St. Thomas’s plans for opening a two-year college have entered the latter stages of development after the approval of a faculty committee and subsequently the entire faculty.

The board of trustees issued conditional approval for the new college in April, and its development passed the first of three tests with the approval of the faculty. With the faculty’s endorsement, the board now needs to give a final stamp of approval.

The new school will aim to provide an associate degree option in liberal arts for low-income students may be unprepared for both the academic and financial rigors of a four-year bachelor’s program.

“It’s really a degree that’s intended for students who are planning to seek a bachelor’s degree after their (associate degree),” said Wendy Wyatt, associate vice provost for undergraduate studies.

President Julie Sullivan and Provost Richard Plumb must agree with the faculty’s approval. After that, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education must authorize St. Thomas to grant an associate of arts degree.

After that approval, the Higher Learning Commission must approve the addition of the new degree. The commission grants accreditation to universities in several states across the country.
All of St. Thomas’s programs have been accredited by HLC in the past.

One of the goals of the school is to allow a less expensive alternative for students who normally would struggle with the financial burden of a four-year school. Scholarship funds and lower tuition are expected to help students in that regard.

The college will also have less rigorous admission standards than the four-year school.

The college, which sprung from the diversity and inclusion emphasis in the university’s strategic plan, is expected to open in fall 2017. As of April, the school’s target enrollment will be about 300 students.

The story was corrected at 8:50 p.m. on Oct. 5. The story originally stated the two-year college was approved by just the faculty committee, not the entire faculty. The story also incorrectly attributed student descriptions to Wendy Wyatt, and incorrectly said the program adds a liberal arts major.