WGU Indiana

WGU Indiana is a private, non-profit online university established by the state of Indiana to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents. Formed by a partnership between the state and Western Governors University, the university offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Business, Information Technology, Teacher Education, and Health Professions, including Nursing. [1] As of May 31, 2016, it served roughly 4,500 students across the state of Indiana. [2] WGU Indiana was established through an executive order on June 14, 2010 [3] by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels, as a partnership between the state and Western Governors University in an effort to expand access to higher education for Indiana residents and increase the percentage of the state’s adult population with education beyond high school.[4][5] The mission of WGU Indiana is to expand access to affordable higher education for Indiana residents through online degree programs that address key workforce needs.[6] WGU Indiana is a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Governors University, which was founded in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors to expand access to higher education through online degree programs. Today, Western Governors University is a national university, with more than 70,000 students from all 50 U.S. states as of June 30, 2016.[7] Non-profit but self-sustaining on tuition, WGU Indiana provides new educational opportunities for Indiana residents without ongoing state subsidy. WGU Indiana accepts applications only from residents in the state of Indiana. There is no minimum high school grade point average for admission, and no minimum score on the SAT or ACT. However, all applicants must pass an admissions examination administered by the university.

Academic model

WGU Indiana uses a mentor-guided model that requires students to demonstrate their knowledge rather than spending time in a classroom. Adult students have often acquired many of the skills necessary for a degree through life and work experiences. WGU’s system is designed to enable students to employ such previously learned skills in proving their competency while earning a degree. Each WGU Indiana student is assigned a mentor, who provides one-on-one coaching, guidance, and support from enrollment through graduation. Learning resources, which include textbooks, webinars, simulations, and online tutorials, have been developed by third party sources and are reviewed by councils of industry representatives to ensure that they are relevant to employers’ needs.

Accreditation

WGU Indiana degrees are granted under the current accreditation of Western Governors University, which is regionally accredited through the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)[8] and nationally accredited through the Distance Education and Training Commission (DETC). The Teachers College programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).[9] Nursing programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).[10]

Affordibility and accessibility

WGU Indiana tuition is charged at a flat rate for six-month terms, not per credit hour or semester. Tuition for most undergraduate programs is $2,890 per term. Students may begin their terms at the first of any month.[11] WGU Indiana is an approved education provider for Indiana state grants and scholarships offered through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI).[12] As a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Governors University, WGU Indiana is approved by the U.S. Department of Education to offer federal financial aid.[13] WGU Indiana’s online model makes college possible for adults who may not be able to travel to a campus by providing flexibility to complete studies while meeting work and family obligations.

Governance and Indiana operations

WGU Indiana is led by Chancellor Allison Barber,[14][15] who is based in the university’s Indianapolis office. The Chancellor reports to Western Governors University President Robert Mendenhall. WGU Indiana works under the guidance of an Advisory Board of corporate, community, and education leaders in the state.

WGU Indiana Advisory Board members are:

References

  1. ↑ Lederman, Doug (2010-07-14). "Indiana teams up with WGU to educate adults online". Usatoday.Com. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  2. ↑ "About WGU Indiana Students". Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  3. ↑ "Governor Daniels: Executive Orders". In.gov. 2009-06-16. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  4. ↑ "Online University News | WGU Indiana | Gov. Daniels Announces New University". Indiana.wgu.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  5. ↑ Bradner, Eric. "Indiana launches online university » Evansville Courier & Press". Courierpress.com. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  6. ↑ "WGU Indiana Governance | Supported Online Learning | WGU Indiana". Indiana.wgu.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  7. ↑ "WGU Students and Alumni". Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  8. ↑ "NWCCU Institutions W - Z". Nwccu.org. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  9. ↑ Archived June 20, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ "WGU Indiana Tuition and Fees | Indiana Online University | WGU Indiana". Indiana.wgu.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  12. ↑ "SSACI: Eligible Indiana Colleges". In.gov. 2009-06-16. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  13. ↑ "WGU Indiana Tuition and Financial Aid | Indiana Online University | WGU Indiana". Indiana.wgu.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  14. ↑ "Indiana Online University News | WGU Indiana | Hoosier to Lead WGU Indiana". Indiana.wgu.edu. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
  15. ↑ Sewall, Michael (2010-08-29). "For the Chancellor of a New Online Campus, Every Workday Is About Branding - People - The Chronicle of Higher Education". Chronicle.com. Retrieved 2012-05-09.
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