RICHMOND —
Technology, especially the Internet, has made it easier to take a college class from a different campus across state or even from the comfort of one’s own home.
The Distance and Online Learning program at Eastern Kentucky University continues to grow as more and more students are able to enroll in classes without having to be on campus or give up their full-time jobs.
During the 2008-09 school year, more than 18,500 course enrollments through distance education at EKU, which is a 40-percent increase from the previous year, according to EKU’s website.
More than 60 classes are offered through compressed video or two-way videoconferencing that link Kentucky’s eight state universities together, as well as community colleges, EKU regional campuses, centers, public schools and state agencies, according to the website.
“It’s another form of learning that has become very popular,” said William St. Pierre, program director for credit programs. “It’s a very important avenue for us. We’ve been using it for more than 10 years.”
More than 100 Internet courses are offered through the university, according to the EKU website.
“We have a lot of non-traditional students,” said Michelle Estelle, distance learning coordinator at EKU. “It’s easier for those students who are working parents and have full-time jobs to take classes.
“It’s really growing by leaps and bounds,” she said. “The way the economy is, a lot of people are going back to school to further their education. They can still work and take evening classes or online classes.”
While the online and distance learning programs continue to grow in popularity, some students have expressed their displeasure at rising tuition costs for the classes.
EKU’s Board of Regents increased tuition by 5 percent for the school year. Online instruction tuition was raised from 125 percent of normal per-credit-hour rates to 130 percent.
In letters sent to the Richmond Register editor, EKU students Debra Gallant and Rondajean Foulks expressed their concern that increases in online tuition would put the cost of education out of reach for non-traditional students..
“Non-traditional students, like myself, have full-time jobs with varying hours. The ability to earn a degree while taking online classes has meant a lot to myself and others like me," according to Foulks.
“EKU has stated that it prides itself on helping non-traditional students achieve their educational goals,” she wrote. “I do not believe this is true. Many students, like myself, due to the overwhelming financial burden EKU has now placed on us, will either drop out of EKU or take courses from other universities.”
Gallant expressed similar concerns.
“Placing such a high percentage of additional revenue on such a small student population is not only unfair, but it will ultimately drive students away from online courses and the university,” she wrote. “Adult students that need to work and choose to stay at Eastern will lose their flexibility in scheduling courses and probably have to stay in school longer to complete their degree.
“This tuition hike at this late date also prevents students from seeking out alternate schools as many admission and scholarship deadlines have passed,” she wrote. “Even if an alternate school were available, finding needed classes open for registration would be nearly impossible.”
EKU charges $276 per credit hour for students that take classes on campus and $358 for students in the Distance Learning Program.
Full-time students taking classes on campus pay $3,312 per semester, while a Distance Learning student would pay $4,296.
“It costs more to pay faculty and to develop online classes,” said Harry Moberly, EKU’s executive vice president, adding that when an online student takes a required class that is only available online, they are charged the regular tuition rate.
According to information from their websites, Western Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky have comparable tuition costs.
Western charges regular students $315 per credit hour and online students $378.
Full-time regular students at Western pay $3,780 per semester, while there is no full-time distance learning rate at Western.
UK charges regular in-state students $343 per credit or $4,305 per semester for lower division classes and $353 per credit or $4,429.50 per semester for upper division classes..
UK charges the same tuition for distance learning students.
Tim Mandell can be reached at tmandell@
richmondregister.com or 623-1669 ext. 6696.
Local News
Online classes popular at EKU
Some concerned about tuition hike
- Local News
-
-
Trash piling up at mobile home park
Uncollected household waste at a mobile home park on Big Hill Avenue in Richmond will draw a notice of violation from the Madison County Health Department and is prompting the city to clean up the site on its own.
-
Realities of prescription pill abuse spark another summit
Prescription drug abuse has become so prevalent in parts of Kentucky, people are buying Mason jars of clean urine at flea markets and under the table at tobacco stores so they can pass drug tests.
-
Tackling childhood obesity
NFL football player and former University of Kentucky running back Artose Pinner autographed lunch bags, footballs, notebook paper and anything Glenn Marshall elementary students could find (including arms and hands) during his visit Thursday to kick off the Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60) grant program.
-
Police charge two with making meth
A traffic stop late Tuesday evening ended in two arrests for manufacturing methamphetamine.
A Richmond Police officer working traffic enforcement on the Robert R. Martin Bypass stopped a vehicle at about 11:50 p.m. for a traffic offense. The officer discovered several methamphetamine precursors and paraphernalia in the vehicle that police say were tied to one of the passengers in the vehicle, Curment Nicholas Carpenter, 40, of Lexington Road. -
Man pleads guilty to driving to Richmond for sex with girl
(Editor’s note: This story contains graphic information some readers may find offensive.)
An Indiana man will serve at least 10 years in prison for traveling to Richmond to have sex with a 13-year-old girl, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lexington. -
Berea Arena Theater presents: Kitchen Witches
Performances are 8 p.m. Friday through Saturday, and Feb. 10-11, and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 12 at 1835 Big Hill Road (KY 21) in Berea. Call 986-9039 for tickets, $8 for adults and $5 for students/children.
-
A toe to spare
Pigs usually have four toes on a foot, but not always, Leland “Bud” Bennett of Whitlock Road, said he learned this week.
While preparing the head and feet of a pig to make souse meat, Bennett said he made a surprising discovery after removing two of the toes.
When he went to cut off the next two, there were three. A smaller, third toe was higher up the leg.
“I’m 84, and I’d never seen a pig’s foot with five toes,” he said.
-
Model Laboratory’s annual Lunar New Year Celebration
Model Laboratory third-graders Olivia Florell, left, and Katie Upchurch, inside a paper dragon, wait Wednesday morning with their classmates in the school hallway for the start of the annual Lunar New Year Celebration parade. The students created the dragon after learning about Asian
calligraphy in art class and walked with the dragon, while playing instruments and clapping, to the end of the hall in front of classmates in pre-kindergarten through fifth-grade who have also been studying aspects of Asian culture. The parade is intended to bring good luck and friendship to the school for the new year, the Chinese New Year of the Dragon, said art teacher Denise Discepoli. -
Teacher turned award-winning author to read at Richmond Area Arts Council tonight
Because Rebecca D. Elswick won publication of her debut novel, “Mama’s Shoes,” in a national contest, it might be easy to view her as a kind of literary American Idol.
But, unlike many of the precocious American Idol winners, Elswick toiled and studied her craft for years before achieving success. Now, the accolades are accumulating, and each honor further confirms her status as one of the hottest emerging authors in the South.
She will read and sign books tonight along with Lexington author George Ella Lyon at the Richmond Area Arts Council, 399 W. Water St., beginning at 6:30 p.m. -
Project Read helps students turn the page
Steve Hupp likes solving problems, and at 27 years old, he has seen more than his fair share. Hupp has been in and out of hospitals since childhood, making it difficult for him to focus on school. To make it worse, he also is dyslexic.
Hupp dropped out of school in the 11th grade.
“Some places wouldn’t even give me an application,” he said about his search for a job. “I had doors close on me. I even had girlfriends break up with me.” - More Local News Headlines
-






