Northern Arizona University will offer four-year degree options at the Prescott Valley Library this fall.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, Town Manager Larry Tarkowski said, "This is one of the biggest economic development events for Prescott Valley in its 30 year history."
Tarkowski said Mayor Harvey Skoog and members of the town council would attend the Arizona Board of Regents meeting in Flagstaff on Thursday morning to hear a report from Arizona's three universities about restructuring the state's university system.
"Prescott Valley is going to be a player" in that restructuring, the town manager said. "NAU will offer classes in the classroom suite at the (new) library in August-less than eight weeks away."
Skoog said NAU's presence in Prescott Valley would allow students to "start here and stay here for four years. This is a new concept involving a lower priced campus."
The plan is to create a fourth university separate from the three current universities, but still a part of NAU.
Dr. Sue Sammarco, Yavapai College director of the office of public information, said the new program, NAU Yavapai, is a "different university structure. What is new is the tuition structure. It is higher than a community college, but lower than a university."
NAU, Arizona State University and the University of Arizona are research universities. The NAU Yavapai program is a hybrid university with a different tuition structure and a different class structure.
Sammarco said the new class structure could provide classes year-round, allowing students to earn a degree within three years.
Students attending the new program would enroll directly into NAU Yavapai, instead of enrolling through Yavapai College.
Sammarco said the new program is part of a revised Arizona University System Architecture.
Tarkowski said, "This will be a NAU satellite for five years, then the umbilical cord will be cut and we will have a free-standing university. The five- to 10-year vision is 5,000 students and growing."
The town manager said this is not a "speculative venture. It will be up and running in August."
Skoog said the concept is to "have a university campus in every county in the state. This will be good for Prescott Valley. We are going to have our best four years in history."
Tarkowski said the satellite campus was the vision of Yavapai College President Dr. James Horton and NAU President Dr. John Haeger. He said the project is also the result of the mayor and council's vision to collaborate with NAU.
"This is very exciting. The next step is to work with NAU on a needs assessment for facility development, and what is appropriate for the town to participate in to grow the project forward," Tarkowski said.
NAU officials will discuss the additional degree options available this fall in Prescott Valley at a meeting from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. tonight, June 17, in Room 106 at the Yavapai College Prescott Valley campus.
Reader Comments
Posted: Saturday, July 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Doug Conway
I think this is a big deal for Prescott Valley, Prescott and the surrounding area. I may to move up here from Chandler. This is really exciting good luck this will be all good for the community.
Posted: Sunday, June 21, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Great job Larry. This is the right direction.
For those who do not like positive change... you'll be doing nothing soon when your 6-feet under, so why hurry and start doing nothing now ?
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2009
Article comment by:
Nancy Reiter
This is the best news I've heard in a long time. This area needs more education, and more jobs for those who are already educated. There's no way we can grow in a sustainable fashion if we continue to experience the "brain drain" that's been exacerbated by the current economic crisis...with educated people moving away to Phoenix or beyond just to get by.
Posted: Friday, June 19, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Library, so that's what that monstrosity is over on Civic Circle in PV. Somebody with lots of pizzazz (scam) sold the folks of PV a bill of goods. The economy is going to hell in a hand basket and the arrogant council members are clueless as to how all this will finally pay for itself...Oh..I know how about another speed trap camera to further enhance PV's new reputation as Northern Arizona's Speed Trap Capital.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Why Do We Pay For A
Say...I thought this was an overly priced library with a 20 million dollar plus WOW! factor built in? Now its to be used as a University but who will shoulder the excessive costs involved in its construction? Will the university be paying for some of the "WOW!" or will it just be the long suffering tax paying saps of P.V.? I am not against a university and have hopes the students can be able to register and vote in town elections.Perhaps then we can see true change. ArmyVet
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
How many colleges does this place need? Yavapai, Prescott, Embry-Riddle, and the mail order university. The new library already has a critical shortage of parking and its not even open yet. Parking spaces were bartered for between the town and YC. And keeping local kids local is a joke. Get a college degree so you can work here for 10/hour.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Sounds great.....but
Read an article the other day stating that Yavapai College needs more of our money so they intend to raise property taxes $100 per $100,000.00 of the value of your home. How much will the "new" college need every year on top of everything else?
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Would someone out there quickly calculate what the average sales tax revenue per semester hour will be per student so the town fathers can budget that towards paying the mortgage of $30 million?
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Change happens. PV has never stopped changing from the day that ranchers put cattle on the land and upset the coyotes and antelope! It is incredibly arrogant to say "stop the madness." I have a college-age son who expected to have to go to NAU as soon as he finishes a transfer AA here at Yavapai. I suspect the "potentially thousands of college kids" are already here, disguised as common Bradshaw Mtn. High School students and adult non-traditional students. If you don't want change, go find an unpopulated cave. "Money Pit?" Tuition fees, instructor salaries, bookstore, associated vendors? This is exceptional economic development for our town. Incentives for the Fairgrounds, senior apartments, etc. -- now those are money pits.
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
Tom Steele
Lets recap. A 52,000 sq. ft. library could have been built for $5 million but the "WOW" factor will cost us $25 million and counting. There will be Embry-Riddle, Yavapai College, Northern Arizona University PV council chambers and offices in the "Glass Volcano." Will there be room for the new bigger library? As for a four year college, if it can support it's self; fine. Why not some classes out to the "Money Pit" fairgrounds?
Posted: Thursday, June 18, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Let's hope this pays off with intangibles because Yavapai College has or will have contributed only $3 million towards the $30 million library building. We the taxpayers will foot the majority of the tabgible bill.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
To “Stop the madness” I think it is great that our community has more college/education opportunities available. It would be even better if we could get that 4th university that is being considered right now. I think it would be great for the community. I would just like to see the city be able to formulate a better growth plan that would not constitute PV to become so spread out. You may vote against such things, I’ll be voting for such. I’ll remember it during election time also.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Debbie G
I am thrilled I have lived in PV for 25 years and have returned to school to get my Bachelor's. This is going to be so much cheaper and convenient for me.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
I LOVE the idea of having a university in Prescott Valley! What a great opportunity for college students!
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Yay! Finally a university in Prescott Valley! Love it! Good job guys!
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
College Mom
This is fabulous news. I am a working mother in my 30's trying to earn my degree in something other than nursing...no offense to anyone its just not my interest. I am able to complete my AA at Yavapai College and was discouraged that I would have to travel to Flagstaff to complete my Bachelors Degree. Now there could be a possibility that I can stay close to home...keep my expenses down and earn an education to better myself and my family. REMEMBER THIS MADNESS not all college students are post teen. In fact in my classes I was one of the youngest in my class
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Win Win
This is great news! This will provide new jobs for PV now and in the years to come. And these won't be minimum wage jobs either, which will strengthen the tax base which will in turn keep individual taxes down. In addition, I personally know working adults in the Tri-City area who are excited about the opportunity to complete their college degree without having to run up the road to Flagstaff several nights a week. I feel that it is never too late to learn in order to advance in a career, or just for fun. I'd much rather my tax dollars went to something like this that benefits our children, young and old adults and the community. Or, I guess you can close your doors and windows and pretend that the world has stopped turning.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Shawn Havey
Stop the Madness? How dare they try to turn Prescott Valley into a young, educated and vibrant community! And as far as "... kids infesting our area" - where did you come from? Seeing as how the town's only existed for about 30 years, I'm guessing you weren't born and raised there. How much water do your golf courses use? Hmm... Check mate!
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
You are the madness, did you read what you typed? How many retirees take advantage of college courses? Change is inevitable and let's hope you can't remember to vote next election time because you don't exercise your brain often enough. Maybe you should look into taking a college course or two?
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
Stop the madness!
And how much water is this new "university" going to use? This is a terrible idea. PV is NOT Tempe or Tucson! Now we'll have potentially thousands of college kids infesting our area...Why can't we just retire in peace? I WILL remember this at the next election! Time to STOP this obsession with changing PV.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Kudos to NAU. Very exciting news and privilege for our area.
Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Article comment by:
No name provided
Sounds like another bottomless money pit for the taxpayers.
