Central, Ferris to sign cooperative agreement today

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CMU and Ferris State University are joining forces to expand off-campus courses and business and finance services.
Representatives from both universities will meet at 4 p.m. today in the President’s Conference Room in the Bovee University Center to sign a cooperative agreement, known as the Memorandum of Understanding.
University President Michael Rao and FSU President William Sederburg are expected to attend.
The memorandum was approved July 14 by the Ferris Board of Trustees. It outlines the terms and conditions under which FSU and CMU will work together to provide opportunities to students enrolled in the College of Extended Learning. The agreement will allow Ferris’s University Center for Extended Learning to offer programs at existing CMU sites.
Provost Richard Davenport said the idea for this agreement started a year ago between former University President Leonard Plachta and Sederburg.
“This was initiated with top-level support,” Davenport said. “And now, Mike Rao is very aware of this and very supportive.”
Under the agreement, CMU will collect all tuition and fees for the programs and off-campus library services will be available to enrolled students. FSU will then provide media equipment and classroom space for courses taught at Ferris.
“Both institutions have something to bring to the table,” Davenport said.
In addition to academic programs, CMU will provide administrative, fiscal and program infrastructure systems for FSU programs.
Kim Ellertson, chief financial officer for Business and Finance, has developed relationships with Ferris and the two universities will share services, including payroll and accounting areas, Davenport said.
Ellertson was not available for comment.
“The core of the agreement is, the two institutions will work together to offer programs through extended learning to adult learners throughout the U.S. and Michigan,” Davenport said.
CMU’s College of Extended Learning is nationally recognized, hosting more than 70 locations, throughout 20 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and Mexico.
“Ferris would like to get into the off-campus market, and Central has years experience to assist and help them,” he said.
The agreement is financially beneficial to both institutions because they are sharing the marketing risks involved.
“It sends a strong message that we’re willing to work together to meet the needs of students without being competitive,” Davenport said.
Students enrolled in the College of Extended Learning are full-time working adults trying for an advanced degree or undergraduate degree.
“Our off-campus program is very unique,” Davenport said. “We are dealing with addressing the needs of a neglected population – a group of students otherwise not able to get an education.
“It shows we’re on the cutting edge, and that adds to our reputation as a progressive and modern university.”
This agreement is unique because there in not another kind of cooperative partnership in the state and it is rare to find another even within the United States.
This partnership will increase visibility for both of the universities.
“It will increase visibility on a couple of different fronts. By providing more programs at a given site, it will attract a larger audience of students. The programs will not be duplicative of one another,” Davenport said.
“From a political standpoint, taxpayers and politicians in Michigan will find this agreement favorable, because this is a public institution supported by taxpayer dollars.”
The agreement will require no additional funding, and the self-sustaining programs will actually return profits to CMU.
“One of the advantages is CEL profits are returned to the general fund and distributed to the academic division, which helps to support on-campus programs.”
Davenport said CEL generates $3 million, which CMU is hoping will increase by offering more programs through the agreement.
But, there is still more work to do, he said.
“Market research is being done at different locations and centers that offer programs and student analysis surveys are being done. All that has to be done.”
The agreement should be started within the next academic year.
“Both presidents and both boards are going to be watching the program to see how successful it is, so we want it to grow and be productive,” he said.
“Provost Davenport and Del Ringquist (CEL dean) have been working with Ferris. It’s a great thing for the two schools to work together like that,” said Mike Silverthorn, Public Relations and Marketing executive director.
Del Ringquist chose not to comment.