The Rich Mountain Community College board unanimously approved Wednesday a merger with the University of Arkansas System.
The smallest college in the state can join the system if the University of Arkansas System board also approves the merger. That body will take up the matter during its May 25-26 meeting in De Queen, Rich Mountain President Phillip Wilson said in a news release Wednesday night.
"The decision to move forward with the request to become a member of the University of Arkansas System will provide greater opportunities for those we serve," Rich Mountain's board chairman, Sue Cavner, said in a prepared statement. "The overwhelming support received from students, staff and community members confirmed the Board's decision for the continued success for our community college."
Rich Mountain's board took up the proposal to merge Wednesday evening, some four months after UA System President Donald Bobbitt first approached Wilson about the possibility. Bobbitt presented his proposal to Rich Mountain's board in February.
Since then, Wilson has held many open discussions with the faculty and staff about a merger. He has said he has not had any opposition to the idea.
Rich Mountain is currently home to 932 students.
With a merger, the Mena school's students can have more programming options, along with a degree with the University of Arkansas stamp on it, the college's leaders have said. A merger would also help ease student transfers, as many of Rich Mountain's enrollees end up attending the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, the leaders have said.
UA System trustees will weigh whether to allow the community college into the system effective July 1. If they assent, Rich Mountain will become the sixth community college in the UA System, leaving half of the 22 two-year colleges in the state as independent.
Pulaski Technical College in North Little Rock is also considering a merger with the UA System. College trustees heard a proposal from Bobbitt last month but have not publicly decided on the matter.
The UA System's latest partnership was in 2004 with the inclusion of the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock. Just months before, the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts became part of the UA System. Before that, in 2002, Westark Community College in Fort Smith joined the UA System, becoming the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith.
In the state, the latest higher-education merger was last year when what was Mid-South Community College in West Memphis joined the Arkansas State University System.
Bobbitt was unavailable for an interview late Wednesday.
Rich Mountain started in 1973 as a vocational-technical school and later became an arm of Henderson State University in Arkadelphia. In 1983, it became a community college, opening with 290 students after Polk County voters passed a 5-mill tax to support it.
Now the Mena college at the foot of the Ouachita Mountains serves Polk, Montgomery and Scott counties with satellite campuses in Waldron and Mount Ida.
Wilson, the college's president, applauded his board for its leadership in this decision.
"From discussions with all involved, the decision to join the University of Arkansas System is in the best interest of all our stakeholders," he said in a prepared statement. "This is truly a day that we can all be proud of."
Metro on 04/28/2016