ACTION petition seeks central facility for community college in the Valley

The group believes the Mahoning Valley is being shortchanged.

STAFF REPORT

YOUNGSTOWN — Representatives of ACTION, a faith-based community organization, will deliver a petition to the Ohio Chancellor of Higher Education on Thursday calling for the establishment of a central facility for Eastern Gateway Community College.

The group has secured about 4,000 signatures on the petition going to Eric Fingerhut in Columbus.

The group will travel by van, leaving the Forum Health Northside Medical Center parking lot on Goleta Avenue at 7 a.m.

Rose Carter, ACTION organizer, said Eastern Gateway’s current form fails to serve the needs of Mahoning Valley residents.

The new college, which officially launched this fall, has no central campus but is offering classes at six locations across Mahoning, Trumbull, Columbiana and Jefferson counties as well as online.

Its headquarters is at Northside on Gypsy Lane, where there is limited classroom space.

It has 2,000 students enrolled with all but about 170 attending classes at its Jefferson County Campus, formerly Jefferson Community College.

ACTION has called for the creation of a comprehensive community college with a central campus, or at least the promise that such a facility will become a reality within five years.

The group said other areas of Ohio have been given comprehensive community colleges with central campuses, and the Mahoning Valley has been shortchanged.

“The Eastern Gateway Community College, as it is currently modeled, robs the greater Mahoning Valley of one last chance to bring about economic development and positive change,” said James E. Walker, co-chairman of ACTION’s public forum committee.