Wes Payne: Three Rivers College strong, moving forward

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Reinforced concrete walls seem to have sprung up overnight just outside the window of the president's office at Three Rivers College. But they're not the only changes taking shape.

Dr. Wes Payne is leading a new, sweeping change brought about when former president Devin Stephenson left suddenly in June.

On Nov. 30, TRC's board of trustees will decide whether to name Payne president, continue with his interim status or start a search for a new president.

Payne said he believes many of the goals and priorities set forth by trustees when he first came to Three Rivers as vice president of learning in 2009 have been met, and the institution now has a strong foundation as it moves forward.

Five years ago, Three Rivers' accrediting agency had cited the institution for deficiencies in planning and processes for tracking student learning outcomes. It had received less than favorable audits of finances and its federal financial aid program.

Today, the same accrediting agency has praised the college for making a "profound change," and eliminated any chance the institution could be placed on probation. The college also has received several clean audit reports.

"I truly believe, from a functional standpoint, this is not the same institution that it was in 2009," said Payne, who came to Poplar Bluff from a position as vice president of academic affairs at the College of Coastal Georgia.

There are still challenges, though. Some are new in ways, while others are as old as the college itself.

Three Rivers has made huge gains in enrollment, nearly doubling its student population since the fall of 2008. But the fall of 2013 saw a small dip, about 1.4 percent, according to year-to-date figures in August.

Nationwide, community college enrollment is expected to be down 6 percent to 7 percent, Payne said. Within Missouri, that number could be higher at 8 percent.

It is still too early to predict how Three Rivers will be affected in the fall. Enrollment may have reached a plateau, Payne conceded.

But that isn't surprising, he said.

The gains of previous years were made during an economic downturn, which always drives more students to continuing education. They also came with the first strong marketing effort made by the college in many years.

"We've moved from a growth cycle into an enrollment management cycle," Payne said.

Many opportunities remain that have not been pursued aggressively by the college before now, he said.

This includes expanding night programs and enrollment at the Sikeston, Missouri, campus. Sikeston has long been at capacity and turning students away, as have some evening classes, Payne said.

Payne does not believe a leveling off of enrollment, should that occur, would negatively affect Three Rivers' current construction projects, he said. In addition to the classroom building, a new campus at Sikeston is almost complete and architects have been hired to begin design of an event center in Poplar Bluff.

"We are still a much, much larger college than we were five years ago. ... We've strained our physical resources," Payne said. "New construction is basically catching up with the growth we've had."

Three Rivers has continued to extend its reach, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony this month at a facility in Willow Springs, Missouri. In the fall, it will open a new program at the Caruthersville, Missouri, campus, serving its first welding students.

A question often asked in the community, and that still plays a roll in the decisions of trustees, is how money should be spent inside and outside the TRC's taxing district.

Five years ago, off-campus sites were often a money-losing proposition. They now produce 50 percent of TRC's credit hours, according to numbers from the last fiscal year. Out-of-district tuition makes up $6.7 million of revenue, compared to $6.2 million for in-district tuition and taxes.

Payne credits the growth of the programs to an effort to become more involved in the communities where the sites are situated.

"We have 15 counties that are our responsibility," he said. "There is no other community college that provides service in those 15 counties. ... I am a true believer in the community college mission, and that is a mission of open access."

Pertinent address:

Three Rivers College, Poplar Bluff, Mo.