Atlanta — September 9, 2014

The Board of Regents acted today to strengthen online education efforts in the University System to help students better manage the cost of college, busy schedules, and work and family responsibilities.

A resolution adopted today by the regents will support efforts to expand eCore® online general education offerings and make these courses available to students at all comprehensive universities, state universities and state colleges within the University System.

eCore®, which began in 2000, allows students to take the first two years of their curriculum online and offers the “core” courses in English, mathematics, science, history, and the social sciences. Course credit earned in eCore® is transferable to any USG institution.

“As we continue to develop strategies that help more Georgians complete college through our ambitious Complete College Georgia initiative, expanding the accessible and affordable eCore® option to more of our institutions is the right thing to do to better serve our students,” said Dr. Houston Davis, executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer.

Creating quality and affordable access opportunities is a major focus of the University System and Complete College Georgia. Access to college through distance education is a major component of meeting the goal of creating 250,000 more college graduates by 2025 as Davis told the board in his update today.

The eCore® courses are available anytime and anyplace for students, are of the high-quality that is expected of our courses, and typically are very cost-effective, said Davis.

Currently, eCore® is only offered through 11 USG institutions: Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Albany State University, Clayton State University, College of Coastal Georgia, Dalton State College, Fort Valley State University, Middle Georgia State College, Southern Polytechnic State University, University of North Georgia, University of West Georgia and Valdosta State University.

The goal of the expansion is to make it much easier for students to access the courses at an additional 16 institutions by fall of 2015, if not before.

eCore® began with six core classes offered by five USG institutions. In 2001, eCore® enrolled 273 students in the six courses in 14 course sections. By FY’14, 9,961 students were enrolled in 24 eCore® courses and 336 total course sections. As of October 1, 2014, two additional courses will be added to the eCore® options bringing the total available courses to 26. Since fall 2000, more than 46,000 students have enrolled in eCore®.

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