Changes at IN colleges benefit students

GARY, Ind. (AP) -- That laid-back, slow motion atmosphere on college campuses during the summer months
is about to shift.

Purdue University's West Lafayette campus has announced a move to a year-round trimester calendar, and Indiana University campuses are slashing tuition 25 percent on all its campuses to bolster summer enrollment.

The idea is to make college more affordable and speed up the pace of getting a degree.

Indiana University Northwest student Kelly Dobson, 20, of Valparaiso, said she'll take advantage of the summer discount.

"I'm finishing up my pre-reqs for nursing. Summer classes will be great because it's discounted," she said.
Dobson took a summer class last year. "It was pretty dead," she said of the campus scene. "I like summer classes, it's condensed and it's faster."

For students taking a full academic load at IUN, the tuition decrease will save them about $700, officials said.
More than 3,600 students enrolled last summer, and more are expected this summer.

"It's just an awesome opportunity; why wouldn't anyone want to take advantage of it?" said IUN's Director of Admissions Linda Templeton. "We find many of our students choose to go year-round. ... We'll be watching classes and enrollment and making adjustments if necessary."

Summer registration at IUN begins March 26.

Britney Bynum, 25, of Gary saw the summer tuition decrease on the university's website. "It helps lighten the load," said Bynum who hopes to receive a nursing degree in 2014.

IU President Michael McRobbie said encouraging students to attend during the summer will be a more efficient use of the university's facilities across the state.

"This large tuition discount is being offered to IU students in order to provide important financial relief for students and their families and also a significant financial incentive for attending IU year-round," McRobbie said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Purdue President France Cordova has announced the West Lafayette campus will break the academic year into three 13-week trimesters with a larger lineup of summer courses. Cordova said it will allow students to potentially complete a degree in three years.

"This means students can move more quickly into the marketplace, where earning potential is higher," she said.

The trimester shift won't begin until 2020, but like IU, Purdue will be expanding summer offerings this year.

The move will ease the campus into readying for an anticipated 17,000 summer students compared to about 6,000 now.

Indiana campuses have come under fire from Gov. Mitch Daniels and the General Assembly who want speedier degree programs. State officials slashed higher education funding last year and told campuses to expect further decreases.

Teresa Lubbers, Indiana's commissioner for higher education, said Purdue's plan recognizes that schools must approach funding creatively as state funding declines.

"We think this announcement moves us in that direction," she said.

Purdue University Calumet and Purdue University North Central will remain on semesters.

PUC spokesman Wes Lukoshus said about 40 percent of its students are part-time, it wouldn't be practical to expect a huge bump of full-time students during the summer.

"It's our belief that maintaining the status quo is a better academic calendar fit for us and the other regional campuses," said Lukoshus.

At Ball State University, the university is reducing the number of credits required for most degrees from 126 to 120. That will save a typical student about $2,000.

With other incentives, a Ball State student can save between $6,000 and $10,000 over four years.
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Information from: Post-Tribune, http://www.post-trib.com