New Partnership Creates Online Course Sharing Initiative for Independent Colleges and Universities

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- College Consortium announced today a partnership with the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) designed to help institutions increase course access for students and improve on-time graduation. In just two years, College Consortium has piloted several statewide consortia of colleges and universities to facilitate online course sharing -- helping over 1600 students access the courses they need to progress and complete their degrees, while generating more than $7 million in additional revenue and student savings for participating institutions.

"CIC members that already have piloted this concept with College Consortium have found it to be effective in assuring academic integrity and in providing an efficient way to facilitate these cross-registrations. The new CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium allows our members to increase course offerings, while retaining control over their own curriculum. Students are able to apply financial aid and earn credit that meets institutional graduation requirements. The CIC Consortium also provides members that have excess capacity the means to increase revenue, while helping fellow CIC members increase graduation and retention rates," said Richard Ekman, president of CIC.  

The new platform will allow CIC members to advance several new strategies to help students graduate on-time, including summer and short semester courses that provide at-risk and adult students with convenient and flexible options.

"We are excited to support the goals of CIC and their member institutions through the launch of this national consortium," said Joshua Pierce, CEO and co-founder of College Consortium. "Through our work to date with over 100 colleges, we provide a platform that removes traditional barriers to course sharing, while ensuring students can retain access to financial aid and apply credits toward on-time graduation."

The launch of the CIC Online Sharing Consortium was developed in response to existing demand among member institutions. More than 80 CIC members already utilize College Consortium's platform to allow for course and revenue sharing in a streamlined manner. The consortial model ensures that institutional standards can be met for course development and faculty approval.

"Through our previous work with College Consortium, students have been able to enroll in classes that are either at capacity or not offered at the desired time, but still needed to graduate on-time," said Fred Slabach, president of Texas Wesleyan University. "This partnership will expand our offerings to provide students a pathway to timely completion. In addition to increasing student success rates, the CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium will allow us to fill open course seats and sustain traditionally under-enrolled courses."

CIC institutions are able to participate as either Home Institutions where students have access to other CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium members' courses, and/or as Teaching Institutions, which allow other CIC Consortium members to enroll students in their courses with excess capacity.

"As a former independent college president and provost, I experienced the demands on college leaders to craft new initiatives that improve student success, while also helping the institution's bottom-line," said Norval Kneten, CIC Senior Advisor. "This initiative provides institutional leaders with an opportunity to do both. Because the CIC Online Course Sharing Consortium allows students to take more courses essential for on-time graduation, Home and Teaching Institutions are able to benefit financially, while ensuring students meet their academic goals."

About College Consortium
College Consortium facilitates innovation through collaboration. We are building and supporting networks of colleges and universities committed to sharing quality courses and credits to meet the needs of today's students.  Our platform enables institutions to streamline course access and revenue sharing to improve student success, fulfil their mission, and extend their impact.

About The Council of Independent Colleges
The Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) is an association of 763 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils of independent colleges, and other higher education affiliates, that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education's contributions to society. CIC is the major national organization that focuses on services to leaders of independent colleges and universities and state-based councils. CIC offers conferences, seminars, publications, and other programs and services that help institutions improve educational quality, administrative and financial performance, student outcomes, and institutional visibility. It conducts the largest annual conferences of college and university presidents and of chief academic officers. Founded in 1956, CIC is headquartered at One Dupont Circle in Washington, DC.

SOURCE College Consortium