Multiversity Theory: College partnership receives $75,000 boost

What began as a collegiate partnership aimed at redeveloping the North Trail a decade ago, has crystallized into an initiative that could be a boon to the entire local economy.

This morning, representatives from New College of Florida, Ringling College of Art & Design, State College of Florida and University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee — along with spokesmen from Eckerd College and Florida State University — announced the formalized launch of the Consortium of Colleges on the Creative Coast, which is also known as C4. Stakeholders hope the partnership will draw new businesses to the region, cultivate higher research, attract top students and keep graduates in the area, thereby slowing the “brain drain.”

In five years, “we should have a new model for higher education,” said New College President Donal O'Shea.

The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the Community Foundation of Sarasota County and the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation each contributed $25,000 toward the hiring of C4 Initiative Manager Laurey Stryker, who previously served as the CEO of USF Sarasota-Manatee.

Stryker said her first goal is to ramp up cross-registration, which will allow students at four of the local colleges to take classes at other universities for credit toward their own degrees. She also hopes to create a co-branding strategy among the colleges to attract students to the area.

"It's like a 'multiversity'," said Ringling College President Larry Thompson. 

In 2006, Innovation 41 was borne out of a similar partnership, which also included the city and Sarasota and Manatee counties. The group was formed to “create a public process and conceptual design for a designated area of higher education, history and culture along the North Trail on U.S. 41,” according to planning documents.

The recession stalled those plans, but more than two years ago, then-Gulf Coast Community Foundation President and CEO Teri Hansen — now leading the Barancik Foundation — began talks with newly-hired college leaders, such as O’Shea, about what would become C4. The universities have already been coordinating emergency management planning and doing small-scale cross registration as a pilot program.

“It’s nice to see this big of an idea come from the locals,” said State Sen. Nancy Detert, a strong proponent for local economic development who explained that such a plan would draw criticism if spearheaded at higher levels.

Stryker said she hopes cross registration options will expand this Fall, but could not yet elaborate on the co-branding initiative.

“Sometimes the stars really do align,” Stryker said.