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Commonwealth College funds development of new education and training programs
	The Commonwealth College has launched the Faculty Opportunity for Rewards in Continuing Education (FORCE) initiative to support development of new continuing education programs, according to Dr. William G. Curley, senior director of Continuing Education for the Commonwealth College.   “A key goal of the FORCE initiative is to engage the academic expertise of Penn State faculty members in creating programs that address education and training needs of undergraduate students at the 12 Commonwealth College campuses, adult learners and working professionals, as well as youth throughout Pennsylvania,” said Curley, who also is serving as interim campus executive officer at Penn State DuBois. “Another important goal of this initiative is that the new programs will be developed to be offered at multiple Commonwealth College campuses.”   “Our college is committed to being a primary vehicle for meeting Penn State’s land-grant mission, in the modern sense of workforce and economic development,” Dr. Diane M. Disney, dean of Commonwealth College, said. “The FORCE initiative is meant to jump-start our plan to fulfill that commitment. We look forward to generating even more new programs in the future.”   The Commonwealth College includes Penn State Beaver, Penn State Delaware County, Penn State DuBois, Penn State Fayette, Penn State Hazleton, Penn State McKeesport, Penn State Mont Alto, Penn State New Kensington, Penn State Shenango, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Penn State Worthington Scranton and Penn State York.   Faculty members from the Commonwealth College were invited to submit proposals to the Faculty Opportunity for Rewards in Continuing Education initiative. FORCE is designed to meet new and emerging education and training needs, while enabling Penn State campuses to be competitive with other providers. The initiative also is providing additional creative academic opportunities for faculty members and generating new enrollments for Commonwealth College operations throughout Pennsylvania, Curley noted.   During the first phase of this pilot project, faculty members submitted 17 proposals for education programs targeted to diverse audiences and organized in a wide range of formats, from half-day workshops to weekly sessions. Proposals described the program topic, intended audience, program length and format and budgetary considerations and also included marketplace data to support the need for the program.   A review team comprised of members of the Commonwealth College Dean’s Office, directors of Continuing Education and directors of Academic Affairs examined the proposals and selected four to recommend to Dean Disney.   Proposals receiving funding are: Algebra without Anxiety. Joan H. Smeltzer, instructor in mathematics at Penn State York, has proposed developing a course that combines a review of basic algebra skills with coping strategies for dealing with anxiety about studying math. Classes will be conducted in a study-group setting, enabling students to work together to solve algebra problems. The intended audience is working adults desiring a refresher math course, returning adult students and incoming freshman who may not have had adequate preparation for enrolling in their first math course. Smeltzer envisions offering the course in two-hour sessions once a week for 10 weeks. C.P.M. and A.P.P. Review Course. Dr. Michael McGinnis, associate professor of business at Penn State New Kensington, has proposed developing a 14-hour, two-day course to assist purchasing and supply chain professionals in business, government and nonprofit organizations in preparing for the Certified Purchasing Manager (C.P.M.) and the Accredited Purchasing Professional (A.P.P.) examinations offered by the Institute for Supply Management. The course will emphasize development of study and test-taking skills and make use of C.P.M. and A.P.P. examination diagnostic kits. Fairness Issues in Testing, Selecting and Appraising Employees. Richard R. Bacha, instructor in business administration at Penn State York, has proposed developing a course to examine in depth fairness concepts, theories and tasks in the human resource areas of employee testing, selection and appraisal. Human resource professionals and organization managers with responsibilities for employee development would benefit from the course. The course would complement Penn State’s Human Resource Management Certificate program. Bacha proposes delivering the program in weekly sessions over 10 to 15 weeks. Employee Orientation and Training for Long-term Care Direct Service Workers. John Rapano, interim coordinator and lecturer, Human Development and Family Studies, at Penn State Fayette, has proposed a program for new direct service employees for organizations providing in-home, community-based long-term care services and new direct service employees working in residential facilities. The program addresses critical issues identified by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging related to employee stress, burnout, turnover and staff shortages in long-term care institutions. Rapano proposes creating a multidisciplinary continuing education program to be offered in five weekly three-hour sessions. The program would complement Penn State’s Adult Development and Aging Services Certificate program.   “Information on these new program opportunities has been shared with all of our Continuing Education units,” Curley said. “Curriculum for each program will be fully developed in a short period of time. Each location will offer the appropriate programs based on market need and local demand.”
© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu