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Selland College may become community college
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The Larry G. Selland College of Applied Technology at Boise State University may become a community college as early as the fall 2006 semester.
In Gov. Dirk Kempthorne’s State of the State address on Jan. 9, he said the number of high school graduates in Idaho who go straight to college is low when compared to the rest of the nation.
“Why?” asked Kempthorne. “Part of that may be accessibility. Part may be affordability.”
His solution involves a $5 million proposal that would create reasonably priced and accessible community colleges. This plan includes using existing structures and resources to accommodate students.
“My proposal does not call for any new investments in brick and mortar. The community college of the 21st Century, with all of our technological assets and existing infrastructure, does not require a brick and mortar approach,” Kempthorne said
Larry Barnhardt, dean of the College of Applied Technology, said the Selland College at BSU would provide a perfect transition from a technical school to a local community college.
“To meet the demand of a growing community, Boise State is planning to expand the Larry Selland College of Applied Technology by transitioning it into a comprehensive community college with a primary location on the 150 acre BSU-West Campus near the Idaho Center,” Barnhardt said
Legislature has yet to approve Kempthorne’s $5 million proposal.
San Diego native and BSU freshman Dellas Clark said, “It’s about time Boise gets serious about community colleges. It’s a cheaper way to get a general education than to pay some high-priced university, especially if you haven’t made a concrete career decision.”
Currently, the Selland College offers a number of job training selections that lead to careers in areas like manufacturing, accounting, electronics, health care, child care, culinary arts, construction, marketing, automotive, real estate and many other fields that can be completed in four to 24 months.
If the College of Applied Technology at BSU is converted into a community college, the current technical training programs will not be changed.
“This campus will allow us to ’spread our wings’ and provide more high-quality training programs to meet the ever-changing demands of this vibrant economy,” Barnhardt said.
BSU is not the only school
interested in Kempthorne’s Idaho College initiative.
Two other colleges have expressed an interest in expanding their classes to Boise. Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Ore., and
The College of Southern Idaho in Twin Falls have each proposed separate plans to build community colleges in the Boise area.
“Investing in education is the best way we can give our
citizens the hope of a bright future,” Kempthorne said.
The Selland Collage will host their annual career expo on Tuesday, Feb. 7 in the Student Union Building at BSU from 4-7:30 pm. Visitors are encouraged to talk with students and instructors,
explore the career-training booths and participate in demonstrations and activities.
Chad Mendenhall
News Writer