Getting AHEAD appluads new partnership between ASU, Eastern Arizona College

PHOENIX – The Getting AHEAD project, Arizona’s collaborative effort to increase the number of college degree holders in the state, applauds a new partnership between Arizona State University (ASU) and Eastern Arizona College (EAC) to help students earn bachelor’s degrees in less time at a lower cost.

The two institutions recently launched new pathway programs to provide seamless transfer experiences for EAC students. The Transfer Admission Guarantee (TAG) provides students with a cost-effective pathway earning them both the Arizona General Education Curriculum (AGEC) they need to transfer to the university, plus an associate's degree, along with a guaranteed place in ASU bachelor degree programs such as business, elementary education, or criminal justice.

In addition, the new RN-BSN Pathway Program will allow students completing the Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Nursing at EAC to be guaranteed admission in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree at ASU. Students in the RN-BSN Pathway will also have the ability to transfer up to 75 credit hours towards their BSN degree at ASU. And, the 45 BSN credits can be completed entirely online so students can complete their bachelor’s degrees while remaining in the Gila County area with their families and jobs. More than 1,000 students statewide are participating in the RN-BSN Pathway Program.

“Arizona needs more adults with four-year college degrees in order to satisfy the fastest growing career fields, develop a stronger state economy, and improve our quality of life,” said Governor Jan Brewer. “I am thrilled to see university and community college partnerships of this kind increasing in the rural sections of our state, so that more rural students have access to bachelor’s degrees. This furthers my administration’s goal to improve the accessibility and cost-effectiveness of higher education.”

Students participating in either the TAG or RN-BSN Pathway Program will receive a reduced rate of tuition for in-state residents based on the semester they enroll in the pathway program. Pathway students also will benefit from a dual relationship with EAC and ASU, being able to work jointly with academic advisors at both institutions to clearly identify the courses that are most necessary for their chosen degree field.

According to Tom Anderes, president of the Arizona Board of Regents and co-chair of the Getting AHEAD project, the agreement between EAC and ASU is another sign of expanding collaboration statewide between rural community college districts and public universities.

“This is a significant partnership between one of our rural community college districts and a public university,” Anderes said. “Partnerships like this are critical in order for working adults, who may find it undesirable to relocate, to access high-quality bachelor degree programs from an accredited, recognized university. It’s another way we are supporting the best educational experience for students at all ages, stages, and locations across our state.”

There are now more than 1,100 bachelor’s degree pathway programs offered across Arizona, which are helping approximately 12,700 students save time and tuition costs toward their degree.

Supporting the goals of the Governor’s P-20 Coordinating Council of Arizona, Getting AHEAD (Access to Higher Education And Degrees) seeks to increase the number of Arizonans with a college degree and includes a focus on making degrees more affordable and accessible through strategic partnerships among community colleges and universities; increased institutional efficiencies; creating a student-centered system that improves advising and career planning, and improved governance and coordination of Arizona’s higher education system. Getting AHEAD is partially funded with a $1.5 million grant from the Lumina Foundation for Education.