CSU Communicator - Newsletter Issue #12 - Columbia Southern University

Whether you're spending this holiday season at home with family, responding to fire emergency calls, patrolling the highways, or protecting our country overseas, I wish you a very Merry Christmas.

This December CSU surpassed 16,000 active students. For us to continue the level of service we are known for and to support this growth, approximately 75 positions were added this year.

The move to our new 67,000 square foot facility could not have come at a better time and makes this one of the busiest holidays we've ever encountered at this university. Within the next several weeks, student services, academics, business affairs, and all other departments will begin to move. We will be using the weekends and regularly scheduled holiday closures for this transition to prevent any interruptions to the quality service you deserve.

As always, thank you for trusting us to help you accomplish your dreams of higher education. From all of us at CSU, may you be filled with joy, hope and peace this Christmas!

CSU to Celebrate New Home

This January 16th CSU employees, public officials, and local business leaders will celebrate the grand opening of the school’s new home. The 67,000 square foot, three-story facility features a training room, conference rooms, break rooms, fitness center, balconies, shipping and mailing area with a loading dock, and more.

Construction began in December 2007 on a 20 acre plot of land purchased in Orange Beach, Alabama. The additional acreage provides room for future expansion opportunities without forcing CSU to relocate. CSU will occupy the first two floors by January 2009 and once the third floor is completed, 360 work stations and 65 offices will be available.

“This new facility demonstrates our commitment to quality student service,” said CSU President Robert Mayes. “As we continue to grow, additional staff and faculty support are essential for ensuring student success.”

With a record enrollment of more than 16,000 students and at least 25,000 expected by 2010, CSU quickly outgrew its previous 17,000 square foot building. This year, CSU surpassed more than 200 employees forcing in-house faculty and staff to occupy additional facilities in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The new building will be large enough to house all CSU departments with further room for growth.

City of Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon, White-Spunner Construction President Mike Fitzgerald, Liberty Church Pastor Buford Lipscomb, and representatives from both the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and Alabama Gulf Coast Chamber of Commerce are scheduled to attend.

CSU Photo Contest Winners Selected

Thirteen winners have been selected for this year’s CSU Photo Contest. Students and alumni who participated submitted their best photos on the job, relaxing with family and friends, and studying online. The winners will be featured on the CSU website, advertisements, collateral materials and a special 2009 CSU calendar. An online photo gallery will be available in February showcasing all 250 photos that were submitted. Winners each received a $100 gas card.

Department of the Month

The CSU Maintenance Department consists of one individual, Mike Scheadler. Next month he will be retiring from CSU after four years of service. Scheadler’s day to day responsibilities include general maintenance and care of both the Orange Beach and Gulf Shores CSU facilities as well as the new 67,000 square foot building. Before coming to work at CSU, Scheadler served in the Navy and held various jobs from owning a pizza parlor in Loveland, Ohio to being an operations assistant in Florence, Kentucky. After retiring he plans to pursue his hobby of freshwater, saltwater, and deep sea fishing.

Did you know?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, hospitality and tourism is the second largest industry in the nation.

Partnership News

CSU Helps Firefighters Climb the Career Ladder

Earning a degree has never been more essential for firefighters looking to climb the “career ladder.” According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, many fire departments are now requiring at least a bachelor’s degree, preferably in fire science or a related field, to be promoted higher than battalion chief. CSU has established partnerships with more than 500 organizations around the world. Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services, Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services, Mountain Brook Fire Department, Pike Township Fire Department and ASG Kuwait Fire and Emergency Services were recently added to the growing list.

This partnership provides these firefighters, their spouses, and children with special benefits including tuition discounts and an application fee waiver. The fire departments will also be featured on the CSU website, in marketing materials, and at conferences and speaking engagements.

“Over the past few years it has become increasingly important for firefighters to have a degree,” said Robert L. Duffus, Battalion Chief of the Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services. “By partnering with CSU, we feel that we are doing our part to ensure that our firefighters have every available opportunity to pursue an education.”

This year the Richmond Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the sixth oldest paid fire department in the U.S., is celebrating 150 years of serving the citizens of Richmond, Virginia. The department participates in many community programs and services including blood pressure screenings, mentoring programs, ride-a-longs, smoke alarm installations, and serves as a Safe Place Site. The department currently operates out of 20 stations and has 428 members, all of whom are eligible for the CSU partnership benefits.

“Our partnerships extend to more than 260 fire organizations across the nation,” said Chantell Cooley, CSU Vice President of Partnership Development. “We continue building these partnerships so that anyone who dreams of earning a degree has the resources to do so.”

Fire Department of New York, Metro Atlanta Fire Chiefs Association, Chicago Fire Department, Bermuda Fire Department, and Tulsa Fire Department are a few of the other fire organizations around the world that have partnered with CSU. The university offers accredited online associate, bachelor, and certificate programs in fire science.

Is Your Organization a Learning Partner?

Consider the advantages a more educated, qualified workforce can generate for your organization and ask your employer to join the list of CSU learning partners. As a CSU learning partner, your organization will receive the following benefits:

10 % Tuition Discount

Application Fee Waiver

Spouses and children of employees are also eligible for these benefits. If your employer is interested in becoming a CSU learning partner, please call 1-800-344-5021 or email learningpartners@columbiasouthern.edu.

Refer a Partner!

CSU is always looking to form new partnerships with organizations around the world. If you know of any organizations that could benefit from partnering with CSU please email the CSU partnership department at learningpartners@columbiasouthern.edu with the name of the organization.

Currently, CSU holds more than 500 partnerships ranging from fire and police departments to major corporations and government organizations. All partners get the benefit of an application fee waiver plus a 10 percent tuition discount.

CSU Welcomes the Following Organizations as New Learning Partners.

Cullman Police Department, Alabama

Pike Township Fire Department, Illinois

Glassy Mountain Fire Department, South Carolina

Rural/Metro Fire Department CITGO Refinery, Louisiana

Montgomery County Fire/Rescue Service, Maryland

Blue Grass Army Depot Fire Department, Kentucky

Alumni News

CSU Click Update: Alumni Connect with New Groups

More than 2,564 CSU alumni are currently taking advantage of social networking opportunities available within CSU Click. Our graduates have recently added several new groups graduates can join including South Carolina, military, CSU blogs and more. CSU faculty has also created a group that allows alumni to keep in touch with the professors they worked so closely with throughout their academic journey.

Brian Edwards, CSU Alumni Association President and 2004 MBA graduate, is a member of several groups including CSU Learning Partnerships, Elected Alumni Officers, and North Carolina Graduates. He is also known as a regular on the discussion boards and uses the community to connect with other military alumni.

“CSU Click offers our alumni a new way to connect,” said Edwards. “You can share photos, network professionally, find a great job, and more. Plus, it’s totally free!”

The advantages of CSU Click extend beyond social networking. Graduates can browse career openings, view company profiles, explore potential career paths, and even create a personal calendar.

CSU Graduate Named Chief of Police

This week the City of Fort Scott announced that Ronald Puterbaugh will be the new Chief of Police. Puterbaugh has spent the last 23 years with the Ottawa Police Department. A 27 year law enforcement professional, this 2004 BS in Criminal Justice Administration graduate will assume his new duties effective March 4th. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Central States LEEDS, and Kansas Certified First Responder.

People News

Who's New at CSU

Rick Dendy recently joined CSU as Internet Marketing Manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in multimedia arts science with a specialization in web design and web marketing from Platt College in San Diego, California. Originally from Alabama, Rick has recently returned home, but during his time in California he worked for many years as a Technical Producer III in the Corporate Marketing Department for Business Objects, a leading business intelligence software company. Rick has also been involved with several successful technology start-ups over the years and some of his work and written advice on starting and building an online marketing program can be found in several ecommerce books and many online resources.

How has an online education with CSU changed your life? Submit your comments to Katie Coale, Communications Specialist, at Katie.Coale@columbiasouthern.edu.

Student Spotlight

At 40, Steve Lane decided he needed something more – a degree. After searching for online fire science degree programs he came across CSU. The community college courses he completed, classes at the National Fire Academy and time spent in military schools, allowed Lane to receive 80 transfer credits – he was sold on CSU.

Earning a bachelor’s degree has always been a goal for Lane. As a fire officer for the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he thought he would never have the time to complete a degree with his unpredictable schedule. Thanks to self-paced programs and open enrollment Lane began courses in 2003. As a CSU partner, Mt. Lebanon Fire Department employees receive a tuition discount and application fee waiver.

“For someone who works odd shifts or is always on call, it is priceless to log onto a computer and complete my coursework whenever and wherever I choose,” Lane said. “I have worked on my classes everywhere from my office, to a campground at the beach, to a table at my local coffee shop.”

In March 2008, Lane received a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health with a concentration in fire science while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. He chose to pursue occupational safety and health at CSU instead of fire science in order to broaden his professional experience. With his education in safety, he has made significant contributions to his fire department’s safety program and has given his career a new direction.

By completing his bachelor’s degree and moving on to his master’s, Lane now serves as a part-time professor at the local community college. Currently, Lane is working on earning his master’s in occupational safety and health and hopes to one day pursue a doctorate in public health.

Please submit article suggestions or event information for the next issue of the CSU Communicator to Jessica Brown, Marketing Director, at jessie.brown@columbiasouthern.edu.

University News

Message from the President