Community college 'not possible,' according to study

A community college in Cape Girardeau "is not possible nor is it feasible at this time."

That's the conclusion of a new study examining whether there is a need for a community (or "technical") college here and if state statutes and guidelines would allow it.

The study, commissioned by the Committee for Affordable Technical Education, indicated an existing need, but pointed to a projected full-time enrollment (FTE) failing to meet minimum state thresholds.

It also noted Missouri's Coordinating Board for Higher Education (CBHE) has standards for the establishment of community colleges prohibiting establishment of what would have been the state's 13th community college.

"The (coordinating board's) administrative rule is written in such a way that even if the FTE projections reached the required levels of expected enrollments, all of Missouri is currently divided into districts leaving no option to add an additional community college district," according to the study's conclusions.

"Given that Missouri operates under a coordinating board for higher education, communities have little recourse in terms of addressing needs for expanded higher education access and affordability," the 118-page feasibility study said in its executive summary.

Rich Payne, chairman of the Committee for Affordable Technical Education, said he's not surprised by the study's conclusions.

"I'm disappointed, but I don't think it was for naught," Payne said. "It (the study) was a good project and it's given us some good guidance."

The committee submitted a letter of intent in December to CBHE declaring intent to create a "Great River Community College District." One of the steps toward creating the district was the feasibility study, conducted by MGT Consulting of Tampa, Florida, to determine the project's viability.

The need exists

The study examined the area's demographic and economic data and included input from high school students, local businesses, area employers and the public at large.

"The market review indicated the population in the Great River area is expected to decline by 2029 with the greatest declines within the typical college-going ages of 15 to 29," according to the study's conclusions. "These projections highlight the need for alternate solutions to meeting employer challenges with locating a talented and properly credentialed workforce."

The report also noted "employers find it challenging to hire employees with bachelor's degrees" and said "occupations employers cited as most challenging to fill are also the ones projected to have future occupational gaps including truck drivers, mechanics, and health care workers."

In light of MGT's conclusion, creation of a community college district here is not possible under current state guidelines. Payne said the steering committee will "withdraw our petition to create the 13th community college, and will ask the coordinating board to support strengthening the partnerships among the institutions in this area to meet the needs of employers in the region."

Those institutions include Southeast Missouri State University, Mineral Area College, Three Rivers College and others.

"We have the university, Southeast Hospital's college of nursing, the Career and Technology Center, Mineral Area College, Three Rivers, but it's all piecemeal," Payne said and emphasized the needs to "streamline" student access to educational opportunities.

Despite the study's conclusions, Payne said there is a great deal of community support for the community college project as evidenced by the $90,000 given to the steering committee to underwrite the MGT Consulting study by the cities of Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Perryville, Cape Girardeau County, Perry County and the Industrial Development Authority of Cape Girardeau County.

"They're saying we need it," he said. "They're saying we need something better than what we have, so let's get it done."

Payne said he and the Great Rivers steering committee "will continue to monitor data and projections and see what happens" but in the meantime he hopes existing educational institutions will "come together in a consensus" to deliver technical education programs as efficiently as possible.

"It's imperative these institutions work together to meet the needs," he said. "If we could make that better and bring it into more of a concise operation, there's not a need for a community college."

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