FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The committee charged with exploring a proposed partnership between the University of Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas Community College met for its initial organizational meeting Thursday, Feb 5. The committee will examine a partnership between the two institutions that would offer students upper division and graduate courses in education, nursing and business in Benton County.

Committee members from the university, NWACC and the Northwest Arkansas region are:

Co-Chairs

Reed Greenwood

Dean, College of Education and Health Professions

University of Arkansas

Karen Hodges

Vice President of Learning

Northwest Arkansas Community College

University of Arkansas

Don Bobbitt

Dean, Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences

Collis Geren

Dean, Graduate School

Donnie Dutton

Dean, Division of Continuing Education

Doyle Williams

Dean, Sam M. Walton College of Business

Greg Weidemann

Dean, Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Tom Jensen

Department Chair, Marketing and Transportation (UA Faculty Representative)

Northwest Arkansas Community College

Jerry Vervack

Associate Vice President for Learning

Jerry May

Dean of Business and Computer Information

Anita Jones

Dean of Communication and Arts

Marvin Galloway

Dean of Math and Science

Monte Gagliardi

Allied Health EMS (NWACC Faculty Representative)

Regional Representatives

Dick Barclay

Chair, Education Committee, North Arkansas Council

Jim Von Gremp

Former Legislator

Diana Gonzales-Worthen

President, Hispanic Women's Organization

Chancellor John A. White announced the formation of the study committee during his presentation to the Board of Trustees in November of 2003. Chancellor White said the partnership would give the university a greater presence in Benton County and assist in making a four-year degree more accessible to non-traditional students within the region.

During its organizational meeting on Feb. 5, the committee established three primary goals for its study:

• Identify the academic programs needs in the region
• Review the ability of the two institutions to respond to those needs
• Determine if a formal agreement between the two institutions can be executed to move the process forward.

"The committee is very optimistic about the feasibility of its project goals," Greenwood said. "We have established a time table of six months, and we will carefully examine all facets of this proposed partnership, identifying problematic issues and proposing solutions that will move it forward."

Greenwood added: "Chancellor White and President (Rebecca) Paneitz have specified that this project must be financially self-sufficient. The committee will certainly explore new sources

of revenue throughout the course of this study to ensure that those goals are met."