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ZANE STATE OFFERS FIRST-EVER
APPLIED BACHELOR’S DEGREE BY CHRISTINE HOLMES, Y-CITY NEWS [LINK]
For the first time in the educational institution’s 50-year history, Zane State College is offering an applied bachelor’s degree program. Students currently studying electrical engineering technology or those in the field with a qualified associate degree can now transition into a Bachelor of Applied Science in Electrical Engineering Technology (BSET). “They’ll be able to finish this (applied) bachelor’s degree in two years or less,” said Zane State President Chad Brown. “We also offer the (applied) bachelor’s degree courses at our same tuition rate.” The program is the direct result of market demand for workers trained to problem solve in a technologically advanced electrical field. Brown said conversations began in March 2018 between American Electric Power and Zane State College regarding workforce challenges. “What they’ve really described is a huge void related to the workforce being ready to go out and service, as well as troubleshoot, as well as even installing new equipment in those facilities SPRING 2020
given the smart grid technology,” said Brown. Before the major could be offered to students, Zane State College had to present its case before the Ohio Department of Higher Education in order to establish the need for such a program. During that hearing, several industry representatives testified on behalf of the proposed program, with 20 additional letters of support submitted, penned by various energyrelated companies. More than 40 applications were submitted and just nine were approved between seven higher education institutions. In addition to testimony on behalf of proposed programs, competitors opposing applications had the opportunity to explain why the need was already met through existing programs. “Actually, we were the only proposal that the university system didn’t have some kind of comments about. All the other ones, they gave testimony why they shouldn’t be allowed to do it or why they’re already meeting the need,” said Brown. “Everybody agreed this is a need
