Miami to begin offering "pathways" to Oxford's campus for regional admits

Beginning in the fall semester of 2019-2020, Miami University is changing the Miami Pathways program for students who were not originally offered admission to the Oxford campus. In the past, the Miami Pathway Program was only offered to students from nearby towns, who would be required to commute to the regional campuses for their first semester.

The new program allows students who were initially only accepted to Miami's regional campuses in Middletown or Hamilton to live in a Living Learning Community (LLC) on the Oxford campus while taking classes at those regional campuses.

First-year students in the Pathways program must successfully complete one semester - 16 credit hours - and have at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA to be granted access to taking classes on the Oxford campus their second semester.

Ohio State University (OSU) and Kent State University (KSU) have similar programs that encourage students who did not originally qualify to attend their main campuses. But OSU and Kent's programs partner with community colleges, rather than offering living accommodations on the main campus and attending classes on a satellite campus. OSU's pathway program consists of students either living on a satellite campus or commuting to community college.

"[Miami Pathways] was designed to allow or provide opportunity for students who aren't otherwise admissible," Susan Schaurer, Miami's associate vice president for strategic enrollment management and marketing, said.

Schaurer said the Miami Pathways program is not intended to compete with OSU.

"Ohio State has housing on their regional campuses, which gives us a unique opportunity ... because these students are living on the Oxford campus from day one," she said. "Miami Pathways has existed for years without housing, but the number of students in it has been declining because students want to start on a residential campus."

Schaurer said even though more students will be living in Oxford, Miami has no current plans to establish new residence halls.

"The number of students in the program per year will only be around 25 to 100, so we currently have no long-term plan to create new residence halls," Schaurer said.

ortmanc2@miamioh.edu