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Show General education now offered at technical college Utah Techinical College at Provo-Orem Provo-Orem faced a new era today the authorization to offer a substantial program of general education to those wishing to take it, in addition to its already established (and majority) vocational-technical training. The new program comes as a result of legislative action, which has been signed into law by the governor, to expand the general education (not necessarily related to vocational-technical vocational-technical training) over a three-year period as a trial experiment. It will be available beginning the fall quarter of 1981. Utah Tech President Wilson W. Sorensen emphasized that the college will remain within its present guidelines of at least 75 percent vocational-technical and not more than 25 percent general education in its curriculum. "Our primary purpose of course is vocational," he declared, "but this new authorization given us by the legislature opens vast new opportunities op-portunities to anyone wishing to attend our school, particularly in Utah Valley adjacent areas." The new law permits Utah Tech to offer a two-year associate of science degree. The college already offers a two-year associate of applied science degree. The difference is that the new degree can be taken primarily in general education unrelated to vocational training, which can be transferable to any four-year college or univerisity in Utah, or any similar institution accredited by the Northwest Association of Higher Education which includes the major part of the Western United States. "Many high school graduates," said President Sorensen, "are undecided as to just which field they wish to enter. Our new program welcomes these students, who may make this decision in an ideal atmosphere which exposes them to the world of both work and scholarship." "A student coming in under the new program will not' be required to take any vocational-technical programs if he or she doesn't choose to. But they will be where they can see at first hand the opportunities and results to those enrolled in the vocational-technical areas." If the student decides he or she wishes to continue in general education and transfer to a four-year institute instead of entering vocational-technical fields they may do so, the president emphasized. It is, he repeated, "a place to find themselves." The new program should make it possible for many residents of Utah Valley to obtain two years of college beyond high school without the added cost of leaving home to attend some other institutions, said Sorensen. "We feel that many high school graduates in Utah Valley and nearby areas need this chance. Many cannot afford to go further afield with the added cost entailed." |
