Public Relations

NWACC ‘regionalizing’ RTC programs

            BENTONVILLE (November 26, 2007) - Effective June 30 2008, NWACC will no longer occupy the Regional Technology Center (RTC) building in Fayetteville. This decision was unanimously approved by the NWACC Board of Trustees at their November 12 meeting.

            “From the beginning, our goal has been to regionalize the programs currently housed at the RTC,” said College President Dr. Becky Paneitz. “We’re taking this opportunity to review our programs and consider their possible relocation within our two-county service region.”

            In addition to regionalizing technical programs, NWACC also sought to create an “Early College” model — an initiative that includes courses high-school students can take to also earn college credit.

            “Our goal is to continue to increase access to education for all our students,” she said.

            In the coming months, the college will work closely with education partners throughout the region to identify locations suitable for concurrent, technical and post-secondary courses.

            “Our facilities are driven by regional need and changes in occupational demand,” Paneitz said.

            One example of a regional need was making technical classes available to Benton County students. Only a small number of students from Rogers and Bentonville high schools attended the RTC.

            A new satellite center in Gentry now serves students from Gentry, Gravette, Siloam Springs and Decatur. The college is also exploring options in Springdale and Rogers, as well as Fayetteville, as part of the effort to increase access to programs throughout the region.

            “We’re looking for a new, smaller location to serve the needs of our students there,” she said.

For questions/comments on this content, please contact jhall@nwacc.edu