Anoka-Ramsey Community College, St. Cloud Technical College and St. Cloud State University collaborate on students' behalf

Presidents of Anoka-Ramsey Community College (ARCC), Coon Rapids, Minn.; St. Cloud Technical College (SCTC), St. Cloud, Minn.; and St. Cloud State University (SCSU), St. Cloud, Minn.; celebrated three collaborations between their institutions with an official signing ceremony, May 13, at ARCC Coon Rapids Campus. The endorsements equate to programs that give students of Central Minnesota additional options/access to a liberal arts education.

President Roy Saigo, St. Cloud State University (left); President Joan Volkmuth, St. Cloud Technical College; and President Patrick Johns, Anoka-Ramsey Community College sign agreements that benefit students.

"What we're really celebrating is educational excellence designed for student success," says Patrick Johns, President of ARCC. "President Joan Barrett-Volkmuth (SCTC), and President Roy Saigo (SCSU), and myself have agreed to these alliances to give students what they need - more choices to succeed. We are always looking for ways to produce the right set of circumstances for educational excellence and access higher education."

St. Cloud State University Student Tyler Peterson has benefitted from these agreements. He applied to the University two years ago but was not admitted due to his test scores. With Anoka-Ramsey Community College's open enrollment policy and the Connections Program (an agreement between SCUS and ARCC) in place, Peterson was able to begin college at SCSU but the courses were offered by ARCC.

President Patrick Johns, left, Anoka-Ramsey Community College welcomes student Tyler Peterson to the ARCC Coon Rapids Campus as President Roy Saigo, St. Cloud State University looks on. Peterson is a SCSU student who started his college career as an ARCC student at the SCSU campus. This option was made possible through the Connections Program - an agreement between the institutions, designed to benefit students.

"I really enjoyed this program because I built a bond with a small group of students yet I was treated like a regular St. Cloud State student," Peterson explains.

He completed his freshman year through the Connections Program and was accepted to SCSU as a sophomore. "I made the Dean's list as an Anoka-Ramsey Community College student and this year I made the Dean's as a St. Cloud State student. The agreement has made an extremely positive impact on my education."

"This is the wave of the future," says Volkmuth. "Before students were coming to us looking for options and we were turning them away."

"We need to adjust and respond to students who want to gain a higher education. That's our challenge," says Saigo. "This kind of cooperation and sharing of ideas, bringing our institutions together is just what we need."

"This is a fascinating time and what you're doing is on the mark," says Michael Murphy, Associate Vice Chancellor of Strategic Partnerships and Workforce Development at the Minnesota State College and Universities (MnSCU) System.

The three collaborations bringing these institutions together include:
• Associate of Arts Collaboration. Anoka-Ramsey Community College provides liberal arts courses leading to an Associate of Arts Degree on site at St. Cloud Technical College. These courses compliment courses offered by SCTC. This degree transfers to St. Cloud State University and completes the General Education requirements necessary for a Bachelor's Degree. This program started in Fall 2003 and completed the year with 262 students. The program is expected to grow by 28 percent this Fall.

• Community College Connection Program. Anoka-Ramsey Community College provides developmental Math, Reading and English courses needed to bring students up to college level and acceptance to St. Cloud State University. These courses are taught on site at St. Cloud State University. The program began in 1995 to serve the needs of prospective students who did not meet St. Cloud State University (SCSU) admission criteria. All students referred to the Community College Connection Program were deemed to have potential to succeed at St. Cloud State, but needed additional support. The program serves roughly 200 students a year.

• Cooperation with St. Cloud State University's Division of General Studies. In the academic year 2002-2003, Anoka-Ramsey Community College began to provide developmental courses for St. Cloud State University's Division of General Studies Program (DGS). The DGS Program, started in 1979, provides support to a group of students that do not quite meet St. Cloud State's admission criteria. The program is currently filled to capacity at 250 students.

For more information on these programs, contact Anoka-Ramsey Community College at 763-427-2600 or visit www.AnokaRamsey.edu.

About Anoka-Ramsey Community College
Anoka-Ramsey Community College, with campuses in Coon Rapids and Cambridge, has been a leading provider of higher education and training in the north suburban area of Minneapolis/St. Paul and East Central Minnesota since 1965. Annually, the college serves over 8,000 learners of all ages as they pursue associate degrees that transfer as the first two years of a bachelor's degree, or certificate programs that lead immediately to rewarding careers.