Poll Shows Hatboro Favors Local Arcadia U. Classes

Through Saturday, Arcadia University's School of Continuing Studies will accept feedback as to the preferences of course offerings, seminars and workshops for would-be attendees in Hatboro. 

And if early responses are any indication, the community is onboard with the between the and the university's King of Prussia-based school of continuing studies.

"Participation in our online educational needs assessment survey has been very encouraging," Arcadia University Spokesman Edward Neenan said. "Preliminary responses are providing the School of Continuing Studies valuable insights as to the community's interest in enrolling in degree programs and/or taking courses for college credit."

Of the approximate 100 respondents who took this 14-question poll, Neenan said that more than 61 percent answered "yes" to the borough/university affiliation, which is aimed at developing a continuing education program that would be tailored to the needs of Chamber members and offered in Hatboro.

Nearly 86 percent expressed interest in attending non-credit seminars, workshops or certificate programs, Neenan said. Business courses were the preferred topic, garnering 45 percent of the vote, while communications courses were the top pick among 36 percent, Neenan said. 

Topics that entail business leadership; and using social media as a business tool were well-received among 55 percent of respondents, he said. Survey takers also expressed interest in advertising and promotion; and project management, he said. 

"These initial indicators and others from the survey clearly show that the School and the Chamber are moving in the right direction to serve the professional development and educational needs of the Hatboro community," Arcadia University's Dean of the School of Continuing Studies Erik Nelson said in a statement. 

The Web-based survey would remain active through Aug. 25, Neenan said.

Since talks, and later a  began several months ago between the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce and Arcadia, the plan has been to make Arcadia offerings available to the Hatboro community beginning this fall. The has been eyed as a possible site for local courses and workshops, officials have said. 

"The possibility of the library as a potential site is still just that - a possibility," Librarian Harriet Ehrsam said. "Arcadia has to visit the library to see our space. Short answer is nothing is definite at this time."

Neenan said the plan is still to begin with sessions this fall. A fall 2 class schedule - one which begins in mid-October - is also a possibility if plans can not be finalized in time for the start of the main fall session. 

 President and CEO Joe Tryon, who is also president of the Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce, said previously that he got the idea of having a “satellite school” in Hatboro and reached out to Arcadia University representatives to pursue that possibility.