A new partnership between Central Michigan University and Lansing Community College is aiming to help more people have a clear path towards earning a bachelor's degree, officials at both institutions said this week.
The program is called Central Bound. Students who choose to participate will be enrolled in both LCC and CMU simultaneously, allowing them to begin working towards a four-year bachelor's degree while earning their associate's degree. It also gives students the opportunity to continue at CMU after graduating from LCC.
This partnership comes at a time where Michigan's universities have seen declining enrollment over the last decade. CMU is one of the institutions hit the hardest, seeing an decline of more than 8,000 students since 2016.
According to CMU's Interim Vice President of Innovation and Online Kaleb Patrick, 80% of community college students say they have interest in continuing their education with a four-year degree. However, Patrick says, only 18% of them make that transition.
"This whole model is centered around putting the student first," Patrick told WCMU. "When we begin to break down all the barriers and processes students have to go through, we make this as effective as possible for them."
With students working between both institutions, the idea is they will be able to move to CMU full time with minimal credit loss and more direct pathway to a bachelor's degree. They will also gain access to all resources traditional CMU students have access to, including advisors and the writing and career centers.
In Michigan, people seeking an associate's degree as their first degree are able to attend their district's community college for free through the Community College Guarantee and Michigan Reconnect.
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrations says the biggest barrier to getting a bachelor's degree is financial.
Through Central Bound, students will have the opportunity to get a four-year degree at a much lower cost and higher support system than a traditional education pathway.
That's according to Steve Robinson, president of Lansing Community College.
"Traditionally, students gather their credits at community college then show up on the doorstep of their transfer destination and see what happens," Robinson said. "This makes sure students can get to a bachelor's degree quicker, with fewer obstacles."
The partnership was signed on Nov. 19, with students now able to take advantage of the program.
We note WCMU's broadcast license is held by Central Michigan University. WCMU's newsroom is editorially independent from CMU, and the university is not involved in writing, editing or reviewing our reports.
