NTU continues to grow with new student union, library

CROWNPOINT

When Navajo Technical University opened the doors to its new library and Student Union Building last week, it also unveiled a new era in education.

The twin construction projects, which closed off portions of campus for more than a year, added both square footage and credibility to the Navajo Nation’s fledgling university. Completed at the same time, the two buildings signal the institution’s commitment to physical and academic growth, university President Elmer Guy said.

“When we started building programs, adding bachelor’s degrees and master’s degrees, the library became a central part of the master plan,” he said. “If we’re serious about offering advanced degrees, then we also had to be serious about a library that meets those needs.”

The university in May conferred its first master’s degree, and it plans to unveil a doctorate degree program by the fall of 2018, Guy said. It also offers certificates and degrees in dozens of vocational, technical, and academic disciplines — with another wave of new programs coming in the next calendar year.

“One of my goals as president is to encourage the faculty and staff to grow,” Guy said. “A lot of the programs we have now are expanding. If we have a certificate program, I want to see an associate degree. If we already have an associate degree, let’s think about the next step.”

Chartered as a skill center in 1979, the school has gone through several name changes as it evolved from an institute of technology to a land grant college and finally to a full technical university in 2013. But even as more students found an academic home on this sprawling, rural campus, the physical facilities lagged.

That’s changing as the university taps into local and federal funding sources. The goal, Guy said, is to balance internal, academic growth with external construction.

“You have to keep your vision in line with the resources,” he said. “You have to identify those big things you want to accomplish, but also be realistic.”

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