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ST. CLOUD – After a few tumultuous years that saw the elimination of nearly 100 programs and dozens of faculty at St. Cloud State University, school leaders say they have found a bright spot with their newly implemented seven-week courses. The courses — which drew controversy when first rolled out — are part of new online accelerated programs that allow students more flexibility than typical semesterlong, in-person classes. SCSU leaders hoped to use the online accelerated programs to scoop up some of the 1.2 million Minnesotans with college credits but no bachelor’s degree — and also lure back some of the thousands of Minnesota students taking classes with out-of-state online colleges such as Southern New Hampshire University or the University of Phoenix. The programs, along with plans next year to fold five colleges into three, are part of SCSU’s recent plans to get in the black by 2028. “This is for Minnesotans who typically would go out of state to the for-profits,” SCSU Provost Katherina Pattit said during out interview this month. “There’s hundreds of thousands of dollars going out the door.” Jennifer Bartlett, 50, of Zimmerman is one of the 500 students at SCSU enrolled in the online accelerated programs. She’s taking two seven-week courses at a time and hoping to graduate in early 2026 with her master’s in business administration. She started classes in July. “It was time for me to do that — to level myself up — to get the job that I want to get in the future," said Bartlett, who worked in education for three decades. Three years ago, SCSU partnered with a Dallas-based company to offer the more flexible MBA and graduate-level educational leadership programs. Risepoint, formerly Academic Partnerships, provides expertise in the recruitment of potential students in exchange for 50% percentage of tuition from the students enrolled in the courses. After seeing early success with the graduate programs, the school expanded the courses to undergraduates last year, a move that drew pushback from some faculty, legislators and the Minnesota State system. Critics, which included professors, worried the partnering companies would take advantage of students by targeting them to sign up for classes but not caring about student success, leaving students with more debt and no college degree.
