Hartford Business Journal

8 Hartford Business Journal • April 27, 2015 www.HartfordBusiness.com FOCUS EDUCATION As college enrollments slow, online education competition heats up By Matthew Broderick Special to the Hartford Business Journal A s president of Connecticut's only public online col- lege, Ed Klonoski thinks a lot of about numbers — enrollment figures, costs and demographics. "The number of 18-year-olds in Connecticut — the tra- ditional college student — is declining by 1.8 percent per year," explained Klonoski, who heads Charter Oak State College. In contrast, he noted, nearly 40 percent of higher education students — roughly 20 million people nation- wide — are over age 24 and going to school part time. That demographic shift is helping institutions like Charter Oak, as online courses typically have greater appeal among older students who often balance work, family obligations and education. While many state col- leges are confronting declining or stagnant enrollment, schools offering a broader array of online education are coping better. The trend is also forcing traditional col- leges to increase their investment in online offerings. A primary target for Charter Oak has been adults who have earned college credits, but not yet completed their degree. "We offer great flexibility to transfer credits, which makes it easier for adults to earn a degree," Klonoski said. He noted, for instance, that students can get credit for job-based training. That has not only attracted the attention of Con- necticut's employers — who have a vested interest in continuing to develop the skills of their employees — but also policymakers, including Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who introduced a $6 million program last June — Go Back to Get Ahead — to incent adult learners with some college experience to complete their degree. The program, which ran through the spring semes- ter of this year, produced some strong results, Klonoski said. It helped Charter Oak enroll 400 new students. Overall, online learning increased by 3.7 percent — about 5.3 million students — last year, according to 2014 research by Babson Survey Research Group, which has tracked online learning in the U.S. for the past 12 years. That's the slowest year-over-year increase in a decade, but the report notes that over that time period online enrollment growth far exceeded that of overall higher education. In fact, the study found that 70.8 percent of academic leaders reported e-learning as a critical component of their institution's long-term strategy and nearly three in four said online learning was the same as, or superior to, face-to-face instruction. Those numbers don't surprise Veronica Montalvo, senior vice president of the Online Institute at Water- bury-based Post University, which has more than 7,000 students studying online during the year. The school, which offers 22 graduate, 43 undergraduate and 12 graduate certificate programs, provides 100 percent of its accelerated learning curriculum online, but has also seen roughly 20 percent of its main campus students enroll in an online course. Montalvo dispels the misconception that online courses are easier. "In fact, they're rigorous and demanding, requiring students to be self-disciplined," she said. "There's no such thing as sitting in the back row; grades are heavily weighted on personal participa- tion and contribution in the virtual world." While she acknowledges one of the biggest chal- lenges in online education is adapting to the different needs and learning styles of each student, Montalvo says a bigger issue has been the evolution of online learning among traditional private and public institu- tions, which have seen the sharpest increase in online education, creating more competition. The University of Hartford, for example, has seen steady growth since online learning was introduced to its MBA students in 2008, said RJ McGivney, the private school's assistant provost for online learning. "We've seen about 25 percent annual growth since 2012 among that degree track," he said. "Nearly 70 per- cent of our MBA students take courses online." UHart now offers more than 60 courses online and — like Charter Oak — offers a customizable degree in gen- eral studies designed for adult learners with some college credits. And the university continues to incorporate new online programs geared towards professional develop- ment, including master's degrees in taxation and special education planned for the fall of 2015. While the explosion of online learning opportuni- ties presents challenges to a dedicated online school like Charter Oak, Klonoski's institution has a sizeable advantage in one important area: cost. "I had one fam- ily that was able to educate all five children through Charter Oak for less than $60,000 total," he said. n Charter Oak State College President Ed Klonoski congratulates a 2014 graduate. Charter Oak faces increased competition as more traditional pri- vate and public colleges ramp up investment in online education. P H O T O | C O N T R I B U T E D Q&A As retirement nears, Trotman Reid reflects on USJ's growth, future Q&A talks with Pamela Trotman Reid, who will retire as president of the University of St. Joseph at the end of this academic year. Q: Reflecting on your seven years as USJ president what have been your most important accomplishments? A: Moving to University sta- tus and launching the School of Pharmacy are two of the achieve- ments that I am most proud of, but I am also very pleased to have helped raise the visibility of the Uni- versity of St. Joseph in the community. I think now more than before we are top of mind when people in the Greater Hartford area think of universities con - tributing to our com- munity well-being. Q: What's the biggest opportu- nity the University of St. Joseph has in front of it the next few years? What's the biggest challenge? A: Training healthcare provid- ers is clearly the greatest opportu- nity and also one of the greatest community needs. As we recog- nize the challenges of autism, USJ can help to meet the need through our innovative Center for Applied Research and Education. The Center combines edu- cating teachers with expanded service to families of children with disabilities. Additionally, the research in our Institute for Autism positions USJ to develop innovative strategies and services for families and service providers. Our biggest challenge is to identify educational niches that students want and the commu- nity needs. For example, we are develop- ing a criminal justice program that will focus on restorative jus- tice to develop professionals who have the highest integrity and will bring communities together. Q: There has been lots of talk in recent years question- ing the relevance of liberal arts colleges as the economy increasingly requires students with science, technology, math, and engineering backgrounds. How do liberal arts schools stay relevant in the years and decades ahead? A: Actually, I don't accept the premise that the liberal arts are not relevant, or that they have become less relevant to success. Every employer, every cor- porate and community leader, when asked, indicates that they are looking for problem solvers, creative thinkers, people who can speak and write clearly. These are the characteris- tics built into the liberal arts disciplines. Yes, our society increasingly values specific technical skills, especially in the sci- ences, but unless these are combined with an understand- ing of culture, his- tory and community, the skills by them- selves are limited in value. The challenge for the future of higher education is to assist students and all citi- zens to recognize the many ways we use liberal arts to create value in our everyday family and work life. Q: You've been a big Hartford booster over the years includ- ing sitting on the board of Capital Region Development Authority. Will USJ increase its presence in the city? A: The University of St. Joseph has always contributed to the development of Hartford through a variety of service activities. I have felt very privileged to add to their service through CRDA and the MetroHartford Alliance. We are excited by Gov. Mal- loy's development plans for the city, especially his focus on early childhood education. We see the city in a growth mode and con- sider the opportunities for the future exceptionally positive. In fact, USJ already has plans to expand our graduate health programs in downtown Hart- ford, so you can definitely expect to see our presence continue and grow. Q: So what do you plan to do after retirement? Will you still live in Connecticut? A: In July I will be joining my husband in Detroit; he is very happy that he can stop his commuting. We plan to spend more time visiting our children and grand- children who live in St. Louis and San Francisco. Additionally, I also have several projects that have been on hold, including mentor- ing others who wish to build their leadership skills. n PAMELA TROTMAN REID President, University of St. Joseph

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