×

Blue Ribbon Higher Education Commission to look at community and technical colleges

CHARLESTON — Despite being excluded from the original charter and proclamation, community and technical colleges could become part of the discussion by the new group looking at higher education reform in West Virginia.

The Blue Ribbon Commission on Four-Year Higher Education held its second meeting by conference call Friday afternoon. Commissioners voted to draft a formal response to send to Gov. Jim Justice requesting he add community and technical colleges to the executive order creating the commission.

Justice created the commission last month to look at current funding, governance, inefficiencies and long-term viability of the state’s four-year schools. The commission is co-chaired by Gordon Gee, president of West Virginia University; Jerome Gilbert, president of Marshall University; and Kendra Boggess, president of Concord University.

Some have expressed concern about not including community and technical colleges as part of the overall mission of the commission. Gee said he had no issues with including the two-year institutions, but it would require the governor to amend the executive order creating the commission.

“I went back and checked with the governor,” Gee said. “They preferred we move forward on the four-year institutions initially, and then as we make progress they would be happy to change the charge to include a role in the other institutions. I think that actually that makes sense.”

Mira Martin, president of Fairmont State University, shares a campus with Pierpont Community and Technical College. She said including two-year schools in the planning of higher education is a must.

“As I understand the charge of the governor, it’s to provide him with a new and innovative approach to serve the people of West Virginia through 21st century education,” Martin said. “In my opinion, I would submit if we are not able to include the community colleges in this blue ribbon commission, then we are really not meeting the governor’s charge in providing him with options and alternatives to the delivery of higher education in West Virginia.”

Mira said that community and technical colleges do more than just offer workforce development and certificates for trades. They also provide specific degree programs also taught at four-year schools.

“There is duplication of efforts between the four-year institutions and the community and technical colleges,” Martin said. “I do believe very strongly that for us to be able to do our jobs and serve the people of West Virginia best by ensuring the educational opportunities afforded to them are non-duplicative and are of the highest quality at the most accessible and affordable cost, they need and must be included.”

Mike Farrell, chairman of the state Higher Education Policy Commission, recommended the blue ribbon commission ask the governor to amend the executive order as soon as possible.

“I think the dilemma we find ourselves in is that the governor, from a political point of view, does not want to address CTC institution issues,” Farrell said. “I’m concerned that this is a major undertaking and we have a limited time to do it. If the governor is going to dismiss CTC issues as being beyond our charter, we need to know that in August, not November.”

The commission plans to meet eight times every two weeks before December, when Justice expects the commission to report its findings. Gee said the committee plans to meet in person four times, with other meetings being conducted by conference call.

“We hope that that will give us enough time,” Gee said. “Obviously we might have meetings in between. We might have issues that certain people need to focus on.”

In-person meetings will occur at the offices of Steptoe and Johnson in Bridgeport, and another meeting will happen at Tamarack in Beckley. The meetings are open to the public. The commission will launch a new website soon, where the public can keep track of the commission’s meetings and publicly available information.

(Adams can be contacted at sadams@newsandsentinel.com)

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $4.73/week.

Subscribe Today