BC3 expands into 11 more counties in Pa.
DUBOIS — Butler County Community College today announced it will expand into 11 counties that form the Education Consortium of the Upper Allegheny.
Initially, BC3@Upper Allegheny will offer 11 courses, six online and five in classrooms, beginning Jan. 18. Adjunct professors will be hired in several counties for the classroom courses.
"We understand our role as one of the 14 community colleges in the state to go into areas without community colleges," said Nick Neupauer, BC3 president.
There are no other community colleges north of Interstate 80.
Talks on this project began more than a year ago, Neupauer said.
This education consortium covers Crawford, Venango, Warren, Forest, Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield, Elk, Cameron, McKean and Potter counties.
ECUA was formed to attract a community college to that area, according to its website, www.ecupa.org.
"This is entirely on their (ECUA's) dime," said Jim Hrabosky, BC3 vice president of administration and finance.
The BC3 staff will not bill ECUA for their time, but the college will earn the difference between the revenue and expenses of the project, as well as a 45 percent overhead fee, Hrabosky said.
Through the efforts of state Sen. Joe Scarnati, R-Jefferson, ECUA received $400,000 from the state Department of Education to fund the project for two years, Scarnati spokesman Tim Nyquist said.
Scarnati is Pennsylvania's lieutenant governor, and will hold that position until Jan. 18. He also is the Senate's president pro tempore.
Expansion controversy
BC3's expansion outside of Butler County was the subject of controversy in April when Jack McMillan, county controller, refused to pay BC3 the first of four $1.2 million regular payments. The county gives BC3 $4.9 million annually.
BC3 and the county sued McMillan to release the funds. The suit was dismissed after the college agreed to provide McMillan with an independent audit to show that its Lawrence and Mercer county sites are not funded by Butler County taxpayers.
Between 400 and 500 students attend classes at the Lawrence and Mercer county sites and pay double tuition, Neupauer said. Butler County's support of BC3 offsets the tuition cost for county residents.
The audit that McMillan requested is being completed by Black, Bashor and Porsch, certified public accountants with offices in Sharon. A draft of the audit will be presented at BC3's November 17 board meeting. The board will vote on its adoption in December.
The second and third 2010 county payments to BC3 were made in June and September. The fourth is scheduled for December.
Course offerings
BC3@Upper Allegheny's six online classes will provide credits toward either an associate in applied science degree in business management or an associate arts degree in general studies.
Classroom work will focus on development skills, including English, reading, mathematics and basic computer functions.
Through the education consortium, BC3 will hold the developmental classes and computer laboratories in five locations: two vo-tech schools and three Community Education Council classrooms.
BC3's main satellite location will be the Jefferson County Career Center in Reynoldsville, where the office of Jill Martin Rend, its director, will be located.
The other four satellite locations are the Potter County CEC in Port Allegany, the CEC of Elk and Cameron Counties in St. Mary's, the Warren-Forest Higher Education Council in Warren, and the Clarion County Career Center in Shippenville.
As in Lawrence and Mercer counties, more courses will be offered at the five locations over time. Eventually, BC3 might construct its own building, as it has in Lawrence and Mercer counties, Neupauer said.
The effort to provide community college classes, what Neupauer calls "quality education that is both affordable and accessible," in rural areas is a trend that has gained supporters at numerous levels of government.
"This is a statewide issue, not just a (Butler) county issue," Neupauer said.
Statewide strategy
BC3's aspiration to become northwestern Pennsylvania's regional community college is its first goal in the 2010 to 2015 Strategic Plan it adopted in June.
The college planned to examine at least three expansion opportunities per year between 2011 and 2015, but will refrain from doing so now, Neupauer said.
"This will have taken care of that," he said.
The expansion of community colleges into areas where none exist is a goal shared by Pennsylvania's other 13 community colleges, according to Diane Bosak, executive director of the Pennsylvania Commission for Community Colleges.
"It's something that's been happening for years," Bosak said.
She said Northampton Community College of Bethlehem, Harrisburg Area Community College of Harrisburg and Delaware County Community College of Media all have expanded into counties beyond their original service areas.
"The original county is not paying," for the expansions, Bosak said. "Students pay through higher tuition and fees."
