WSU Fans Out Across The State Six Off-Campus Pilot ‘Learning Centers’ Extend Access To University-Level Teaching

The Legislature hasn’t signed the check yet, but Washington State University officials all but started spending the money Tuesday for a system of off-campus “learning centers” across the state.

The six pilot centers will feature staffers, computer links and other technology aimed at bringing university-level teaching to students who can’t afford to leave work or home for the Pullman campus.

The telephone-based computer links and microwave-based television connections could eventually reach nine out of 10 state residents.

“We’re taking a first step to provide for communities the kinds of electronic and people support that can make a profound difference in them being able to access education at all levels,” said Les Purce, vice president for extended university affairs, in one of three telephone news conferences held Tuesday in conjunction with the six sites.

The areas chosen for the pilot sites are a housing project in East Tacoma, the Lower Columbia College student center in Longview and county extension offices in Port Hadlock, Colville, Wenatchee and Yakima.

The centers stand to dramatically alter the role of WSU’s cooperative extension program by offering programs in conjunction with the university’s extended degree program, a high-tech correspondence course that last semester enrolled 400 students.

The centers, along with the three branch campuses, also stand to enhance WSU’s political clout as it increases the number of legislators with a piece of the university in their back yard.

“If you have programs within a local-area phone call for 90 percent of the state, I think that would cover probably most of the legislators,” said WSU President Sam Smith.

The university’s growing political base was apparent Tuesday as the guest list for the telephone news conferences featured some 50 cooperative extension faculty, extended degree students, community college and school district administrators, county commissioners, mayors and legislators.

WSU hopes to fund the centers with about $700,000 included in a $9.7 million supplemental budget request aimed at increasing access to the school through new technology.

The request grows out of the growing demand for higher education. Washington already provides less access to four-year colleges or universities than most other states.

“This crisis touches all aspects of our population in terms of the needs of education,” said Purce. “And we hope that these learning centers, coupled with the other support in these areas, will keep costs down and be responsive to those needs in those areas.”

Purce and Smith insisted they were not being premature in announcing plans for the centers without first having the money in hand.

, DataTimes