Is there a place at the University of St. Thomas for a two-year college?

For the first time, St. Thomas officials are seriously considering the idea, says President Julie Sullivan. While still in the exploratory phase, the proposal has been gaining steam as a way "to increase access and affordability."

In a campuswide e-mail, Sullivan reported that a task force had started "investigating the feasibility" of a two-year college over the summer and recommended further study. This fall, with the blessing of the board of trustees, Sullivan appointed a faculty member to spend the year "developing a detailed plan for a two-year college."

If the university decides to move ahead, Sullivan said, the goal would be to tailor a two-year program for students who might otherwise miss out on a St. Thomas education. That includes students who may have plenty of grit and talent, she said, "but they have faced more challenges in their lives, and they may not have fully demonstrated their talent through a grade-point average or an ACT score."

The college probably would start out small — perhaps 100 to 200 students, she said — and feature small classes with "a lot of coaching and mentoring." Tuition might be in the neighborhood of $13,000 to $15,000 (less than half St. Thomas' regular price), according to Sullivan, in hopes that students could finish the two years with "little to no debt."

In theory, federal and state grants would cover much of the cost for low-income students, with help from scholarships and part-time jobs. "We do expect them to pay something," Sullivan noted. "It's good for the students to have some skin in the game."

The plan is modeled after a similar school, Arrupe College, which opened at Loyola University in Chicago this fall.

Ideally, Sullivan said, this type of experience could inspire and prepare those students to finish their four-year degrees, either at St. Thomas or elsewhere. "We're not trying to make money or lose money, but … create opportunity in people's lives."

maura.lerner@startribune.com