Left college? USF wants you back

Posted Jan 18, 2012 by Lindsay Peterson

Updated Jan 18, 2012 at 07:59 PM

USF is leading the way with a project high on the list of State Board of Governors priorities.

A while back, board member Ann Duncan, from Tampa, adopted the issue of getting people back to college if they were already half way finished.

At their meeting in Tallahassee today, the Board of Governors heard from Pam Northrup, associate provost and dean at the University of West Florida.

She said that USF and UWF already had degree programs for people who “stopped out” of college but wanted to come back and get diplomas. USF’s is called the Bachelors of General Studies.

Now the Board of Governors plans to spend two years studying these programs, “what’s working, what’s not.”

They also want to focus on luring more people back, especially veterans.

“These are people not in school now. We’re going to have to reach out in different ways,” Northrup said.

And when they return, they need courses they can fit into their busy lives. Short, online classes, for instance.

“We’re trying to figure out how to reduce that time to degree.”

Here’s her presentation if you want to find out more.