(a) In order to provide the residents of northeastern Arkansas with greater access to higher education opportunities beyond those which can be provided by the Arkansas Northeastern College, there is hereby created the university center at the Arkansas Northeastern College. The primary purpose of the General Assembly in creating this center is to meet the needs of persons who cannot, because of family or work responsibilities, leave the area to become students at universities in other communities. It is the intent of the General Assembly, in creating this center, to avoid the establishment of an additional institution of higher education or branch of such institution and to avoid the duplication of administrative personnel and services.

(b) The university center at the Arkansas Northeastern College shall be managed and administered by the Board of Trustees of the Arkansas Northeastern College utilizing the administrative staff and support services of the college.

(c) The Arkansas Northeastern College shall determine, in cooperation with the public universities and with the approval of the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the need for various upper-level and graduate programs and courses and shall encourage such institutions to offer the needed programs and courses.

(d) It is the responsibility of the Arkansas Northeastern College District to provide facilities for approved courses and programs at the university center at the Arkansas Northeastern College.

(e) This section does not authorize the Arkansas Northeastern College to assume the status of a four-year institution.

(f) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Graduate course" means a university course intended for students who have completed a baccalaureate degree;

(2) "Graduate program" means a prescribed series of graduate courses which lead to a post-baccalaureate degree;

(3) "Upper-level course" means a university course which is considered junior or senior level at the institution offering the course and is not offered at the freshman or sophomore level at the Arkansas Northeastern College; and

(4) "Upper-level program" means a prescribed series of university courses offered at the junior and senior level which, when combined with a prescribed series of freshman and sophomore courses, qualify successful students for the baccalaureate degree.