Is Access to College in Jeopardy in the West? Strategies to Increase Capacity

Is Access to College in Jeopardy in the West? Projections of High School Graduates to 2012 *Strategies to Increase Capacity* New Facilities. California is increasing its capacity through the addition of new educational facilities. Over the past decade, two new California State University campuses have been built and state officials are considering adding one more California State University campus and an additional University of California campus in the near future. Even with these new facilities, the California Postsecondary Education Commission reports that public institutions in the state are filled to capacity. Joint-Use Facilities. Rather than investing in new facilities, other states found ways to more fully utilize existing facilities. Nevada has formed partnerships among community colleges and the K-12 system to share facilities. Local high schools are offering classes on community college campuses in both Las Vegas and Reno. These high school students can take community college courses while completing the requirements for their diplomas. Nevada gains by both making dual use of existing facilities and shortening time to degree for newly matriculating students. Electronic Access. New information technologies, such as the World Wide Web, offer people who are place- or time-bound access to a full range of educational options. Students enrolled in distance learning programs made up 5 percent of all enrollments in 1994-95.7 The Western Governors University, the California Virtual University, and other distance learning networks throughout the country may lead to increases in enrollment through distance learning. The capacity of campus-based programs may benefit from the use of information technologies. At Northern Arizona University, for example, students enrolling in some large lecture classes may attend a lecture face-to-face or access the course by way of the World Wide Web from their dormitory. These arrangements enable students to successfully negotiate schedule conflicts and free course registration from the limitations of available classroom space.
Introduction	National Trends	The WICHE Region	Policy Implications
7 U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 1998. Distance Education in Higher Education Institutions. NCES 98-062.

Is Access to College in Jeopardy in the West?
Projections of High School Graduates to 2012

Strategies to Increase Capacity

New Facilities. California is increasing its capacity through the addition of new educational facilities. Over the past decade, two new California State University campuses have been built and state officials are considering adding one more California State University campus and an additional University of California campus in the near future. Even with these new facilities, the California Postsecondary Education Commission reports that public institutions in the state are filled to capacity.

Joint-Use Facilities. Rather than investing in new facilities, other states found ways to more fully utilize existing facilities. Nevada has formed partnerships among community colleges and the K-12 system to share facilities. Local high schools are offering classes on community college campuses in both Las Vegas and Reno. These high school students can take community college courses while completing the requirements for their diplomas. Nevada gains by both making dual use of existing facilities and shortening time to degree for newly matriculating students.

Electronic Access. New information technologies, such as the World Wide Web, offer people who are place- or time-bound access to a full range of educational options. Students enrolled in distance learning programs made up 5 percent of all enrollments in 1994-95.7 The Western Governors University, the California Virtual University, and other distance learning networks throughout the country may lead to increases in enrollment through distance learning.

The capacity of campus-based programs may benefit from the use of information technologies. At Northern Arizona University, for example, students enrolling in some large lecture classes may attend a lecture face-to-face or access the course by way of the World Wide Web from their dormitory. These arrangements enable students to successfully negotiate schedule conflicts and free course registration from the limitations of available classroom space.

7 U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. 1998. Distance Education in Higher Education Institutions. NCES 98-062.