City University of Seattle is now part of the National University system

Just found out about this from facebook.

 

You really ought to read the 17th edition of Bears Guide, Ted. No, wait, it doesn't exist yet.

My notes for said edition suggest that this is only the second university to join National University's system since it was established twelve years ago. The first was John F. Kennedy U. three years ago.

 

For not-so-long-time readers, National University is truly an innovator, and has been since its inception.

In the early 1970s, a manager at General Dynamics (David Chigos, who had a Ph.D. from USIU) approached San Diego State University. He had a cadre of managers whom he wanted to groom into better leaders and thought an MBA at SDSU would do the trick. So he asked them to offer a program at night (a very rare thing in those days; SDSU didn't have one). SDSU dismissed him, with one official saying, "If these people were serious about their education, they'd come to the campus full time (for 2 years) and study."

Incensed, Chigos decided to start his own university. So small, he originally kept the school records in the trunk of his Cadillac. He introduced several critical innovations and distinctions. First, almost all of National's students would be (and still are) mid-career workers going to school part-time. His classes would be offered almost entirely at night--one could do a degree without leaving one's job. Almost all classes would be taught by people who were also mid-career professionals, but who had proper academic credentials, too. And he offered his courses one at a time, one each calendar month. He also introduced state-of-the-art computers and database management systems that streamlined administrative functions. Finally, the classrooms looked like boardrooms, not something you saw in high school. It was truly innovative, and he really ticked off the local yokels.

Well, the university took off, quickly becoming the second-largest not-for-profit private university in California (and still is). Chigos decided to exercise his enmity towards SDSU in two blatant ways. First, he started an advertising campaign offering a "no nonsense education," implying that traditional schools (like SDSU) offered a "nonsense" one. Second, he started buying up property in Mission Valley, right under the nose of SDSU. National was everywhere.

Unfortunately, NU ran into three serious difficulties by the mid-80's. First, it was seriously over-extended financially and burdened with owning a lot of property. Second, it didn't have a sufficient core faculty to support all their programs, over-relying on adjuncts. Finally, when WASC told them not to expand to Nevada by opening a campus in Las Vegas, Chigos did it anyway. WASC was not amused, and put NU on probation. NU had to re-organize, shed a lot of its property, and oust Chigos. It did. Their accreditation was taken off probation and it has enjoyed a serene and growthful existence ever since. (Notice, however, that NU offers just one doctorate, in Nursing Practice.)

I don't know much about the National University system, but it will be interesting to see what synergies arise as it grows.

NB: I am on this topic for three very personal reasons. First, I did a Ph.D. specializing in nontraditional higher education, so National's history was of particular interest to me. Second, I did my MBA at National in the early 1980's. Third, I'm a native of San Diego, the home of NU.

 

National University is only twelve years old? That doesn't sound quite right because you were there in 1980-1985 for your MBA, IIRC.

 

"it was established twelve years ago" seems to be qualifying "National University's system." There also other members in that system that aren't themselves universities.

 

National University was established in 1971. I think John was referring to this National University System thingy.

 

Oops! I thought that I was responding to Rich Douglas when I was really responding to John Bear.

 

So we're saying that National University was founded in 1971 but the National University system was founded in 2001?

 

Yes on the founding of NU. I guess so on the NU system. I hadn't heard of it until this thread. It sounds more like a consortium (albeit a tiny one) rather than a system.

 

The link for the NU System!

National University System