Scott County could be home to a new higher education facility in fall 2008.
Population growth along the southern corridor of Highway 169 is a major reason Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) is looking to offer classes in the area.
“Four of the top 10 areas of recent metropolitan growth are in the southwest metro: Shakopee, Eden Prairie, Prior Lake and Chaska,” said Melinda Voss, a MnSCU spokeswoman.
Plans are still preliminary, but MnSCU will likely lease space somewhere between Interstate Highway 494 and Mankato to offer classes from four schools within its system: Hennepin Technical College, Normandale Community College, South Central College and Minnesota State University, Mankato.
The colleges would combine services to offer an array of classes, fulfilling undergraduate, graduate and specialized training requirements. The colleges would likely share in funding the facility, but it’s too early to determine the details, Voss said.
Demographic projections in Scott and Carver counties suggest that communities along the Highway 169 transportation corridor have a growing population of traditionally college-aged people, ages 18 to 24, and adult students who are 25 and older.
“There is also an increasing number of businesses locating in this region,” Voss said. “So that could lead to an increased demand in customized training and continuing education.”
Voss said MnSCU is looking at how best to meet the higher-education needs of communities in this area. MnSCU representatives will be meeting with local elected officials and economic developers to determine the best site for a higher education facility that can serve the highest number of students.
MnSCU would like to have doors open on a leased facility by August 2008.
Dave Unmacht, Scott County administrator, said the county has been discussing the need for a stronger higher-education presence for the last 12 to 18 months.
“We’ve been exploring options and ideas,” he said.
Unmacht was surprised, however, to learn of MnSCU’s plans.
“But we have had formal and informal conversations with MnSCU and also other private schools,” he said. “Everyone is saying it would be great.”
Supporting higher education has been a County Board objective, he added, because demand and interest is so high.
“It’s not county government services, but the County Board thinks spending staff time on this is value-added to everything in the community — Chambers, Rotary … ” he said. “There are intangible benefits for the community with a higher-education presence. You can’t put a dollar value on it.”
State Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, was also unaware of MnSCU seriously considering locating in Scott County, but thinks it is a good idea.
“There is a consortium, a group talking about it,” she said. “Scott County is considered underserved. With our growing population, it’d be nice to have some services closer.”
She noted that Shakopee does have the Minnesota School of Business, which is private, but she’d like to see MnSCU find a space to open a facility at least part-time, perhaps during the evening, if not during the day as well.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Scott County has the most highly educated population in the state, Robling said, but people want to continue learning and take courses for their jobs.
“People aren’t as traditional anymore,” she said. “They want to do more online learning and going to weekend courses.”
Robling believes MnSCU could offer a more non-traditional approach, especially combining two-year, four-year and technical programs.
“I told them we have a good population base to support the services in Scott and Carver counties,” she said.
The colleges haven’t yet asked for additional funding from the state, either.
“MnSCU has a pretty large budget and can make their own decisions,” Robling said.
Scott County Commissioner Jon Ulrich of Savage said nothing is eminent. The Scott County Association for Leadership and Efficiency (SCALE) has an education subcommittee whose goal is to bring higher education to the county, but it’s still exploring the possibilities with colleges, he said.
A fiber-optic system the county will install would be a key to opportunities educational facilities could offer the public, and city and county employees.
Belle Plaine is the only city so far that has expressed interest in having a higher-education facility locate there. City and school officials in Belle Plaine met with MnSCU representatives March 28 to discuss the possibility of locating in Belle Plaine at an old junior high building.
“That started the process,” Belle Plaine school Superintendent Kelly Smith said. “We’re still searching for the right mix of education programming.”
Also involved with the SCALE higher education subcommittee, Smith agreed that having higher-education opportunities has been a priority for the group the last 18 months. It has been information-gathering so far.
Although Belle Plaine might be a little out of the way for many residents of Scott County, Smith said much of the county is dealing with space crunches and Belle Plaine is in the center of the area MnSCU is considering.
“We’re just excited MnSCU is looking at Scott County,” he said, “and wherever they locate, it’s going to be a benefit to our entire county."
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