U of M Crookston and Red Lake Nation College Sign Agreement

University of Minnesota Crookston and Red Lake Nation College (RLNC) announced a new comprehensive Dual Admissions agreement. The agreement establishes a cooperative academic relationship between the two institutions. RLNC president Dan King and U of M Crookston agreement RLNCChancellor Mary Holz-Clause signed the new memorandum of agreement on Tuesday, August 7, 2018, providing access and opportunity for students from both institutions.

The agreement offers academically qualified RLNC students dual admission to U of M Crookston with the goal of working toward a bachelor's degree through the U of M Crookston. The agreement establishes this as the "Azhoogan Program," incorporating the Ojibwe word for "bridge." The agreement also will enable U of M Crookston students to transfer credits back to RLNC in order to fully utilize a reverse transfer program allowing them to combine credits previously earned at RLNC with those earned at the U of M Crookston and apply them towards the award of an AA or AAS degree from RLNC.

U of M Crookston Chancellor Holz-Clause said, "This dual admission partnership provides a real benefit to students and allows opportunities for program development. It also encourages greater collaboration between faculty from both Red Lake Nation College and the U of M Crookston."

Selected courses at RLNC--especially those that lead to RLNC's A.A. in Liberal Education--will be a part of the Azhoogan Program and related transfer agreement with the U of M Crookston. Among the bachelor's degree programs at the U of M Crookston that best match the priorities and coursework at RLNC are Horticulture, Natural Resources, Business, and Agricultural Business, but RLNC students may choose to pursue their academic interests in any academic program.

Additionally, faculty from both institutions will be provided opportunities for sharing and jointly developing and aligning curriculum to advance the quality and efficiency of the program. Programs offered as dual admission options will be pre-approved by program faculty and possess specific credit-hour and course requirements.

The University of Minnesota Crookston now delivers 35 bachelor's degree programs, 25 minors, and 40 areas of emphasis on campus as well as 16 degree programs entirely online. These degrees are offered in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology. With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from more than 20 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree. "Small Campus. Big Degree." To learn more, visit http://www.umcrookston.edu.

Photo: Standing, left to right, Vice President of Operations and Academic Affairs Mandy Schram; RLNC President Dan King; U of M Crookston Chancellor Mary Holz-Clause; Barbara Keinath, outgoing vice chancellor for academic and student affairs; and John Hoffman, incoming vice chancellor for academic and student affairs.