Thursday, February 27, 2003

February Capitol Connections The February issue of Capitol Connections is now online.  Included in this issue are stories about what the Tax Commission is doing to make things easier for its constituents, the implementation of an electronic plan room by the Department of Transportation, and a new online system for stormwater permitting supported by the Department of Environmental Quality. 7:03:24 AM

Western Governors University Receives Accreditation Earlier this week, Western Governors University (WGU) became the first and only university to receive accreditation from four regional accrediting commissions at the same time. When Governor Leavitt came into office, he presented a vision for online education that was very revolutionary.  Several years later, in 1997, WGU was established. According to its website, WGU is a unique institution that offers online degrees based completely on competencies -- your ability to demonstrate your skills and knowledge on a series of assessments -- not on required courses. According to Governor Leavitt, who serves as a co-chair on the university's board of trustees, "this represents a watershed event in American higher education, in that regional accreditation provides a significant external validation of competency-based education as an accepted, viable alternative to the traditional credit-based system. At WGU, students graduate by demonstrating their competencies, rather than by accumulating credits." Last year, the university graduated 33 students and reached a total enrollment of 1200 students from 45 states and 9 countries.  WGU was founded and is supported by the governors of 19 states, as well as 25 leading corporations and foundations. The Governor has been consistent throughout his three terms of office in his support for education vs. infrastructure, although when the budget was available some significant infrastructure improvements have occured including the entire reconstruction of I-15 through the Salt Lake Valley and major building projects like the Tax Commission Bldg, the Corrections Admin Building, the Olympic Village - now student apartments at the University of Utah, Rice-Eccles Stadium, etc. 6:56:43 AM

© Copyright 2003 David Fletcher.