Summer 2025 initiatives offer session expansion and Acadeum pilot
The College piloted two initiatives this summer to expand course opportunities and supplement revenue: an expanded Wooster Summer Session and a new consortial course- sharing program through a partnership with Acadeum and the Council for Independent Colleges.
Wooster Summer Session Results
For the first time, 17 courses were offered across two sessions during the traditional May- June session and a new July session designed to accommodate students with an alternative timeline and incoming first-year students. A total of 70 students completed 93 credits (comparable to recent years).
Key takeaways suggest that student enrollment is driven primarily by needs such as fulfilling graduation requirements or making up credits, rather than the number of options available. The pilots successfully tested whether more courses would attract more students and indicated they likely will not. Moving forward, the College may return to offering 12-14 select courses that balance core requirements with topically interesting content, while maintaining the two-session structure to provide scheduling flexibility. The call for faculty to propose Summer Session courses is due Nov. 7, 2025. Interested faculty members should complete the following 2026 Summer Proposal Form by Nov. 7.
Acadeum Consortial Courses
Through a partnership with CIC, 38 students enrolled in 47 completed courses from other accredited institutions, with credits appearing directly on Wooster transcripts and grades counting toward a student’s grade point average. These courses primarily filled STEM requirements that students might otherwise have taken at other institutions in the summer. Math, chemistry, biology, and statistics were the most popular.
Student feedback was generally positive, with 73% satisfied or extremely satisfied overall. Plans are underway to offer Acadeum courses during a winter term mid-December through mid-January.