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Published on: 3/9/2007
Last Visited: 3/9/2007
The map was presented by college project director Marsha Soult to show the need for a school in the region.
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Over a breakfast at the Clarion Inn sponsored by the Tri-County chapter of Business 2 Business, college project director Dr. Marsha Soult discussed the school's direction and objectives.
"The community college will be so great for all of us with all of its educational and economic benefits," said Kenton Stuck, Business 2 Business president, as he introduced Soult.
The impetus for the community college project began more than two years ago when the Mifflin County School District unsuccessfully attempted to affiliate with Luzerne County and the Mifflin Juniata Career and Technical Center in an attempt to start a college in the region.
While those plans failed to come to fruition, Soult said Mifflin County School District Superintendent Dave Runk mentioned to then-TIU director Jay Scott that the program "might be more successful on a regional level."
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Soult said the a common message was gleaned from the study's findings - The TIU region is greatly underserved by services that a community college can offer.
"We had two questions.Is there a need for the project?And will there be support for the project?"Soult said.
"We heard a loud and clear yes to both."
Soult's role as project director will also be completed after PSBE approval and the TIU will turn all leadership over to the new board.This is something Soult said is often misunderstood.
"My name is affiliated (with TRCC) more than it should be," Soult said."People have said ‘this is Marsha Soult's community college' or ‘this is the TIU's college' - neither are true."
After the college receives its board and a president is appointed, partnerships with existing community colleges, like Harrisburg Area Community College, will be established so TRCC can offer associate degree programs.
"I do believe the college is one of the greatest things that's come along to our business community, educational community and the community at large," Soult said.
Soult previously has said some confusion about the project stems from the school's name.On Thursday, she explained the name "Tuscarora Regional Community College" was chosen after a contest was held to solicit a title for the school through local media outlets.
After reviewing close to 150 names, the TIU settled on TRCC, a suggestion submitted by a Mount Union resident and former guidance counselor.
Soult also said there also are misunderstandings about "what exactly an intermediate unit is" and described the TIU as a "level of public education between local school districts and groups of counties."
To date, the school districts and boards of commissioners in Juniata and Mifflin County have joined the project as sponsors.Sponsorship was determined based on population of citizens 18 years old and above in the four counties within the TIU 11 region, Soult said.
In Juniata County, the commissioners pledged $25,000 and the Mifflin County commissioners allotted $50,000 in support of the school.While each board of commissioners initially was asked for about $48,000 (Juniata) and $93,000 (Mifflin), the school districts in each county made up the difference to reach those numbers, Soult said.
Huntingdon and Fulton counties have not offered any funding for the college and Soult said dialogue with the counties is ongoing.
The Juniata Valley School District, a small district near Alexandria in Huntingdon County, also pledged $15,000 toward TRCC.
"Five sponsors allow us to move forward," Soult said.She also reminded business owners in attendance that letters of endorsement from them could help win the project approval with the PSBE.
Soult said taxing bodies like the counties and school districts are a necessary first step as the PSBE requires local sponsorship to be established prior to project approval.
Community colleges must be sponsored by groups and elected officials, including cities, townships, boroughs, counties and school districts, Soult said.She also said sponsorship may come from one source or can be a combination of local entities.
Despite the more overt benefits associate degrees and certificates offer, Soult said the college also would benefit the area economically by providing training and retraining to the employees of local businesses.
Soult said without an existing facility that provides that training, business owners thinking about coming to the region may say - "Should I find another location?"
"Where a community college exists, economic development follows.This has been verified in areas with community colleges," Soult said.
Soult said the community college would provide for "the vast amount of students who do nothing after high school" to further their education and better their lives.
"Some kids can't look to a four-year school ... it's too expensive, too far away, or acceptance is not likely," Soult said.
Soult said the open-door policy at community colleges counters this problem as "no one is turned away."She said the school will have programs to assist students with adult literacy and earning their GED.
Dual enrollment, a program that allows high school students to earn college credits, also will be available at TRCC.Soult explained TRCC will not require construction of a building as classes will be held at existing sites across the region.She said sponsoring school districts and some businesses have volunteered their space for use.
Construction of an independent college campus is cost-prohibitive to sponsors, Soult said.She said the PSBE requires sponsors to be responsible for up to 50 percent of capital expense projects, a number that would "scare away" prospective sponsors.
Soult said finding space for classes should not present a problem, as all nine school districts in the TIU region have offered their buildings for use.
At Thursday's breakfast, Soult also said new funding will provide TRCC with state-of-the-art, fiber and wireless Internet network connections.
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