Community college plan prompts some questions

Long before Gov. Ted Strickland and Chancellor Eric Fingerhut adopted the creation of a two-year college in the Mahoning Valley as an integral part of their vision for higher education in Ohio, this newspaper was leading the charge for such an initiative.

Indeed, we will take a some credit for candidate Strickland’s pledge to establish a community college in this area if he were elected. That the governor has kept the pledge is praiseworthy.

But we aren’t ready to endorse what has been made public so far of the plan that’s on Chancellor Fingerhut’s drawing board.

The general concept is a good one, creating an institution that provides affordable college-level courses to residents in Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Jefferson counties. The addition of Jefferson Community College, which has an enrollment of 1,800, takes some thinking about before it begins to make sense. And given that the college is supported by a special countywide levy, the advantages outweigh any disadvantages.

That said, there are a couple of major issues we believe must be addressed before the community college plan is put in effect. The governor’s goal is to have it in operation in the fall of 2009.

Kent State branches

The first is one that has preoccupied us for many years: the status of the branch campuses of Kent State University. Without a doubt, the one branch in Trumbull County and two in Columbiana County are competition for Youngstown State University, which has the mission as a state institution of providing higher education to people living in this region.

Indeed, in our discussions with Strickland before and after he became governor, we pointed to the misguided policy of permitting a four-year institution in Kent to troll for students in an area served by another four-year institution. Both are supported by public dollars.

Throughout the discussion about the community college, it has been our understanding that the Kent State branches would come under the umbrella of the new institution and that the four-year degrees they now offer would no longer exist.

Indeed, the offering of such degrees goes beyond the original intent of two-year institutions where associate degrees are to be earned.

We would hope that Chancellor Fingerhut revisits the governor’s original idea about the branch campuses.

The second issue of concern has to do with the loss revenue to YSU when students who are now admitted as freshmen and immediately need remediation for basis courses of study are directed to the two-year institution.

Given that the formula for state funding for higher education will be changed next year with a de-emphasis on enrollment of full-time students, it is important that YSU not suffer financially with the creation of the community college.

Fingerhut should develop a plan to financially bolster YSU for several years until it is able to reconfigure its budget.

Our support for a community college remains firm, but before a plan is adopted by the state, we would urge Gov. Strickland to get directly involved in what is being developed so the interests of this region and the interests of YSU are protected.