Mayor Evans going 'wrong way' on ASU campus

LETTER TO KENNY EVANS

(Blog Editor's note: We are reprinting the following letter sent to Payson Mayor Kenny Evans in the interest of the free flow of information on an issue that impacts the economic well being of our entire community.  We're guessing it won't be published anywhere else.  Be sure to click on the link below to read about an alternative plan for improving the state's university system.)

Date: Friday, June 17, 2011, 1:06 PM

> Greetings, Payson Mayor Kenny Evans:
>
> I noticed that you are looking to establish an ASU campus
> in Payson as indicated in various newspaper articles;
> however, I believe that you are fundamentally going about
> this the wrong way, as discussed below:
>
> It is not practical to assume that tuition pricing to
> include paying off the loans for campus construction will
> result in a "low-cost" model. Likewise, assuming that
> proceeds from a future research park and a convention center
> will somehow subsidize the tuition rate for students is also
> unrealistic.
>
> So, use the hundreds of millions of dollars in investor
> money loans to entice a prestigous PRIVATE university to
> establish a presence in Payson instead of ASU. This
> private university will more realiably pay back your
> investors' loan monies and won't have to worry about having
> a "low-cost" tuition rate. Moreover, after the initial
> investment, this private university can subsequently raise
> its own funds for future campus expansion and maintenance
> and can integrate itself into the proposed research park and
> convention center.
>
> For example, look at the City of Prescott, AZ. They have
> the prestiguous Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
> campus. That private university not only provides much
> needed economic growth and development but also results in a
> "destination effect" thereby placing that city "on the
> map". Such a similar success story can also happen to
> Payson when attracting a prominent private university as it,
> too, would be adaptive to market and industry forces while
> attracting both in-state and out-of-state students.
>
> Remember, it is not necessary for Payson to educate a large
> volume of students at the "low-cost" price point because my
> university system restructuring plan (which I had previously
> sent to you) already accomplishes this by converting the ASU
> West campus into a free-standing, non-research state
> university.
>
> Payson can still receive an accessible and affordable state
> university education by using the low-volume, small campus
> model that is either integrated / embedded within the local
> community college (similar to what NAU is doing with
> Prescott's Yavapai College) or taking over an abandoned
> local school (similar to ASU's approach in Lake Havasu
> City).
>
> However, it seems premature to establish a state university
> campus presence in Payson now because its local community
> college (Gila County Community College) is still
> under-developed and undergoing the process of achieving
> independence, thereby analogous to "putting the cart before
> the horse." Thus, GCC's continued success is necessary for
> any state university campus to thrive in Payson while
> providing a symbiotic relationship by possibly offering
> classroom building space "free of charge" to that state
> university's students.
>
> To summarize, here is what I recommend happen for the Town
> of Payson:
>
> (1) Support my university system restructuring plan, as
> indicated again by my website link below:
>
> http://PSUandAzTech.blogspot.com
>
> (2) Attract a prestigous, PRIVATE university campus by
> using the investor loan monies.
>
> (3) Work with GCC and Gila County governmental officials to
> build-up the GCC Payson campus. In particular, look at
> initiating a local bond election to construct new buildings
> at GCC, one of which could be "donated" towards a state
> university campus within GCC.
>
> (4) Understand that this is a long-term process that
> requires time and patience.
>
> Thanks again for your time and attention,
>
> -Sanjeev Ramchandra