HAMILTON-The motives behind recent action to close the four technical programs at Hamilton have become a major issue with citizens of Northwest Alabama. This subject was the topic of a press conference held on Tuesday, June 19 by State Representative Johnny Mack Morrow along with business and industry leaders, educators, city officials and others revealed a plan designed to protect educational programs at the Hamilton Campus:
“It has been more than one month since I, as a member of the Alabama Legislature whose District is in located within the Hamilton Campus’s service area, contacted President Ennis and requested that she immediately cease any plans or activities aimed at closing any program at Bevill State Hamilton. Closing any two-year technical program is an issue that has been addressed by the Alabama Legislature. The review procedures provided in Section 16-5-8, Code of Alabama 1975, as most recently amended by Act 2000-409, and Chapter 300-2-2 of the Alabama Administrative Code, both remain applicable to community colleges. This review procedure, put in place by the Alabama Legislature, should have been followed by President Ennis when she decided to close these four technical programs but was not. I have also been told that any college desiring to close any program should also contact the Alabama Community College System Office directly for information and assistance because there are many issues a community college should consider before closing a program. I have not verified whether President Ennis did this or not.
President Ennis, in announcing the closure of the four programs, said that an in-depth study had been conducted and that her recommendations were based on that study. I have not been able to find one person within my Legislative District who was contacted by President Ennis as she was doing this study. Not one educator. Not one community leader. Not one business and industry leader was contacted.
State Representative Johnny Mack Morrow
I have repeatedly asked for a copy of this study and have been denied. President Ennis did forward to me an email that read, “here is the information that you requested.”
(Pass out the 1/2 page of ACHE numbers) Refer back to first paragraph above which is the procedure that should have been followed.
There was no study. What we now know is that a college president living in the Jasper area deciding that she wanted the four technical programs moved to her community. She would rather have the four technical programs in Walker County training the Walker County workforce than in Marion county. This was her motive and it was the basis for her decision. Again I repeat there was no study!
I am today raising these issues in light of this unilateral action by President Ennis:
1- Were there any federal funding issues involved in any of the four technical programs that were being moved from the Hamilton Campus? If federal funds were approved for any of these four programs, were they approved and required to be spent at the Hamilton Campus?
2- Where is the supervision of two-year college presidents? Is this happening in other parts of our state? Do we allow these individuals to make decisions that completely circumvent the laws enacted by the Alabama Legislature?
3- What about accrediting entities such as the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools? Have they been informed of this unilateral action by President Ennis to close these programs at Hamilton?
4- The legislature increased the appropriations to two-year colleges by almost twenty million dollars in FY 2019. How much more money will Bevill receive in FY 2019? Where will this increase be spent?
I am calling on Governor Ivey as President of the Board of Trustees of the Alabama Community College System to get answers to my questions. I am asking for the Governor ‘s involvement in finding out the truth to this matter. I want the current governor or the potential governor to step up and help me get answers.
As a member of the Alabama Legislature when a matter such as this is brought to my attention I feel that the matter needs to be addressed. I am here today asking for not only an explanation but a review of the financial information at Bevill State. The people who I represent in the Alabama Legislature want answers.
Because of this vicious attack on Bevill State Hamilton Campus I have created THE LEGISLATIVE ADVISORY TASK FORCE-BEVILL STATE HAMILTON. I feel that we, as legislators, representing the service area of the Hamilton Campus, must be kept informed as we move forward. We now know that the decision makers in Jasper will make decisions that are not in our best interest. We also know that they will misrepresent the truth to get what they want (our workforce programs). If the Hamilton Campus is to be protected in the future then it will only be because we took the necessary action to protect our school. I feel that the Task Force will give me and other legislators the timely information that we need.
I want to now introduce Paula Reeves and Scott Hunt who have agreed to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force. They will introduced the members of the Task Force and review with you the advisory functions that they will be preforming for the legislative delegation.
Also they met this morning and approved a statement that they will share with you.
The statement shared by the Co Chair of the Task Force, Paula Reeves, was that a vote was taken this morning and the vote was unanimous that at the present time the Legislative Advisory Task Force-Bevill State Hamilton Campus has no confidence in Kim Ennis as President of Bevill State.
The Task Force is seeking a meeting with Chancellor Jimmy Baker to hopefully resolve the issues currently facing the Hamilton Campus of Bevill State.”
