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From l-r, Candace Miller, SRC President Robert Ritschel, WIU President Al Goldfarb and Richard Carter.
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SRC President Robert Ritschel, left, and WIU President Al Goldfarb sign the new partnership agreement between SRC and WIU.
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WIU, SRC Begin BOT/BA Partnership

July 25, 2007

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MACOMB, IL -- Western Illinois University President Al Goldfarb and Spoon River College (SRC) President Robert E. Ritschel announced today (July 25) a partnership to provide SRC graduates the chance to complete their bachelor's degree through Western's Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts (BOT/BA) Degree Program.

"WIU has a long history of providing access to quality education at a distance through the BOT/BA program. Through this partnership, Spoon River College can now offer graduates an opportunity to complete their bachelor's degree without relocating," said Richard Carter, director of nontraditional programs at WIU. "This is a great opportunity for many working adults who may not have the time or flexibility to pursue a more traditional educational track. The BOT/BA program is individualized and flexible. In addition, SRC students will have the benefits of Western's Cost Guarantee program extended to them."

The Board of Trustees program (originally called Board of Governors program) was created in 1972 to serve adult students who are unable to attend a traditional college program due to family, work and community obligations. Rather than requiring a specific major, the program allows the student to design her or his program to meet individual educational goals. Students may also be eligible for academic credit for college-level learning that was done in a non-collegiate setting, such as military or on-the-job training.

"This partnership further reinforces Western's commitment to transfer students and to supporting timely degree completion for students who have completed their first two years at a community college," said Goldfarb. "We are excited about working with Spoon River College to provide this additional educational opportunity for individuals within our communities."

Another unique aspect of the partnership is that SRC students enrolled in the BOT/BA program will have access to Spoon River resources, including computer labs, so they can complete assignments and participate in distance learning courses, added Candace Miller, executive assistant for Career and Workforce Education at SRC.

"We are very pleased with this new opportunity for our graduates that provides an even stronger link to our existing partnership with WIU," Ritschel added. "This is just one of many examples that exemplifies the commitment to the citizens of Illinois and those living in the SRC district, that higher education institutions like ours can, and frequently do, enter into collaborative agreements that provide a win-win situation for all concerned."

Western's BOT/BA program also has a partnership agreement with Carl Sandburg College in Galesburg (IL) and Illinois Central College in Peoria (IL). For more information on the SRC/WIU partnership, contact Carter at 309/298-1929 or R-Carter@wiu.edu or Miller at 309/647-6260 or cmiller@SpoonRiverCollege.edu.

Posted By: Darcie Shinberger (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing