PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Southeast Missouri State University and Mineral Area College announced an agreement Monday that will allow Southeast students to more easily transfer their credits to and earn an associate of arts degree from Mineral Area College.

The agreement was ratified during a signing ceremony between Dr. Ken Dobbins, president of Southeast, and Dr. Steven Kurtz, president of Mineral Area College, at the Perryville Higher Education Center.

"This agreement will provide an easy process for Southeast students to qualify for and receive an associate of arts degree," Kurtz said. "We appreciate the quick response of Southeast for this agreement to come to reality."

With the reverse transfer agreement, beginning this fall students currently or previously enrolled at Southeast may seek admission to Mineral Area College and transfer up to 52 credit hours toward the completion of an associate degree. Students who plan to transfer must first complete at least 12 credit hours at any Mineral Area College location or online, and the hours must meet the requirements of the degree.

Dobbins sees the continuing partnership between Mineral Area College and Southeast as one of the great assets in the region.

"Mineral Area College, the community of Perryville and Southeast have all worked together to bring educational opportunities to the people of this area," he said. "I have had an excellent relationship with Dr. Kurtz and his staff at Mineral Area. From the start, the goal of this agreement has been to educate the students from our service region. I can say, without reservation, that our partnership with MAC is one of the most successful university community-college partnerships in the state."

The agreement was the result of six months of cooperation and study between the two institutions. The agreement ends in summer 2015, and if the agreement is discontinued then, Southeast and Mineral Area College have agreed to allow all currently enrolled students at least three years to complete their degree.

In other business Monday, Dobbins also announced the investment of $200,000 for the addition of a new computer lab and student lounge for Southeast's Perryville campus at the Higher Education Center.

The new lab will provide an array of online resources and applications and will be next to a new student-lounge area that will have tables, sofas and chairs. The lab and lounge were made possible by an increase in the state budget approved by the legislature in May to address a disparity in per-student state funding among the state's universities. The funding increase was based on appropriations per student and included nearly $900,000 for Southeast.

The increase was proposed by former House speaker Steve Tilley of Perryville, who was on hand for Monday's announcement.

klewis@semissourian.com

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