Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

RRTC Works To Merge With UA

Red River Technical College in Hope is beginning its fourth year as a college.

This is what members of Gurdon's Rotary Club was told during their regular meeting Thursday, Dec. 7.

In addition, they were informed RRTC is working on a merger with the University of Arkansas system, and could become the University of Arkansas at Hope during the summer of 1996.

Jana Crank, public relations director at RRTC, said the college serves a six county area including surrounding states.

RRTC is working on its accreditation from the North Central Association. Accreditation, she said, consists of two to four visits from an NCA team. Normally, it takes about six years to become fully accredited. Crank said RRTC is on target for the final visit from the NCA team in 1997.

A team visited the two-year college in October, she said, and gave a positive review.

When RRTC became a college in 1991, there were 285 students. This fall 1,050 students registered.

"It's taken a lot of work to make room for them," she said. "The facility was designed for 400."

This means more room is needed. The problem is being addressed with the college asking for a permanent one-fourth cent sales tax in the Jan. 9, 1996 special election.

This tax, if approved, would be used for capital improvements, such as more classrooms.

One major problem being addressed at this time is the library situation. The existing library is only 750 square feet. A new 17,000 square foot facility is being constructed. It will house a 6,000 square foot library, which can be expanded -- if needed, two classrooms, a telecommunications room and a 250 seat auditorium.

RRTC offers 17 degree and certification programs, including an Associate of Arts degree and an Associate of Applied Science degree, along with certificates in heating and air conditioning, a general service educational program, along with a general occupational degree, certification in business and diesel mechanics.

Crank said the school's board of governors gave RRTC president John Rapert permission to talk with UA president Alan Suggs about a possible merger.

She said Sugg has visited the Hope campus three times so far. "It's moving nicely, but slow," Crank told the Rotarians. "It will offer us instant credibility."

According to Crank, the university may provide classes for four-year students, and could offer some classes for those in the Master's program.

Classes taken at RRTC can be transferred to other four-year colleges, up to 60 hours.

Crank said the teacher:student ratio at RRTC is 15:1, with no graduate assistants teaching classes. All instructors have Master's degrees.

Additionally, she said financial aid is available to those who quality.

At this time there is no on-campus housing, nor is any planned for the near future.

Classes cost about $38 per hour, which is about half what they cost at a four-year institute.