Area leaders approve agreement between Southeast, Three Rivers

After more than two years of negotiations, meetings and a $70,000 analysis, officials took a step Monday toward providing community college access in Cape Girardeau County.

A group of business and education leaders unanimously approved an agreement to start offering courses at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center. Southeast Missouri State University and Three Rivers Community College officials said classes will start in fall 2010.

Although negotiators admitted it was not a perfect agreement, they said they are committed to making it work and letting it evolve.

"It is a solution, and it is a start," said Dr. Devin Stephenson, president of Three Rivers.

Three Rivers, Southeast, Mineral Area College, Southeast Missouri Hospital College of Nursing and Health Sciences and the Cape Girardeau School District, which owns the Career and Technology Center, will sign the agreement.

Under the arrangement, Three Rivers will start seeking approval from the Coordinating Board for Higher Education to grant associate of art degrees. Mineral Area already offers associate of applied science degrees at the location.

Southeast and Three Rivers will split costs, revenue, marketing and course offerings. The plan also calls for an advisory committee that includes city, school and business representatives.

After the group made revisions to the agreement between Southeast and Three Rivers, Stephenson presented an alternative arrangement that did not include participation from the university. Under the plan, which was not approved, Three Rivers would offer courses at the Career and Technology Center and admissions would have been capped so Three Rivers' presence would not have an effect on Southeast's student body.

"Our board is pretty adamant we want to be part of it," Southeast president Dr. Ken Dobbins said. He said Southeast could establish an open-admission branch in Cape Girardeau that would be included in a network with its other centers in Sikeston, Kennett and Malden.

Before the coalition voted on the agreement between Southeast and Three Rivers, some members expressed concern about the commitment of the involved institutions. In recent meetings the arrangement had been occasionally referred to as a remarriage.

"I would feel a little more confident if we had full buy-in," said Earl Norman of Benton Hill Investments.

Dennis Vollink, president of Drury Southwest, said he had "serious reservations" following the group's Nov. 9 meeting.

"We were there on paper but not in concept," he said.

He said he was worried leadership disagreements would slow down services.

"I think it's going to take a change of attitude of some of the players in this room to make it work," Vollink said.

John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce, facilitated the meeting. He encouraged the group to support the arrangement between Southeast and Three Rivers, saying it will keep other competitors out of the area.

Dobbins said he expects there will be "rough spots" throughout the process but that he is committed to maintaining service to students.

Rich Payne, director of the Career and Technology Center, said the plan will work at the student level.

"I promise you if that is not happening, you will hear us screaming because the students will be screaming at us," Payne said.

The agreement will need approval by the Coordinating Board for Higher Education. The involved institutions will also need final approval by their governing bodies.

abusch@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

1080 S. Silver Springs Road Cape Girardeau, MO