The House Education Committee voted Tuesday to advance legislation allowing Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute to merge into East Arkansas Community College.
After more than two hours of debate, the vote was 12-4. House Bill 1543 heads to the House for further consideration. Lawmakers have several times tried and failed to merge the two institutions since 2001.
This year's bill, by Rep. Steve Hollowell, R-Forrest City, does not require the schools to consolidate. Instead, the boards of directors for both institutions would have to vote in favor of it.
The schools are separated by a parking lot and a hedge.
The current board of directors at Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute opposes it, but Gov. Asa Hutchinson is expected to make an appointment in July to shift the balance of power on the board to support the consolidation, said Sen. Ronald Caldwell, R-Wynne, who is the Senate sponsor of the bill.
Coy Grace, president of East Arkansas Community College, said Tuesday that he supports the consolidation. Grace said the school has both degree and certificate programs and does not turn away students who apply.
A Bureau of Legislative Research fiscal analysis shows the merger would save the state about $1 million with a reduction in jobs and salaries.
"You have two administrators, two assistant administrators, two advertising budgets, two of everything," Caldwell said. "What this will do is to put both of those education systems under one administration."
Dozens of students and officials representing the institute attended the meeting to oppose the bill.
Roger Lawson, a welding student, said he fought in Iraq, returned to Arkansas, and was jobless and homeless before he enrolled at Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute. He said the school gave him a second chance.
"A lot of us have no other alternative other than a gas station or a McDonald's," he said. "This is our second chance. Without all of this, I would still be a statistic. Please say no to the merger."
Lawson said a key to his success in school is free transportation offered by the institute, because he does not have a car.
Other students said the institute's 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. class schedule allowed them to graduate more quickly.
Maria Markham, director of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education, said no state rules would prevent the college from offering similar policies.
Tom Holbrook, business industry coordinator for Crowley's Ridge Technical Institute, said the institute had asked the college what would happen to transportation and other policies, but had not received a response.
A Section on 03/01/2017