Rio Salado College

Rio Salado College
Motto	Education Your Way!
Established	1978
Type	Community College
President	Chris Bustamante
Academic staff	33 + 1,200 adjuncts
Admin. staff	485
Students	60,000
Location	Tempe, Arizona
Website	www.riosalado.edu

Rio Salado College, known as "the college within everyone's reach," is the largest of the 10 Maricopa Community Colleges and has never built a traditional campus. Rather, from its Tempe, Arizona administrative headquarters (in the same office complex as the headquarters for the entire Maricopa Community Colleges system), Rio Salado utilizes technology and forges partnerships to deliver educational opportunities to diverse populations throughout Maricopa County and around the world.

Accreditation

Rio Salado College is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

History

Established in 1978, "it was designed to be the college that provided education to the underserved and unserved geographic areas of Maricopa County ... Rio Salado has evolved into one of MCCCD’s fastest growing colleges, with a focused mission to create convenient high-quality learning opportunities while specializing in customized unique programs and partnerships, accelerated formats, and distance delivery." [1]

The college began offering courses over the Internet in 1996.

Rio Salado is the largest college in the Maricopa County Community College District with a more than 60,000 students. It has "33 permanent faculty members, 27 of whom are full time." Today classes are online, in-person and in hybrid formats, and the college hires close to 1,200 part-time faculty members from across Arizona.

Locations

Adult Learning Centers.

"Adult Learning Centers featuring basic education classes providing community members with opportunities to earn their high school diploma (GED) and improve their English skills." There are five locations: Two in Phoenix, one in Avondale, one in Mesa, and one in Scottsdale.

Lifelong Learning Center

"There's a wealth of opportunity waiting for residents of all ages at the Rio Salado College Lifelong Learning Center in Surprise, Arizona. The recently renovated facility, now completely updated and three times its original size, contains state-of-the-art classrooms, computer labs, testing center, and a new community meeting room." (480) 377-4250 12535 Smokey Dr. Surprise, AZ 85374

Luke Air Force Base

"Rio Salado College @ Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, offers in-person classes for military personnel and community members with clearance. Through our 8-week classes, students can work full-time and still earn up to 18 credit hours per semester." (480) 377-4010 7383 N. Litchfield Rd. Glendale, AZ 85309

Northern

Rio Salado @ Northern is a testing center, computer lab, ABE classes and WestMEC's clinical dental assisting program. (480) 377-4200 1715 West Northern Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85032

School of Dental Hygiene

"The Rio Salado College School of Dental Hygiene offers the highest accredited dental hygiene program in the state of Arizona." The school is a partnership between Rio Salado and the Arizona Dental Association and Delta Dental Insurance. The school of Dental Hygine has been training students since 1998. (480) 377-4100 1150 E. Washington St. Phoenix, AZ 85034

Tempe

The headquarters of Rio Salado College is in Tempe, Arizona. Rio Salado relocated from its original location in Phoenix to Tempe in 1996. This campus houses three main buildings:three buildings, the Conference Center @ Rio, the Tower @ Rio, and the Rio @ Hohokam administrative. (480) 517-8540 2323 W. 14th St. Tempe, AZ 85281

External links

• Rio Salado College – Official Web site