Troy to discontinue in-class instruction at MAFB

Published July 19, 2012

TROY, Ala. -- Troy University will close its teaching site at Malmstrom Air Force Base in the fall of 2012 and focus on providing academic programs online, according to University officials.

The University's decision was based on changing enrollment patterns among military personnel, according to Lance Tatum, Vice Chancellor of Global Campus, the division of the University that oversees distance learning and all teaching sites outside Alabama.

"Over the past five years we have seen a trend where more and more active-duty personnel are opting to take classes online rather than in the traditional face-to-face classroom," Dr. Tatum said. "This decrease in demand for in-class instruction is a national trend. Online education is particularly attractive for its flexibility."

Dr. Tatum said the University is working with the education service officer at Malmstrom Air Force Base to ensure an orderly transition for students.

Troy University, headquartered in Troy, Ala., has operated a teaching site at Malmstrom since1999. Troy has teaching sites outside of Alabama in 16 U.S. states and seven nations outside the United States and teaches approximately 10,000 students online.

The Malmstrom site is one of 16 that Troy University will close over the next year, including 12 on U.S. military installations.

Dr. Tatum said Troy University has a 60-year history of service to the men and women of the U.S. military and that commitment will continue. TROY will maintain traditional classes on or near 15 bases, all within a 300-mile radius of Troy, Ala.

"We took this step after several months of study and deliberation and I can assure you we did not take this lightly," Dr. Tatum said. "We have enjoyed our relationship with Malmstrom Air Force Base and are grateful to the ESOs and others we have worked with over the years to deliver quality degree programs to military personnel."

It's important to note that neither the Park nor Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universities are closing at Malmstrom. All of their programs and services will remain open. For more information on the Troy closure, contact the Education Center at 731-3531 or Troy at 727-5451.