FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SDSU Teams Up with Miramar College to Make Higher Education
More AccessibleCONTACT: Jack Beresford, San Diego State University, (619) 594-5204, jack.beresford@sdsu.edu
Barry Garron, San Diego Community College, (619) 388-6540, bgarron@sdccd.netSAN DIEGO, Monday, March 12, 2001 - San Diego State University has joined forces with Miramar College and the San Diego Community College District (SDCCD) in efforts to make its classes more readily available to students. By 2004, as many as 1,200 SDSU students could receive instruction on the Miramar College campus.
Under the agreement, the two institutions have created the SDSU/Miramar College Higher Education Center. SDSU will offer upper-division and graduate courses as well as a limited number of lower-division and community education courses not normally offered at Miramar College beginning Fall 2001, if feasible, and no later than Spring 2002. The agreement will extend through August 2004, with the option to extend thereafter.
"By offering our classes at Miramar College, we will be creating a collaborative learning environment that promotes upper division community college transfer to SDSU and enhances the academic programs and educational opportunities of both institutions," said Stephen L. Weber, president of SDSU. "The partnership will offer improved access to fast growing populations in the north, relieve enrollment pressure from SDSU's main campus, and provide greater flexibility in responding to business needs in the region.
"It is our goal that through this partnership, we will enhance SDSU's ability to build public/private collaboratives that focus on biotechnical and high tech industries in the area."
Regular SDSU upper division undergraduate courses will be offered at Miramar College when demand on the main campus dictates the need for additional course sections, when the demand for a major on the main campus exceeds the available support, or when the needs of the geographic area are unmet. SDSU intends to offer selective upper division undergraduate degree requirements when Miramar College student enrollment demonstrates a need for those courses. Likely candidates include degrees in psychology, public administration and liberal studies.
Miramar College has agreed to provide SDSU faculty and students with computer access and equipment and security for all students, faculty and staff using campus facilities.
"This is a model program to build integrated degree programs designed to be as convenient for students as possible," said Patricia Keir, president of Miramar College.
It is projected that SDSU enrollment on the Miramar College campus will double from Fall 2001 to Spring 2002, and will continue to increase significantly through 2004.
"This is an important step to enhance community college transfers to the university and to provide SDSU students an additional location in the metropolitan area to complete their degree," said Augustine P. Gallego, chancellor of San Diego Community College District.
The San Diego Community College District serves 100,000 students each semester through three colleges - San Diego City, Mesa and Miramar - and six Continuing Education Centers located throughout San Diego.
San Diego State University is the oldest and largest higher education institution in the San Diego region. Since it was founded in 1897, the University has grown to offer bachelor's degrees in 76 areas, master's degrees in 59 areas and doctorates in 13. SDSU's more than 31,000 students participate in academic curriculum distinguished by direct contact with professors and an increasing international emphasis that prepares them for a global future. For more information, log onto www.sdsu.edu.
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