Three Rivers students, faculty anticipate new Sikeston campus

SIKESTON, Mo. -- While Three Rivers College has seen a change in leadership and budget numbers in recent days, no change is anticipated for the institution's Eastern Campus in Sikeston.

TRC officials say budget withholdings for higher education by Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon will not affect the construction project. The faculty, staff and especially the students are anticipating moving into the new building, just south of the Highway 61-60 interchange, in time for the spring semester at the beginning of 2015.

"We are moving forward with the new building and it is looking great," said Missy Marshall, director of the Sikeston TRC site. "It will be a great facility for our students and for our work force development training. We will have much more room."

Ground was broken in August on the $7 million facility that will provide room for 1,500 students. It will include classrooms, a computer lab, science labs, nursing education facilities and an exhibit hall/auditorium that also will serve as a safe room during tornadoes.

Marshall said the additional room means expanded course opportunities and being able to serve more students.

The announcement of the governor's withholding of $673,000 -- or about 3 percent of the school's approximately $26 million budget -- was not a total surprise, Marshall added.

When it was officially announced, she said, Dr. Wes Payne, the college's interim president, called in all his budget managers to address the cuts. Payne was appointed to the interim position when Dr. Devin Stephenson resigned June 26.

Payne described the process of revisiting the budget as cooperative and collaborative.

"It took about two hours and we came out with enough cuts to rebalance the budget," he said. "None of the cuts will impact the completion of the building in Sikeston. Three Rivers remains committed to providing educational opportunity in Sikeston. We are there with a firm and proud presence, and we are very pleased to be a part of the community."