Latest news with #NorthWestArkansasCommunityCollege
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New law provides incentive for mental health professionals
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/FOX24) — Now Act 1022, the behavioral health loan forgiveness plan provides an incentive for mental and behavioral health professionals to take jobs in underserved communities. According to legislation, 'underserved communities' are determined by the ratio of mental health professionals to the population of a given area. It also says that for each year a participant meets the requirements, they will also receive a 15% reduction on their student loans for a maximum of three years. Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, Lorena Clouse, said this new legislation is a win-win for both the community and the professionals taking these jobs. 'It helps the local community beyond the fact that they have this specialized training in the field because now they're also economic contributors,' Clouse said. 'They're buying houses, they're contributing to local businesses, they're participating in the kinds of things that can identify maybe the barriers for individuals in those communities. Without that, it might not be happening.' Pea Ridge resident inspires new legislative change The law is designed with the hope of keeping mental health professionals in Arkansas and to boost the overall well-being of the state's citizens. It also gives financial relief for people who enter the field, because in order to become a licensed professional, one must complete a master's program. Emma Haas is a psychology student at the University of Arkansas, and she said that this program provides an opportunity for her to continue her path towards a master's degree. 'It was not in the plans or even a possibility for me to go beyond getting my bachelor's degree, Haas said. 'So, I think providing that opportunity for students like me will definitely keep people in Arkansas and help communities that need it.' The bill was signed into law last week and is expected to take effect at the start of 2026. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Arkansas education officials consider workforce development, higher ed legislation
NorthWest Arkansas Community College President Dennis Rittle (far right) answers a question from Natural State Media CEO Roby Brock (far left) during a roundtable discussion on higher education and workforce development at the Fayetteville Town Center on April 23, 2025. University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis (center left) and University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson (center right) were also panelists. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas education leaders praised components of a new higher education overhaul law that will help high schoolers transition to college and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting all students during a roundtable discussion at the Fayetteville Town Center Wednesday. University of Central Arkansas President Houston Davis, NorthWest Arkansas Community College President Dennis Rittle and University of Arkansas Chancellor Charles Robinson participated in the conversation, which was organized by the Northwest Arkansas Council and focused on higher education's role in workforce and regional development. 'We're not talking about degrees, we're talking about making sure that students have the skills that they need that are marketable and that align with our regional economies whether it's here or Central Arkansas or otherwise,' NWA Council President Nelson Peacock told a crowd of roughly 350 guests. Workforce preparedness has been a priority for Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who in March signed into law Arkansas ACCESS, a 123-page bill that will make changes to the state's higher education funding model, scholarships, course credits and the admissions process, among other things. What is Arkansas ACCESS? Participants considered the impact of Act 341 throughout the hour-long conversation, including Davis. He said he appreciated the legislation's connections between K-12 and post-secondary education, which he said will make university officials think about how to reach out to feeder schools and make sure they're removing barriers. Additionally, Davis said he appreciated the legislation's support for noncredit activities, such as the coding and aviation academies offered at UCA. 'Knowing that the state has a nod toward and there's a place for that and there's encouragement for universities and community colleges to be in that noncredit space, I think that's a win for workforce, that's a win for business and industry,' Davis said. Robinson lauded Arkansas ACCESS' support of concurrent credit courses, which he said would better prepare students for post-graduation activities. Robinson also praised doubling the first-year award for the Arkansas Academic Challenge Scholarship Program to $2,000. 'I know the state was doing what it thought was right, but that $1,000 doesn't cover books,' he said. 'So you need more money going to kids early on, and hopefully we'll continue to look for ways to increase the support from the state for the students, because again, that helps them to be able to afford the opportunity that they're seeking to better themselves and ultimately to better the state.' Colleges and universities are also taking steps to increase access to higher education through their own scholarships. The University of Arkansas, for example, announced Wednesday a $1 million donation by alumnus Will Feland to the Land of Opportunity Scholarship campaign, a three-year initiative to increase educational access for students from the state's 75 counties 'by addressing the critical funding gap often limiting those opportunities,' according to a press release. Roundtable participants were also asked about some of the more controversial components of Arkansas ACCESS, which include prohibitions on excused absences for college students who attend political protests and collecting and reporting information about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for institutional accreditation purposes. In terms of free speech, Robinson said he didn't see the challenge in the new law because academic freedom wasn't injured and the legislation 'doesn't prevent us from teaching what we need to teach.' Regarding DEI, the new higher education law prohibits things like requiring students and staff to submit a diversity statement or conditioning enrollment based on race, ethnicity, sex, color or national origin. While that may be happening in other institutions around the country, it's not an issue at UCA, according to Davis, who said 'those elements of the bill make something illegal that we're not doing already.' Critics of the law's prohibitions on 'indoctrination' and DEI have voiced concerns about the potential impact on students from minority groups. All 10,000 of UCA's students are unique individuals, Davis said, and it's his administration's job to figure out what about their background makes them special and what they hope to get out of their college experience. 'A friend of mine…says, 'no one can tell you you can't love a student and love who they are and be there for them as they walk their journey,' and that's all we're doing,' Davis said. 'And the reality is, if you want to divide that up into 10,000 pieces, go right ahead. We're going to keep meeting students where they are.' Rittle echoed those sentiments, noting that they love their students at NWACC 'and when you love them, there's no laws against that.' Progress and change come with challenges, but Rittle said he sees it as an opportunity for reinvention as the school continues serving its students. 'We don't get too tripped up [with] what happens in other ways. If you tell me we've got to stop doing our mission, that's a different conversation,' he said. 'But as long as we can do our mission, we figure it out and we keep serving. And we have students from every different demographic as well at NWACC, just like all the institutions represented here on this platform, and the reality is our service to them, if anything, it's just like, game on.' State Rep. Denise Garner, a Fayetteville Democrat and member of the House Education Committee who attended Wednesday's discussion, said there were some great parts of Arkansas ACCESS, but she's also worried about other components of the massive legislation. 'My biggest concern is to make sure we have all of the stakeholders at the table so that we're making good decisions, and we'll watch to make sure that happens,' Garner said. Details of the law's various components will be fleshed out during the rulemaking process, which often includes feedback from stakeholders and can take several months to complete. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
15-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
NWACC's master plan includes housing, classrooms and sports facilities
Northwest Arkansas's flagship community college wants to add amenities and classroom space — multiplying its indoor space by six — over the next 25 years. 📈 Why it matters: NorthWest Arkansas Community College expects its student body to grow from about 9,000 to 20,000 by 2045, President Dennis Rittle told Axios. And with 95% of its graduates staying in the region, the school plays a major role in filling critical jobs across NWA. 🧑⚕️ Zoom in: A new plan would allow NWACC's registered nursing program to increase by at least 50% as NWA's health care industry skyrockets, Rittle said. The existing program has 200-240 students. Most of the new learning spaces would be for the "adaptive workforce." "As the needs of the workforce change in the region, all the spaces will continue to adapt," Rittle said, noting the college is seeing increased interest in robotics, AI and data sciences. ⚽️ The intrigue: Plans show increased athletics, recreational and arts offerings, including a black box theater that can host performances, sports facilities and a wellness center with exercise equipment and an Olympic-size pool. Planned indoor and outdoor sports facilities would, at minimum, allow the college to handle cross country, track and field, basketball, volleyball, soccer and wrestling. Background: NWACC in recent years began its first intercollegiate sports teams — men's and women's teams in cross country and track and field — and hired its first full-time athletic director in 2023. Men's and women's soccer teams are coming next year. Other planned additions include: 🏠 Housing for up to 3,000 residents. 🧒 A daycare for students' and employees' children. 🍽 Dining and retail. 🅿️ Parking garages and repurposed parking lots. 🚲 Biking and walking trails throughout the campus. 📍 A commons building with a ballroom. 💰 By the numbers: A rough estimate of the entire wishlist is $1.5 billion, NWACC spokesperson April Wallace told Axios, noting the cost is subject to change because many details aren't solidified. The plan is to build over several years. Rittle said the school's amount of climate-controlled space would increase from 500,000 square feet to 3 million square feet. The capacity would increase from 12,000 to 30,000 students. 🤲 How it works: The hope is for philanthropy and grants to largely cover construction costs, Rittle said. There is no plan to increase tuition or ask for tax increases to pay for the projects, although more students naturally mean more tuition dollars to pay for continuing costs like more faculty and staff. NWACC already owns the land surrounding its existing Bentonville campus, around 130 acres. The Walton Family Foundation gave NWACC a $640,000 grant to support the master planning process, including assessing current facilities and design, Kathryn Heller with the foundation confirmed to Axios.
