NWACC purchases land, unveils sign announcing new center in Washington County

Land that once fostered agriculture will cultivate a different kind of growth now that NorthWest Arkansas Community College purchased 20 acres in Springdale to construct an instructional center. The land, located off Watkins Road, was once home to vineyards in one area and the land where the neighboring Arvest Ball Park now sits was an orchard.

NWACC officials and members of the Springdale community were on hand Wednesday (Oct. 15) to unveil the sign that announces the new location for the Washington County Center. NWACC purchased the land from Springdale resident Philip Taldo for $2.4 million. The land was valued at $2.5 million.

First identified in 2012, the location provides access from Interstate 49 and is easily accessible from all parts of Washington County.

“We are pleased to gather here today to celebrate this important day in the life of NorthWest Arkansas Community College,” said NWACC President Evelyn Jorgenson. “We want especially to thank Mr. Philip Taldo for his patience as we completed the negotiation process, and we are especially appreciative of his willingness to sell the land below appraised value to the College. We will be launching a fundraising campaign that will fund the construction and equipping of a permanent center to provide career and technical education supporting the workforce needs of Washington County.”

Closing on the purchase of the property follows the issuance of tuition revenue bonds to finance the acquisition of the property. The maturity date for the bonds is Oct. 1, 2034. The NWACC Board of Trustees approved a Parameters Resolution on June 9, which authorized up to “$3 million in aggregate principal amount of NWACC District Student Tuition Revenue bonds to finance the acquisition, construction, and equipping of capital improvements in Washington County (the center).”

Tuition revenue bonds must be used because the millage the college receives comes only from the Bentonville and Rogers school districts and therefore cannot be used to serve Washington County. If approved, tuition paid by students in Washington County would be the funding source for paying back the bonds.

UNDERSTANDING THE NEED
NWACC’s number of students coming from Washington County has steadily risen over the years and the college leases multiple facilities including Farmington High School, The Jones Center for Families and a Washington County center at 693 White Road in Springdale.

Hinds provided the following information regarding NWACC’s enrollment:
• 2014 Enrollment from Benton County: 4,439 students which is 54.8% of total credit enrollment and a 1.3% increase over 2013.

• 2013 Enrollment from Benton County:  4,383 students which is 54.7% of total credit enrollment.

• 2014 Enrollment from Washington County:  3,052 students which is 37.7% of total credit enrollment and a 0.7% increase over 2013.

• 2013 Enrollment from Washington County:  3,032 students which is 37.8% of total credit enrollment.

Hinds clarified that while the number of students increased, the percentage saw a slight decrease because of the overall enrollment increase.

Even though nearly 40% of NWACC’s students come from Washington County, those students still pay a higher tuition rate than some of their Benton County counterparts. NWACC currently offers “in-district” tuition ($75/credit hour) to students living in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts because residents in those areas pay a millage to support the college. Washington County students are considered out of district and they pay a different rate ($122.50/credit hour). The college did not raise tuition or fees for the 2014-2015 school year, Hinds said.

Jorgenson explained Wednesday that the college will not seek a millage from Washington County residents in the near future.

“We feel like that we need to have the center built first,” she said. “It will be tangible proof of the value the college brings to the community.”

Taldo was on hand for the festivities and said the center is important for Springdale. Many students might feel intimidated by the idea of a large, four-year college but traveling to the Bentonville NWACC campus is not feasible for many, especially some non-traditional students.

Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse agreed that the center will be a valuable asset for the area. It will help provide training for jobs that are coming to the region, as well as be another economic investment in the area.

NEXT STEPS
Now that the land has been purchased, architects will develop plans for the three-story building, which is expected to be about 40,000 square feet (slightly smaller than the Shewmaker Centers located on the Bentonville campus). The estimated square footage is based on the programs expected to be housed in the center combined with the amount of space the college currently leases throughout Washington County.

Money must also be raised for the center’s construction.

“We look forward to partnering with business and industry and the community at large to make this center a reality,” said Dr. Meredith Brunen, executive director of development for the NWACC Foundation.

Making decisions on what will be in the center is another part of the process. College officials do know that career and technical training will be a focus.

“The academic programing for the Washington County Instructional Center is being developed based upon feedback from the three focus groups that included business and industry leaders, surveys, input from regional business leaders, and U.S. Department of Labor data,” said Steven Hinds, NWACC director of public relations. “The center will focus on career and technical training, but will also offer general education courses.  While the career and technical training is geared toward meeting the needs of business and industry located in Springdale and greater Washington County, the classes would be open to individuals from any area. The general education course offerings would mirror those classes now offered at our Washington County Center.  Those classes are typically offered at the NWACC campus in Bentonville, although the times of the classes might vary.”

The college has recently seen increased enrollment from students living in the Siloam Springs area. While it’s technically in Benton County, Siloam Springs is much closer to Springdale than to Bentonville so it is anticipated that this center might also serve their needs.