Our experience seems to fit well with national trends. Because of expectations of growth, there is a significant movement of new providers into graduate education. All of these providers will be in direct competition with the traditional regional approach to graduate education, and all can have a strong negative impact on Western's enrollment. Since we are facing a very changed situation in graduate education, we are taking some important steps of which you need to be aware. First, we are focusing attention on the needs of the adult learner.
Adults tend to be very motivated to complete a graduate degree.
Their educational work needs to fit within the broader contexts of their lives that involve jobs, family, and community responsibilities. Because of the complexities in their lives, they often find the traditional academic calendar and approaches to scheduling to be dysfunctional. There are currently only one or two alternative education providers for adults in this region, but they are drawing hundreds of students to programs that cost a great deal more than Western's. Economic development in North Carolina and growth in the retirement community are fueling this Western Triangle, but the major engine of development is the changing nature of South Carolina's upstate region. There is reason to expect, therefore, that this Western Triangle will become increasingly important to our graduate program.