Erie County Executive Mark DiVecchio is either blowing smoke about involving all four local colleges and universities in his proposal for a local community college, or he doesn’t understand his own proposal. Mere involvement is not the issue. It’s assumed that more than one of the four local colleges as well as area vo-tech institutions would be involved in some way and provide relevant services.
The threshhold issue is which college or university, if any, would be designated as the “contracted branch college” under his proposal, privately formulated in conjunction with former Mercyhurst president Bill Garvey.
DiVecchio’s proposal, outlined in the needs study he released on Oct., 2007, calls for a five-year business and operating plan under which the proposed community college’s Board of Trustees would contract “with an existing post-secondary Erie County Institution with Middle States Accreditation (the contracted branch campus) to manage the academic operations and functions common to the existing fourteen Pennsylvania community colleges, including degree programs, student campus life, etc.”
According to reports, DiVecchio and Garvey had complicitly decided that Mercyhurst would be the “contracted branch college” which would oversee the entire community college operation. However, that decision has been challenged by Edinboro University, which wants to be considered for the role. Sooner or late, presumably, Behrend/Penn State and Gannon will also have something to say about that.
Now, under pressure from critics, DiVecchio appears to be backing away from his original plan, but seems to be confused by his own permutations.
In an article today in the Times-News, DiVecchio was quoted as saying “the partnership would be more of a managerial contract. It wasn't to do all of the programs and all the courses of study we wanted.” But that’s contrary to his written plan under which the contracted branch college would unilaterally decide who would do what, when and how.
DiVecchio now says he wants to meet with the four school presidents (besides Mercyhurst, Edinboro, Behrend/Penn State and Gannon) to get "their formal blessing (for the college) and then ask them to be part of it."
"We don't want to duplicate anything that anybody has," he told the Times-News. "We just want to take the best of each university and college, and make it a part of the community college." He said he wants to meet with the four school presidents to get "their formal blessing (for the college) and then ask them to be part of it."
Under the DiVecchio/Garvey plan, the board of trustees would “provide the contracted campus with a Grant of $5,700 for each Erie County resident who has enrolled in the (community college) or its related satellite centers or programs.”
In addition to the county grant, the branch campus “will also receive all student tuition fees authorized each year by the board.” Then “the contracted branch campus will be expected to open a second similar campus around 2010-202 in another portion of Erie County (under the DiVecchio/Garvey plan, Mercyhurst, North East),” as well as develop satellite centers at existing vo-tech institutions throughout the area, including Meadville in Crawford County.
Barring a successful intervention outside the DiVecchio/Garvey camp, which initially selected Mercyhurst as the “contracted branch campus,” the second branch campus would be established at Mercyhurst, North East, leaving the other three colleges with merely providing ancillary services under the direction of Mercyhurst, which would call all the shots.
The community college’s board of trustees would consist of hand-picked members whose function would be to rubber-stamp Mercyhurst’s management and policy decisions about which role, if any, the other colleges and vo-tech centers would play within the overall plan.
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3 comments:
It's obvious to me thay Divecchio hasn't a clue what's in the proposed plan. Maybe one of his staff should read it to him. Or maybe he needs to this college so he can get educated himself.
Really why did anyone vote for him?
Joe,
I was baffled about those details as well. DiVecchio doesn't seem to fully understand the ramifications of his words and actions.
I mean, if he's going to cut a deal with Mercyhurst, then do it and let the chips fall where they may.
On contrast, if he's going to hold open hearings, then let's have all the college presidents put forth proposals and have a separate, disinterested group select the best proposal (Erie Community Foundation?).
The other option is to work directly with the State to establish the community college. After all, Butler Community College, CCAC, and Beaver (just to name three) are not affiliated with a separate, major college.
They are freestanding.
And the argument the Mercyhurst is the front-runner because they have Middle States Accredition is a red herring. Mercyhurst is not the only college in the area with Middle States Accreditation (I'm positive that Edinboro has it, and Behrend and Gannon probably do as well).
Interesting fact: the Mercyhurst faculty at the North East Campus does not have a Faculty Handbook, an element required by Middle States, but consistently shoved aside by...you guessed it...Dr. Garvey's administration.
The MNE faculty have been trying to get the handbook approved by the administration for EIGHT YEARS, and the last time Middle States came to Mercyhurst, they were shocked that no basic argeement existed between the MNE faculty and the Mercyhurst administration.
Ah....the irony.
DDDDDDDDDDDD
... Why is Garvey involved in anything in this town. This man should be too ashamed to walk out of his house. So. Have him help plan a community college? Yikes!
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