Caleb Thornton
Lantern Staff
Many students have the opportunity to complete college courses while still attending high school. Through Butler’s Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, students may enroll in a variety of courses previously approved by Butler’s academic deans. With the help of the High School Academic Partnership office, counselors may advise their students in matters concerning course load.
Butler offers these courses to several schools in the state including Remington, Circle, Eureka, Madison, Hillsboro, Marion, Douglas and more. Similar to most college courses offered on campus, this program requires a minimum number of students to be in the course. Butler’s policy for the Concurrent Enrollment Partnership calls for at least seven students to be enrolled in the course in order to hold the course.
Davyd Ledgerwood, an Augusta High School graduate, took U.S. American History for three credits through Butler his junior year. Ledgerwood was solely responsible for the cost of the class, as well as the cost of the book and any other supplemental materials.
“No, they [Augusta High School] didn’t help at all,” Ledgerwood said. “Altogether it was about $280.”
Professor of Fine Arts and Communication Greg May both currently and in the past has taught at high schools through Butler. He has taught for this program in towns including Marion, Flint Hills, Madison, Blue Stem, Rose Hill and Eureka; May currently instructs Public Speaking in Augusta on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“The content [of the courses] doesn’t differ at all,” May said. “For many of these students, it is their first experience with Butler, and many with college, and it is our responsibility to make it a positive experience.”
According to May, professors of Fine Arts and Communication Michelle McClendon Keith West have also both taught for the Concurrent Enrollment Partnership.
Although instructors employed with Butler may join this program, teachers working for high schools may also teach these courses through Butler.
“As part of our Concurrent Enrollment Partnership Agreement, the high schools recommend instructors who meet Butler’s credential requirements as outlined by the Higher Learning Commission,” Director of High School Academic Partnerships Enrollment Management Heather Rinkenbaugh said. “Those instructors are referred to the High School Academic Partnerships office. I work with the Deans of each academic division to gather information on the instructor so that their credentials can be reviewed. If approved, those instructors meet with our deans and go through training in order to teach a Butler course. If a high school does not have a qualified instructor, I communicate the staffing needs to the appropriate dean and faculty assignments are made by that academic division.”
According to Rinkenbaugh, enrollment for these courses has since gone up after the implementation of the General Education Tuition Waiver.
Students enrolled in these programs are presented the opportunity to get a head start on their general education, as well as become accustomed early on with college-paced classes.
