College moves online campus, nursing program

A sluggish economy can be tough for most businesses, but when you’re in the business of providing continuing education, it can be a boon.
“There’s a truism that when the economy is in difficult times, the interest in continuing education increases, as does the consequent numbers of students,” said Steve Wiegenstein, associate dean for graduate studies at Columbia College.
Columbia College has been experiencing such rapid growth in recent years that its online campus, which relocated to the former Columbia Photo building on North 10th Street less than two years ago, is once again on the move. Its new home is the former YouZeum at the corner of Sixth and Cherry streets in downtown Columbia.
“We just needed more space,” said Ernest Wren III, assistant dean of adult higher education and online campus. “Our new home will give us room to grow.”
Columbia College acquired the YouZeum building last October and renamed it Federal Hall. Renovations are underway, and the building will open in August.
“Space on campus is extremely limited, especially where growing programs are concerned,” said Brandi Herrman, associate director of public relations. “This will allow some additional space for programs that do not necessarily have to be close to the center of campus.”

Columbia College’s nursing program will occupy the third floor of Federal Hall. Nursing Program Director Linda Claycomb said the program has been limited because there has not been adequate space to expand the number of students. With the new space, the program will have the ability to grow.
For clinical education, there will be a nine-bed skills lab in which students will work on such skills as assessments, moving patients and personal care. There also will be two simulation areas and a patient exam room similar to one in a physician’s office.
Two classrooms with interactive whiteboards will complement the clinical instruction area. The classrooms and simulation areas will be connected with audio-visual teleconferencing so that simulations can be watched in other classrooms or recorded and reviewed by students.
“Federal Hall is a gorgeous space,” Claycomb said. “We’re excited about the move and about having a presence in the downtown area for our nursing program.”
The online campus will occupy the first two floors of the three-story building and have office space for its 45 staff members. Wren said all online operations will work out of this location.
Administration of the online campus comprises three sections: academics, which oversees course development for 500 adjunct faculty members throughout the United States; information technology; and student services, which includes admissions and career counseling. In addition to developing new courses and programs, all of the online campus’ 240 courses are revised every three years.
Columbia College had 76,500 course enrollments this year. When the online campus was established 10 years ago, it had 2,800 enrollments. Students are located throughout the world — the college is a popular choice for continuing education at U.S. military bases — but most of its students live in Missouri.

Among the 4,454 Missourians who are enrolled in an online course or program, 805 of them are located in Columbia, the most in the state. “It isn’t surprising that most of our online students live right here,” Wren said. “Quite a few complete their degrees through a combination of online and ‘in-seat’ courses because online courses are offered year-round.”
Wiegenstein said another reason for Columbia College’s online growth is that students are seeking online institutions of higher learning that are nonprofit and have brick-and-mortar buildings.
“Some for-profit institutions of higher learning, particularly those that offer online graduate degrees, are being investigated by the federal government,” Wiegenstein said. “That’s making employers reluctant in hiring candidates with those credentials. Columbia College has been here since 1851, and we’re a nonprofit institution, so our reputation for online degrees is quite strong.”