Discussion takes go-slow approach to expanding Tri-College University system

FARGO, N.D. – The Tri-College University system and its three members will begin discussions Wednesday with two area community colleges to possibly bring them into their collaborative partnership.

The TCU, founded in 1970, is a collaboration of North Dakota State University, Minnesota State University Moorhead and Concordia College. It allows students at each college to take classes at the other two member colleges.

Representatives of the three member schools, the TCU board of directors and representatives from North Dakota State College of Science and Minnesota State Community and Technical College plan to discuss the possible addition of those two-year schools to the partnership.

“That was something that was brought up at a June board meeting, about looking to explore that and look at where there may be appropriate collaboration,” Tri-College University Provost Tim Flakoll said.

Leaders from all colleges stressed the talks are in the preliminary stages.

NDSU President Dean Bresciani said he sees value in these types of relationships. NDSCS President John Richman echoed that sentiment.

“We’re very excited about the possibility of joining the Tri-College consortium,” Richman said.

He said adding NDSCS and M State would offer students in the Tri-College University system the full spectrum of education, from associate degrees to research opportunities.

“Bringing M State and NDSCS into the Tri-College is an effort to do that in a collaborative way,” he added.

Dan Knudson, M State’s interim chief information officer, confirmed M State, which has a campus in Moorhead, was invited to discussions about being included.

He said M State President Peggy Kennedy and Chief Academic Officer Carrie Brimhall will attend the first meeting Wednesday.

Flakoll said there are several benefits for adding the two community colleges into the mix.

He said it would make it easier for all students at member schools to take classes at other member schools, or for students to transfer or reverse transfer.

Reverse transferring is when a student at a four-year university decides to transfer to a two-year college to pursue another academic opportunity.

The addition of NDSCS and M State could make it easier for students at those two institutions to transfer or take classes at one of the four-year schools.

The TCU allows students from the three member schools to take classes at all three campuses, with only registering and paying tuition to one.

Flakoll said a big factor in the decision will be what each institution brings to the table.

Richman said the two-year schools would bring a population of students that may transfer to one of the member universities.

One obstacle for NDSCS and M State would be the distance between them and other members of TCU. NDSCS has a satellite campus in Fargo with 294 students.

A majority of the 3,168 NDSCS students take classes more than 50 miles away at the main campus in Wahpeton.

Richman said he doesn’t see distance being a problem.

There are also plans to expand NDSCS’s presence in Fargo with a new $65 million campus. Those plans are still in the planning stages and have yet to get approval from state legislators. If the project is approved, a new campus could be built by 2019.

M State is one college but is split into four campuses: Moorhead, Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls and Wadena. The Wadena campus is 90 miles from the Fargo-Moorhead area. The Moorhead campus has 3,656 students.

Adding NDSCS and M State also hinges on the governing bodies of all the colleges involved and the TCU board.

Funding and staffing would also be issues the schools and the TCU board would have to resolve before an agreement is signed. The TCU currently has one full-time and two part-time employees. Funding for TCU comes from member colleges.

The initial talks that start Wednesday will involve the Tri-College commissioners, the three provosts from the member universities, and administrative representatives from M State and NDSCS.

Meetings involving the TCU board, the college presidents at the three member universities and the perspective members could happen later in the month or next month.

Flakoll said the earliest he sees the new schools joining, if everything works out, would be by the fall 2015 semester.

– See more at: http://www.prairiebizmag.com/event/article/id/21183/#sthash.sZhjdGaN.dpuf