BUTLERTWP — Dr. William DiCuccio made a push to add faculty to the nursing program at Butler County Community College, which recently won a grant of more than $35,000.

DiCuccio told the BC3 board of directors the college can't accept all the students who qualify for the nursing program because it doesn't have the faculty. As a result, the school directs students to other programs at the college and still has a waiting list of about 30 students.

Adding three more nursing instructors, he said, means the college could accept as many as 60 more students. There are 277 applications for the program now, Ray Steffler, board chairman, said.

DiCuccio giving the academic assessment committee report in place of absent chairman Mike Meaders.

Joan Chew, board member, said she thought bringing more faculty to the program would be a good investment in the county.

Steffler said the committee report would be considered as the college prioritizes needs for the next budget.

The nursing program recently received a $36,120 job training grant from the state Department of Labor and Industry to buy a SimMan and SimBaby, simulated patients.