AIC avoids closure in first year

AIC students gather on their first day of classes last semester. The campus opened with only 44 students.

AIC opened its doors Aug. 22 to 44 pioneering students. Seven professors, some of whom gave up professorships at prestigious universities such as the University of California at Berkeley and Wake Forest University, also began anew with their careers by ta king non-tenured positions at AIC, even though the campus has no academic reputation or history.

Paul Plouffe, a writing professor at AIC, has taught at both Stanford University and UC-Berkeley. He said he was attracted to the campus because of its commitment to undergraduate education.

"I have spent my entire professional career teaching in large research institutions," Plouffe said. "When I heard about AIC and its commitment to undergraduate education, I decided to come here. The innovation with respect to interdisciplinary studies wit h a global orientation and the focus on the undergraduate is why I came."

The campus, which is affiliated with the University of Arizona, has been criticized by people who feel AIC is too far away, too expensive and has too much of an alternative curriculum.

Earlier this year, the state Legislature added a footnote to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee's university budget recommendation, which asked that state funding for AIC be eliminated if the campus failed to enroll 300 full-time students by Oct. 1. T he footnote was eventually removed, but the impact of the recommendation was harmful.

"The coverage we received in the local newspapers (regarding the Legislature's proposal) had a very strong impact and really hurt us," said Mike Celaya, director of enrollment services at AIC. "We had students who decided not to come here because they hea rd all of this and said 'We're not sure what's going to happen at your school. I'm a little to unsure and therefore, I'm not going to come to your school.'"

Celaya also said the timing of the Legislature's proposal was unfortunate because it came when the rate of applications sent to colleges and universities was highest.

Theresa Fassig, a pre-veterinary sciences sophomore at AIC, said the proposal to close the campus did not concern her.

"I knew it was just part of the political process. It's just a numbers game," Fassig said. "These first few years are going to be difficult, but every new institution goes through that phase."

Plouffe said he was surprised about the Legislature's proposal and saw it as an example of the state's lack of commitment to education.

"I think the political business that has gone on in Phoenix with respect to our budget has been troublesome," Plouffe said. "I am not a native Arizonan and I did not understand how little support this state has for education."

Some expected that Microsoft's pull-out from the UA Science and Technology Park would have a bigger negative impact on the campus, but Celaya said it did not.

"It didn't affect us at all. Nothing has gone on at the campus as a result." he said.

The 50 students who are enrolled at AIC are generally glad to be a part of the campus, although it has no nationwide and very little statewide recognition.

Marco Lopez, a political science freshman, and the first student who committed to attend AIC, said he has no regrets about attending the school.

"The opportunity to interact with such a low number of students and faculty has been an extraordinary experience," Lopez said. "It makes the learning process and the learning experience that much more enjoyable."

Plouffe said the best aspect of teaching at AIC is the character and intelligence of the students.

"The students are exciting to work with. They're bright, energetic and eager to learn," he said.

Celaya said he has seen a high quality applicant pool.

"We are expecting to enroll our first National Merit Scholar at the school in the fall and the other applicants are high caliber," Celaya said.

AIC will begin its second year Aug 25. in its 6,000-square-foot building about 14 miles southeast of the UA's main campus.

"Us being here gives people the choice of a small or large institution in Tucson," Celaya said. "To see students get enthusiastic about coming to the school, not having to go out-of-state, but being able to stay in Arizona and have this kind of education - that can really get you excited."