Transfer student David Olson tried to enroll at Sacramento State in mid-March. To his dismay, he missed the deadline and was referred to Open University by Admissions and Records.

The Consumes College student attempted to enroll for classes through the Open University program. In admitting him, some reservations were held by the staff, because money wouldn’t be received for his presence, Olson said.

“They (Admissions and Records) made it seem like it was easy,” Olson said. “No one ever said, ‘You might run into problems with this.'”

He said this was the only option given to him, because he missed the deadline to enroll.

There are various admissions deadlines depending on what year the student is in school, said Director of Special Programs and Enrollment Analysis Larry Glasmire.

“The continuing student population have the highest priority,” Glasmire said.

For the lower-division population level, the admission deadline was Jan. 6.”They are given fairly low priority level because they have other options,” Glasmire said.

Feb. 1 is the first-time freshmen, students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree and unclassified students deadline, Glasmire said.

Olson is a second-baccalaureate student.

“The admissions application deadlines are set primarily so we don’t enroll more students than we are able to accommodate,” Glasmire said.

Glasmire said the school compares admission rates of previous years and the actual enrollment rates for that school year. This is how the deadlines are determined.

“We look at history,” Glasmire said.

Glasmire said this is a systemwide CSU policy.

“It (Open University) is a program that allows students to take courses without being admitted by the university,” said Open University Assistant Registration Coordinator Jennifer Bradshaw.

Open University is based on a space availability basis, Bradshaw said.

It is not supposed to take any seats away from regular university students, Glasmire said.

“They (students) might be referred to that (Open University) as an option,” Glasmire said. “They are usually advised to wait for the next semester.”

Bradshaw said in order to enroll with Open University, a signature from the professor and the department chair is required.

The fee is $145 per unit and can vary from semester to semester.”It (fee) may slightly increase,” Bradshaw said.

Open University is a separate “self-supporting” entity from CSUS, Bradshaw said. Fees are based on various determinants from cost of instruction to the amount of money needed to run their facility.

“They (Open University students) would have to reapply to be admitted formally,” Bradshaw said.

She said it is not a means through which a student can get a degree. Undergraduates are limited to 24 units and graduate students are limited to six units in the Open University program.

Since Open University is separate from Sac State, the money that is received is allocated differently.

Open University financial officer Felice Dinsfriend gave approximated percentages for enrollment. There were 1,915 students enrolled in Open University in the 2002-03 academic year.

For fall, each unit cost $140; the price went up to $145 per unit in the spring, Dinsfriend said.

Approximately 30 percent went toward each college at the university, Dinsfriend said.

Six percent covered the costs for the use of the campus by Open University students, Dinsfriend said. This went to various services, such as facilities management, admissions and records and the library.

Eight percent went to the chancellor’s office and the Calif. Dept. of Finance, Dinsfriend said. Dean of the College of Continuing Education Alice Tom said it has authority to assess payments from auxiliary programs.

Dinsfriend said 18 percent accounts for the direct costs of running Open University, such as rent staff and marketing.

Thirty-eight percent of the money pays for indirect costs associated with the College of Continuing Education. This is what Open University operates under.

Glasmire stressed that Open University was merely an option for students.”It (Open University) is not a guarantee,” Glasmire said

Ideally, it is a way for students to test the waters of a four-year university or a means for professionals to take specialized classes for their career, said Bradshaw.

For regular college students, Open University doesn’t replace being admitted to Sac State, Bradshaw said.

“It’s to give students an option,” Bradshaw said.

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