Get to Know The Leadership behind Nau's New Yavapai Campus

>>Theresa Bierer: Inside NAU's Mitch Strohman recently talked with Susan Johnstad of NAU Yavapai. >>Mitch Strohman: Thanks very much Teresa. We're sitting down and having a chat here on inside NAU with Susan Johnstad who is the campus executive officer for the brand spanking new NAU Yavapai. Susan thanks for joining us on inside NAU. >>Susan Johnstad: Thanks for having me. >>Strohman: This is a very exciting initiative for Northern Arizona University, but it was not an initiative that was created in a vacuum. There was a lot of thought, planning Öquite frankly a lot of work to execute this brand new exciting NAU Yavapai. Talk about that >>Johnstad: Well there have been a lot of people working on a plan that will impact the state in a lot of new ways. The state of Arizona has three research intensive institutions ASU, U of A, NAUÖbut not a regional university focus a public institution providing baccalaureate degrees. And NAU Yavapai is the first of its kind in the state and Northern Arizona University Yavapai is based in Prescott Valley it's a partnership between the town of Prescott Valley, Yavapai college and NAU and it serves students in the Yavapai county region but eventually we think it will draw in students from outside the region and perhaps even out of state. >>Strohman: You know I think the partnership, obviously, with the public entities and the town of Prescott Valley I think is relevant and significant here in Arizona with all the budgetary concerns that are out there, for there to be multi-government partnerships, to be able to bring something like this together it's probably going to be the wave of the future to see this type of expansion. >>Johnstad: You know Arizona has had a booming population over the last couple decades and it's a huge state geographically with great diversity in its population and we needed more options for students. We can't make that happen in a vacuum it's hard to make that happen from scratch and so in this case we have established institutions working together to provide an opportunity for students that makes higher education more accessible and more affordable. >>Strohman: That's a great point Susan, more accessible more affordable. Tuition at NAU Yavapai? Tad bit lower than the other main campuses in the state of Arizona and you're trying to make higher education more accessible to more people throughout the state. And that's a goal, that's a mission for Northern Arizona University, talk a little bit about that. >>Johnstad: Absolutely. Well the studentsÖa key thing for the students here is that they are in one system all the way through their program. They apply to NAU Yavapai they are admitted there and they never transfer. And that's a real benefit to students in terms of accessibility and the opportunity to be successful. But behind the scenes they are served by faculty and staff systems and services from two existing institutions that let us keep our costs down. So currently the tuition at Northern Arizona University Yavapai is about 35% less than students would see at other state universities. >>Strohman: Now NAU Yavapai physical brick and mortared footprint is there right now but there's room to grow and room has been given to NAU Yavapai for expansion in the future. What are those plans looking like? >>Johnstad: Well we feel very fortunate where we are right now a lot of places when they are starting up a campus, start out of trailers and out buildings. We are in a gorgeous facility. We are co-located with the new Prescott Valley Public Library. It's a beautiful facility, very modern designed. In fact it just won its sixth award for designer partnership and we have room to grow. We think we can grow to as many as 1000 students in our current classrooms and offices, but we do have plans down the road. There's area around the building where we see opportunity to bring in student oriented housing and affiliated services including maybe a student center. We do want this to be a place that has a foot print. Where people are coming and our students are buying into that. They're excited about the place they're excited to connect with their faculty and staff at NAU Yavapai >>Strohman: Well, I mean, in a general sense, what do you see as the long term future for this exciting initiative called NAU Yavapai? >>Johnstad: You know I think we're all offering something that is very different from anything else that's out there. Our programs are very streamlined and focused. Students can go start to finish and complete a bachelor's degree in three years' time. We have a limited number of degrees and the students have very few choices within their programs. We think we'll find a niche where students want that, where students are able to see how they will progress through their program in that three years that that will be attracted to many. So I think we'll find our way and we'll grow to become a regional campus serving 2-3 thousand students or more. >>Strohman: It's the future of NAU and its part of an initiative that has been supported by the Arizona Board of Regents. It's going to be very exciting to see how NAU Yavapai grows. The campus executive officer, Susan Johnstad, thank you so much for joining us on inside NAU. >>Johnstad: Thank you Mitch.