BOISE STATE’S EXTENDED STUDIES TO HOLD OPEN HOUSE

Boise State University’s Division of Extended Studies will hold an open house from 3:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, March 20, at its new building at 1015 Grant Ave.

The public is invited to attend the celebration, which includes refreshments, tours and information about programs ranging from distance learning and weekend classes to study abroad and concurrent enrollment — a program that offers college credits for classes taken during high school.

The new building offers more than twice the space of the old offices, which were located in the Albertsons Library. Joyce Harvey-Morgan, dean of extended studies, said that additional space is a boon for the program, which has experienced more than 100 percent growth in the past five years.

"In fall 2000, we had over 6,500 credit enrollments," she said. "Our percentage of growth is higher than that of the university’s. That says to me that more people are looking for flexibility in ways to get an education."

The program began in 1974 as the Department of Continuing Education with four employees. The name was recently changed to the Division of Extended Studies to reflect its goal of providing service to both new and continuing students as well as to the community. It now employs 31 full- and part-time staff members and hundreds of adjunct faculty.

Programs at the Canyon County Center experienced the most growth, at 177 percent, followed by distance education, at 157 percent and Gowen Field programs at 114 percent.

For more information on Division of Extended Studies programs or the new facility, contact Harvey-Morgan at 426-3706.

Contact:
Joyce Harvey-Morgan
Extended Studies
426-3706

Media Contact:
Kathleen Mortensen
communications and marketing
426-3275