UC, Sinclair Community College Announce Educational Partnership

University of Cincinnati President Nancy L. Zimpher and Sinclair Community College President Steven Lee Johnson signed a memorandum of understanding April 27. The agreement outlines their respective roles in an educational partnership to “develop innovative, cost-effective and seamless higher educational opportunities in Warren County.” The agreement is the latest addition to UC’s Cincinnati Pathways program to expand the number of Ohio residents earning bachelor’s degrees.

In a celebration ceremony at the Mason City Council Chambers in Mason, Ohio, the presidents signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) – a formal letter of intent – to enter into a new partnership to provide programs and services to support and to enhance the delivery of education in Warren County. UC plans to offer courses in high-demand areas such as business and education on the Sinclair site in Warren County as soon as the autumn quarter.

“Signing this document merely formalizes the cooperative spirit that has embraced our two schools during discussions and planning meetings over the last three years,” said Dr. Johnson. “Representatives of Sinclair and UC have been working diligently to make good on our pledge of increased higher education programs and services for the people in this fast growing county.”

“Sinclair Community College and the University of Cincinnati foresee a dynamic future for Warren County,” said Dr. Zimpher. “This partnership, combining the leadership, talent and experience of our two outstanding schools, at a central location in Mason is the catalyst for a new era in post-secondary education opportunities in this region.”

As the first steps in the partnership, two articulation agreements were also signed on April 27. The agreements provide for seamless transfer from Sinclair to UC.

One articulation agreement – between UC’s College of Engineering and Sinclair’s Engineering and Industrial Technologies Division – was signed by UC Engineering Dean Carlo Montemagno and George H. Sehi, newly named executive dean of Sinclair’s Courseview Campus Center. Under the agreement, Sinclair Engineering and Industrial Technologies division graduates are automatically pre-approved to enter into UC engineering programs if they have a minimum 2.5 grade-point-average (GPA), or a 3.0 GPA if they want to enter UC’s mechanical engineering program. 

In addition, Sehi signed a similar articulation agreement with UC’s College of Applied Science Associate Dean Allen Arthur. Under this agreement, graduates from seven Sinclair programs could immediately start their baccalaureate degree in seven corresponding programs at UC’s College of Applied Science.

In addition to these new learning opportunities for Sinclair graduates, UC will be offering up to 10 transfer scholarships, valued at $2,100, to Sinclair grads with a 3.25 grade-point-average who complete their associate’s degree this year for autumn entry into UC.

 “These agreements are a great start for the new Mason locale and offer additional value to degree work completed by Sinclair students attending the Warren County campus,” said Dr. George Sehi, newly-named executive dean of Sinclair’s Courseview Campus Center. “With these agreements, both schools are already delivering on their promise to develop innovative, cost-effective and seamless higher educational opportunities that employ and leverage many existing assets of each institution.”

Last February, Sinclair Community College held the ground-breaking ceremony for its one-story, 17,645 square-foot facility in Mason, located at 5380 Courseview Dr., just south of State Route 741. The facility will house 10-12 classrooms and support facilities and open in autumn 2007. A state budget bill signed in June 2005 officially made Warren County part of Sinclair’s service district, paving the way for this new facility. The site is large enough to accommodate future expansion.

Sinclair officials plan to offer courses at the Mason campus that are generally required in the first two years of a liberal arts curriculum. These courses can be easily transferred to other colleges and universities should students decide to pursue a bachelor’s degree or higher. The college will also offer short-term and flex-time credit offerings that can be completed in less time than the traditional 10-week academic quarter.  It is expected too that a variety of non-credit, workforce development courses and workshops will regularly be offered at the Mason campus.

A temporary Sinclair office for the Mason campus has opened at 5158 Cedar Village Drive, at the Mason-Montgomery Road intersection, as construction is underway during the spring and summer months of 2007.

For more information about current Sinclair offerings, call (513) 339-1212 or go to courseview.sinclair.edu.

Sinclair students can find more information on applying to the UC partnership programs by contacting the University of Cincinnati Transfer and Lifelong Learning Center via e-mail at transfer@uc.edu or by phone at 513-556-2247.