University of Arkansas to Open Global Campus Location in Rogers

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas Global Campus will open a new location in Rogers to offer courses leading to degree completion programs for students pursuing University of Arkansas baccalaureate degrees.

The new Global Campus location, scheduled to open in August in time for the 2008 fall semester, will occupy the fourth floor of the Pinnacle Center One building. The building also houses the Arkansas World Trade Center and is just west of Interstate 540, in close proximity to the Embassy Suites Hotel and John Q. Hammons Center.

The university currently is delivering elementary education and business administration bachelor’s degree programs, which are built on associate degrees previously earned at NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC). In addition to bachelor’s degree completion programs, the Global Campus also will be offering university graduate programs, customized or open enrollment training, professional development programs and executive education courses.

“For some time, we have discussed the need to have a more substantial presence in the middle of the burgeoning corporate community in northwest Arkansas,” said G. David Gearhart, chancellor-elect of the university. “This new initiative will begin to provide greater access to upper division courses and the encouragement of baccalaureate degree completion, as well as access to graduate degrees.”

The Pinnacle Group, as leaseholder for the new facility, will provide the necessary construction build-out with the lease of the 13,000-square-foot space, and the move will not involve an investment of additional university funds.

“The new Global Campus location will not require an additional allocation of state funds, which makes this a fiscally responsible endeavor as well as a tremendous opportunity to grow and enhance our programs,” said Robert McMath, interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. “As a land-grant university, academic outreach is central to our mission, and this move will enable us to expand access to our degree programs.”

The relocation of current offerings from the NWACC campus to the new university site will provide both institutions additional space for future growth. In addition, classrooms, computer labs and food service, as well as faculty and student support areas, will be central to the success of the new location.

“We value our partnership with NWACC, which is expected to continue and grow with this change of venue,” said Linda Beene Ballard, dean of the University of Arkansas Global Campus and associate provost for academic outreach. “Through this new location, our programs will expand in a fantastic new space that will allow synergy with the Arkansas World Trade Center and make a University of Arkansas education even more accessible in northwest Arkansas.”

In addition to the aforementioned offerings to be presented at the new site, Ballard expects additional online degree programs to be developed in the near future, as demand for these courses has been steadily increasing. The University of Arkansas currently has 23 degree programs approved for distance delivery through the Global Campus, and more than 100 distance education courses were offered during the 2008 spring semester.

“Working professionals often do not have the opportunity to take traditional courses to complete their degrees, and subsequently, enhance their careers,” said Ballard. “Our mission includes seeking ways to make educational opportunities available and convenient for non-traditional students, and with the rapidly increasing population and corporate community in northwest Arkansas, this growth makes perfect sense. Through this endeavor, we’ll be able to create more innovative learning solutions connecting the University of Arkansas and the world.”