Community Colleges Establish Southwest Arkansas Regional Consortium

EL DORADO, AR – Today, the five Community Colleges serving southwest and south Arkansas met in El Dorado on the Campus of South Arkansas Community College to establish the Southwest Arkansas Community College Consortium.  The agreement unites the resources of these institutions with the mission to create a regional educational and workforce development vision to support economic development.  The goal of the Consortium is to combine the resources and expertise of the Consortium members in the pursuit of grants and other funding opportunities to promote innovation in education and workforce development. 

The Consortium includes Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, DeQueen; Rich Mountain Community College, Mena; South Arkansas Community College, El Dorado; Southern Arkansas University Tech, East Camden; and the University of Arkansas Community College at Hope.  The agreement also includes collaboration with the Arkansas Association of Two Year Colleges as a key partner.  

This Consortium will serve as a tool for the two-year colleges to work together on economic development and job creation approaches that are productive for the entire service region.  It is intended that this partnership will also enhance the region’s ability to compete and secure federal grant funding that will benefit the students, the communities the institutions serve and the region as a whole.  Dr. Barbara Jones, President of South Arkansas Community College noted that, “At this time when the nation, state, and region have increased demands for rapid response to workforce development needs and when the colleges and universities are facing funding challenges, the consortium will encourage sharing of scarce resource and expertise to meet our regional needs.”  

UACCH Chancellor Chris Thomason, who will serve as the Consortium’s first chairman, said, “The creation of the Southwest Arkansas Community College Consortium stands as the primary example of the recognition by the members of the role we play in the supporting growth for the entire region of Arkansas that we are all honored to serve.  The Consortium will promote our collective commitment to meeting the present and future workforce needs of all our service area communities.”   The Chancellors and Presidents of these two-year colleges understand “Together is better than alone” when it comes to improving a region. CCCUA Chancellor-Elect Steve Cole supported the “team” spirit of the agreement by saying, "I feel that since our institutions are economic engines in our communities, this collaboration will help our communities grow, and southwest and south Arkansas residents will benefit greatly from this unselfish and unique arrangement."

These educational leaders came together today to officially partner as a unified group to promote and improve job opportunities in southwest and south Arkansas.  Ed Franklin, Executive Director of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, described the importance of the Consortium’s creation by saying, “This is another example of how Arkansas two-year colleges are working together to meet the economic development needs of the state.  By working together these colleges will be able to identify educational strategies that will support the focused job development of the entire region.” 

For more information, visit the UACCH website at www.uacch.edu.

Picture Caption: Five Community Colleges serving Southwest and South Arkansas met to establish the South West Arkansas Consortium of Community Colleges, which took place at South Arkansas Community College in El Dorado.

Pictured Signing the MOU on theFront row, from left, President Wayne Hatcher of Rich Mountain Community College in Mena, Chancellor-Elect Steve Cole of
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas in DeQueen, Chancellor Chris Thomason of the University of Arkansas Community College-Hope, Chancellor Dr. Corbet Lamkin of Southern Arkansas University-Tech in Camden and President Dr. Barbara Jones of South Arkansas Community College.

Back row, Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Steve Rook of RMCC, Vice President of Learning Dr. Val Cantu of SouthArk, Director of Workforce Training Steve Lease of the Arkansas Association of Two-Year Colleges, Executive Director Dr. Ed Franklin of AATYC and Vice Chancellor for Academics Jennifer Methvin of UACCH.