2000

current

lltarlanne Todd/The Meridian Star

"We have a really outstand– ing strong .faculty who is teach– \ng out of the virtual community college. They are some of the most creative and talented peo– ple I have ever seen." Out-of-state virtual college students still have to pay out-of– station t uition, but they are not constrained by geographical bor– ders, time and space. "When people become acquainted with a community college they want their children and friends to go because they understand the quality issue and cost issue. If you look at those two things there is a very strong case for making the deci– sion to go to community college," Ray said. Marianne Todd is a staff writer for The Mendian Star. E-mail her at mtodd@meridianstar.com.

When f Southern. h- ~1::.~1ppi announced they would hire faculty and e roll students for freshman– and sophomore-level courses at a Gulf Coast ca mpus , Ray's board became one of 38 plain– tiffs to stop the move. '·The law is very clear on this issue. It simply say... universi– ties may not offer off campus low-level cour.. e- without the approval of the ~tate Board of Communil\ and Junior Col– lege.-.," Ray :atd The nature between entiue~ needs to be comp tal) ra he-r than com he -md. The danger duJplic:a tion of course offenngs. Dl'< r~tty

"We have a community col– lege system. We don't need a university system to compete with it. That's essentially where we are. We don't have the kind of money to pay for the duplica– tion that will come out of this. That's just the bottom line. We draw the line in the sand, because it wo uld be a prece– dent." Ray said community colleges abo are -.hanging in that they .. now offer virtual community college· a o:y::.tem of on-li ne cour-e~ de-igned so anyone, can a ttend classes. from ar ~nd the

much competltion fi r pool f tuden~ Th It'= hare .of uppo