As part of a larger, three-state nursing program with national and regional accreditations, the institution will continue to offer high-value BSN degrees and help address the region's nursing shortage
SAINT PAUL, Minn., Oct. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Concordia University, Saint Paul, (CSP) today announced Platt College in Greenwood Village will become part of CSP. The transition from Platt College to CSP will occur between now and the end of 2024. Minnesota-based CSP operates a nursing program from the university's main campus in Minnesota and nationally via the university's online and hybrid programming. In addition, CSP operates a vibrant and growing on-campus nursing program in Portland, Oregon.
Platt College has operated as a for-profit academic institution since 1986, focusing exclusively on its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program since 2005. Known for its competitive tuition and fully accredited three-year BSN program, Platt has graduated nearly 1,000 individuals in nursing. It has established itself as a high-quality nursing program with graduates working in virtually all of the region's hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities.
Current Platt College students will continue their planned academic path to receive their BSN degrees from the university's existing facility in Greenwood Village without interruption. Concordia University, St. Paul, is committed to a full "teach-out" plan that maintains the current Platt College curriculum, clinical learning opportunities, and virtually all aspects of the existing BSN programming during the teach-out.
In addition, current faculty and staff will have the opportunity to stay on as CSP staff, as the university intends to house its Colorado operations from the Greenwood Village campus moving forward.
Longer-Term Plan
CSP will begin enrolling new students in its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program (ABSN), which can be completed in 16 months and only requires 54 credits of prerequisites to enter. The first ABSN cohort at the Greenwood Village campus is expected to start in May 2025.
Through its St. Paul, Minnesota, and Portland, Oregon campuses, more than 90 percent of graduating CSP students passed their required NCLEX-RN board examinations on the first attempt in 2023. The university's Portland, Oregon campus boasts a 97.6 percent placement rate, while the Saint Paul, Minnesota ABSN program placed 100 percent of its graduates into nursing jobs last year.
The Platt College nursing program will operate under the direction of CSP Dean of Nursing and Chief Nurse Administrator Dr. Hollie Caldwell, who helped launch and grow the nursing program at Platt from 2005-2017. During those 12 years, Caldwell served as a faculty member, Associate Dean, and ultimately Dean of Platt College. She then joined CSP in 2020.
Current Platt College President, Dr. Julie Basler, will remain with the college through the end of 2024 and then begin her new role as Director of Strategic Growth and Assessment for Basler Academy. The current owners of Platt College intend to retire when the transition is complete at the end of 2024.
"The opportunity to align with Concordia University, Saint Paul, creates a vibrant next chapter for Platt College while offering new opportunities for students and prospective students, our faculty, and staff," noted President Basler. "We're particularly excited that the college will continue as part of CSP under the guidance of Dr. Caldwell, who has a long and distinguished history with our college."
"Platt College has established an essential place in the nursing sector for Colorado and beyond, so we're eager to build on the successes of the past two decades in Greenwood Village," noted Dr. Caldwell. "The healthcare sector is challenged to keep up with demand for nurses, so it's imperative that we prepare nurses for rewarding careers and equip them to impact the lives of patients and their families positively."
Concordia University, St. Paul, has a history spanning more than 130 years. The private university offers dozens of undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including healthcare management, physical therapy, orthotics & prosthetics, and diagnostic medical sonography. Non-medical academic programming includes business, computer science, technology, data & analytics, K-12 education, sciences, humanities, trauma and resilience, LCMS church work, and many other fields.
"Concordia University, St. Paul has a longstanding commitment to exceptional undergraduate and graduate degrees that change lives through high-value programs with competitive tuition," noted Dr. Kimberly Craig, vice provost for CSP. "Now with a presence in the Denver area, we can serve more students through in-person and online academic programs. In addition, CSP's Christian foundation extends Platt's unwavering commitment to the needs of the whole individual within each student we serve."
The transition period is expected to be complete by the end of 2024.
About Concordia University, St. Paul
Founded in 1893, Concordia University, St. Paul is a private Lutheran liberal arts university that delivers academic programs that are responsive to the needs of students and relevant to the demands of the job market. One of Minnesota's most cost-competitive private universities, Concordia St. Paul's student body consists of more than 5,900 students representing 49 states, 3 Canadian provinces, 2 US territories, the District of Columbia, and 42 foreign countries. For more information, please visit csp.edu.
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SOURCE Concordia University, Saint Paul
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