupel Jones Theater, on the corner of Boyd and Elm Streets, at 10 a.m. The ceremony will start at 10:30. There is a parking garage is right across the street.
In addition to convocation, you also can participate in the university-wide commencement ceremony Friday night, May 14. All summer, December and May graduates can participate. I highly recommend you walk in this exciting event held in Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. It is filled with pageantry and includes an address from OU President David Boren and commencement speaker, Pulitzer Prize winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.
All-university graduation concludes with a mammoth fireworks display. More information is on the OU Commencement Web site.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Friday, April 16, 2010
About me
Frank Rodriquez
Adminstrator
College of Liberal Studies Bachelor’s Program
My job is incredibly diverse. I do everything from providing customer service to program planning, admissions counseling, course management – basically everything that relates to program management for an undergraduate degree at OU.
I grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma, a small town in the eastern part of the state, as one of six children. I graduated from Henryetta High School – where NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman is from – in 1977 and worked for a couple of years before I went to college. Before coming to OU, I spent three years in journalism as managing editor of the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, and I was managing editor of the Chickasha Express for a few months before going to work for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma which also is in Chickasha. I was there for three years, went back to journalism, and then came to OU in 1992. I began as a recruiter for the College of Liberal Studies before moving into my current role.
I graduated as a nontraditional student from East Central University in 1985. I earned my Master of Liberal Studies degree while working here at OU, studying American religious history in our self-designed study option. I am currently in a doctoral program at Oklahoma State University, studying education leadership with a minor in adult learning. I have completed all but my dissertation. My dissertation research topic is transformative learning in online courses.
What I love to study and think about are religion and religious issues. With everything that has happened in the world today, and with the serious situations our nation currently faces, I feel that I have prepared for this era because I’ve studied everything that’s involved. The confluence between politics and religion, the radicalism and religious fundamentalism, I studied all of that during my master’s program.
I’m also passionate about helping people – seeing people change and grow as they come through our college. I’m not just talking about the students, but also the staff. Watching them come in and mature, and seize the opportunities available to them is what keeps me going. I’m very proud of the fact that most of our staff members are working hard to continue their own education, pursuing both graduate and undergraduate degrees. We are a college that really practices what we preach – the powerful and transformative influence of higher education.
E-mail me at realcleareducation@ou.edu
Adminstrator
College of Liberal Studies Bachelor’s Program
My job is incredibly diverse. I do everything from providing customer service to program planning, admissions counseling, course management – basically everything that relates to program management for an undergraduate degree at OU.
I grew up in Henryetta, Oklahoma, a small town in the eastern part of the state, as one of six children. I graduated from Henryetta High School – where NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman is from – in 1977 and worked for a couple of years before I went to college. Before coming to OU, I spent three years in journalism as managing editor of the Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, and I was managing editor of the Chickasha Express for a few months before going to work for the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma which also is in Chickasha. I was there for three years, went back to journalism, and then came to OU in 1992. I began as a recruiter for the College of Liberal Studies before moving into my current role.
I graduated as a nontraditional student from East Central University in 1985. I earned my Master of Liberal Studies degree while working here at OU, studying American religious history in our self-designed study option. I am currently in a doctoral program at Oklahoma State University, studying education leadership with a minor in adult learning. I have completed all but my dissertation. My dissertation research topic is transformative learning in online courses.
What I love to study and think about are religion and religious issues. With everything that has happened in the world today, and with the serious situations our nation currently faces, I feel that I have prepared for this era because I’ve studied everything that’s involved. The confluence between politics and religion, the radicalism and religious fundamentalism, I studied all of that during my master’s program.
I’m also passionate about helping people – seeing people change and grow as they come through our college. I’m not just talking about the students, but also the staff. Watching them come in and mature, and seize the opportunities available to them is what keeps me going. I’m very proud of the fact that most of our staff members are working hard to continue their own education, pursuing both graduate and undergraduate degrees. We are a college that really practices what we preach – the powerful and transformative influence of higher education.
E-mail me at realcleareducation@ou.edu
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