The planning school never planned ÷ but hoped ÷ for this. Last week, the Faculty Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of sparing the School of Planning from elimination and combining it with the geography and regional development department. Supporters say the move would provide students with more interdisciplinary courses and a broader faculty base. Not to mention it would prevent its biggest fear ÷ total elimination ÷ from seeing the light of day.

From the beginning, it was a mistake to discard the School of Planning. Arizona has consistently ranked high among states with the most growth. In the coming years, Arizona is going to need urban planners, especially ones familiar with its situation.

The school provides a valuable public service for Arizona. That's the goal of any public university: Give back, through education, to the state. By eliminating the School of Planning, the UA eliminates this link to the community. Many of the school's graduates will stay in Arizona and provide the state with their knowledge, to help prepare for the future.

The students in the planning school already know this. The dozens of supporters who have attended forums and Arizona Board of Regents meetings know this. The Faculty Senate knows this. And now, 15 months after appearing on a list of programs likely to be eliminated by Focused Excellence, President Peter Likins is starting to realize it, too. As recently as Wednesday, he called the recommendation to merge the school with geography and regional development "promising."

And it is ÷ promising for the future of the program and the future of the state.

Those in the School of Planning are obviously excited about these recent developments. The geography and regional development program sees it as a benefit to its students, too. Some courses in the two departments are already cross-listed, and the potential merging would only lead to closer collaboration ÷ another aspect of Focused Excellence.

And where would the money come from to save the school and pay for its faculty? From an annual fund-raising event. Generate income from community service projects ÷ now done only at cost ÷ for a profit. Charge additional fees for students enrolling in the program. These are all viable options, all helpful to meeting the bottom line.

Planning school: Plan to be spared.