Fifteen More Institutions Join ACE's Alternative Credit Consortium

  • 07/15/15

American Council on EducationWASHINGTON, DC – The American Council on Education (ACE) has announced that an additional 15 colleges and universities have joined the second wave of ACE's alternative credit consortium. The selected institutions have demonstrated a strong commitment to access and attainment, particularly in the area of serving non-traditional students.

The participating institutions are:

Ashford University (CA); Bellevue University (NE); Brandman University (CA); Colorado State University-Global Campus; Dallas Colleges Online/Dallas County Community College District (TX); Davenport University (MI); Franklin Pierce University (NH); Miami Dade College (FL); Monroe Community College (NY); Post University (CT); Sinclair Community College (OH); Stark State College (OH); University of New England (ME); Walden University (MN); Youngstown State University (OH).

ACE launched the alternative credit project in December 2014, with an initial selection of 25 colleges and universities, as part of an innovative initiative to create a more flexible pathway toward a college degree for millions of non-traditional students. ACE sought proposals for additional consortium members from two- and four-year institutions, public and private, ACE members and non-members.

"This project already is yielding enormous benefits, adding to our body of knowledge about the most effective ways to go about increasing the number of Americans able to earn a college degree or credential by using education, training and life experiences gained outside of a formal higher education classroom," says ACE President Molly Corbett Broad.

Participating colleges and universities in the consortium agree to accept all or most of the transfer credit sought by students who successfully complete courses that are part of a selected pool of about 100 low-cost or no-cost lower division general education online courses.

"We appreciate the commitment on the part of these institutions, and the ongoing commitment of our original consortium members to this work, which will help lead to the greater acceptance of alternative forms of credit in a way that ensures quality and encourages more people to complete their postsecondary education," says Deborah Seymour, ACE assistant vice president for education attainment and innovation.

ACE will be collecting anonymized data from participating institutions regarding the amount of credit each institution accepts through this project as well as progress and success rates of students who transfer in consortium-approved courses.

The project is made possible by a $1.89 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

For more information, email: AlternativeCreditProject@acenet.edu.

Featured

  • Pfluger Architects Announces Promotions of Seven Staff Members

    Texas-based architecture firm Pfluger Architects recently announced that it has promoted seven staff members to senior-level positions. One of the promotions is that of Dallas-based Senior Project Architect Chad Martin to Principal, according to a news release.

  • Fellowes Launches New Textile Collection

    Fellowes Contract Interiors recently partnered with Momentum Textiles & Wallcoverings to launch a new line of high-end-design, cost-effective textiles, according to a news release. Part of Momentum Textiles’ Kickstart collection, the new selection offers high-quality and versatile textiles for both smaller budgets and the early design phase of larger projects.

  • Kimball International Launches Season 5 of Alternative Design Podcast

    Commercial furnishings manufacturer Kimball International recently premiered the fifth season of its Alternative Design podcast, according to a news release. The first episode was released on March 17, and new episodes will launch monthly. The podcast discusses forces that shape built environments, from work to housing to healthcare to human wellness.

  • Fort Collins to Convert 1980s Office Park into Junior High School

    The Liberty Common School, a charter-public school in Fort Collins, Colo., recently broke ground on an adaptive reuse project that will convert an 1980s-era office park into a 45,000-square-foot junior high school for seventh- and eighth-grade students, according to a news release.