KENT STATE Salem branch to get nursing program



Salem Community Hospital is offering financial help as part of the effort.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
SALEM -- Kent State University is transferring its bachelor's-degree nursing program from its East Liverpool regional campus to its Salem facility.
The move should not be seen as a sign that the East Liverpool campus, which has experienced enrollment declines recently, is slated to close, a university official said.
KSU's East Liverpool campus "is going to continue to be Kent State's investment in higher education in the southern half of Columbiana County," said Paul Gaston, KSU provost.
Gaston was among the area officials who announced Thursday the four-year nursing program's transfer to the Salem campus. Nursing classes there will begin in the fall.
Financial support: As part of the move, Salem Community Hospital will provide $50,000 per year for the first two years of the program to help support nursing faculty.
The hospital also is offering $13,000 in academic scholarships to qualified students.
In addition, Salem Community will make the hospital available for nurse training.
"It seemed that this community would be better able to support the bachelor's program," Dr. Davina Gosnell, dean of KSU's college of nursing, said in citing a key reason for transferring it from East Liverpool to Salem.
Salem Community's willingness to provide financial backing for faculty and scholarships is an example of that support, she added.
Includes transfers: Jeffrey Nolte, KSU-Salem dean, said he expects about 30 students will begin the bachelor's program at his campus this fall. That includes 12 nursing students who will transfer from East Liverpool.
One faculty member also will transfer from East Liverpool as part of the move.
Nolte noted that East Liverpool offers an associate's degree in nursing and will continue to do so.
A KSU official hinted in February that the four-year nursing program would be transferred to Salem.
The East Liverpool campus has experienced a five-year enrollment decline. Its enrollment at the beginning of this year was about 600 students. KSU-Salem has about 1,050 students.
"We remain very much committed to offering higher education at East Liverpool," Gaston said Thursday, however.
He added that university officials also are pondering converting KSU-Salem's radiologic technology program from two years to four.

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