Eastern Gateway Community College trustees approve new dissolution plan

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Eastern Gateway Community College’s Board of Trustees voted on a new plan to dissolve the college.

In March, trustees passed a resolution to announce plans to dissolve on June 30 unless they obtained sufficient funding prior to May 31.

Wednesday, they agreed to push that date to October 31 to give students time to finish their schooling.

Eastern Gateway will now provide summer classes in order to capture more state funding as the state’s fiscal year begins July 1.

“Today the trustees did extend education through the summer months to allow for the Department of Education — Ohio Department of Education to provide the school with the share of state subsidy,” said Jim Gasior, a board of trustees member.

The school has been in financial difficulty. A teach-out has been expanded from about six institutions to 20 now. The funding from the state will help Eastern Gateway.

“They are looking at helping us get our state share of instruction for fiscal year 25, so we can wrap up and wind down appropriately,” said Eastern Gateway President Dr. John Crooks.

The extra summer classes will push back the dissolution date to November 1. That’s when Eastern Gateway’s accreditation with the state will run out.

“But we really believe that the school term the last school term will end in August with the summer semester,” Gasior said.

“It’s to make sure the institution can meet all its educational goals, try to help the students make that seamless transition, and then also have Eastern Gateway go out in a very positive way in a very difficult and trying situation,” Crooks said.

October 31 is the last day Eastern Gateway can function as an accredited school. November 1 is when it will lose the ability to operate.

YSU has admitted over 656 students of the 1,300 who have applied from Eastern Gateway.
It says it is exploring opportunities to establish a YSU presence in the Steubenville area.

The vote was made during the trustees’ regular meeting on Wednesday.

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