Set up your advising appointment now by calling 301-628-4859!

 Dear NLC Students,

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education has just approved the teach-out plan for National Labor College.  In addition, the Board of Trustees has also approved the plan so we are now ready to move ahead with the implementation. This means that NLC will be able to continue to award accredited degrees for the 18 months following the closing of our instructional program the end of April. This is your chance to receive y our degree from NLC and retain all the credits that you have already earned.

I am also happy to report that we will be holding a final commencement ceremony following the end of the teach-out period so that all the students who earn their degrees from July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015 will have the opportunity to walk across the stage and receive acclamation for their outstanding academic achievements.  This is certainly something to look forward to!

The teach-out will begin with the summer semester, this academic year (2014), and run for five semesters, concluding at the end of the fall term in 2015, in December.  Any NLC student who has begun a degree program at NLC and wants to complete a degree program is eligible to participate.  We suggest that students who are  within 10 courses (or 30 credits) of completing a degree are likely to be the most successful at completing an NLC degree, assuming that they have the time and motivation to complete two courses each semester during those five semesters.

Institutions participating in the teach-out include those listed on this chart (if the institution name is highlighted, click on it to view the institutional profile):

Majors	Labor Studies	Emergency Readiness & Response Management	Construction Management	Business Administration	Associates Degree
Empire State College	X	X	X	X	X
Thomas Edison State College	X	X		X	X
Penn State	X
University of Illinois	X
Rowan University			X

The College has a list of students who have already expressed an interest in participating in the teach-out, and you can begin now by scheduling an appointment to make your degree completion plan. If you have not already indicated to us that you want to participate in the teach-out, now is the time to reach out and make an appointment to plan your degree completion.  All degree completion plans must be complete and approved by your advisor by April 30, 2014.

Below are the basic steps in the teach-out:

Step One: Select a Teach-out Institution: Different institutions may be better suited to fulfill the requirements of certain degrees or majors. For example, students completing a degree in professional studies areas such as Emergency Management may have one or two options to choose from, whereas students pursuing degrees in Labor Studies may have multiple options. Advisors can assist you in deciding which of the institutions is best suited to your needs and interests.

Step Two: Set Up an Appointment with Your Academic Advisor to Complete Your Academic Plan: Your advisor will have a list of courses that have been approved for the teach-out at each institution. Working with an advisor, you will identify the courses you intend to complete as part of your degree completion plan. Your advisor will approve your plan, and you must return a signed copy to the Registrar. Students who have not submitted a signed degree plan by the end of April may not be eligible to participate in the teach-out.

Step Three: Enroll in Classes: You will complete any necessary application information at your teach-out institution and follow their procedures to enroll in courses and complete coursework outlined in the degree plan. You will pay tuition to the teach-out institution. There will be no further payments to NLC for fees, such as graduation, transfer of credit, or the like. You will need to complete all degree requirements by the end of December 30, 2015 in order to receive an NLC degree. If students are unable to complete all required coursework for the NLC degree by the end of December 2015 they could still complete a degree in a related area of study at the teach-out institution or any other institution of their choosing.

Step Four: Transfer Credit Back to NLC: You will need to request an official transcript from the teach-out institution at the end of each semester and send it to the Registrar at the National Labor College. The address in which to send your transcripts will be posted to the NLC web site. Once the transfer credits are applied, and you have completed all requirements, the Registrar will send you your diploma via US mail.  

For those students who have more than 30 credits to complete, or feel that it is unrealistic that they will be able to complete a degree during the teach-out, we strongly suggest that you select one of the teach-out institutions to enroll in to complete a degree from them.  We have been working closely with all those institutions so they are very familiar with our programs and our students and will be ready and willing to help you apply and welcome you to their degree programs.  They also have degrees that are very similar to NLC’s and a couple of the institutions will also accept your PLA, Partnership credit and apprenticeship credit.  Academic Advisors are ready to help you make a selection and provide guidance for you on transferring to one of these institutions.

Contact the College now to set up an appointment with your academic advisor to make your degree completion plan.  Call 301-628-4859 for an appointment.  If you call in the evening, you may leave a message and we will return your call the next day. 

And if you know someone who might want to participate in this teach-out pass the word along.  You would be amazed that every week we get calls from students who have no idea that NLC is closing in spite of all of our emails and all of our national teleconferences.

Thanks!  We are all here to support you during this time of transition and so appreciate your patience and understanding and value the support that you give to us.