State OKs $3M Advance for Eastern Gateway

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Controlling Board approved another $3 million advance for Eastern Gateway Community College, allowing it to get through spring semester.

The board, composed of members of the Ohio General Assembly, approved the request Monday. It’s the third advance of state share of instruction dollars approved by the Controlling Board for the beleaguered community college since August.

Last month, trustees for the college, based in Steubenville with a campus in downtown Youngstown, voted to pause enrollment and registration after the current semester, which ends in May.

“We’re committed to completing the spring semester,” John Crooks, Eastern Gateway interim president, said after the meeting.

Trustees and the Ohio Department of Higher Education will have to determine what happens at the college after that. The trustees’ next regular meeting is March 20.

“The best course of action for the institution at this time has been to pause,” Crooks said.

Eastern Gateway is working with Youngstown State University and five Ohio community colleges – Cuyahoga Community, Stark State, Belmont, Hocking and Washington State – to serve students, he said.

YSU announced last week it had submitted paperwork to the Higher Learning Commission to establish a physical campus in Steubenville. The university intends to offer associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. 

YSU President Bill Johnson also met last week with superintendents from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center. He told the kindergarten through 12th-grade educational leaders that YSU would transition the College Credit Plus program from Eastern Gateway. CCP enables middle and high school students to earn college credits.  

Of the 8,859 students enrolled this semester at Eastern Gateway, 1,765 are enrolled through CCP. That’s up from 1,560 CCP students last spring. Total spring 2023 enrollment was 24,472.

Stark State, located in North Canton and the fourth largest community college in the state, announced in a news release that it is enrolling Eastern Gateway students.

“Stark State serves Akron, Canton and surrounding counties – a service district that is similar in demographics and industry to Mahoning, Trumbull, Jefferson and surrounding counties,” Para M. Jones, Stark State president, said in the news release. “We offer the quality, affordability, value, classes and support services to help students earn degrees that prepare them for immediate employment in high-demand fields and/or university transfer.

Jones added that the college is already serving some Mahoning County students.

Copyright 2024 The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.