CNU WILL ADMIT PART-TIME STUDENTS
News Release - December 13, 2002
contact:
Kim Roeder
kroeder@cnu.edu
Alumni Relation
757 594-7712
Christopher Newport University announced today that it has lifted the moratorium on the admission of non-degree seeking, part-time students for the remainder of the academic year 2002-03.
"Our community has spoken loud and clear and underscored the importance of CNU offering part-time educational opportunities. CNU has rapidly become a state university that serves students from throughout Virginia. At the same time, it is absolutely essential that we honor our responsibility to the community that has supported and sustained us through the years and we will do so to the best of our ability," said CNU President Paul Trible.
"There has been much confusion and misunderstanding about our admission policy for part-time students. That's another reason that we are taking this action now. In January we will begin a careful review of our policies and in the future implement a simple, straightforward and well-reasoned set of policies and do so in consultation with our faculty, staff and the community," said Trible.
Part-time students are and will continue to be a significant and valued part of the life of CNU. In fall 2002, 1,080 students - 20% of the student body -- were part time. Already 1,126 part-time students have registered for spring 2003.
Applications for new part-time students will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. Monday, December 16 through 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 8, 2003.
Special registration hours for part-time students are scheduled on Thursday and Friday, January 9-10 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. They may also register during the regular hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on these days. All who wish to apply should check the class availability monitor on the CNU website at: www.cnu.edu/prog_docs/Applications/ClassAvailabilityQuickForm.cfm. Due to the closure of programs in Education, Nursing and Leisure Studies, classes in these disciplines are limited to currently enrolled students only.
Non-degree seeking students are those who are taking classes solely for career enhancement or personal growth. These students are required to have a bachelor's and/or associate's degree or be eligible to return to the last institution of higher learning attended and have a minimum 2.5 overall GPA.
Degree seeking students enter the University as freshmen or transfer students. Freshmen are admitted as full-time students, must remain full-time and graduate within 6 years. Other degree-seeking students can be full time or part time.
Part-time, degree seeking students come to CNU as transfer students or students who previously attended CNU and have decided to return to complete their degrees. This fall, CNU accepted 365 transfer students and 243 of those students enrolled. CNU accepted 134 students applying for readmission and 85 of those students enrolled. For the spring term, CNU has accepted to date 48 transfer students and 25 readmits. Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA to transfer to CNU and be in good academic and disciplinary standing at the last college or university attended.
Degree-seeking and non-degree seeking, part-time students have always been able to attend summer classes. CNU's summer schedule offers over 200 courses in the months of May, June, July and August.
"The state has slashed CNU's spending by $7 million in this biennium and substantial cuts are expected in the spring. Our faculty and staff are stretched to the breaking point and classroom space is limited. That's why we placed a moratorium on part-time, non-degree seeking students," said Trible. "These problems still exist but we will do our very best to accommodate these new part-time students."
The administration will review and evaluate all policies on the admission of part-time students, discuss those policies with the appropriate faculty committees and the Faculty Senate and make recommendations to the Board of Visitors at the March meeting. The Board will review these recommendations and will finalize a future policy at the June meeting after knowing the budget realities for next year and carefully considering the views of faculty, staff and the community.
"I am very grateful for the wise counsel of Mayor Joe Frank and the City Council, Delegates Phil Hamilton and Glenn Oder, Senator Marty Williams and other community leaders," said Trible.
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