"UNCG in 3" Press Conference
Linda P. Brady, Chancellor
February 25, 2010
Good afternoon and welcome to UNCG. Just two weeks ago we gathered in this building to announce the UNCG Guarantee, a program that will help eligible North Carolina students graduate from the University with little or no debt.
Today we are building on that announcement with the launch of UNCG in 3 – an initiative to help highly motivated students earn a degree in just three years. It is yet another example of how UNCG is fulfilling its obligation as a public institution to make college more affordable.
Students who participate in UNCG in 3 will be able to save tuition dollars and move more quickly to other life goals. They might pursue a graduate degree a year early, jump-start a career, or even use what they save in tuition to launch a new business.
Of course, students in many UNCG programs always have had the ability to graduate in three years. Throughout the university’s history, students have succeeded in earning a degree early by taking a heavier course load. This will be the first time, though, that we have provided a formal support system for those highly motivated students who want to accelerate the path to a UNCG degree.
It begins with course scheduling. To date, nearly two dozen degree programs have agreed to sequence their courses so that UNCG in 3 students can get the classes they need within an accelerated timeframe. A broad range of academic disciplines are participating – from accounting and anthropology to business administration and political science. We expect more to follow.
Students participating in UNCG in 3 also will receive priority support from advisors and priority scheduling to ensure they can get into the classes they need to stay on track.
So who are the best candidates for an accelerated degree? In a thought-provoking article published last year by Newsweek magazine, U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander noted that one of five students enrolling in college today will arrive on campus with a semester or more of college credit already under their belt.
UNCG’s experience mirrors the national trend. Advanced Placement courses, UNCG iSchool and other early college programs are giving many students a significant head start on their degree while in high school. In fact, last year alone, nearly 600 freshmen entered UNCG with transferrable college credits. With careful planning and a bit of extra effort, it is entirely possible for these students to accelerate their learning and earn an undergraduate degree in just three years.
Initially, UNCG in 3 will target students who enter the University having earned at least 12 hours of college credit. Those who participate will find lots of options for accelerating the path to their degree. They might take 16 credit hours each fall and spring, plus another seven during each of two summer sessions. Or they might choose to participate in our winter session and learn year-round.
Regardless of the path they pursue, students seeking an accelerated degree will find our portfolio of nationally recognized online courses a great help. They will have more flexible choices and won’t need to be tied to campus in order to earn a degree early. For example, summer session courses could be taken from home or from a Washington, DC internship program, or even in conjunction with a study abroad or international internship experience.
The cost savings UNCG in 3 delivers are significant. By graduating a year early, students and their families can save as much as $8,000 in tuition, fees, and room-and-board – or 22 percent of the cost of a four-year program. Students simply declare their interest in graduating early when they apply to UNCG…when they accept admission…or when they arrive on campus for summer orientation. Our UNCG in 3 team will help them develop a plan for earning a high-quality UNCG degree in just three years.
I am proud to say that the decision to launch this accelerated learning initiative supports the UNC System’s commitment to new and innovative educational opportunities. It also supports UNCG’s strategic plan by promoting student success and greater educational access– two commitments we take very seriously.
In a moment we will open the floor to your questions. But first I would like to turn the podium over to Robert Brown, Dean of our Division of Continual Learning. Robert and Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Studies Steve Roberson co-chaired the cross-disciplinary UNCG in 3 planning team.
I’ve asked Robert to tell you a bit about two of the significant enablers for the initiative we’ve announced today. The first is UNCG iSchool, an early college program that is helping students across the state earn college credit while they are still in high school. Robert also will tell you more about the award-winning online courses that make it easier for UNCG students to earn an accelerated degree. Robert –
