The opportunity to get a GED diploma in Allen County has been drastically reduced.
Trustees at Allen Community College learned Tuesday night funding for the college’s GED program had been cut by 83 percent by the state for next year.
The adult ed program is funded by a State of Kansas grant that assists in preparing interested adults to take the GED examination to earn a high school equivalent diploma. The program was not meeting the state’s enrollment goals. For 2014, Allen had 53 students enrolled, down from 104 students in 2011. The state-mandated enrollment goal is 80. Next year the goal is 104.
Jon Marshall, vice president for academic affairs, said he was unsure how the goals were set for the college and met with Susan Fish, state director of adult education with the Kansas Board of Regents. Fish had said when she took her position the enrollment in adult education across the state was in decline. It was a goal to raise the numbers back to its original glory. Fish also said although the counties Allen serves might be losing census, data shows people without a diploma is rising.
“We can’t make people want services,” Marshall told the trustees. “We can’t force people to be educated.”
Because the enrollment goal was not met, state funds will now be reduced to $17,320.80 from $101,191. Although this is not ideal for the Allen program, Marshall said he is looking at the positives.
“I feel this program is important to the college,” Marshall said. “I choose to look at it as a way to appropriately size the program.”
The department will be reduced by two full-time positions to one full-time and one part-time position.
Marshall said he has looked into many avenues for the future of the program. He has spoken to other programs in the state and there might be a possibility of collaborating with other programs.
“I have no pride in ownership,” Marshall said. “If we conform with another school I’m fine with that. What’s important is that we have services.”
IN OTHER business, Steve Troxel, vice president for finance and operations, said the gym floor will be sanded. It has come to the staff’s attention there is some water damage to boards. “We need to fix the floors and figure out where the water damage is coming from,” Troxel said.
The trustees approved funds for the project exceeding no more than $50,000.
John Masterson, ACC president, said grass on the soccer field has had some trouble growing since it was established in the early 2000s. Trustees agreed to have the field worked on.
An articulation agreement with Rasmussen College, Inc., Minneapolis, and a reverse transfer agreement with Kansas State University was approved. An articulation agreement recognizes that the two educational institutions agree to work together to provide educational opportunities for students.
