LETTER: Cal U. will continue to offer on-campus programs

On July 16, the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education approved a proposal that would open the door to “integration” of several state-owned universities (“Cal U. and Clarion integration eyed to cut costs,” July 16).
As a first step, a financial review will determine whether California University of Pennsylvania and Clarion University would benefit from integrating their existing complements of high-quality, 100% online academic programs.
This does NOT mean that Cal U. will become an “online-only” university, or that California and Clarion will become one. Cal U. will retain its own identity – and we will continue to offer top-quality academic programs on our beautiful riverside campus as we have done for more than 168 years.
Because Cal U. is a student-focused university, we provide higher education in the format that students prefer. Although the majority of students choose an on-campus experience, Cal U. also has been a leader in online education for more than a decade. Today, about 2,000 Cal U. students are earning their degrees entirely online – while more than 4,800 students are enrolled in on-campus programs.
As we look to the future, collaboration with Clarion may present new opportunities for Cal U. to offer an even broader array of degree and certificate programs. And our expertise in instructional technology will continue to benefit on-campus students, especially as we address the current public health crisis.
But Cal U. remains committed to the vision that has guided it since 1852: to be a place of opportunity for our students, our employees and our community.
Christine Kindl
Vice President for Communications and Marketing
California University of Pennsylvania