Extension Campuses Losing Money in SE Missouri

The State Coordinating Board for Higher Education gets a report saying two schools competing in southeast Missouri with extension campuses might be serving the public, but both are losing money. Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau and Three Rivers Community College in Poplar Bluff both have education centers in Sikeston, Kennet, and Malden. A report given the Coordinating Board says Southeast Missouri State has subsidized its centers with more than $760,000. Three Rivers has subsidized its three centers with $112,000. The rivalry between the two schools has reached the point where Southeast has kicked Three Rivers out of SEMO facilities and Three Rivers is suing Southeast. The disagreement is one of the main reasons the legisalture passed a bill this year giving the Coordinating Board more power to resolve disputes between schools.