Colorado State University-Global Campus Moving to Aurora in Unique Partnership with Aurora Public School District

AURORA, Colo., Aug. 23, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU-Global) and the Aurora Public School District (APS) announce the approval of a 10-year property lease between the two public education systems. This finalizes the long-term partnership that will officially move CSU-Global's headquarters to the City of Aurora from its current location in the Denver Tech Center.

This innovative partnership establishes a new model for continued education opportunities within the community of Aurora. Because of this partnership, APS will be able to provide scholarships and deeply-reduced or free options for students to earn a certificate or college degree after graduating from high school. APS faculty and staff will also be offered affordable and flexible professional development opportunities. Importantly, it also allows CSU-Global, which does not receive state funds and therefore leases its workspace rather than bond-to-build, to use its current monthly lease expenses toward its student success mission -- its lease payments will now benefit the Aurora Public School District.

"We have excelled in partnering with industry and innovative educators in providing fully online education to students throughout Colorado and the world. We are now excited to learn how to be an effective partner to the Aurora Public School District and to citizens of the physical community of Aurora," said Dr. Becky Takeda-Tinker, President and CEO of CSU-Global. "We are deeply committed to ensuring all citizens have access and opportunity to high-quality, career-relevant, and affordable education. As a state university that does not receive state funds, this partnership allows us to further fulfill that mission in a pioneering way."

An agreement such as this between a public K-12 school district and a public university is among the first of its kind in the nation. It was approved through Colorado State Legislature with the passage of Senate Bill 16-209, and then voted on by the citizens of Aurora as part of a 2016 bond measure for APS. After establishing a letter of intent in 2017, the two sides worked out the details of the lease, which was approved by the CSU System Board of Governors at their meeting at CSU-Global on August 10, 2018 and approved by the APS Board of Education on August 21, 2018.

"We are thrilled to offer these significantly discounted rates for recent APS graduates and staff members," said APS Board of Education President Marques Ivey. "While we recognize that an online experience may not be right for every student, we want to continue to pursue partnerships that expand offerings and reduce barriers to earning postsecondary certificates and degrees. This partnership is another significant effort toward achieving our vision that every APS student shapes a successful future."

The location of the new building is 585 Salida Way, Aurora, CO, 80011, and the agreement will be commemorated with a ceremonial groundbreaking during the afternoon on August 23, 2018. For more information about the discounts currently available to APS students, alumni, and staff as part of this partnership, visit CSUGlobal.edu/APS.

About Colorado State University-Global Campus
Colorado State University-Global Campus (CSU-Global) offers career-relevant bachelor's and master's degree programs for working adults and nontraditional learners. As the first and only 100% online, fully accredited public university in the United States, CSU-Global is focused on student success as its number one priority. Embracing the land-grant heritage as part of the Colorado State University System, CSU-Global sets the standard for quality and innovation in higher education through its expert faculty, who are recognized as industry leaders and trained in working with adults in an online learning environment. CSU-Global offers a streamlined enrollment process with accelerated eight-week courses that start every four weeks. Visit CSUGlobal.edu or call 1-800-920-6723 for more information.

About Aurora Public Schools
Aurora Public Schools is the fifth largest school district in Colorado. APS serves more than 40,000 students and includes over 60 schools. It is one of the most diverse districts in the state with students from more than 130 countries who speak over 160 languages. Over the past several years, APS has made noteworthy improvements in graduation rates, dropout rates and overall student growth and achievement. In fact, since 2013, APS graduation rates have increased by more than 15%. During that same period of time, its dropout rate has sharply declined from 4.8% to 2.5%. APS 2020 is the district's strategic plan, which includes three strategic goals: 1) Every APS student will have a plan for his or her future, 2) Every student will have a set of skills to implement his or her plan and 3) Every student will have credentials that open doors. It is the district's vision that every student shapes a successful future.

SOURCE Colorado State University Global Campus