- Cape Rolling Out Bloomfield Road Art Trail (8/21/19)1
- Donors Pledge Almost Two Grand To Replace SEMO's Possibly Sentient ‘Gum Tree' (8/16/18)
- SEMO and The Will To (Become A Consultant) – Part 2 (6/14/18)
- SEMO and The Will To Do (You Really Want To See That Legal Notice?) – Part 1 (6/4/18)
- Judge, Jury... Trashman (6/1/18)
- Diary of Cape Girardeau Road Deconstruction (5/11/18)
- Trying To Save A Tree From City “Improvements” (4/30/18)2
Bootheel Higher-Ed Squabble Has Historic Undertones
I've been trying to decide which reminds me more of the higher education market in Southeast Missouri, the German-Polish Non Aggression Pact or the Cold War between the US and the USSR.
Initially, I thought it was the former, but recent actions by Governor Jay Nixon now make me think the situation may be more reminiscent of the latter.
I hadn't thought of the German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact in years -- probably while taking a world history class in college -- but it came to mind a couple weeks ago while reading about Southeast's attempt to get into the Associate of Arts degree-granting business at its Malden, Kennett and Sikeston campuses.
First a little background on this bit of history that pre-dated World War II.
In an effort to soothe strained relations between Poland and Germany, the two countries signed the German-Polish Non-Aggression Pact in 1934. Germany recognized Poland's borders and quit conducting economic "warfare" against the Poles, and the two countries agreed not to fight.
Things were peachy for the next five years allowing Germany to build up its infrastructure and re-arm itself. Then in 1939, Adolph Hitler demanded some changes to the pact, Poland refused, Germany invaded and the rest is, well, history.
In this comparison, SEMO is Germany. It wants territory -- i.e. the Associate of Arts degree -- in the Bootheel that has been the exclusive domain of Three Rivers Community College aka Poland. The institutions have co-existed semi-peacefully together for years. Oh sure, they've had their skirmishes and disputes and the occasional lawsuit, but basically nothing too serious.
In the past 22 years, SEMO created campuses in Malden, Kennett and Sikeston in an effort to teach primarily freshmen and sophomore level classes. With one exception, you can't go to any of these campuses -- "Centers" is what the University sometimes calls them -- and earn an entire degree (the exception is a four-year agribusiness degree program specializing in row-crop production that Southeast introduced in May). You can just work on the course work towards a BA or BS that can then be applied to a degree finished at the main campus in Cape Girardeau.
TRCC was OK with this. They even shared space with Southeast for a while until the roommates got into a squabble -- over money, of course -- and lawsuits ensued.
But now SEMO wants to take their "Centers" to the next level and make them full-fledged Associate of Arts degree-granting institutions. That has been the exclusive educational territory of TRCC in the Bootheel and obviously that institution is concerned about its monopoly.
Even though the tuition at Southeast's "Centers" is almost double TRCC's, I'm sure they're worried that some potential students might consider the cachet of an Associated of Arts degree from a "University" more prestigious than one coming from a "Community College."
Personally, I think the point is moot -- it's an AA for crying out loud -- but since potential students and therefore revenue are at stake, both institutions want to get their hands in the fiscal cookie jar first.
However, TRCC is not being entirely pre-World War II Poland-like and letting Southeast blitzkrieg into what they obviously consider disputed educational territory. They're taking counter-measures that are rather reminiscent of the cold war.
A couple weeks ago, it was announced that TRCC was being given 40 acres near the intersection of US-60 and I-55 to create a campus that will replace facilities they're currently renting in downtown Sikeston. And somebody -- we don't know who -- "flooded" the Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education with emails after Southeast announced its plans. Presumably, this "flood" was not pro-SEMO.
But then, I may have this whole situation bass-ackwards.
TRCC might actually be "Germany" and Southeast may be "Poland," because Three Rivers submitted a proposal to the MDHE to provide Associate of Arts degrees at its own Kennett, Sikeston and Malden facilities prior to Southeast. Plus TRCC submitted a separate proposal to offer AA degrees in Cape. Southeast actually appears to be the one on the defensive.
After I realized that both institutions were trying to expand their offerings pursuing those students interested in the coveted AA degree, I decided that the situation was much more Cold War like.
No, I'm not sure which institution is the U.S. and which is the Soviet Union.
But I am certain that Governor Nixon is Ronald Reagan. The Governor is probably the only person in the state who could have convinced both institutions to withdraw their respective Associate of Arts expansion proposals filed with the MDHE and attempt to work together.
"Tear down this wall, Drs. Dobbins and Stephenson!"
I guess we'll see if the two institutions will actually be able to iron out the animosity that has lingered between them for several years. Only time will tell, but if their past history is any indication, I don't think it looks too promising.
Respond to this blog
Posting a comment requires a subscription.