As part of a push by the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to explore educational opportunities along the Interstate 35 corridor, South Central College will move its Faribault campus closer to the freeway.

The campus move won’t happen for several years as SCC must secure bonding money from the Legislature for such a move. But SCC President Keith Stover says the college has been talking for nearly 25 years about moving its Faribault campus.

“We’re excited about the study being conducted,” Stover said.

MnSCU research suggests that Rice County and several others nearby will experience great population growth. And the current SCC Faribault campus, Stover said, is seen by many students as an unattractive higher education locale.

The Faribault campus shares real estate with Faribault High School, a situation that prohibits growth for the college.

Stover said the college will go to the Legislature in 2008 to request planning money for construction of a new campus. If all goes well, it would then go back to the Legislature in 2010 for construction money. Best-case scenario, they’d be up and running by 2012, but even Stover says they’d be lucky if it went that easy.

While SCC’s new campus efforts have been in the discussion phase for some time, the college is now getting a boost from MnSCU.

In a statement issued from the MnSCU office, system officials say they are joining with communities along the I-35 corridor of Faribault, Northfield, Owatonna and Waseca “to assess current and future higher education needs of the region.”

MnSCU has commissioned a study to be conducted by MGT of America, a national firm in higher education market research. The study will assess higher education and workforce development needs among employers and residents, identify barriers and access points to higher education and evaluate higher education delivery methods. Population patterns, economic activity and available resources also will be reviewed.

South Central College, Minnesota State University and Riverland Community College all offer classes on the South Central Campus in Faribault.

Stover said the college’s new mission will be incorporated into any new campus built. They’ll also maintain their relationships with MSU. Stover says the Faribault campus and MSU have partnered since 1989. Last spring, MSU and SCC co-enrolled 425 students.

MGT of America will begin the study late this month with two regional forums. The first community forum will be from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, July 24, at the Owatonna College and University Center. A second community forum will be from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, at South Central College’s Faribault campus.

Interviews will be conducted the same week with residents of the communities engaged in the study. The interviews will be followed by a survey of local employers in August.