Daily Press Writer
GUNNISON — Western State College in Gunnison is one signature away from a graduate program.
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The bill is simple. It states that the college offers undergraduate liberal arts and sciences, teacher preparation and business degree programs, and will also offer “a limited number of graduate programs.” The bill changes the wording of the college’s statutory role and mission by inserting the last phrase.
Western’s Director of Public Relations Larry Meredith said the college is trying to get the governor to come to Gunnison to sign the bill, but had not heard anything as of Thursday.
One program the college has considered offering, said Meredith, is in education. He said the school already has a teacher education program with a summer institute that assists more than 200 teachers in updating education and certifications.
“It makes for a natural expansion,” he said.
If the bill passes, the wording of the statutory role and mission will be similar to the statutes of Adams State College in Alamosa, Mesa State College in Grand Junction and Fort Lewis College in Durango.
Colorado Sen. Gail Schwartz, D-Aspen, a long-time supporter of higher education, cosponsored the bill with Rep. Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison. Schwartz said a graduate program at Western is a step towards retaining educated people in Colorado.
“It’s so important to the communities, counties and region to make sure students can stay in Colorado,” she said.
The college is currently constructing a new business building and Meredith said a graduate program could also come out of that department.
Western discontinued its graduate program in 1985 after the Colorado Commission on Higher Education directed the college to do so. It complied during the 1988-89 academic year and removed all master-level degrees.
“The town and college were really disappointed when the programs were discontinued,” Meredith said, adding he hardly goes a day without someone asking when master’s programs will return.
Meredith said Western is financially secure, which provided the right time to work on reintroducing programs.
If the bill passes, Western has a few more obstacles to overcome before it can offer any programs, which could take a couple of years, Meredith said.
The college must apply for degree authorizations from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association in the master’s programs it wishes to offer. The process could take up to 18 months, he said, because it requires a self-study and campus visit by the commission. The Department of Education and the Colorado Commission of Higher Education must also evaluate the proposal.
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