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First public forum held for FSCC-PSU partnership
The first of two public forums to discuss a possible expanded partnership between Fort Scott Community College and Pittsburg State University took place Tuesday at the Danny and Willa Ellis Fine Arts Center on the FSCC campus.
Unlike other public forums, this was a controlled setting in which attendees were assigned seating. Each group was asked to discuss and answer five questions provided to them, then make a report at the end of the forum.
FSCC President Clayton Tatro and PSU President Steve Scott spoke at the forum, and Jackie Vietti, retired Butler Community College president, who is serving as the mediator for the two institutions, led the group session.
"Tonight is all about listening. I've had folks all week asking me if we've already got it figured out and it's just a matter of putting it on paper," Tatro said. "The reality is we do not have anything figured out. This is a matter of us listening to our respective communities and getting feedback to know if this is a good idea, if it makes sense, and if it does, how might we go about putting it together."
He said a "conscious effort" has been made to put everything "on the table" before a plan is developed. The model for the partnership will be created based on the feedback from the communities.
Tatro said he began thinking last spring "How we might do things differently," and approached Scott with the idea of expanding the partnership.
"Obviously we have a strong relationship with PSU and with our programs down there," Tatro said. "But as you look at the environment we find ourselves in, the economy we find ourselves in, does it make sense to consider a different arrangement or a different possibility in terms of our two institutions."
"When Clayton brought this idea to me and said 'Are you interested in where this partnership might go?' I have to tell you, I had a great interest in that," Scott said.
He said as a detail-oriented person, he asked "How do you get the right voices at the table at the right time?"
"Really, to just think about it," Scott said. "Don't make a decision on Day One, but think about what it might look like, then as you expand the discussion as we are right now, really listen to the voices and let the voices guide how we go."
He said there has been a long-standing relationship with FSCC, which he said has been good for students, the region and Fort Scott and PSU.
"Those partnerships have worked well," Scott said, adding that expanding that relationship makes sense to him.
"There's no doubt we can continue to do business as usual," Scott said. "The problem is, all the rules are changing. The funding is very challenging."
The teams from both institutions have met four or five times since January, and have set parameters as starting points, Tatro said, and he provided those to the forum attendees.
The expanded partnership must be good for both institutions and increase the "capacity" to serve students and the community.
"If it doesn't increase the capacity, what's the point?" Tatro said.
There is a possibility to increase efficiencies and benefits to both institutions. That could be cost savings or fiscal efficiencies or students services and student success.
One assumption that has been made is that if the FSCC and PSU form a "full partnership," the Kansas Board of Regents would assume responsibility of the role of governance and supervision. PSU could assume the responsibility of personnel and management, with oversight management through a university president at PSU and a full-time senior administrator located in Fort Scott, Tatro said.
"We think it is important to maintain a local identity and the idea that we would have a local college," Tatro said.
If there was a "full-blown" partnership, Tatro said it would be important to have a locally-elected board of trustees in Fort Scott to oversee local matters.
There is a possibility for shared best practices and shared staff when appropriate, he said.
"The reality is, Fort Scott Community College is doing a pretty good job with what it has," Tatro said. "But if we had the opportunity to tap into an institution that has different practices, different models, different resources, that might make some sense as well."
Being on the same information technology system might also be a benefit, he said. Having all students in the same student database might provide an easier integration for when students move from the two-year college to the four-year university. If a "full-blown" partnership were to be created, there could be single enrollment reporting through PSU.
A benefit to PSU is that it could tap into FSCC's developmental education programs, but PSU's Kansas College of Technology could be a benefit for FSCC's students.
In the event the "full-blown partnership," FSCC staff, faculty and administration would become employees of PSU.
Regardless of the outcome from these discussions, Tatro said it is important for FSCC to retain its identity. That could be done with the athletic programs, which would still be a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association and the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
"We would continue to (be) the Greyhounds," Tatro said.
Collective bargaining for faculty would also be a stand-alone process, he said.
"Endowments and foundations would most likely stay separate and stand alone," Tatro said. "One piece that would be huge to the college, which might not be to the lay person is to keep separate accreditation. If we do this, we need to make sure we're separately accredited with with the higher learning Association of Colleges and Universities. That's a huge piece to make sure we hang on to who we are."
As for the future funding for FSCC if a full partnership occurs, Tatro said there would be a budget for FSCC within the PSU budget and there would be no "co-mingling" of the funds, Tatro said.
Students could have expanded training and education opportunities and an increased opportunity to reach their educational goals, Tatro said. There could be general enrollment and dual advising.
For the community, Tatro sees a possibility of a more skilled workforce, an optimal stewardship of limited resources.
"The reality, based on what we're faced with today, we've got to look at doing business differently," Tatro said. "Is there a different model, a different design that might help us with using what we currently have in a more optimal way."
Tatro said he was pleased with the first forum.
"I was excited for the turnout, the dialogue, plenty of questions," Tatro said after the forum. "An opportunity for us to compile this information, start putting it together and start laying out a plan."
The plan, whether it be an expanded partnership or a merger, is yet to be determined he said.
"At this point we don't have it defined," Tatro said. "I think it could be everything from formalizing what we currently have all the way to a total merger or a long way in between. There is no preconceived idea right now as to what may result. Is merger a definite possibility? Sure. But there a may be a different model that emerges, so I don't want anybody to think there definitely will be a merger."
Tatro said there could be a different "arrangement or relationship that could work better."