UA System’s eVersity Goes to Workplaces

Michael Moore, vice president for academic affairs, says single, shorter courses are key to successful online experiences for nontraditional students.

Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale sees its partnership with the University of Arkansas System eVersity, the state’s first online-only university, as a way to help its 121,000 workers.

“It gives team members an opportunity to work in a convenient manner … to finish their degree or start additional education,” said Derek Burleson, a Tyson spokesman.

EVersity offers a 5 percent tuition discount to employers who agree to promote the online college to their workers. The arrangement doesn’t cost the employer, said Michael Moore, chief operating and academic officer of eVersity.

Moore said the discount helps promote eVersity, which started enrolling students in the fall of 2015. “We knew as a new university we needed avenues to … help get the word out about us,” Moore said.

Tyson promotes the university on its company’s network, and about 120 Tyson employees are enrolled. “We’re going to continue to try and grow that number,” Burleson said. “Hopefully, down the road, we’ll have additional team members sign up.”

Moore said the partnership benefits both the employer and the school. He said research shows that when companies provide education benefits to their employees, the employees are happier and more likely to stay with the company. “They feel like the company has done something to express their interest in them,” Moore said.

EVersity has 17 employer partners, including Central Arkansas Water and the North Little Rock Housing Authority. But it’s looking for more.

“Anytime you’ve got a cluster of people that are willing to help get the word out, we’re willing to partner with them,” said Moore, who is also the vice president of academic affairs for the UA System.

He said eVersity gives the employer a five-digit code to pass on to the employees. The employee then uses that code when applying to the university and the discount is taken then. “So the company doesn’t have to do anything,” Moore said.

EVersity shows CAW has two employees enrolled in the school. CAW is “committed to offering education opportunities for our staff,” Douglas Shackelford, a spokesman, said in an email to Arkansas Business. “Sometimes continuing a degree program while working can be difficult. This is where an online program like eVersity can be beneficial.”

He said the online degree programs are flexible, allowing employees to take classes on their own time.

Moore said that some adults who didn’t complete their college educations might have scrapped the idea of getting their degrees because of too many commitments outside of work. An employer promoting the school might spark an interest in workers to finish their degrees, he said.

EVersity offers degrees that are tailored to the workforce. Its most popular degree program is for business; other degrees offered are information technology, health care management, criminal justice and university studies, which is similar to a general studies course.

Moore said that students have options to get technical certificates or associate or bachelor’s degrees. More than 90 percent of eVersity’s students have had some college classes.

Moore said the idea behind the online college was to make it affordable and to find a way for working adults to get their college education.

The tuition per class is $525, before the 5 percent discount.

Students take only one six-week class at a time and are offered seven terms per year, compared with fall and spring semesters at conventional universities. “It’s an easily managed workload,” Moore said.