A COD Costa Rica branch?

Mike Perez, dean of continuing education at the College of DuPage, has invested his time and money on property in Costa Rica.

Now he wants the college and taxpayers to join him.

If trustees sign up, then the rest of the trip is free -- for Perez.

He is proposing that COD open a new branch in the Central American country -- conveniently near his yet-to-be-built retirement home. It's a sure-fire source of revenue for the school, he says.

Of course, the 59-year-old Perez would move to Costa Rica for a few years to spearhead the program.

And COD would pay the $25,000 cost of shipping his car and household belongings, including a 50 percent car import tax.

Technically, because continuing education is a self-funded program, trustees don't need to approve the proposal, COD President Sunil Chand explained when the idea was first presented to the board last month.

But after the Daily Herald began inquiring about the Costa Rican venture, Chand removed the matter from the April 10 board meeting agenda "to take a stronger look at it within (the context of the) strategic plan," college spokesman Bill Troller said.

That's in contrast to what trustees were told when they got their first look at the plan.

"You as a board don't normally act on it, but it's important as a board (that you see it) because this is a major new development for COD and, at some point, it could lead to a whole new division," Chand said last month.

"I think it's a very exciting development and has all kinds of potential for COD," Chand said. "I'm pleased to bring it to you."

The proposal itself involves opening a noncredit continuing education program in areas well-populated by English-speaking American and Canadian retirees who are long on money and time.

"They have nowhere else to go," Perez said, because no other similar programs exist. "So there will never be lower-hanging fruit than is available in Costa Rica when it comes to continuing education."

COD would offer classes in such things as health, fitness, Spanish, investing and real estate.

Perez said classes would be driven by the interests of the students.

According to the proposal, Perez first traveled to Costa Rica in January 2007 -- at his own expense -- to explore the idea, meeting with numerous groups of former Americans.

"I get nothing but a 'This is great' kind of response from them," he said.

That was followed by trips in July 2007 and February of this year, paid by COD.

But in an online testimonial for a retirement development, Perez lauds a Costa Rican property he first visited during a January 2007 real-estate tour.

"It was our good luck to be able to return to Costa Rica for two weeks in July of that same year and to be able to rent a unit in Los Jardines. Our stay there was simply wonderful."

In the testimonial, Perez describes the leisurely time spent on terraces, drinking coffee or smoking cigars with passing residents.

Perez then encourages people to visit him when he moves into his new unit in April 2010. He also provides his COD e-mail address and work phone number should anyone want to call with questions.

While the July 2007 and February trips to Costa Rica were paid by COD -- to the tune of about $6,000 -- Perez said they were all business.

"I saved the college a ton of money," he said. "It was cheaper to stay at that condominium (than at hotels).

"To a lot of people, it has the look of a vacation," Perez acknowledged, but he said he submitted a detailed trip report to the college listing his daily activities.

Regarding his online testimonial and work information, Perez said, "That was probably imprudent."

It's not unusual for colleges to look overseas for students. Some have set up satellite campuses in Spain, Italy and England.

But on the community college scene, it's a novelty, said Judy Irwin, director of international programs for the American Association of Community Colleges.

With its large community of English-speaking transplants, she said, Costa Rica might be a great proving ground for others.

"I think that's very innovative," Irwin said. "If they are one of the first to do it, many others might follow."

But how does that fit into the role of a community college aimed at serving residents within its boundaries?

The primary mission of continuing education at COD is to "provide high quality lifelong learning opportunities to all residents of the district," according to the proposal.

But there's such competition for resources, or students, that's it's "hard to come up with unexplored niches," Perez said in his presentation to the board last month.

"To strengthen our position, both programmatically and fiscally, the (division) must seek markets beyond the district boundaries," Perez said. "This proposal identifies a new market."

COD board Chairman Micheal McKinnon said at the meeting the proposal fits into the "possibility of finding a cash cow to develop for the future here at COD."

Indeed, Perez predicts that within two years the program would generate $278,726 in net revenue.

While continuing education at the COD always has been self-sustaining, Perez said profits from the program could be used elsewhere.

"It's all college money," he said. "The college can dispense with that as it sees fit."

A link to the proposal on the college's Web site: http://www.cod.edu/conted/costarica/info.htm

Home page image courtesy of CostaRicaPhotos.com