National Governors Association Says State Schools Should Follow Example of Career Colleges

Career colleges excel at supporting—and therefore graduating—their students, according to a recent report published by the National Governors Association.

The report, “Increasing College Success: A Road Map for Governors” which was released in December 2009 by the National Governors Association (NGA) Center for Best Practices – Education Division, shows concern that although 74 percent of future jobs will require a college education, “barely half” of the students at public community colleges graduate. It further lists the different advantages private career colleges hold for students over public community colleges—including the emphasis on student support programs and graduation rates—and calls for state-run community colleges to follow the lead of private career colleges in these and other areas.

The report cites that the primary difference in the two models of operation stems from the fact that private career colleges will not remain open if their students do not find jobs. Because their existence is based on the success and graduation of their students (and not government funding which is based on the number of students a community college enrolls), career colleges have a stronger student support structure in place to ensure students receive the assistance they need to learn the material and stay on a path to graduation. Specifically, the report states, “The private colleges recognize they have nontraditional students who need different types of support. They provide them with clear pathways to degrees, information systems to track their progress, mandatory advising, and active job placement assistance.”1

The Herzing difference: university prestige, career college roots
Started as a private career college 45 years ago, Herzing University remains true to our founding mission of providing a relevant, quality education with outstanding student support that will prepare students for lucrative careers. Our goals are the same as our students’ goals: 1) help students acquire the knowledge and skills they need to graduate and be successful in their specialized fields, and 2) help them find rewarding jobs in their field of study.

According to Dr. Todd Rickel, Herzing University Online President, “Career outcome universities such as Herzing that focus on graduating and assisting students to find employment in their fields of study are a part of the driving forces of recovery in our country.” He continued, “Online degree programs, in particular, offer convenient ways for both employed and employment-seeking students to retool and put bread on the table for their families at the same time.”

Awarded the same accreditation2 as schools such as the University of Wisconsin, Georgia State, and Notre Dame, Herzing University uniquely combines the best of both worlds, providing students the greatest preparation for their future with the big prestige and resources of a university presented in a small, career college environment for one-on-one student attention and support.

Herzing University offers a career-focused, convenient, and caring education. Why? Simple… it’s not only what our students want, it’s the proven formula for their success.

1 National Governors Association, Increasing College Success: A Road Map for Governors (Washington, D.C.: NGA Center for Best Practices-Education Division, December 2009) http://www.nga.org/Files/pdf/0912IncreasingCollegeSuccess.pdf

2 Herzing University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. (www.ncahlc.org; 800.621.7440)