Havasu 4-year school hits snag

By David Bell

Today's News-Herald

LAKE HAVASU CITY - Susan Youngdahl said the prospect of a private university developing a campus in the city should be met with “cautious optimism.”

Youngdahl, executive director for Havasu Foundation for Higher Education, and the foundation's voting membership met Jan. 17, and decided there still are questions to be resolved, such as whether the Grand Canyon University actually is committed to coming to Lake Havasu City.

“It's certainly an opportunity to look at something different,” Youngdahl said. “My view is cautious optimism and we need to verify the money.”

On Jan. 9, entrepreneur Peter Burns met with members of the foundation to pitch them on Grand Canyon University - a private Christian University - coming to the city.

At the meeting, the foundation voted to explore the possibility but did not commit to any development.

Binder & Sickles, a local lobbying and consulting firm, facilitated the meeting.

Foundation president Floyd Hamilton said he and the other members were “blindsided by the proposal. We didn't know it was coming.”

Hamilton said Burns claimed to have access to $100 million through the estate of Anthony Cruise that could be used to build a campus, however, it was not explained whether the Cruise family would support releasing the funds.

Also questioned was whether Burns had the authority to speak for Grand Canyon University.

On Jan. 12, Bill Jenkins, public information officer for Grand Canyon University said the school does not typically start satellite campuses, “but we are exploring that possibility.”

The president of GCU was scheduled to come before the Lake Havasu City Council for discussion and the foundation will attempt to meet beforehand to seek answers to the commitment question.

Burns founded the school of entrepreneurship and franchises it to colleges and universities at a profit. The first entrepreneurship class at Grand Canyon University started this month.

Another question raised by HFHE members was whether the program relies heavily in online courses or residential campus classes, as the goal of HFHE is to start a residential campus with dormitories. That, HFHE member Bill Ullery said, would generate the positive economic impact the community is looking for.

There also were questions whether instructors - who are not teachers but successful businessmen - would be here permanently, teaching from a remote area or flying in.

Stan Usinowicz, Community Service Director for Lake Havasu City, said there also are issues to be addressed on access to the desired location if GCU is the primary university.

He said neither the city nor GCU could apply for a Recreation Project Plan from the Bureau of Land Management, which holds the two 160-acre parcels being eyed for a campus.

If the foundation were to form a non-profit corporation, the HFHE could apply but would be responsible for the entire acreage and could not parcel out land. Plus, based on a 1996 Memorandum of Understanding between the BLM and Arizona State Parks, State Parks would have to approve any development on the 320 acres.

The HFHE was founded in March 2003 and spent the last three years working with Northern Arizona University on developing a residential campus in Lake Havasu City.

The Burns proposal resulted in NAU officials withdrawing a commitment to perform a marketing study of the area and communicating with Youngdahl that the school is unsure of its commitment to Lake Havasu City.

While the majority of the HFHE membership said they were “skeptical” of the Burns proposal, Lake Havasu Unified School District no. 1 Superintendent Gail Malay said the challenge should be embraced.

“We do need more information but we should be looking forward. Students are looking at entrepreneurship as a viable vocation,” Malay said. “On NAU, my view is they are little too sensitive. If they want to be our partner, they need to tell us what they want and can do. We've said we value NAU.”