College Board gives final approval to EMCC nursing degree
By Dispatch Staff Report October 16, 2009 9:31:00 AM
MAYHEW -- The state College Board has granted final approval for an associate degree nursing program at East Mississippi Community College's Golden Triangle campus.
The unanimous decision came Thursday morning during a regular meeting of the board of the Institutions of Higher Learning at Alcorn State University.
"We appreciate the board's support of our new ADN program, and the support of the medical community throughout the application process. With an aging baby boomer population and a critical nursing shortage, it's going to be a good thing for the state," said EMCC President Dr. Rick Young.
Pat Clowers, a master's degree-level nurse, is director of EMCC's current licensed practical nursing program.
"It was almost exactly a year ago when the State College Board gave us permission to begin work on an ADN program at EMCC, and my phone has been ringing off the hook ever since," Clowers said. "Everyone is excited and wanting to know about the prerequisites and how the program will be structured."
The first ADN students at East Mississippi Community College will start classes in January.
EMCC is expected to enroll its first associate degree nursing students in January 2010.
The College Board in October 2008 approved EMCC's request to have the program at its Lowndes County campus.
EMCC was the only one of Mississippi's 15 community colleges not offering an associate degree in nursing.
The College Board had delayed approving the program after Mississippi University for Women officials raised concerns it would take students away from MUW's nursing program.
However, the board's review team said EMCC has justified the need for establishing another degree program in the Golden Triangle to train more people to be registered nurses.
The deadline to apply is expected to be in early December. EMCC plans to build an allied-health facility, serving both the college and the community, on 12 acres of land near the Lowndes County Industrial Park.
"In the meantime, we are physically shifting programs around at our Golden Triangle campus to make room for the ADN program," said Dr. Melanie Sanders, associate dean of instruction.
"We're restructuring and renovating spaces, which include an additional 10-bed training lab, a new computer lab and lecture hall and a simulation lab where students can practice the skills they're learned in the classroom."
An open house for the new program will be held Tuesday, Oct. 27, from 4-6 p.m. at the Center for Manufacturing Technology Excellence, seminar room 134.
For more information about EMCC's associate degree nursing program, call 662-243-1910.
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Gold Coins | 10/16/2009 11:23:00 AMmark as inappropriate This is another additional program of the college. I am sure many students will grab the chance to enroll.
GB | 10/16/2009 11:41:00 AMmark as inappropriate COngrats to EMCC for getting a nursing program. I hope they do a good job of training these young women and men and this will provide good jobs for many here. The only problem is how much will this effect the "W" nursing programs enrollment and what kind of excellence will the program at EMCC have. Are the admission requirements for the nursing program the same at both schools? Should the "W" drop their AD nursing program and just keep the BS and MSN programs? I think the IHL may have made a mistake in allowing 2 AD programs in the county. It is true that nationally we are in a nursing shortage but locally most jobs are full. For all you nursing students out there, good luck and study hard, nursing is a great profession. By the way, I am a nurse also.
squirleyb | 10/19/2009 10:05:00 AMmark as inappropriate I am thankful for the Nursing Program. And lest we forget (GB) the W and EMCC serve more than just Lowndes County!
