November 2013
@ColoradoStateU / www.coloradoan.com/colostateu
U e t a t S o d a r o l o C @
November 2013, Volume 1, Issue 2
1
Special Advertising Section created by Coloradoan Media Group Custom Publishing
CSU OnlinePlus responds to workforce needs BY MATT GRISWOLD
TODAY’S COLLEGE STUDENTS ARE NOT WHO YOU THINK THEY ARE BY JEANNA NIXON
Picture a typical college student. Like many of us, you are probably imagining a young, bright-eyed 19-year-old wearing a university sweatshirt who has left home, moved into a dorm, and attends weekday classes on campus and football games on the weekend. This student spends a lot of time with friends, may or may not work part-time, and gets involved in campus clubs and activities while determining a major and path to a career. While this idyllic college experience still exists for many, it is no longer the norm. As of 2011, just 15 percent of the 17.6 million undergraduates in the United States live on campus and attend four-year colleges, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Twenty-five percent are over age 30, 37 percent are enrolled part-time, and 32 percent work full-time. By 2019, it is estimated individuals 25 and older will make up 61 percent of all undergraduates, highlighting how the face of higher education has changed and continues to change. For many of these adult students who are working to balance a job with their education, the traditional and structured schedule of daytime campus classes is simply not
feasible. In fact, 6.7 million, or 32 percent of college students, were taking at least one online course in 2011, reaching an all-time high, according to a report from SloanC, Pearson, and Babson Research Group. From 2002 to 2011 the number of students pursing higher education grew at an annual rate of 2.6 percent while the overall number of students taking at least one online course grew at a rate of 17.3 percent. In addition to it becoming common for students to take campus-based and online courses simultaneously, there CHOICE IS OFTEN NOT BETWEEN ON-CAMPUS AND ONLINE A 2013 survey by The Learning House and Aslanian Market Research indicates that 45 percent of students who selected an online program would not have enrolled at all if online classes were not an option. Using a scale of 1 (“would not have”) to 5 (“definitely would have”), online students gave an average rating of 2.7 to describe the likelihood of completing study on campus were online studies not available.
has also been significant growth in the number of students pursuing completely online degrees. Eduventures estimates that in fall 2011, almost 3 million students were enrolled in a fully online degree, representing 14 percent of all higher education enrollments. This is in part because the flexibility of online learning has made pursuing a degree possible for individuals striving to meet work and family responsibilities and for those living too far from campus. A 2013 survey from The Learning House and Aslanian Market Research indicates that 45 percent of students who selected an online program would not have enrolled if an online option were not available. Now, imagine that student again, but this time include her best friend’s mom who is the primary income earner for the family, the man whose second job it is to take tickets at the football game, and the father of two for whom she babysits occasionally. They may not have a science lab on Tuesday, Sociology on Wednesday, and residence hall meeting on Thursday, but most nights they are sitting down to their online courses after all other responsibilities have been put to rest.
In 1879, classes at Colorado State University began with five students and courses covering Arithmetic, English, U.S. History, Natural Philosophy, Horticulture, and Farm Economy. Colorado State has grown and evolved from its humble beginnings into a leading academic and research university, with a 583-acre main campus, a student body of about 30,000, and about 6,000 employees, making it northern Colorado’s largest employer. This growth has positioned CSU to respond to current workforce and economic trends, including the introduction of two new degree programs in tourism management and applied statistics delivered online. It is predicted to be a record year for the tourism industry, with global growth forecasted at 2.8 percent – directly producing $2 trillion to the global economy and around 100.3 million jobs, according to research by the World Travel & Tourism Council. CSU responded with the launch of an online Master of Tourism Management that prepares future tourism leaders and entrepreneurs with real-world skills and knowledge to take advantage of the number one employer in the world. “This Master of Tourism Management program is designed to prepare students and professionals to advance their careers and create solutions to meet global tourism industry challenges,” Mike Manfredo, CSU professor and a department head in the Warner College of Natural Resources, said. The program’s curriculum offers a cutting-edge focus on sustainable business models and a holistic approach to the tourism industry. A heavy emphasis on triple-bottom-line business practices — including those that address profits, people, and the planet — gives students a competitive advantage as professionals with a unique skill set specific to a growing industry. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of statisticians is also growing. The field is projected to grow 13 percent from 2008 to 2018, as methods of probability and statistics have become essential tools in almost every area of business, science, technology, government, and academia. Statisticians are in especially high demand in the high-tech, medical, and pharmaceutical sectors for functions such as quality control, market research, and product development. This need prompted CSU’s recent launch of a Master of Applied Statistics (MAS) offered online to train students in the practical application of statistics, focusing on methods and computational aspects. “These are people who know what they need to hit the ground running,” said Mary Meyer, a CSU professor who helped design the program. “We’re easing that transition with the new MAS that will quickly prepare students to be competent practitioners of statistics, positioning them for a rewarding career in a growing job market.” Much has changed since CSU’s beginnings, though the University’s mission remains the same — to serve its students and community with research and education needed for today’s changing world.
STUDY EXPLORES WEB OF CONNECTIONS
EXTENSION EXPANDS FLOOD RELIEF EFFORTS
INSTITUTE STUDIES FLOOD IMPACTS IN ESTES PARK
WATER INSTITUTE AND WATER CENTER
CSU’S NATIONAL SCIENCE EXPERIMENT
A recently released study by CSU’s Office of Community and Economic Development and the Colorado Department of Agriculture reveals some specifics behind the concept known as “farm-to-table.” The Value Chain of Colorado Agriculture is the first comprehensive look at the whole of Colorado agriculture by mapping the connections from industry to consumer. Read more at outreach.colostate.edu/econ-dev/ value-chain.html
Colorado State University Extension recently organized a one-stop shop of flood recovery resources for farmers, ranchers and landowners who were impacted by September’s floodwaters. The Northern Colorado Flood Recovery Assistance meeting drew more than 200 people and 15 different agencies and organizations and also featured a series of recovery-related seminars.
Regional Economics Institute Director Martin Shields and colleagues have explored one of the major topics surrounding the recent floods that hit Colorado – the effect on tourism in Estes Park. Their briefing provides a preliminary estimate of the flood’s potential economic impact on tourism in and around the Estes Park area, and the impacts on the state’s economy as a whole.
The Colorado Water Institute and its affiliate, the Colorado Water Center, are expanding their efforts in research, education and outreach on water issues. A rejuvenated Colorado Water Center will focus on being a leader nationally in areas such as ecohydrology, irrigation efficiency, water for energy, or other relevant areas. In all, there are more than 150 waterrelated courses taught at CSU, and faculty and staff are engaged in solving water resources problems across the globe.
The CSU-designed 4-H Maps & Apps project was selected by 4-H National Headquarters and 4-H Council as this year’s National Science Experiment for 4-H National Youth Science Day, which was held on Oct. 9. The experiment introduces youth to the importance of geographic information systems and GPS or geographic positioning systems as they design and map their ideal park. Three hundred fourth-grade students from Fort Collins came to campus to experience Maps & Apps first-hand.