College President Steps Down Because of Merger Plan

By David Darman on Friday, June 11, 2004.

listen:

The president of the state's College of Lifelong Learning has resigned.

The college is the adult education arm of New Hampshire's university system.

The president's resignation comes as the University System trustees consider merging the college with Plymouth State University.

New Hampshire Public Radio's David Darman has more.

Thomas Rocco resigned as president of the College of Lifelong Learning to protest the proposed merger.

Rocco has said he feared a merger would spell the end of adult education in the state.

But while a committee inside the University System of New Hampshire is considering the merger, a spokesman, David Deizel, says no decision has been made.

But Deizel does say a merger could make sense.
we're exploring the pros and cons. but certainly, one of the basic notions that sits behind the proposal is the notion that with limited resources that we have there might be a better way to invest them. and that means if we can save money in some places we can reinvest those dollars in new programs in expanded access, better technology, that type of thing.

Details on exactly how a merger would work are up in the air.

But if it were to go through, the college would be folded into Plymouth State, enlarging the university by about 4,000 students.

Right now C-L-L students can attend classes at 50 locations around the state.

Gail Paine directs the local site in Conway.

She says decentralization is one of the real strengths of the College.
when it was started in the early 70's it was an option so that all taxpayers would be able to stay at home, these are adults, of course, keep their jobs, and get an associates or bachelor's degree..close to home. maybe within an hour half an hour at the most of commuting.

But Paine says she thinks that mission is in jeopardy if the college becomes part of Plymouth State.

Many alumnae, faculty and students of the college have the same fear.

They formed a group called the "Friends of the College of Lifelong Learning".

More than 90 people have joined.

Ann Camann of Bedford is a member and a mother of two who has gone back to school to change her career.

She says she's pretty sure adult students will suffer when budget woes force administrators to make tough choices.
particularly in education from what i've seen is they go where the numbers are. so, if there are more traditional type students engaged in core courses that's going to be where their going to put their money, behind. i mean that seems pretty obvious to me.

But University System officials say adult students have nothing to fear if the merger goes through.

David Diezel says if Plymouth State takes over the College of Lifelong Learning, the decentralized approach of adult learning won't change.
you would not be looking at a situation where someone who was taking a class at one of the learning center on the seacoast suddenly had no choices and no options on the seacoast and found themselves having to go somewhere far away to take a course. that doesn't make sense for an adult learner.

The committee considering the merger is due to present its findings to the Board of Trustees of the University System on June 24th.

For the merger to go forward, the full board would have to approve it.

Such a vote has not been scheduled.