Collaboration a great opportunity for Cal U students
On July 16, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education approved a proposal that would open the door to “integration” of several state-owned universities (“Cal U and Clarion integration eyed to cut costs,” July 16, 2020).
As a first step, a financial review will determine whether California University of Pennsylvania and Clarion University would benefit from integrating their existing complements of high-quality, 100% online academic programs.
This does NOT mean that Cal U will become an “online-only” university, or that California and Clarion will become one. Cal U will retain its own identity – and we will continue to offer top-quality academic programs on our beautiful riverside campus as we have done for more than 168 years.
Because Cal U is a student-focused university, we provide higher education in the format that students prefer. Although the majority of students choose an on-campus experience, Cal U also has been a leader in online education for more than a decade. Today, about 2,000 Cal U students are earning their degrees entirely online – while more than 4,800 students are enrolled in on-campus programs.
As we look to the future, collaboration with Clarion may present new opportunities for Cal U to offer an even broader array of degree and certificate programs. And our expertise in instructional technology will continue to benefit on-campus students, especially as we address the current public health crisis.
But Cal U remains committed to the vision that has guided it since 1852: to be a place of opportunity for our students, our employees and our community.
Christine Kindl
Vice president for Communications and marketing president, California University of Pennsylvania