THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 16, 1996 TAG: 9608160006
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: 41 lines
Old Dominion University's new Weekend College, beginning Aug. 24, should prove valuable for a variety of reasons.
It will offer a wide range of courses on Friday nights and Saturdays at the main campus on Hampton Boulevard and at satellite campuses. Who will benefit?
High-school juniors or seniors can take courses to get a head start on higher education or, perhaps more important, to determine early what they want to be when they grow up.
Working people with family obligations most evenings will further their careers by taking weekend courses.
Employers, including companies considering moving to Hampton Roads, should find attractive the opportunity to have their workers obtain extra education on weekends.
The Weekend College will serve people starved for time but ambitious to improve themselves and further their careers.
Already, more than 1,000 people have called ODU to inquire about the Weekend College. ODU sent 1,500 information packets on the school to area companies.
With the Weekend College, ODU's admirable record of service to the community continues to grow. ``I think there's a revolution going on in higher education,'' said ODU President James V. Koch. ``What we're saying is, let's mold our services around the student, instead of the other way around.''
The new offerings mean more work for ODU faculty members who already teach weekday night courses at ODU centers in Virginia Beach, Portsmouth and Hampton, as well as on military bases and the Eastern Shore.
``Our faculty are very flexible,'' said Anne Raymond-Savage, associate vice president of academic affairs. ``We are an institution that responds to a variety of needs.''
More than 100 people attended an informational meeting on the Weekend College on Wednesday evening. Another such meeting will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in Rollins Hall, 5115 Hampton Blvd.
More information can be obtained by calling 683-6388. by CNB