UVSC might purchase Micron land
By Jeffrey P. Haney
Deseret News staff writer
OREM — Utah Valley State College President Kerry D. Romesburg has made overtures to Micron for its Lehi land if the company decides to mothball its not-yet-finished plant.
In at least two meetings with school trustees, Romesburg has expressed interest in the land surrounding the computer-chip maker's facility for a satellite campus of the Orem school.
Micron would be the most desirable location for an outreach center in Utah County's northern region, Romesburg told trustees at a planning retreat in September.
"We've said to them, 'We'd like you to come, but if you don't. . . ," he said about his discussions with Micron officials.
Romesburg said he "periodically" reminds the company about the school's continued interest in the half-staffed plant as a possible technical-training site or a satellite campus.
"The response is consistently the same — as it should be," he said. "They still plan on opening the facility and using it fully. If at some point they decide otherwise, they will keep us in mind."
Stan Lockhart, Micron's government relations director, said the company looks forward to establishing a partnership with Utah Valley students and administrators.
"UVSC is an important part of providing employees to the site," he said.
"Whether there is going to be a campus or some sort of technology sharing, I don't know," Lockhart said, adding that Boise State has a training program at Micron's Idaho plant.
"There's the likelihood something like that could happen with UVSC," he said.
Utah Valley is bracing for an influx of students from northern Utah County. Projections estimate more than 8,000 students from Lehi, Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Cedar Hills, Highland and Alpine will enroll by 2008.
The school's plans to take over 100 acres of state-owned land in American Fork stalled this fall amid questions about the cost of the land. Officials hoped to branch out on the acreage, which was offered to the school by state officials during the 1998 legislative session.
Meanwhile, Utah Valley continues to maintain branch campuses at the Mountainland Applied Technology Center in Orem, the Provo Airport and Business Park, an old church in American Fork, a downtown building in Park City and a vacant shop at the University Mall.
However, UVSC's growth blueprint calls for an expansion of buildings on the 207-acre campus in Orem rather than seeking additional land. To meet projected enrollment, officials say, the campus will need to accommodate 27,000 to 30,000 students, with the balance of students being served by off-campus locations and through technology.
"Expanded facilities on the Orem campus provide access without duplicating student service and support functions, library services, computer services, administrative support and so on," the plan reads.
"It also has the benefit of providing students a 'full campus' experience. Hence, every effort will be made to expand the existing campus facilities and services rather then creating formal branch locations."
deseretnews.com |
