Philosophy and Purposes

 

Philosophy and Purposes

Philosophy

The college recognizes all individuals as having value in a democratic society. The primary purpose of the college is to assist students with varying levels of ability and diverse backgrounds in developing skills, values, and attitudes necessary for effective living.

Purposes

  • To provide a program of general education through instruction embodying knowledge, skills, and values needed by each individual in a democratic society.
  • To provide university-parallel curriculum - the first two years of four-year college majors in preparation for entrance into the junior year of any four-year college or university.
  • To provide a program of technical education through majors that prepares students for immediate gainful employment upon successful completion.
  • To provide a continuing program of adult education for lifelong learning for those living in the community who are unable or do not desire to pursue studies on a full-time basis.
  • To provide a program of guidance through personalized services as an integrated factor in the successful achievement of all other institutional purposes.
  • To provide community services by making college resources available. This includes both the physical facilities and the unique abilities of the staff.

Educational Services

The College of Southern Idaho meets the following five educational needs:

  1. It provides majors oriented towards transfer to four year schools.
  2. It provides majors oriented towards completion at CSI and movement into the work force.
  3. It provides courses for training or upgrading on a student's job.
  4. It provides non credit courses for personal enrichment.
  5. It provides courses for those needing to improve their academic skills.

Remedial and developmental course work is provided by the Academic Development Center located on the second floor of the Gerald R. Meyerhoeffer Building. CSI is the GED/High School Equivalency testing site for the eight counties of the Area IV Community College District. The Academic Development Center provides programs for Adult Basic Education and English as a second language. It also provides courses for those needing to improve their academic skills.

The College of Southern Idaho, in addition to the Twin Falls campus, offers courses through three off-campus centers.

  1. Blaine County Center, Hailey, 208-788-2038
  2. Mini-Cassia Center, Burley, 208-678-1400
  3. North Side Center, Gooding, 208-934-8678

Who is CSI?

The College of Southern Idaho is the center of education, business and cultural activity for south central Idaho.

As a comprehensive two-year community college it annually serves some 9,000 students with credit classes and another 8,000 with non-credit professional and enrichment courses. Some 10,000 to 40,000 people come to the campus monthly for workshops and events other than credit classes.

The College of Southern Idaho opened its doors in 1965 after Twin Falls County voted the previous year to form a junior college district. Jerome County followed suit the next year. It is governed by a five-member board of trustees elected from the two counties.

Where is CSI?

The campus is situated on a beautifully landscaped over 300-acre campus including a museum of Native American anthropology and modern art, with a state-of-the-art planetarium that is ranked among one of the best in the world. All major buildings are heated with geothermal water from two hot water wells on site.

Off-Campus centers in Burley, Gooding, Hailey and Jerome help expand CSI's services throughout the 8-county service area. A telecommunications center enables the college to bring a larger variety of classes to the outlying areas.

What does CSI offer?

The college has something for every age group from the College for Kids and summer music, dance and technology camps to a child care center for parents returning to school and senior citizen offerings such as "Over 60 and Getting Fit," a nationally recognized aerobics class. It also acts as facilitator for the Area Office on Aging, Refugee Center and the Trans IV transportation system.

We offer specialized training for local professionals and business and industry personnel, and also offer an incubator for fledging businesses.

CSI also provides facilities and training in cooperation with the University of Idaho, Idaho State University and Boise State University. Some community members have earned four-year degrees without leaving the area.