Flagstaff College: A New Institution Focuses on Ecological Challenges and Positive Change

The Arizona Daily Sun featured Sandra Lubarsky and Marcus Ford in "Big Idea: College on a 'micro' scale" as the two former Northern Arizona University faculty members seek to welcome their first students in the fall to Flagstaff College.

Flagstaff College will initially feature a two-year program of intensive study focusing on the ecological challenges facing the world and ways to implement positive changes.  

Reporter Sam McManis notes that students "...will either transfer existing general-education credits from other schools or take core classes at Coconino Community College, with which Flagstaff College has partnered, and then focus their study on all aspects of sustainability."

You visit the Flagstaff College website to learn more about the institution's mission and values or academic program. 

The article notes that a number of microcolleges have emerged in recent years and includes references to several like Outer Coast College in Sitka, Alaska or Sterling College in Vermont, Deep Springs in California and Wayfinding Academy in Portland, Oregon. You can read more about these and other micro-colleges in previous Small College Garden posts:

• November 15, 2016 Small Liberal Arts Colleges: Positive Report from a Gathering of Presidents
• August 28, 2016 A Call for more UltraSmall Colleges
• March 30, 2017 Partnership offers Path to Degrees for Single Mothers

A Call for more UltraSmall Colleges

"Why We Need Tiny Colleges," provides an interesting rationale for considering small colleges and reflects a call similar to one issued last year by Susan Henking, president of Shimer College, when she urged consideration of an Artisanal College Movement.  

Marcus Ford argues that we are more likely to see a focus on students at smaller institutions.  His article refers to some better known small institutions like Deep Springs College in California and Sterling College in Vermont.  Ford also mentions several lesser known initiatives to create new smaller institutions:  Flagstaff College in AZ, Outer Coast College in Sitka, AK and Thoreau College in Viroqua, WI.  The article for yes! magazine and it was posted August 26, 2016.  

In addition, Ford provides a link to the site of UltraSmall Colleges that provides some more information and has links to a few other small institutions.

You can scan through previous posts on the Small College Garden blog with links to additional articles on Sterling College, Outer Coast College, Shimer College, and other similar institutions.