Proposed junior

Proposed junior-college merger

Jan. 1, 2001

by Aspen C. Emmett
Journal Staff Writer

What began perhaps as a "shotgun wedding" between San Juan Basin Technical School and Pueblo Community College, has been put on hold until the two institutions can sort through their assets, figure out financial feasibility and agree on a "last name."

According to Graham Nielson, Vo-Tech Board of Controls president, the task force for the merger is looking at four possibilities for the future: Merge the two schools and become an independent community college; merge as a full-service branch of Pueblo Community College; team up with Mesa State College in Grand Junction and form a Western Slope Community College; or remain two separate schools.

The initial push to unite PCC and the Vo-Tech was well received between the two schools and seemed to solve several problems including finances, expanding services and campus construction needs. Additionally, a merger would allow students to take the same course and select whether they wanted to apply the credit to an associate degree or a certificate program.

However, the excitement quickly faded when the two groups sat down to work on the logistics.

Wednesday night’s task force meeting brought many problems to a head, creating more questions than answers. At times the meeting became heated with a "my people versus your people" attitude between the two schools, rather than "us." Each entity seemed to struggle with who would be taking over who or if the two would truly be able to blend into one school.

The most heavily discussed possibility was that of becoming a branch of PCC, which some argued would be the most feasible option because it would bring about more funding from the state. One flip side to that, though, would be an increase in tuition from $47 a credit to $60 a credit — something many fear would deter local students, especially when the main competition, San Juan Community College in Farmington, only charges $15 a credit.

The general consensus was that the community would best be served by a stand-alone institution but financially, it was a tough road to achieve such a goal.

Graham expressed concerns that becoming a PCC branch would be a "takeover" of the Vo-Tech and would jeopardize certificate programs as well as job security for existing employees.

Mike Davis of PCC headquarters in Pueblo, who was in attendance at the meeting, assured skeptics that the merger would not be a takeover, and the best interest of the community was his primary concern.

"We’re not interested in duplicating efforts," Davis said, agreeing that the ultimate goal should be an independent community college and that PCC could be a stepping stone.

The group agreed that improved communication between the school would help tremendously.

"Two parallel lines will never intersect," said Kevin Mulliken with the Vo-Tech board. "Somehow we need to figure out how to make one bold line."

Mulliken’s comment calmed the nerves of the group and they began to discuss marketing strategies to assess the community’s wants and needs as well as looking toward a policy agreement between the schools.

Bill Lewis, executive director of the Vo-Tech, commented that relations between the schools had come a long way in recent years.

"There’s no lines in the hallway where PCC stops and the Vo-Tech starts," Lewis said.