CES baccalaureate dream fades

When the plan was announced for the Commonwealth Educational System restructuring, it seemed like smooth sailing for the University. That is, until the state Secretary of Education took the wind out of its sails.

But the Beaver, McKeesport and New Kensington campuses aren't crying.

"Like all other campuses, we went through a long period of soul-searching and planning. It's very disappointing to have these plans put on hold. But it is not the end of the world," said Catherine Gannon, the campus executive officer of the New Kensington Campus.

The three campuses have achieved one part of their two-part goal -- a merger with nine other campuses to form the Commonwealth College. However, they lack the official status that allows them to grant baccalaureate degrees.

To remedy this, the campus executive officers each designated a resource person to form a team that will work to develop a revised submission plan for Hickok's review. This three-member team will work closely with Senior Vice President and Dean of the Commonwealth Educational System Robert Dunham and his office on the plan.

"I've told the campuses that we fully intend to resubmit," Dunham said.

The Commonwealth Campus team hopes these new changes will please the Secretary of Education.

"We're looking forward to the Fall of 1998 with great hope that between then and now a plan will be developed and Secretary Hickok will be gracious enough to approve it," said Dennis Travis, the campus executive officer of the Beaver Campus.

Because the University was worried about insufficient documentation for the need of baccalaureate programs in the southwestern region of the state, the main focuses of the revision are both a need and program assessment. Also, the team will make detailed demographic and economic impact studies.

In a written statement, Nancy Herron, director for student affairs at the McKeesport Campus, said "over the next year plans for data gathering are in place to help more clearly define which four year programs are most appropriate for delivery at the McKeesport Campus."

The plan could be finished in the summer, Travis said, but he stressed that this will only occur if there are no unforeseen developments or delays. Resubmission of the plan to Hickok by University President Graham Spanier and Dunham will occur when the plans are revised to the best of the team's ability, University officials said.