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On July 25, Western Illinois University and Carl Sandburg College renewed a decade-long agreement that demonstrates the institutions' commitment to working together to provide quality, affordable education for college students in the western Illinois region. Representing the institutions at the signing event at Western were: Richard Carter, executive director of the School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach; Kathleen Neumann, interim provost and academic vice president, Western Illinois University; Jack Thomas, president, WIU; Lori Sundberg, president, Carl Sandburg College; Julie Gibb, vice president of academic services, Sandburg; and Rick Eddy, director of admissions and records, Sandburg.
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Dr. Jack Thomas (Western) and Dr. Lori Sundberg (Sandburg) sign the renewed partnership agreement, which will continue to enable students to benefit from a seamless, transfer process from Carl Sandburg College into Western Illinois University's flexible Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS) program.
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WIU, Carl Sandburg College Renew Agreement for Seamless Transfer into WIU Bachelor of Arts in General Studies Program

July 25, 2016

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MACOMB/GALESBURG, IL — Today, Western Illinois University and Carl Sandburg College renewed a decade-long agreement that demonstrates the institutions' commitment to working together to provide quality, affordable education for college students in the western Illinois region. The agreement was first signed in 2006, and it provided Sandburg students with maximum course credit transferability into Western's Bachelor of Arts in General Studies (BGS) degree program (formerly the WIU Board of Trustees Bachelor of Arts [BOT/BA] degree program).

According to Richard Carter, executive director of WIU's School of Distance Learning, International Studies and Outreach, the renewed partnership will continue to enable students to benefit from a seamless, transfer process into WIU's flexible BGS program.

"The BGS degree at Western provides an individualized bachelor's degree program for students either online, on campus in Macomb, on campus at WIU-Quad Cities or a combination of both online and on campus," he explained.

Carter added the agreement allows Sandburg students to participate in Western's Cost Guarantee program; provides maximum transferability from Sandburg associate degree programs (associate in arts, associate in science and associate in applied science); and allows Sandburg students to transfer 80 semester hours into the BGS program.

Western's BGS degree—the former BOT/BA degree program—was established in 1972 to serve students unable to attend a traditional college program due to various reasons. Rather than requiring a specific academic major, BGS allows the student to design a program of study that meets his or her individual educational goals, he added.

"We are pleased to renew our agreement with Carl Sandburg College to provide even greater educational opportunities for individuals in this region," said WIU President Jack Thomas. "This agreement provides Sandburg students, who wish to take advantage of the flexibility of Western's BGS program, with a fluid transfer process," Thomas added.

"Renewing this agreement allows Carl Sandburg College to continue to provide an efficient transfer option to one of our closest and largest university partners in Western Illinois University," Sandburg President Lori Sundberg noted. "We've always had an excellent relationship with WIU, and we're delighted to extend this great opportunity to students who pursue their baccalaureate degrees after graduating from Sandburg."

For more information about the agreement and/or the WIU Bachelor of Arts in General Studies, contact Carter at (309) 298-1929 or via email at R-Carter@wiu.edu. Learn more about WIU's flexible BGS degree program at www.wiu.edu/distance_learning/bachelor_of_arts_in_general_studies/.

Posted By: Teresa Koltzenburg (WIUNews@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing