University Corner: Colorado Technical University

A: We were founded in 1965 by a veteran. Since then the leadership of the main campus, with one exception, have all been veterans. Since we are located in Colorado Springs, the Air Force Academy has been a great source of talent for us in terms of our faculty. At one point, we were referred to as the “Air Force Academy South” because we had so many faculty and staff who taught there or, in some cases, were department heads.

By the 1980s, we had a significant military population. Now, about 30 percent of our full-time faculty and 20 percent of our staff are former military. The Colorado Springs campus and its military student body have evolved to an even greater degree with our online programs. Our policy is to ask the soldier who is deployed midterm if he or she would like to finish their courses later, via independent study or online. If none of these options appeals to them, they get their money back. This was our policy before any laws or regulations were in place about how we treat soldiers. That’s who we were, and that’s who we are.

At this year’s annual meeting of the Council of Colleges and Military Educators, Robert Bothel, Director of Voluntary Education for the U.S. Coast Guard, asked, “All of you say you are ‘military friendly’. Is that the truth, or is it simply a marketing ploy?” At that time, we had already established our objective of being the most military friendly institution of higher learning in the country, including funding a million dollar scholarship through the Freedom Alliance for sons and daughters of our fallen heroes. This challenge prompted us to see what else we could do.

I met with General Mixon, base commander at Fort Carson, to ask what more we could do. He suggested we reduce tuition and include immediate family members by developing scholarships for them. We not only lowered tuition, but we locked in the rate for six years for a bachelor’s degree, and three years for an associate’s degree for active duty and their immediate family members.

We have a common rate structure with CTU Online. They have 147 people dedicated to the military success of the program. Of the 120 military-dedicated admissions representatives, 85 percent are composed of veterans, National Guard, Reserves or military family.

Our military benefits specialists guide our active duty personnel through the benefits process. We have a longstanding policy of relieving all financial obligations for those who are deployed. The Colorado Springs campus has the largest vocational rehabilitation program in the state—some 350 VA Voc. Rehab. students who have been wounded and are recovering. The campus offers significant support for Air Force, ROTC and Veterans Affairs. In fact, the Greater Chamber of Commerce here in Colorado Springs just awarded CTU its 2007 Military Affairs Award of Excellence for the work we are committed to.

We don’t intend to stop there. We will be unveiling a new program that’s in development that will offer one-and-a-half million dollars for full ride scholarship for wounded soldiers.

Q: What new programs are you offering?

A: In Colorado Springs, we have five major military commands and a very large contingency of defense contractors. We listen to them when it comes to computer security, cyberspace, and logistics systems management— a program developed by a brigadier general in charge of logistics command for the Air Force Reserve (and a CTU faculty member). Our computer science, IT, computer engineering, systems engineering, electrical engineering, and software engineering programs are geared toward the military market we serve.

Q: What percentage of your students takes classes online?

A: Of our more than 21,000 students, approximately 80 percent take classes online. Of that number, approximately 40 percent of our students are active duty, veterans or immediate family members, including Guard and Reserve. We have a number of students currently serving in Iraq. In fact, an Army captain earning a Master’s degree in logistics systems management here in Colorado Springs visited me after his third tour in Iraq. He said “I just want you to know you’re the most recognized school in Iraq.”

Q: What services do you offer online students?

A: The way you service students on ground and online may differ. If you’re not face to face, you have to provide a support organization. If a student enrolls as an active duty service member in the state of Colorado for our Colorado military scholarship one week before they get out of the military, that scholarship lasts them for the designated six-year or three-year period. Our military master’s degree students pay nothing for books and fees.

Q: What challenges and opportunities do you see ahead for CTU?

A: I think there are more opportunities to address with regard to our nation’s military as CTU continues to grow, including locating our facilities near military bases to afford more widespread and available services. I’d challenge other institutions of higher education to provide service to our military students on bases throughout the world and back at home. ♦

GregMitchell, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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