By Jaime North
BLOOMSBURG -- Bloomsburg University could soon offer programs in Sunbury, such as wood-working technology, through a satellite campus or partnership with a city-based community college.
"People in the Sunbury area are looking to have some kind of representation of higher education in their community," James Mackin, Bloomsburg's provost and vice president of academic affairs. "We're interested in providing the education opportunities to them."
University officials say the concept is still in the earliest planning stages, but could end up being a great opportunity for local students searching for a four-year program not offered in the Valley or on the Bloomsburg campus.
The idea, spurred on by local groups asking the university for a greater local presence, must first be endorsed by the university's Council of Trustees next month, Mackin said.
The university would either establish its own local satellite campus, similar to Clarion University's campus in Venago County, or work with the Susquehanna Valley Education Project to offer classes for the remaining two years of a selected program.
Lenaire Ahlum, president of education project, said the group has had only minimal talks with the university, but said that a potential partnership could benefit both efforts in bringing additional higher education options to the Valley.
"We're hoping to engage more with (the university)," Ahlum said. "We're very interested to learn what they have in mind, as well as determine what will be provided. We're still actively working to bring services that are greatly needed in this area."
Another step, Mackin said, is to have a feasibility study, which would be covered by state grants.
"Right now we're working off anecdotal evidence," Mackin said. "A study plan would need to be done before we made any firm plans."
n E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
