EGCC: Campus is still needed

STEUBENVILLE - Eastern Gateway Community College issued a statement Tuesday saying the establishment of a campus in downtown Warren would not diminish the importance of the college's campus in Jefferson County.

The statement indicated central administrative functions for the college would remain in Jefferson County even with planned expansion throughout Columbiana, Trumbull and Mahoning counties as the college grows.

The statement said, "The future growth of Eastern Gateway Community College throughout its four-county service district will be widespread and kept close to the communities it serves.

"That is the assurance of the college as plans and ideas for its physical growth are currently under discussion in wake of the pledge announcement from Gov. Ted Strickland and U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Warren, to seek funds to establish a college presence in downtown Warren."

"With the enrollment growth that is predicted, there will be a need for multiple locations to serve the student population," said Laura Meeks, Eastern Gateway president.

The college is developing college centers throughout the Mahoning Valley and in Columbiana County. These centers will join the comprehensive Jefferson County Campus in Steubenville from which the central administrative services emanate, Meeks said.

"The leadership from the Jefferson County Campus of Eastern Gateway Community College is vital to the success of this new expansion of the college. Dr. Meeks and her team provide a great service in the valley along with their various partners," Ryan said.

Ohio Chancellor Eric Fingerhut also said the Jefferson County campus remains the comprehensive campus with leadership for the entire Eastern Gateway system.

Meeks said there is precedent already in the two-month-old college's facilities.

"The college is consistently planning and implementing its original concept to provide a virtual learning atmosphere and to use existing facilities at the four career centers in Columbiana, Mahoning and Trumbull counties," said Meeks. To supplement the work at the career centers and to further reach Mahoning Valley residents, the college established the Valley Center at the Forum Health Northside Medical Center on Gypsy Lane in Youngstown. That center has classrooms and administrative offices to bring services closer to the residents.

"Now, we see the opportunity to establish another 'Valley Center' like presence in Warren but on a little larger scale," Meeks said following a recent meeting with Ryan. "Congressman Ryan has suggested searching for a physical location in downtown Warren. This would give us space to have an admissions area, classrooms and other administrative and support services like an open computer lab and possibly a math center for area residents."

Meeks said Ryan expressed understanding of the leadership role of the Jefferson County campus, the former Jefferson Community College, the only stand-alone, purpose-built college campus in existence when the regional system became official in October.

As originally proposed, Eastern Gateway was to be a prototype of a way to meet Strickland's goal of bringing a post-secondary education within easy geographic reach of every Ohioan. The concept included finding ways to make a college presence expand without having to build new facilities.

Meeks said the decision for a greater presence in Warren is happening ahead of the schedule the college envisioned for the coming decade, and the possibility of bringing federal money back to the Mahoning Valley to create educational opportunities is worth exploring.

"We are very thankful for Gov. Strickland's and Congressman Ryan's support. They deeply believe in the mission of community colleges and want to help area residents to have access to a quality, affordable education.

"Community college students want to be as close to home as possible and, especially, for working adults, convenient proximity to higher education is key," Meeks said.

The discussion between Ryan and Meeks clearly noted the need to continue to use the career centers for several reasons.

Both agreed: "We value their partnerships and the work they are accomplishing to provide career pathways for their high school and adult students. These pathways are critical to making greater strides in raising the educational levels of Ohioans. These partnerships and pathways will continue to be central in the college's plans as will the forging of further articulation agreements with four-year colleges and universities."

Additionally, Ryan and Meeks agreed the career centers' facilities are ideal for use by Eastern Gateway for many of the career programs such as LPN to ADN and welding. "We don't have to duplicate important lab space and equipment," he said.

Chancellor Eric Fingerhut, who has been interviewing candidates for the college's new board of trustees, said he has emphasized in each discussion that "collaboration and partnerships" are central to the success of the expansion of the former Jefferson Community College into Eastern Gateway Community College. "Throughout the state we are working and encouraging all levels of education from K-12 to community colleges to university branch campuses to universities to work together to raise the education attainment levels of our residents," he said. "The state sees education development as a key to fostering economic development.

"The establishment of a college center in downtown Warren does not mean the abandonment of the career centers," Fingerhut said. "They are vital partners." Fingerhut emphasized that "the Jefferson County Campus is still the college's comprehensive campus to lead and serve the entire district."

Ryan, who sits on the House Committee on Appropriations, will be working in the coming months to secure federal funding for the college's expansion. "We are excited about this opportunity to bring the college together with other services like the planned energy incubator in downtown Warren. This major presence of Eastern Gateway in Warren will help develop the work force needed for the 21st century," he said.

In seeking the site for the college center in Warren, officials will be looking for about 11,000- to 15,000-square feet.

Currently, the college is gearing up for the start of the spring semester on Jan. 11 but will be working in the coming months with the Ryan on the Warren project as well as other technology projects to further reach district residents. The college will be installing technology to allow Web cam conferencing for students to discuss financial aid and advising issues.

This complements the technology work achieved this fall by the college that allows access to college computer services from the six locations in the district. This work is going to be showcased by OARnet this winter to other colleges and universities across the state as the wave of the future of higher education technology.

(Giannamore can be contacted at pgiannamore@heraldstaronline.com.)