SIKESTON CENTER IS ANOTHER STEP TO HIGHER-ED AVAILABILITY

In approving its 20-year master plan last September, Southeast Missouri State University officials vowed to extend the institution's reach into the region. One way would be through opening of regional education centers, much like the one that has enjoyed great success in Malden.

The next higher education center -- this time in Sikeston -- is on its way to becoming a reality. These centers are a convenient way to bring higher education within easy reach of more potential students, especially non-traditional students.

While the Sikeston center was included in the university's planning, money to build a center wasn't sought in the operating budget. That is because the university hoped the local community would provide the building to house the center.

A $50,000 donation by Ruth Sharp of Sikeston provided a rousing start to a $200,000 campaign to renovate the former National Bank building in that community.

Sikeston officials said the center would operate as a separate not-for-profit entity in the community. Sikeston residents wishing to support the project can send their earmarked donations to the Sikeston Area Chamber of Commerce. The city hopes to complete the campaign by mid-April.

The university has set aside $312,000 in its budget for instruction at the center. Both Southeast and Three Rivers are committed to offering classes in Sikeston this fall.

Sikeston has long tried to secure a community college. The Sikeston schools already offer two associate degree programs. This higher education center would be another approach to accomplish the same goal of making college classes more accessible to the community. It will benefit Sikeston and the region.

Sikeston is just the beginning. Southeast wants to set up two more centers by the year 2000. The university's approach of taking college to the communities is a good one. It also fulfills the request of those attending strategic planning hearings in recent years who asked the university to offer more community education classes and televised classes.

The university not only listened to the suggestion of increasing higher education access, it delivered. That's not only good sense, it's good business.