The boards of both Eastern Arizona College (EAC) and the Gila County Provisional Community College District (GCPCCD) have approved a proposal for extending the wind-down of EAC services in Gila County through June 30, 2025.

During discussion of the proposal during the August 9 GCPCCD Board meeting, Board President Jan Brocker explained her support for the proposal. Brocker said “the action will alleviate uncertainty for the near future.” She said she believed  that the contract extension would restore enrichment courses. This is supported by an EAC flyer distributed in early August listing Art and Health/ Physical Education classes added to the Fall 2023 schedule.

Senior Dean Phil McBride’s report had one concern to the board; clarification of whether the Sorensen Scholarship, benefitting Payson nursing students, would again be available to new students. Currently existing students continue to receive the scholarship but no new scholarships would be awarded.

The Graham County Community College District Governing Board (EAC Board) issued a press release after their August 10 meeting. It announced that the EAC Board ratified the Gila County Provisional Community College District’s decision to accept Eastern Arizona College’s recommendation to extend the wind-down of its services in Gila County through June 30, 2025.

After an unsettled summer, Gila County students can now register for the fall semester, which begins on August 21. However, they should submit admissions applications and supporting documentation as quickly as possible. For assistance, hey are encouraged to visit www.eac.edu, or call the Gila Pueblo Campus at (928) 425-8481 or the Payson Campus at (928) 468-8039.

Based on this mutual agreement, EAC will offer courses and programs at the Gila campuses for a final two-year period through the Spring 2025 semester under the following parameters:

EAC will admit one final cohort of two-year students in the Fall 2023 semester;

No additional cohort of students will be admitted for two-year programs after the Fall 2023 semester;

For one-year programs, EAC will admit students until the Fall 2024 semester, after which no new students will be admitted for one-year programs;

In the final Spring 2025 semester of the contract, only semester-length credentials and classes that allow students to finish their currently declared degrees or certificates will be offered;

Courses that are a single semester in length, including personal interest courses, will continue to be offered through the Spring 2025 semester.

The agenda for the EAC Board meeting indicated that they would discuss classes and curricula to be added to the catalog or changed, including Health Care Education, Music, Automotive Service Technician and Fire Science.

Senior Dean McBride’s report was also submitted. Additional items of interest were a tentative Spring 2024 start date for the Law Enforcement Training Academy and working with Globe and Miami high schools to get dual enrollment students registered.