In a move aimed at attracting more rural students, Simmons University in Boston has relocated the western Massachusetts campus of its School of Library and Information Science masters program.
For 22 years, SLIS West, as it's known, was at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley. It's now based at Greenfield Community College.
GCC's proximity to Interstate 91 and Route Two makes it a better location for a broader number of students, said Sanda Erdelez, dean of the school.
"We were looking for some other set of opportunities to keep developing and growing," Erdelez said. "And then the idea came that if we need more space, [GCC] would have this capacity"
It will be less expensive to rent rooms at the community college, Erdelez said. But Simmons hopes the relationship with GCC goes beyond a real estate transaction.
"While there is definitely financial benefits to us — which is great, everybody likes it — we see the opportunity of being where the need is," Erdelez said.
Most of the program's 700 students are in Boston, with about 70 attending SLIS West. Most are studying to become public and academic librarians.
Erdelez said the university is trying to grow the western Massachusetts branch, bringing it closer to rural communities.
"We see how valuable it is to bring Simmons' expertise to people who may not be able to relocate and change their lives in order to attend our program," Erdelez said.
Looking ahead, Erdelez said, Simmons would like to find a way to help GCC graduates continue their studies and eventually receive a master's degree in the library and information science program.
