BACKGROUND

History
Williams Air Force Base was built in 1941 to provide training for World War II pilots. After the war, many military families decided to settle in the East Valley. In the late 1940s, air conditioning came into more common use allowing tourism to develop as a major force. The following decade, the 1950's, brought more commerce and industry to the East Valley including aerospace companies. However, more than 50 percent of the residents continued to earn their livings either directly or indirectly from farming through the 60's. High-technology companies, now numbering over 100, continued to move to the East Valley. The period from 1980 to 1990 saw health facilities, and other industries, grow in order to serve the ever-growing population.

The closing of the Williams Air Force Base opened new opportunities for Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC). The Williams Air Force Base Economic Reuse Plan (August 1992) provided initial direction for the establishment of a consortium-based campus, comprised of a variety of educational institutions, which would jointly develop and utilize a wide array of education, research, and training facilities as well as take advantage of its close proximity to the new Williams Gateway Airport. The CGCC administration helped develop the Williams Education Research and Training Master Plan, which was initiated in May 1994 to define and plan for a 753-acre multi-institutional campus. Williams Gateway Airport hopes to become the State's premier center for aviation, employment, education and technology. In the coming years, the yearly operations are expected to more than double as the airport recruits service providers for passengers and international cargo.

Both the Williams Gateway Airport and the Williams Campus are "one of the most promising areas for future development in the city." Mesa's Economic Development Strategy publication identifies Williams as an important asset "for maintaining and expanding upon the current concentration of aerospace industry employment opportunities in the community," offering airlines "the perfect alternative for passenger and air cargo services." The City of Mesa anticipates that more than two million aviation customers will use Williams to fly commercially by the year 2020.

One of the East Valley's economic hubs will be developed in the vicinity of Williams Gateway Airport. This location is considered to be part of the Williams Gateway Sub-Area, but may also be referred to as the San Tan Urban Economic Hub. The area is well situated to provide a large international trade center supported by the Williams Gateway Airport. It is envisioned to become a second urban center of the City, with a mixture of residential, commercial, employment, recreational, and public uses.

The vision for the East Valley's future includes a strong focus on education with excellent schools providing elementary to advanced levels of instruction. A number of school districts, CGCC and Arizona State University East (ASU East), serve this area.

The East Valley's goal is to provide the best educational opportunities in the state of Arizona thus providing a highly educated and skilled workforce to new businesses and emerging companies. This plan envisions a continued partnership with the school districts to provide recreational facilities linked with schools and other community services.

CGCC has a strong educational partnership with Arizona State University East as well as the University of North Dakota Aerospace and the United States Air Force Armstrong Laboratory. Aviation flight and maintenance classes began in spring 1995; general studies classes began in fall 1996. In August 1996, Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) Chancellor, Paul Elsner, designated the MCCCD footprint at Williams as an extension campus of CGCC. The 62-acre footprint includes six instructional buildings, five dormitories, and 45 single-family homes.

Population
Student enrollments have increased steadily since the extension campus opened. The FTSE count for fiscal year 2001-2002 was 534. Approximately 85% of the enrollment is in general education and transfer education courses.

According to the ASU East Planning office, its undergraduate enrollments are growing more than 30% per year. These projections are important to CGCC Planning because of the unique Partnership in Baccalaureate Education. The partnership requires planning together for recruitment, enrollment, class schedules, academic support services, advertisement and student services. Approximately 40% of CGCC's students at Williams are co-enrolled with ASU East. CGCC also serves a non-ASU East clientele of students at Williams.