As part of ongoing efforts to expand access to higher education, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs recently announced multiple new initiatives and expansions for more local high school students.

Coinciding with the CU Board of Regents meeting on the campus on Nov. 6, UCCS announced that all Colorado students with a grade-point average of 2.75 or higher will be granted admission. For those looking for a head start, the university also announced that it’s expanding its concurrent enrollment options for students across the Pikes Peak region.

During the reception following the meeting, the university also announced it will host its own Air Force ROTC detachment starting next fall.

“We’re looking at expanding opportunities for high school students, for transfer students, adult students, really to open up the university to all we have to offer to anyone who’s looking for a CU degree or credential,” said UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet.

Unlike dual enrollment, which allows high school students to enroll in college courses online or off-campus while earning their diplomas, concurrent enrollment allows them to earn such credits at the main campus from college professors.

The CU system has previously offered students the CU Succeed program, which allows them to take college courses taught in their high school by university-qualified high school teachers. Sobanet said that talks to expand their options began after meeting with local school districts in Colorado Springs.

Now, UCCS will offer its concurrent enrollment classes to students at the community college tuition rate rather than its own rate. According to the Colorado Community College System, the base tuition for the current academic year is $5,250, or $175 per credit hour, versus the UCCS resident rate of $12,644 in tuition and fees.

Kendra Tate, Academy D-20’s director for college and career services, said that they had previously offered the CU Succeed program and that this year marks the first time that their students can take classes at the UCCS campus with their professors.

“It’s been extraordinary already in just this first year, with our students being able to have that academic experience. You know, the knowledge and skills you get when you’re actually on a college campus and that environment. And if you think ahead, there’s a comfort level moving forward after you graduate.”

She added that the community college tuition rate helps the district cover the costs for students.

“If you look at the tradition of going to UCCS and the cost for credit-hours, it’s a great saving for the district,” she said. “So it’s been a win-win on both sides.”

Concurrent enrollment options at UCCS include teacher recruitment education and preparation, advanced mathematics and various credentials, while the university also began hosting D-11’s Colorado Springs School of Technology (CCST) at its cybersecurity campus this fall.

The new high school provides students with opportunities to work alongside local industry leaders on classwork and work-based learning in four defined career pathways: aerospace engineering, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship and leadership. Students can also take concurrent enrollment classes at UCCS while taking their high school classes at the campus.

“CSST was built to rethink what high school can be,” said Nathan Gorsch, the school’s principal and executive director, in a news release. “We’re giving students the chance to dive into meaningful work, connect with industry mentors, and graduate with a plan.” 

As for the guaranteed admission to UCCS for all high schoolers, known as Clyde’s Commitment, the pledge originally rolled out last year to all junior students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, but will now apply to everyone with a 2.75 average going forward.

Sobanet explained that this decision was made to encourage more students to consider higher education.

“We found that students who have a 2.75 (GPA) have very similar retention and graduation rates to a 3.0,” she said. “And this expands the imagination of high school students who might not see themselves as a CU student.”

As for who all this will apply to, the university currently has separate memorandums of understanding with nearly all local school districts in El Paso County, along with some more distant districts, including Boulder Valley RE-2 and Douglas County RE-1.

The new initiatives hope to improve enrollment and retention at the university, which has been decreasing since its record high of over 12,500 students in 2018. While its sister campus, UC Boulder, has experienced steady increases in enrollment since 2020, the other campuses have fluctuated.

When accounting for concurrent enrollment students, who are not seeking a specific degree, total enrollment showed a slight increase this fall and the first net gain since 2018. The university reported 655 total non-degree-seeking students this year, its highest over the past 10 years.

As for the long-term benefits of these developments, Tate anticipates student interest and participation to only increase as the word gets out.

“Which, I think, sets the tone for their future if they’re interested in going to college or, really, any kind of postsecondary,” she said. “It might be a trade school or whatever but (get them) thinking beyond just graduation.”