ASU may extend reach to Lake Havasu City

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR), Lake Havasu City, the Lake Havasu Unified School District and the Lake Havasu Foundation for Higher Education are planning to explore the possibility of offering select Arizona State University undergraduate degree programs in Lake Havasu City, starting Fall 2011.

A memorandum of understanding, which outlines the scope of the study, will be submitted to the Lake Havasu City Council for approval at its regularly scheduled meeting on March 23. If approved, completion of the study is expected within 45 days of execution of the memorandum. The School District and Foundation also will review the proposed agreement on March 23.

“We look forward to working with the city, school district and Mohave Community College to develop and implement a plan to collectively address the higher education needs of Lake Havasu City and the region," said Rich Stanley, ASU's senior vice president and university planner.

If the results of the feasibility study are positive and if funding allows, ASU will open a new type of program under its Colleges@ASU framework. The Colleges will be focused solely on instruction, offer a limited number of high-demand degrees, such as business and education, and have lower tuition levels than Arizona’s research universities.

"We are excited to work with Arizona State University to explore the feasibility of ASU's undergraduate programs in Lake Havasu City," said Mark Nexsen, mayor of Lake Havasu City. "This may very well be the largest economic development project in our history."

Under the terms of the proposed memorandum, ASU will develop models for projected enrollment during the first three years of operation and will assess the economic impact of the proposed programs. The city will create an economic development plan that assesses future workforce needs to be used for determining which academic programs will be offered.

The agreement will assess utilizing facilities of the Daytona Middle School for program operations. The Lake Havasu Foundation for Higher Education will provide support and assistance with respect to data collection.

SOURCE, ASU:
David A. Young, david.young@asu.edu
http://havasu.asu.edu/

MEDIA CONTACT, ASU:
Terri Shafer, terri.shafer@asu.edu
(480) 965-3865 direct line | (602) 363-2318 cell