UIS founded New Century Learning Consortium adds Sam Houston State University as 11th member

The New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC), founded at the University of Illinois Springfield has added Sam Houston State University (SHSU), located in Huntsville, Texas as its 11th member. The Consortium is designed to assist universities in implementing high quality, large-scale online and blended learning programs.

“We are very pleased to have Sam Houston State University join the New Century Learning Consortium (NCLC). This award winning university has been recognized by Princeton Review and PC Magazine as one of the “Most Wired” colleges in the nation. Founded in 1879, SHSU brings a long tradition of excellence in education to the consortium,” said Shari McCurdy Smith, NCLC director and associate director of the Center for Online Learning, Research, and Service (COLRS) at UIS.

Sam Houston State University is pleased to join the New Century Learning Consortium, said Bill Angrove, associate vice president for SHSU Online. The university recognizes the need for inter-institutional cooperation. “We are very interested in efforts to promote degree completion and faculty exchange,” he said.

The Consortium plans to expand to 14 institutions by May. Consortium activities include developing a clearinghouse of online classes where there is excess capacity; shared research projects; shared IT expertise to support building infrastructure capacity; and peer support at the upper administration, dean, and faculty member levels. NCLC was founded utilizing a grant from the Sloan Consortium, who is also providing funding for the expansion.

“Sam Houston State University has an outstanding online learning program encompassing 16 online degree programs. We are excited that SHSU will bring their leadership and experience to this growing consortium,” said Ray Schroeder, director of COLRS and founder of NCLC.

NCLC member institutions are dedicated to developing vigorous online and blended learning initiatives to expand and stabilize student enrollments.

Current members are University of Illinois Springfield; California State University East Bay, Hayward; Southern Oregon University, Ashland; Chicago State University, Illinois; Oakland University, Rochester Hills, Michigan; University of Southern Maine, Portland; Louisiana Tech University, Ruston; SUNY Empire State College, Saratoga Springs; Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia; and the University of Minnesota, Crookston.

For more information about the Consortium, contact Shari McCurdy Smith at 217/206-7360 or email smccu1@uis.edu.