Collins College was a for-profit college with an emphasis in the fields of visual arts and design. Owned by Career Education Corporation, Collins College had two campuses. The main campus was located in Tempe, before moving to southeast Phoenix in 2009. A smaller branch campus was located in west Phoenix from 2003 until circa 2012.
The school announced in December 2012 that it was shutting down and began a teach-out policy for existing students.
History
Al Collins Graphic Design School
Al and Florence Collins founded Al Collins Graphic Design School in 1978.
The school opened to a small group of students. Starting with a small evening program, in the early 1980s day classes were later added and larger facilities were obtained. In 1982, the school became accredited by the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools (NATTS). In 1985 the school moved to a larger campus in Tempe due to continued growth in its student population. The following year, a Computer Graphics program was added.
In 1987 the Arizona State Board for Private Post-secondary Education and NATTS granted the school the approval to offer an Associate of Arts (AA) degree in Graphic Design and in 1991, the Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design.
CEC era begins and new name
In January 1994 the school was acquired by Career Education Corporation (CEC).
In 1997 several revised and additional programs were licensed by Arizona and approved by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. The Associate of Arts degree in Graphic Design was revised and expanded to include optional specialty tracks and the BA Graphic Design received a general education component.
The Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Personal Computer/Network Technology was offered in 1997 and was later changed to an Associate of Science degree. Separate certificate programs in Multimedia Production and Digital Video Production were added, in addition to a Certificate in Computer Graphics program. In 1998, the school began the Associate of Occupational Studies degree in Animation.
As the student population continued to grow, from 1999 to 2001 additional property was acquired adjacent to the main campus. The school changed its name in 2001 to Collins College.
Collins College expansion under CEC
In 2001 a degree in animation became available. In 2002 the Bachelor of Arts degree in Game Design was approved. All associate of Occupational Studies degrees were converted to academic degrees with the addition of general education courses for the Associate of Arts degree in Animation and Associate of Science degree in Personal Computer/Network Technology. The Bachelor of Science degree in Network Technology program was also implemented in 2002.
In July 2003 the college expanded locations with a Phoenix Campus facility offering classes in Graphic Design and in October of the same year courses in PC/Network Technology. This campus was approved as a Branch campus in 2006.
In 2004 the Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and Interior Design was added. In 2005 the Bachelor of Arts degree in Visual Arts with a major in Game Art was approved.
In 2007 the school moved the School of Film and Visual Effects into a 26,000 sq ft (2,400 m2) facility. The 14th St. Studios house a 180 seat digital theater and two large sound stages equipped with professional lighting and electrical grids.
Department of Education scrutiny
The United States Department of Education conducted a 2003 Program Review of Collins College and found several serious problems with the school's administration of federal financial aid programs including: "many students failed to meet the attendance threshold...[and that the College's] practice of not considering failed courses as part of the [cumulative GPA] at the time that students fail the course...may...be falsely permitting those students to remain eligible for Title IV disbursements" and "Collins College had used "a coordinated subterfuge to under-report the effect" of federal financial aid dollars disbursed in order to show compliance with the so-called 90/10 Rule."
The issues with Collins College were a major contributing factor to the Department of Education's 2005 decision to prohibit its parent company, Career Education Corporation from expanding, a prohibition that was lifted in 2007.
Decline, move and closing
Between 2008 and 2009 the school dropped many degree programs and classes. The discontinued programs include the Associate of Science in Personal Computing/Network Technology, and the certificate programs of Interior Design, and Animation.
In January 2009 the majority of the main campus in Tempe was moved to a new location nearby in southeast Phoenix in the Cotton Center.
On December 3, 2012 Collins College closed down student applications and initiated a teach-out closing policy.
Programs
Collins College offered the following programs.
- Game Design â€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Graphic Design â€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Information Technologyâ€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Interior Design â€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Film & Video â€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Visual Arts specialization in Game Artâ€" Bachelor’s Degree
- Digital Video Production â€" Associate Degree
- Information Technology â€" Associate Degree
- Visual Communication â€" Associate Degree
Campus
The Collins College Tempe campus was approximately 108,000 square feet (10,000Â m2) and offered students large classrooms, computer labs, video editing bays, photography studio and a digital print room. The west Phoenix campus was 22,357 square feet (2,077.0Â m2) and included various classrooms, administrative offices, a library/resource center and common areas for both students and faculty.
References
- ^ Securities Exchange Commission Proxy Statement (DFAN14A) Re filed by Bostic R Steven Career Education Corp on 5/10/06
- ^ Steve Bostic Urges Stockholders to Vote to Restore Integrity and Sound Educational Values at Career Education Corp. to Protect the Value of Their Investment; Urges Fellow Stockholders to Vote the BLUE Proxy Card, The Free Library, May 10, 2006
- ^ Department of Education Program Review of Collins College filed July 14, 2004
- ^ Career Education Corp · 8-K · For 5/23/06
- ^ Career Education announces the U.S. Department of Education lifts growth restrictions, Reuters, January 22, 2007
- ^ Collins College 2013-2014 course catalog, published January 2013.
- ^ Arizona State Board for Private Secondary Education, retrieved July 9, 2014.
External links
- School website
- Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology web site
- U.S. Department of Education, Program Review Report--Collins College, July 14. 2004
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