Utah Valley State College may be forced to close its recently opened North Valley Education Center.
College President Kerry Romesburg told the school's board of trustees Wednesday the American Fork center may close after next fall's semester because of a cash shortfall. The $60,515 annual lease failed to receive funding from the state Legislature during the recently concluded session."It's ironic," he said. "It's the state paying the state." The center occupies the Laurelwood building at the State Development Center, 895 N. 900 East in American Fork. But before UVSC lets the center go "there will be heavy negotiations," Romesburg said.
The center has attracted about 100 students, about half the number initially predicted, from a pool of about 3,000 who live north of Orem. "These are students who don't drive (to the main campus)," said Romesburg. "(The center) makes a lot of sense, but we just can't do it."
The college painted and recarpeted the building before moving in in January. It has installed a computer lab, along with equipment to teach courses from the main campus through UVSC via interactive TV. The interactive classes are part of the EDNET system, a statewide link to all state colleges, several high schools, the Provo UVSC campus and some state offices.
The center currently teaches courses in English, history, sociology, health, astronomy, marriage and child development and courses on ethics and values.