LAKE HAVASU CITY, AZ — As Arizona State University (ASU) wraps up another semester, the university is closing the doors on its Lake Havasu campus, leaving hundreds of students and dozens of staff members without a place to call home next semester.
When ASU announced the closure of the campus back in September, it left students, staff, local leaders and Lake Havasu residents in shock and disappointment. More than 200 students attended the campus and 20 staff and faculty members are employed there, according to ASU.
Lamar Fennell, who just finished his third year at the campus, told ABC15 he chose the campus because he wanted a smaller place to get his degree. Fennell said in the biggest class on that campus, there were at most 15 students.
Fennell reached out to ABC15, upset that ASU decided to up and leave at the end of this semester. He still has another year left on his bachelor’s degree in biology. He said he found out through social media.
“It's on Facebook, ‘I’m like ah, no, this is fake. This is not actually happening,’” he continued. “I went and looked at my email and saw the email saying that it was closing.”
When Fennell found out, so did his instructor, Jeannette Nangreave and other staff and faculty.
“That was really heartbreaking. So, that was a devastating day,” Nangreave said.
For a whole decade, Nangreave and her husband, who is also a professor there, poured their lives into this campus. Now, they’re getting ready to go to South Carolina where he landed another teaching job. Nangreave said she’s taking a year off to help their kids adjust.
“I've struggled to accept this emotionally, psychologically. It's been a roller coaster. I feel like I've been grieving the loss of someone, part of my identity,” she said.
Both Nangreave and Fennell said the university promised support for its staff and students with the closure of the campus, but they both say it fell short. Fennell said he and other students have received the runaround.
In September, the university announced the closure of the campus – among other changes - citing funding cuts to higher education from the legislature and governor.
However, public records obtained by Today’s News-Herald, the local newspaper in Lake Havasu City, showed there were emails sent between ASU and Northern Arizona University leaders gauging interest in taking over the campus. Those conversations took place months before the state budget was finalized and cuts were made.
When ABC15 reached out to the university about this, a spokesperson sent a statement:
“Expenses exceeded revenue from the Lake Havasu center each year that it was operational. Accordingly, ASU determined the center was not financially sustainable. ASU pursued a variety of options to bring the center to financial viability including increasing enrollments and offering NAU the opportunity to assume responsibility for the center and its degree programs. The state budget cut to ASU this year was the final factor in the closing of the center.”
Because of the closure, it not only affected the students and staff going to the campus, but also the future of local high school students.
Lake Havasu High School junior Angelina Rybicki wanted to take dual enrollment classes with ASU in the fall but no longer has that option.
“I think it really was a little bit of a big surprise to everybody,” Rybicki said.
As for Fennell, he said he will attend ASU’s Tempe campus in the fall but is nervous for the transition.
City leaders and stakeholders caught off guard by sudden announcement
Just as students and staff felt shocked by ASU leaving, the school board president of the Lake Havasu Unified School District was not notified of the university’s decision to leave until the announcement. The district owns the land that ASU is leasing and was not given any formal notice.
“It’s disappointing,” said David Rose, the board president of the Lake Havasu Unified School District.
Mayor Cal Sheehy also said the news was surprising to him.
"I received some information... it was made pretty much simultaneously at the same time as I learned about it,” Sheehy said.
ASU came to Lake Havasu City in 2012, after years of collaboration in the community to raise money and try to bring the campus there.
"There's a lot of people in the community who feel what ASU has done is disloyal,” Rose said.
With ASU's departure, students may face challenges. Mayor Sheehy said the nearest universities are far, saying, "The nearest would be between ASU down in Tempe and NAU in Flagstaff."
When ABC15 reached out to ASU about the thoughts of these local leaders, feeling blindsided by the announcement, a spokesperson said they did not have anything else to add.
Some are concerned about a possible gap left by the four-year university on job opportunities.
“We want to keep kids locally so they can take the jobs. I think that's one of the biggest issues we have,” said Andrea Helart, the CEO and President of the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce.
Without a four-year university, local students may have a harder time pursuing higher education. However, Mohave Community College - which will soon drop the ‘community’ in its name - will be offering some bachelor’s degrees in the near future.
Jenna Lowder, the Dean of Student and Community Engagement with Mohave Community College, said the plans for bachelor’s degrees have been in the works before ASU’s announcement.
However, MCC had worked well with ASU in the past to help students move on.
“It’s always sad when students in a community lose higher education options,” Lowder said.
Amid the uncertainty, discussions are underway for potential partnerships with other universities, Rose said. He couldn’t disclose which universities they’re in discussions with.
When asked if students could expect a school to open, if a university does take over, for the fall, Rose replied, "That is the goal, absolutely."
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