[147]WANT MTSU CLASSES CLOSER TO HOME? GIVE YOUR OPINION ONLINE

WANT MTSU CLASSES CLOSER TO HOME? GIVE YOUR OPINION ONLINE
Survey Seeks Courses of Interest for Proposed Shelbyville Site

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oct. 8, 2008
EDITORIAL CONTACT: David Foster, 615-898-2177

(MURFREESBORO)—Middle Tennessee State University officials in the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning want to know what college courses residents in Bedford and surrounding counties would take if courses were offered at the proposed new MTSU South Higher Education Facility in Shelbyville.
Residents can reply by filling out a survey available online at www.mtsusouth.com.
Some MTSU graduate classes in education already will be offered next summer at an off-campus site in Shelbyville. With the appropriate approvals, a full-blown program could be established by the fall of next year.
The goal is to receive approval from the Tennessee Board of Regents and the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for the Medical Arts Building in Shelbyville to become an off-campus center and offer additional classes.
“Right now we need people to go to the Web site and fill out the survey,” said David Foster, MTSU continuing education director. “We need to collect as many surveys as possible so that we can include those in our needs assessment. Anyone can fill out the survey, and it will only take a couple of minutes. We’ve had 300 responses but could use five times that many, since we want to accurately represent the views of the citizens of this region.”
The educational partnership between MTSU, Motlow State Community College, the Tennessee Technology Center at Shelbyville, and Bedford County, among others, took root more than a year ago. In addition to the online survey, officials have been sending out letters to area businesses asking for their support.
“People are already saying ‘MTSU is coming to town,’” Foster noted.
Dr. Mike Boyle, continuing education dean, called MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee and Bedford County Mayor Eugene Ray the “drivers” behind this education initiative. A supporting cast has included Motlow president Dr. Mary Lou Apple, Bedford County school officials and key legislators.
“I have never seen such a grass-roots groundswell of support,” Boyle said. “This is a program that will benefit the entire region. It is vital that residents in the area access the Web site and fill out the interest survey.”
Dr. Dianna Rust, MTSU’s director of outreach and distance learning, said organizers plan to present the formal proposal to the TBR at its January meeting. “However,” she said, “we want to complete a draft, including financial projections, as early as next month. So we hope to receive many interest surveys and letters of support within the next couple of weeks.”
“We do want people to understand that the initial course work offered in the Bedford County location will be for the Master of Education degree with additional offerings planned.” Foster said. “The online survey will help us to determine other course possibilities.”
Added Boyle: “Everyone is agreeing that this is a great partnership. MTSU and President McPhee are committed to this. The benefits of a program like this will affect the entire state of Tennessee in a positive way. If everything is approved as we hope, there will be a grand-opening celebration at the appropriate time.”
For more information, call MTSU’s College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning at 615-898-2177. The interest survey can be accessed at www.mtsusouth.com.

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IN BRIEF: Middle Tennessee State University officials in the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning want to know what college courses residents in Bedford and surrounding counties would take if courses were offered at the proposed new MTSU South Higher Education Facility in Shelbyville. Residents can reply by filling out a survey available online at www.mtsusouth.com. With the appropriate approvals, the program could be established by the fall of next year. For more information, call the College of Continuing Education and Distance Learning at 615-898-2177 or visit the interest-survey Web site at www.mtsusouth.com.

For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.


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