The Governor’s plan to recruit talent to South Dakota (and most certainly Sioux Falls) for hard-to-fill professional positions is a good one and he is to be complimented. UC Foundations is intended to create a broader and deeper talent pool from those who already live and work in Sioux Falls and will very likely continue to do so even after they graduate.

Simply put, UC Foundations reduces the price for many 100/200 level courses to a new tuition rate of $189 (there are no additional fees) which is $100 less than the regular rate. This has the potential to save students up to $6,000 as they consider the following educational options:

1. Students may want to pursue an AS in Business Management from DSU, for example. This 60 credit hour program is a gateway to a career first, but also is fully transferrable if a bachelor’s degree is desired in the future. Much of the AS in Business includes courses at this reduced rate.

2. Students may want to use the courses in UC Foundations as the preparatory work for their bachelor’s degree thus saving thousands of dollars.

University Center exists in Sioux Falls to serve Sioux Falls. It is a very focused mission and includes programs that are most likely to support local economic development and must include aggressive access strategies to encourage more citizens.

Every day there are new articles about the cost of higher education, student loan debt, the value of a degree, etc. UC Foundations is an access program that also addresses these concerns.