City of Milwaukee officials aren't thrilled about a for-profit college planning to come to the city.
Arizona College of Nursing is looking to open its first Wisconsin location at the Honey Creek Corporate Center, located near I-94 and 84th Street. The company has commenced on its $2 million, 25,000-square-foot buildout, but opponents, primarily made up of education advocates and labor unions, are opposing the school’s entry into Milwaukee.
On Thursday, the Zoning, Neighborhoods & Development Committee effectively denied Arizona's request — the second city entity to do so.
Despite two colleges (including Lakeland University) previously leasing space in the building, at 9000 W. Chester St., the city is requiring property owner Greywolf Partners to secure a zoning change to add “college” to the list of permitted uses to the complex’s special zoning district.
Department of City Development planning manager Sam Leichtling said the department recommends approving the zoning change when considering only land-use factors. There are no known negative impacts from prior educational uses in the complex, he said, before the ZND Committee went into closed session to discuss the matter.
The ZND Committee voted 4-1 to "hold" the request, without providing much public discussion. City staff and Greywolf's legal counsel questioned the city's ability to deny the zoning change.
Greywolf's attorney said even if the council rejects the zoning change, Arizona could find other locations in the city where a college is already permitted.
“The legal issue before you is succinct and we think it is pretty clear,” said Rodney Carter of Husch Blackwell. “I think it is important to remember this isn’t the licensing committee. We are here on zoning issues.”
This comes after the City Plan Commission voted to put the college's zoning change request "on file" last month rather than approve it.
Community members and industry leaders divided
College representatives said it would help address a
nursing shortage in Wisconsin by providing bachelor’s of science degrees. The college offers a three-year bachelor’s degree program with an annual tuition price in excess of $20,000 annually, according to its website.
A series of opponents raised concerns with Arizona College of Nursing and other for-profit schools at Thursday's meeting.
Charlie Dee, a retired professor at Milwaukee Area Technical College, urged the zoning committee to vote against the request even if it means a lawsuit.
"If you don't, you will be enabling these educational profiteers in their quest to exploit, defraud and impoverish Milwaukee's most vulnerable taxpayers who are struggling desperately for their ticket to the middle class," Dee said.
Other opponents that spoke included the Milwaukee NAACP, the Milwaukee Black Grassroots Network for Health Equity and the Milwaukee Area Labor Council. Organizations that submitted letters in opposition include the Committee for Equity in Nursing Education, and the Wisconsin Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.
Also in opposition is the
Higher Education Regional Alliance (HERA), whose letter was signed by chancellors and presidents from 17 Milwaukee-area higher education institutions, including UW-Milwaukee, Milwaukee School or Engineering and Marquette University.
"While HERA and our region’s health care employers recognize the need for more nurse
graduates, adding a new school is solving the wrong problem," the letter says. "We do not need greater capacity, as the current nursing and health sciences educators have sufficient capacity to increase nursing and health related graduates. The limiting factor is availability of staffing for sufficient clinical placements in the region."
Supporters of the college include Watertown Regional Medical Center, Children's Wisconsin and
ProHealth Care, all of which submitted letters to the city outlining their support.
"With an aging population and workforce, the need to expand nurse capacity is essential now and in the years to come," the letter from ProHealth's Debbie Luce, director of the Center for Learning & Innovation. "An additional BSN program will assist in addressing the growing need for qualified nurses at our facilities and in the Greater Milwaukee area."
Further action on Arizona's zoning has not yet been scheduled.
