LTCC to host open house about 4-year degree program

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) and Sierra Nevada College (SNC Tahoe) are co-hosting an Open House on Thursday, June 16 at 5:00 p.m. in LTCC’s Board/Aspen Room to explore offering an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in Global Business Management from LTCC’s South Lake Tahoe campus. The two colleges are seeking community and student input to gauge the level of interest in the program. As the partnership between LTCC and SNC moves forward, it will bring an accredited four-year bachelor’s degree option to LTCC’s South Shore campus for the first time.

“For several years now, it has been our mission to make LTCC California’s premier destination community college, with the long-term goal of being able to offer students affordable four-year degree options,” said LTCC Superintendent/President Dr. Kindred Murillo. “We are really excited about the possibilities this partnership could bring to advance educational opportunities in our community.”

SNC Tahoe President Alan Walker added, “At Sierra Nevada College we understand that the rising cost of a college education poses a challenge for students. In addition, place-bound working adults need access to high-quality educational opportunities on their terms. Although our Incline campus has long been a destination of choice for LTCC graduates, this public-private, two-and four-year higher education partnership offers a high-value, affordable, and seamless pathway for students who wish to continue their educational pursuits without leaving the South Shore community. We believe this type of cooperation is a model for higher education that serves the public interest and we look forward to joining efforts with the community in helping to realize the promise of its future.”

When the idea of bringing four-year opportunities to LTCC’s campus was first discussed a few years ago, Dr. Murillo made affordable degree costs a high priority. SNC Tahoe is offering a reasonable per-credit rate offer of $382 to LTCC students. This rate includes a significant discount in comparison to SNC Tahoe’s annual tuition, and allows students to take full advantage of previously earned credits, paying only for the courses needed to graduate. Depending on prior coursework and the degree program chosen, completing the final two years of this bachelor's program at today’s pricing can cost as little as $17,190 in tuition charges, with an average tuition cost of $22,920. Some additional course and student fees will apply, as well as fees for online delivery methods.

The lower-level courses needed to earn the Global Business Management degree are already offered at LTCC, including Accounting, Principles of Micro and Macroeconomics, Business Writing, Business Law, and Introduction to Marketing. The required upper division courses would be offered on LTCC’s campus, allowing South Shore residents to earn a bachelor’s degree from SNC without requiring relocation.

LTCC and SNC are discussing structuring the Global Business Management program as a cohort, which is a group of students who work through a particular academic program together, with members of that group supporting each other to help improve overall academic performance. The cohort educational model has become quite popular in online education in particular, where normal social interaction and mutual support happens less frequently.

“Both institutions feel that by offering this program as a cohort, we’ll see better academic results. These students will learn together throughout the four-year program, developing a strong network of support for each other along the way,” said Dr. Murillo.

Thanks to a generous $5.8 million donation from longtime South Lake Tahoe local Lisa Maloff, a University Center is coming to LTCC’s campus, where undergraduate and specialized programs will be housed. The stand-alone building will rise where the Theatre Arts parking lot is now located. Ground is expected to be broken in May 2017, with a planned opening of Fall 2018. The 5,500 sq. ft. building will include three classrooms, offices, and a large meeting space.

Until the Lisa and Robert Maloff University Center opens, SNC Tahoe would operate in existing offices and classrooms on LTCC’s campus. Robert and Robin Holman, through the Holman Family Future Foundation at the Parasol Foundation, have also pledged support to SNC Tahoe, with an investment seeking matching funds for start-up efforts to get the new joint program off the ground with the goal of advancing educational opportunities in the local community, and the shared vision of both institutions.

The two colleges are also discussing offering joint Psychology and Education bachelor’s degree programs, possibly starting in Spring 2017. In addition to SNC Tahoe, LTCC is working on partnering with several other higher education institutions to bring a healthy mix of four-year degree options to the South Shore. Potential partners include UNR, UC Davis, and CSU Sacramento, among other possibilities.

For more information about the June 16 Open House and the LTCC/SNC Tahoe partnership, please contact LTCC’s Superintendent/President’s Office at (530) 541-4660 ext. 210, or SNC Tahoe Business Department Chair Kendra Wong at kwong@sierranevada.edu. For more information on SNC Tahoe’s Global Business Management Bachelor’s Degree, visit SierraNevada.edu.