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Show Hilltop Times August 26, 1988. To avoid a possible closure of its Hill AFB campus courses since 1982... in effect ' . - - ' ...""''.--'-- - ' - GDD0pQDG,? pl7g?CiuDS 0Q( by SSgt. Louis A. Arana-Barrad- as Ogden ALC Public Affairs Office (LJltah State University's bachelor's degree program in computer science at Hill AFB is struggling to stay on line and avoid being scrapped. Low enrollment and a perceived lack of information about the program could be its end if the trend doesn't reverse itself, according to education 66 ...if we don't get more enrollments, the future doesn't look good, not good at all. "1 I ' pair 99 Will Hedrick Education services officer officials. The bachelor's program has 10 to 12 students per class now, and school officials need to have at least 20 to pay for the program operation. On the other hand, they said USU's master's program is healthy and continues to draw students. It's not in any danger of closing down. Seventeen to 25 students per quarter keep this program alive. Losing the bachelor's program would be a blow to Hill, which might have the only complete bachelor's and master's degree programs in computer science with all the equipment necessary in one location in the Air Force. It's a program which has been fought for and carefully groomed. "With the lack of enrollments, simply, we lose the program," said Will Hedrick, education services officer. "We think that this program gives a rare opportunity for our people to cash in on and complete a bachelor or master degree in computer science. "But, if we don't get more enrollment, the future doesn't look good, not good at all," he said. But he's not being pessimistic, just realistic. ,: Dr. Terry Teigler, USU program director at Hill, said the bachelor's degree program had been successful until the last couple of years. He cited several reasons for the enrollment to go. "So we in the machine and make it have seen some reduction in enroll- ment numbers based on that particular situation and emphasis change from programming to word processing," he said. . is Another reason for declining enrollment the fact that other colleges and universities '.' offer similar programs nearby giving students more choice programs to take and schools to decline. One reason for the decline is the fact that more Air Force jobs today require computers and computer knowledge. At Hill, more people are getting training on computer operaFor tion. that reason, he said, not every person needs to take college courses for credit. , attend. The right to educate is not taken lightly in Utah, with all its colleges and universities vying for the lucrative military and base work force market. It took winning a battle before the Logan, Utah, based USU program was allowed on in-hou- se The doctor said when this type of computer program first became readily available in about 1980, everyone wanted to be a programmer. But many soon found that there was much more technical expertise needed to finish a bachelor's , "or master's program. "And so, over the last couple of years espe- - .. dally, many people found they didn't need to be programmers. But, that's what the programs we offer at Hill are all about," said Dr. Teigler. are of the greatest advanl ''These programs who earn a bachelor's or want to tage people master's degree and use it for job advancement' he said. i More advanced computer software, which cut the need for programmers, is another reason for declining enrollment. "A lot of software packpeople don't need to ages fit particular needs, soneed to know is how All they be prdammers. put the software Hill in 1982. self-estee- The main dispute centered on whether USU e had the right to allow students to use base facilities. Their contention was that base enrollment was not enough to allow the program off-bas- . Julie Paul knows the value of the USU program she graduated with a bachelor of science degree. Her first exposure to computer science came while she was working as a computer technician in the Directorate of Maintenance. "It was then I decided to make computer science my career. ''However, there were two problems: most jobs in the field required at least a bachelor of science degree and I couldn't quit my job to go to school since it was the only means of support I had," she said. But an article in the Hilltop Times changed that for her. "I enrolled. While taking classes at night, I worked as a programmer by day, receiving the best of both worlds," said Ms. Paul. "I feel more part of the industry and my has risen beyond my expectations." Dr. Teigler said the fight to preserve the bachelor's program isn't over. "We have a real resource right here on base. People don't have to take one single class on campus, they can stay right here. There's less competition than on campus... we have it all right here," he said. continue. e Hill officials favored the idea of allowing students to attend e classes, saying . it was good for the base, according to the doc- - ' ' tor. A decision was made by the state board of students access to regents to allow the e USU's Hill courses. However, the competition has cut USU's' Hill undergraduate enrollment. Yet another reason the program is in danger, according to Dr. Teigler, "is that we have a lot of people on this base who simply don't know that these programs are available j and that they can take full advantage of them." to off-bas- on-bas- off-bas- Editor's notes USU's Hill program has m 26 , computer terminals in Bldg. 368 which are linked with the university's main computer. It's the same program as taught at the main campus, and classes are taught by USU instructors. The labs are open four nights a week and on Saturdays until 10:30 p.m. Both programs offer several classes per semester. The school's fall term begins Oct. 17. Call Ext. 73536 for more - . information. ,, , |