Global Campus

The Board of Trustees approved a resolution that will put Global Campus on the path to some major reconstruction.

After poor enrollment in Global Campus — 360 students to be exact — University administrators had two options. They could have either listened to the students and shut down the program.

All we can say is that it took them long enough. After two years and more than $10 million invested, University of Illinois trustees are finally considering whether to shut down Global Campus. The online campus has only attracted a few hundred students — 360 to be exact, which is only 4 percent of the initial prediction. University leaders originally stated Global Campus would bring in more than 9,000 students within five years.

About one year ago, the University of Illinois launched Global Campus, and in that year it has fought off criticism and struggled with low enrollment and lack of faculty participation.

Now with 366 students enrolled in the online degree program - and the administration taking steps for independent accreditation - Global Campus leaders are still confident it will succeed.

After deciding in November to table an action item that would allow Global Campus to pursue independent accreditation, the Board of Trustees decided last week to not only consider the proposal but to actually pass it.

This happened despite the objections of the U-C Senate, which has consistently questioned the move toward independence before action was taken.

Members of the Urbana-Champaign Senate have expressed disappointment in the Board of Trustees decision to seek accreditation for Global Campus despite the senate's discontent with the program.

Although University President B. Joseph White only planned to make a presentation about Global Campus at the Nov.

The Urbana Champaign Senate's meeting Monday focused on issues surrounding Global Campus, the ethics policy and the economic situation facing the University.

The most controversial issue discussed during the senate meeting was that at the Nov. 13 Board of Trustee's meeting, University President B. Joseph White plans to recommend to the board to authorize that Global Campus seek its own accreditation and allow it to award baccalaureate and masters degrees.

John Silva is a history teacher at Lindblom Math and Science Academy in Chicago. Last January, he enrolled as a student in the University's online degree program, Global Campus. "I was looking for online programs because of my work schedule, and found Global Campus, and liked it," Silva said.

A $3.4 million increase in funding for the Global Campus initiative approved by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees May 21 fell in line with administrative goals of increasing revenue through new programs and students - and new tuition sources.

Beyond revenue, the program was intended to increase accessibility to higher education for those who could not afford a traditional University experience.

Ten students.

That's how few are currently taking classes online through the University of Illinois' new Global Campus, a multimillion-dollar program launched earlier this year with high expectations.

Despite the underwhelming number of enrollees, administrators are confident that the $3 million spent on the program this year will begin paying off soon.