The Community College Option, Part 3: Southeast says building on joint programs will prevent overlap of services

Editor's note: This is the third part of a series addressing community college needs in the Cape Girardeau area.

Southeast Missouri State University's role in providing education is at the center of the continuing debate about whether to establish a community college in Cape Girardeau.

A coalition of 11 business and education leaders is working toward a recommendation to the Coordinating Board of Higher Education on the higher education needs in the Cape Girardeau area. Group members have been meeting since early 2007, and they commissioned a study last year to assess educational services in the region.

Founded in 1873 as a teacher's college, Southeast has evolved from its original role. And as the demand for technical training and two-year degrees grows, its relationships with community colleges have been changing.

University president Dr. Ken Dobbins said building on joint programs with community colleges will prevent an overlap of services.

"I think the key is that Southeast Missouri State University has a responsibility to provide access to higher education in the region," he said. "We do that with partnerships with community colleges."

Southeast offers associate's degrees in conjunction with Mineral Area College at the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center, but Dobbins said the current system could be more navigable.

Adding an admissions counselor to target students who want access to a two-year program would centralize services, he said. Charging out-of-district community college tuition rates would keep costs down.

Incidental fees for in-state students at Southeast are $184.80 per credit hour. Out-of-district tuition rates at Mineral Area College and Three Rivers Community College are $108 and $112 per credit hour, respectively.

There is not a demonstrated need to establish the infrastructure of a new college or regional center that is not affiliated with the university, Dobbins said.

"That's not streamlining," he said. "It's adding bureaucracy."

Gradually building on established relationships will allow the university and other community colleges to monitor the region's needs.

"By doing it a little at a time, you're able to see the trends," Dobbins said. "You're able to see the needs and you're able to react to them."

As the coalition moves forward, the best option will provide the highest level of service without duplication, said Dr. Neil Nuttall, president of the Missouri Community College Association, which has been monitoring the coalition's progress.

"I think our question at the onset is do you need another educational entity established there, or are there enough players there already?" he said.

Nuttall is also president of North Central Missouri College, a two-year institution in Trenton, Mo. He said the college has agreements Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Mo., that carve out the responsibilities of each institution.

"There's going to be conflict and competition, but I think it's healthy," he said.

Underserved students

The coalition's study, released last month, identified five underserved segments of the are population, including underprepared high school students and older college students. Southeast officials said there are options for those students at Southeast.

"We believe those students can be successful with the programs we have," he said.

Dobbins said 25 percent of students admitted to Southeast do not actually meet the university's moderately selective criteria.

There are remedial options for students who do not meet the admissions standards, which are composed of ACT scores, grade point averages and high school prerequisites, said Lenell Hahn, associate director of admissions. Options include taking summer courses before starting their freshman year and starting a degree at an off-campus location, including the Cape Girardeau Career and Technology Center, she said.

Students who meet nontraditional criteria can be admitted with a high school diploma if they live within the campus' immediate service region, a 50-mile radius, said Dr. Deborah Below, director of admissions. Nontraditional students include those who are married, older than 21, have a dependent or are a veteran, Below said.

There is increased enrollment of nontraditional students attending the university's campuses. This year, 122 nontraditional students enrolled, compared to 79 last year, she said.

Danielle Alspaugh, associate director of admissions, works with nontraditional students during the admissions process. She said financial aid is the bigger challenge for those incoming students. Gaining admission or finding degree options is not a concern, she said.

"So far we've been serving all of our students," Alspaugh said.

abusch@semissourian.com

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