Mason offered to open branch campus in southern Virginia

George Mason University was officially invited to form a branch campus by the New College Institute (NCI) in southern Virginia, said Provost Peter Stearns.

Five other institutions including Mason were invited to form a branch campus in Martinsville, Va.

Backers of NCI initiated the conversation with Mason to set up the branch campus. A group called the Harvest Foundation did a market study and determined a state partner was needed to enhance the educational offerings at NCI.

Other schools interested in developing a branch campus include Virginia Commonwealth University, Radford University, Virginia State University and Old Dominion University, according to an article in the Martinsville Bulletin.

The opportunity to expand would allow Mason to “have a presence in another part of the state,” said Mason Vice President of University Relations Christine LaPaille.

Faculty from the College of Health and Human Services have expressed interest in research opportunities in Martinsville including issues concerning rural health issues, community health, and nutrition, LaPaille said.

“[This] comes at a time when our statewide influence is expanding,” LaPaille said.

Mason currently has three other campuses located in Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William, Va.

According to the NCI website, the institute formed in 2004 with the goal of establishing a college in southern Virginia. The closest public four-year university in the area is more than two hours away.

As of spring 2010, 135 students will have graduated with their bachelor’s or master’s degree through NCI. Enrollment at NCI currently exceeds 400 students, and there are 17 academic degrees and four teacher education or certificate programs offered.

While Stearns said the university is in the middle of negotiations and is interested in the offer, he said the university would not participate in a “bidding war.”

Martinsville is located 50 miles south of Roanoke, Va. and as of 2010 the city had a population of 14,560.

According to LaPaille, the negotiations are still in the “discussion stage” and a decision will take time.