Calling All Adult Learners!

Holly Vincent
Tuesday, October 31, 2017 12:00 AM
Academics, All, Community

CLEVELAND, Tenn. – In an effort to offer flexible learning opportunities for prospective adult learners for the 2018-2019 academic year, Cleveland State Community College has developed an Adult Learner Survey. The goal of the survey is to gather information from potential adult students on what kind of programs interest them, their financial needs and suitable times for classes, etc. Some of the new initiatives for fall 2018 include weekend college and Tennessee Reconnect, Governor Haslam’s program which is scheduled to start in the fall allowing adult learners to earn a certificate or degree tuition free.
           
“Cleveland State and the State of Tennessee are working together to make sure adults in our area can take advantage of the new TN Reconnect program,” stated Dr. Bill Seymour, CSCC President. “From our experience there are two major roadblocks for many adults when considering higher education. The first is cost. Well, TN Reconnect will take care of that. The second is lack of convenience. Cleveland State wants to minimize this roadblock as much as possible so you can complete your educational goals. We want to offer programs on a schedule that works best for you. Your feedback on this survey will help us do just that.”

            According to Dr. Denise King, Vice President for Academic Affairs, the mission of the weekend college is to:

●          Provide adult learners and busy students access to academic programs that prepare them
            for new career opportunities or advancement within current careers and accommodate 
            working lives
●          Redesign and deliver programs to better meet the needs of adult learners
●          Create a program-based standardized schedule around which adult learners may
            confidently plan so they can continue to meet their work and family obligations while
            pursuing higher education
●          Create a program that meets outside the traditional 9-5 work week in which many adults
            are employed.

The proposed format of the weekend college would be Friday evenings (two courses meeting) and Saturday mornings (two courses meeting). Currently, the times proposed for the course meetings are under consideration by CSCC’s Academic Calendar Committee.

King stated, “It is our mission to provide adult learners access to academic programs that prepare them for new career opportunities or advancement within current careers. Knowing that most adults in our service area are employed, the scheduling of programs must accommodate working lives. To that, the college is redesigning its delivery to better meet the needs of working adults. Our intent is to create program-based standardized schedules around which adult learners may confidently plan so they can continue to meet their work and family obligations while pursuing higher education.”

For more information on Tennessee Reconnect, contact Natalia Williams at (423) 472-7141, ext 318. To take the Adult Learner survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/csccadults.