Online-Only Western Governors University Could be New Model for Education

The need for affordable and flexible education rings truer today than ever before. According to the College Board’s 2009 Trends in College Pricing report, the cost of higher education is rising: Tuition for in-state residents at public four-year institutions was about $7,020 for the 2009-2010 academic year, bringing the total cost for one academic year to more than $19,000 when books and living expenses are included. This means a four-year degree at a public university costs nearly $80,000, and according to the same report, a private four-year degree costs twice that — $160,000.

As university budgets shrink, governors are searching for ways to make the remaining education money more effective, Thomasian said. "One of those ways to make it effective is for higher education to start using a lot more online learning."

Western Governors University http://www.wgu.edu/

By Jessica B. Mulholland

Full Story: http://www.govtech.com/gt/articles/767122