Advisory regarding Southern California wildfires

Advisory regarding Southern California wildfires

On behalf of everyone at Thomas Edison State University, we hope that students affected by the wildfires in Southern California remain safe. The University is offering accommodations to students affected by the wildfires:

  • Students who are directly impacted by the fires and who are currently registered in courses for the November 2024, December 2024 and January 2025 terms have the option of receiving a free eight-week course extension without mentor approval; or, a 100% tuition credit for their course(s) to a future term. Affected students should submit a Request for Course Extension Form or a Request for Course Withdrawal Form indicating “Southern California wildfires” as the reason for the request. Please note that TECEP exams in these terms cannot be extended, nor credited for tuition after the exam has been taken.
  • Impacted students who are currently on a course extension for the September 2024 and October 2024 terms can request a second eight-week extension on their current term at no additional cost.

Request an Accommodation: Students affected by the wildfire and evacuations who need an accommodation should contact the Office of the Registrar by email at registration@tesu.edu or by phone at 609-777-5680. Accommodation requests should be submitted by January 24th. Requests after that date can be accommodated if the student provides documentation of the reason for the late request.

TESU Enhances Careers with Credit-for-Prior-Learning Badges

January 16, 2025
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Thomas Edison State University is expanding its flagship Professional Learning Reviews (PLR) process by converting PLRs into Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) badges for students. Although micro-credentialing is not a new concept in higher education, TESU’s unique ability to evaluate, validate, and award college-level learning, wherever that learning occurs, via micro-credentials expands on the conventional model.

The badges-for-PLR process allows adult learners to immediately showcase validated skills or workforce competencies to prospective employers, document their learning, and apply the resulting credits toward a degree program at TESU.

“The University has issued more than 6,100 digital badges with 21% of the students publicizing the badge and the associated description on their LinkedIn feeds and other social media platforms,” noted Jeffrey Harmon, Ed.D., vice provost for Strategic Initiatives and Institutional Effectiveness and interim dean of the Heavin School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Education at TESU. “Each badge signifies a specific workforce-relevant skillset associated with our PLRs. These skills are then easily demonstrable to current and prospective employers.”

The effort dovetails with the Center for Career Relevant Education and Talent Evaluation (CreateNJ) initiative launched between Gov. Phil Murphy and TESU in January 2024. The endeavor documents adult learners’ career-relevant knowledge and technical, apprenticeship, and workplace training into a comprehensive record housed in a CreateNJ Center repository at TESU. The CreateNJ initiative delegates TESU as an official hub for workforce development and is a capstone to existing endeavors by N.J. Pathways, the N.J. Department of Labor, and the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education.

“Our distinctive skill in evaluating and legitimizing students’ learning experiences offers a range of benefits in an increasingly dynamic workplace environment,” added Harmon. “Digital badges serve as recognized endorsements in a personal portfolio; moreover, they motivate our students by validating their incremental achievements toward earning a degree while addressing evolving skills gaps in the technology, health care and business fields.”

The CPL badges initiative has been piloted successfully with the U.S. Navy Nuclear Power Training program, the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) program and Federal Aviation Administration licensing programs. Efforts are underway to assign badges to the University’s entire PLR portfolio.

“The University’s ability to evaluate and aggregate micro-credentials and college-level learning from diverse environments remains unmatched across New Jersey and the nation,” said Merodie A. Hancock, Ph.D., president of TESU. “As the central hub in the CreateNJ initiative, TESU is uniquely positioned to empower adult learners while addressing New Jersey's workforce needs with innovative, forward-thinking solutions."

Visit tesu.edu/oplr to learn how Professional Learning Reviews can redefine your or your employees' professional journey. To learn more about CPL Badges, visit tesu.edu/admissions/methods-of-earning-credit/cpl-badges.php.