The consortium of western Kansas community college that formed 20 years ago to provide online education will see a change in membership this fall.
Barton Community College continues to be a member of EDUKAN, but Colby Community College and Garden City Community College officials announced they will leave the consortium as part of the pursuit of their individual strategic objectives.
EDUKAN was formed in 1998 by a consortium of six colleges. Others still in the mix are Seward County Community College, Dodge City Community College and Pratt Community College.
“EDUKAN has enjoyed 20 great years in partnership with both departing colleges. While we are sad to see them leave the consortium, we certainly wish them all the best and much success in the future,” said Esther Lahargoue, EDUKAN’s Chief Executive Officer. “EDUKAN remains committed to its continued growth and upward strategic trajectory.”
Lahargoue listed an increase in online student enrollment and further engagement in collaborative infrastructure resource management as priorities for the current academic year. In addition, the consortium looks forward to “the exciting endeavor of creating new partnerships, especially with colleges whose course offerings are diverse to those currently hosted by the organization,” she said. “This expands our ability to provide more students with affordable and quality online education.”
As a pioneer in online education for rural Kansas, EDUKAN serves thousands of students a year and has been recognized by NUTN for excellence in technology.
“EDUKAN aims to make a real difference in the lives of students in a way that aligns well with our core values of trust, integrity, valuing people, quality, and student success,” said Dr. Ken J. Trzaska, president of member institution Seward County Community College and chairman of the EDUKAN Board of Presidents. “At Seward, we are always looking for ways to meet our students at their point of need, and we see EDUKAN as a key element in exploring options, working in collaboration with partner colleges in the state, and broadening our institution’s reach in unique course offerings.”
EDUKAN continues to grow in enrolled students both in the United States and Internationally, as students seek out low-cost tuition, accessibility, embedded books and course options. The system has proven appealing to those who wish to earn an Associate Degree for less than $10,000, officials said.
For more information, visit www.edukan.org.
