University Center Addresses National Challenge of Degree Attainment
August 2, 2011
Southern Regional Education Board Director Speaks at Board of Visitors Meeting
GREENVILLE, SC – August 2, 2011 – The University Center of Greenville (UCG) hosted Dr. Bruce Chaloux, of Atlanta, GA, Director of Student Access Programs and Services at the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), to speak at its recent education forum meeting for Upstate community leaders. Chaloux provided a regional perspective on the growing national challenge to increase higher education degree attainment and offered specific strategies for organizations in the Upstate to excel in increasing access to secondary education degrees for the Greater Greenville area.
Photo Caption (left to right): Fred Baus, President & CEO of theUniversity Center of Greenville and Bruce Chaloux, Director of StudentAccess Programs and Services at the Southern Regional Education Board.
In its beginning, the Southern Regional Education Board was the first interstate compact, of which there are now four nationwide. Increasing completion of career certificates, two- and four-year degrees is top priority in the 16-state Southern Region from Delaware to Texas. The governor and four appointees, including legislative and educational leaders from each state in the region, sit on the board, providing a vital connection to policymakers. SREB’s initiatives are designed to share resources, increase access to higher education and to promote educational standards and economic growth of the region. Increasing the levels of education attainment leads to improved societal outcomes for the region such as decreased rates of incarceration, improved health outcomes, reduced participation in social services programs, and higher levels of volunteerism and social engagement.
Based on US Census data from 2008, the national average degree attainment rate was 38 percent and the United States has slipped to 11th in degree attainment globally. For the first time in US history, the current generation of adults (ages 25-34) have lower degree attainment than the previous generation (ages 35-44). The implications of these statistics, many of which have worsened in the more recent census, put the US in a national degree crisis.
The Lumina Foundation for Education’s “Big Goal” is to increase significantly the numbers of students who complete postsecondary career certificates and associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, so that 60 percent of all working adults (ages 25 to 64) will have one of these credentials by 2025. SREB has embraced this goal and seeks to achieve it through better preparation for college, higher retainment of traditional college students and more programs for adults.
Chaloux says, “Although the current higher education models and policies are seeing a modest increase in degree attainment, the region is still likely to fall short of its ‘Big Goal’ of 60 percent and need to collectively make changes to close the gap. Policymakers and other stakeholders across nation, region and state need to strategically and systematically close achievement gaps.”
In 2008, nearly 500,000 South Carolina residents completed some college without earning a degree representing 21 percent of the state’s adult population need to be accommodated by institutions. Many of these adults want to return to their studies to earn a degree but need new options with more flexible programs to meet their needs.
Chaloux says, “The University Center is strategically positioned to help fill those needs, by serving the adult population – many working full-time – with a flexible and local higher education resource. We need to focus the near-completion population. Continuing to primarily target high school graduates into higher education will not provide us with enough degrees to meet our goal.”
In Greenville, recent studies have found that less than 25% of its population has a baccalaureate degree, whereas cities with which Greenville competes are near 40%.Fred Baus, President & CEO of the University Center, says “We need to create a culture that values education, and raise the profile of the gap crisis. More importantly, we need to continue to provide and expand access to these educational resources for nontraditional students and typically underserved populations.”
Many initiatives developed at the University Center are designed to do just that. The creation of an educational opportunity center is in process to help reach potential first-generation college-goers, and provide them much-needed counseling and support for entering an educational program. Other programs, such as the SimHub™ immersive technology center, are expanding access to immersive technologies to enhance online and virtual education.
About University Center of Greenville
The University Center of Greenville, Inc. is a coalition of university and community leaders dedicated to increasing access to educational opportunities for the Greater Greenville area. The center offers more than 75 undergraduate and graduate degrees through eight institution partners: Clemson, Furman, Lander, Greenville Tech, Medical University of South Carolina, South Carolina State, University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina Upstate. It offers state-of-the-art technologies and diverse delivery systems, including day, evening, weekend, and distance classes, for both traditional and adult students. Bringing together public and private sector leaders and higher education institutions positions UCG to meet the education and talent needs of its citizens, and help drive Greenville’s competitiveness. For more information, please call 864.250.1111 or visit www.ucgreenville.org.
