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STEUBENVILLE -- The Ohio Controlling Board on Tuesday approved a nearly $6.1 million advance to help Eastern Gateway Community College finish the spring term.
The money, a three-month advance from State Share of Instruction funds, comes with strings attached -- mainly that all expenditures are subject to approval by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and are contingent on the college's satisfactory progress toward meeting specific benchmarks, including cost containment and workforce reductions.
Enrollments beyond the spring semester were paused two weeks ago so administrators could focus on getting the college's finances back on track.
At the time, the department of higher education stated it was a board of trustees' decision, but since then insiders have said the state has assumed control of decision-making functions at the school.
After the spring semester, students who still don't have enough credits to graduate will have to transfer to another college to complete their degrees.
A spokesman for the school, also known as EGCC, said Tuesday afternoon officials had not yet had the opportunity to examine the complete list.
The controlling board said college officials will have to:
• Meet with the higher education department weekly "and provide all information requested to ensure that actions taken are commensurate with the urgency needed to meet this list of conditions."
• Provide students with "clear and direct guidance on options to continue their education as seamlessly as possible, using a comprehensive student communications plan endorsed by the department of higher education, and develop an ongoing communications plan for current students.
• Commit to the "successful completion" of the spring semester.
In addition, the board said the college must implement "personnel actions" requested by its board of trustees to preserve cash flow for student educational continuity; develop a strategy, with the state department's approval, to identify and retain key school personnel deemed essential to operations and student education through the spring semester; and continue to cooperate with the supplemental resources made available to the college, which include "regular communication with faculty and staff who may be affected by the board's decision to pause enrollment and registration for semesters beyond spring semester 2024."
The school also must work with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services regarding employment support for affected personnel and provide assistance with applying for benefits and with reemployment efforts in collaboration with partner colleges or other employers.
The college also is being asked to maintain collaboration among the board of trustees and staff with partners, including Youngstown State University and other academic institutions, to assure "seamless continuation opportunities for existing EGCC students, including students participating in the College Credit Plus program."
Officials have been asked to enact procurement controls necessary to prohibit entering into contracts for services that extend obligations beyond the conclusion of the spring semester "without review and approval of ODHE and the board of trustees to respond to exceptional circumstances;" show sustained and continuous review and elimination of all nonessential expenses; and continue review of the college's organizational structure and ongoing recommendations to ensure an "enhanced efficiency of operations."
The controlling board also wants the department of higher education to be involved in meetings with the U.S. Department of Education and Higher Learning Commission as an interested party "and provide immediate notification of significant actions taken by such parties which may have any form of negative financial or academic implications for the college, or any actions otherwise taken."