III. Potential Partnerships and Challenges
  

In order to determine whether any of the leading for-profit institutions of higher learning might be interested in forming strategic partnerships with HBCUs, the DLL contacted corporate executives from each of the institutions listed in Table C (previous section). The DLL's initial telephone contact was followed up by an email that contained the six questions listed at the Section D of the Introduction to this report. The executives' responses to the six questions are listed in the following table. The last column provides their affirmative or negative interest in forming partnerships.

Eight for-profit institutions were contacted; five returned affirmative replies to the DLL; one returned a negative reply, and two did not respond. All responses are displayed in the following table:

Table D -- Potential Partnerships and Challenges

For-Profit
 
HBCU students take FP DL Courses
FP students take HBCU DL Courses
Convert HBCU Courses to DL
-Q5-
Challenges
-Q6-
For-Profit Is Interested in Partnerships with HBCUs
Non-Credit
-Q1 -
Credit
- Q2-
Non-Credit
-Q3-
Credit
-Q4-
n/a
(AIU does not offer non-credit courses)
Yes
"We could offer AIU Online courses to students at partner schools via an articulation agreement"

n/a
(AIU does not offer non-credit courses. "We currently offer a lockstep curriculum in an accelerated format and there is little time outside of these courses")
Yes,
("We currently offer a lockstep curriculum, but through articulation agreements, we accept credits from other universities")
Yes
("An experienced course development team supports the univeristy.  The team could work with HBCU’s faculty members to develop rich multimedia courses that meet desired program objectives.")
AIU's detailed responses to this question are found here
Yes 

Capella University
(Capella Education Company)
4/7/06

 

n/a
(Capella does not offer non-credit courses)
Yes
n/a
(Capella does not offer non-credit courses)
Yes
Yes
("We may be able to work with an HBCU in converting HBCU courses to an online format if there was a strategic reason to do so, such as a joint degree program.")
"... it would be especially important that both the HBCU and Capella enter into discussions to ascertain whether there is the potential to develop a win-win situation that would justify the complexities of developing a relationship. Until we could both explore the details, we at Capella University would assume that such a relationship is not only possible but desirable."
Yes

Corinthian Colleges

 

n/a
("Corinthian Colleges, Inc. currently does not offer any non-credit courses online. However, if we choose to do so in the future, we would permit HBCU students to take such online course")
Yes
Yes,
("...our online students are free today to take any online non-credit courses offered by any institution".)
Yes,
("In fact, Corinthian already accepts transfer credits from HBCUs.")
Yes,
("we would be pleased to provide such assistance.")
Corinthian's detailed responses to this question are found here
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
"... subject to reasonable partnership and confidentiality considerations"
"a. Deciding what's in it for each side of the partnership
b. Protecting proprietary content, processes, and methodologies
c. Building an institutional partnership climate of mutual regard and trust
"
Yes

Strayer University
(Strayer Education, Inc)
4/17/06

 


n/a
(Strayer University doesn't offer any non-credit courses.)
Yes
"... provided that the student understands that they need to check with their school regarding whether or not the particular courses would transfer in to that school."
Yes
"... but Strayer in general does not offer transfer credit for non-credit courses at other institutions."

Yes

Yes
"Strayer University would need to meet with the appropriate officials at the HBCU to discuss the agreement and to develop articulation agreements that can be implemented on both sides."
Yes

University of Phoenix
(Apollo Group, Inc)
4/12/06

 

n/a
("U. of Phoenix does not offer general non-credit courses online")
"Our courses transfer as would those of any other regionally accredited institution."
"That would be a decision that students would make individually"
"Again, as long as the credits are transferable. This would also be an individual decision."
"This is not feasible at this time."
"University of Phoenix offers online programs, not individual courses. Our students do not weave in and out of the University as traditional students often do. Thus, the logistics of the type of partnership described are not consonant with our infrastructure"
No
"... it does not appear that University of Phoenix is a good fit for the proposed project."

 

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