On September 9, 2019, UA Cossatot held their bi-monthly Board of Visitors meeting at the college’s Lockesburg Campus. At the meeting, division reports were given, announcements were made, the board passed nine new and edited policies, and UA Cossatot Chancellor, Dr. Steve Cole spoke about the possibility of the college having dorms in the future.
During the July Board of Visitors meeting, the board approved for Dr. Cole to move forward with research regarding student housing. On August 20, Dr. Cole attended a UA Trustees retreat that included a session on explaining the positive benefits of colleges pursuing public/private relationships, or P3s. He shared his research results with the Board of Visitors.
Dr. Cole stated that a P3 arrangement for dormitories would allow UA Cossatot to have better access to capital for major construction projects. It would also allow for turnkey development and management options for student housing and other projects.
At the beginning of September, the college published a student housing survey that went out to over fifteen hundred current and potential UA Cossatot students. Almost three hundred surveys were completed, and the results were shared at the meeting. The three most positive pieces of the housing survey were that 79% of those polled indicated they would definitely live in on-campus housing, they would prefer to live on campus year round, and DeQueen (62%) and Nashville (31%) were the campuses where students would be most interested in living. The feedback will be used in the college’s decision-making process as UA Cossatot moves forward with student housing plans. More research will take place this fall to uncover accounting and legal issues so that the college can possibly make student housing an option for students at UA Cossatot.
UA Cossatot Chancellor, Dr. Steve Cole said, “I think that for UA Cossatot to always remain competitive and growing, we will, at some point in our history, have to develop student housing. This will aid in the growth of not only our in-demand academic programs, but our growing athletic programs as well.
Other information discussed at the Board of Visitors meeting included the college beginning new development on a strategic plan for 2025. The college has selected an employee strategic planning committee, and surveys will be released to stakeholders and shareholders of the college very soon.
Lauren Volarvich was recently hired as an English instructor at UA Cossatot. The first PTA class graduated this summer from UA Cossatot’s PTA program. Also, the enrollment report revealed fall enrollment this semester at UA Cossatot was higher than last year, showing an 8% increase over last fall.
The college also invited UA Cossatot Student Ambassador, Jessica Aguilar and Miss UA Cossatot 2019, Perri Lowrey to attend the Board of Visitors meeting as special guests.
The next UA Cossatot board of visitors meeting is scheduled to take place on November 4, 2019.
Cossatot Community College
Click here to learn how to login to campus email, Blackboard, and Campus Connect! The University of Arkansas - Fayetteville's Chancellor, Dr. Joe Steinmetz has announced that the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville will now charge associate degree graduates from UA Cossatot the same tuition rates those graduates were charged at UA Cossatot.