Needs analysis for community college in Cape Girardeau expected to be ready in February

By February, the question of whether Cape Girardeau needs a community college should be answered.

Consulting group MGT of America is interviewing stakeholders, holding student focus groups and distributing employee surveys to determine the area's higher education needs.

"The overall question is, 'Are there gaps in post-secondary education that could be filled by a community college, and if so, how could that best be done?'" said John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. The controversial question has been debated for more than a year.

Three Rivers Community College, based in Poplar Bluff, Mo., surprised some in August 2007 with news it planned to open a center in Cape Girardeau the following year. Existing institutions, trying to protect their student base, questioned whether the area could support another school.

The Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education, which would have to approve a new community college, suggested affected institutions conduct a needs analysis together.

Eleven interested parties raised about $70,000 for the study, meeting last November to discuss parameters. They hoped to have a consulting group selected by February. But members proceeded cautiously, and the project was plagued by delays. This summer Dr. Robert Stein, commissioner for higher education, announced one of the vendors did not receive an invitation to bid and the deadline had been extended.

MGT of America now hopes to have public input complete by December and a report by February.

Ray Thompson, a partner with MGT of America, said he has already interviewed administrators from Three Rivers, Southeast Missouri State University and its regional campuses, the Career and Technology Center, and Mineral Area College. Each institution is "helping gather student representatives" to participate in focus group discussions later this month.

High school juniors and seniors will also be filling out written surveys about whether they plan to go to college and some of the challenges they face to get there.

"The last component is an electronic employer survey. We want to know the kind of workers they are looking for, how they come about training and what kind of barriers they face," Thompson said.

Southeast and Three Rivers have debated authority in the past. In 2005, Southeast evicted Three Rivers from three regional centers, saying the community college was not paying its fair share of the operating costs. Three Rivers claimed a breach of contract and sued. After an administrative shake-up at Three Rivers this year, the lawsuit was dropped.

lbavolek@semissourian.com

388-3627

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