Eastern Gateway Community College to Pause Registration and Enrollment for Terms Beyond Spring Semester

February 21, 2024

Youngstown State University, Area Community Colleges, and Eastern Gateway Working Collaboratively Toward Seamless Student Experience

Eastern Gateway Community College (Eastern Gateway), with locations in Steubenville and Youngstown, announced today that it would pause registration and enrollment for terms beyond the spring 2024 semester.

The decision will provide an opportunity for Eastern Gateway to evaluate options to resolve ongoing financial difficulties partly due to delayed federal funding.

"We have a plan to ensure students finish this semester as normal," said Jim Gasior, Chair of Eastern Gateway's Board of Trustees. "And while we pause registration for the summer and beyond, Youngstown State University primarily and community colleges from throughout the region have offered to welcome our students, provide continuity, and allow students to continue their programs of study as seamlessly as possible for their next semester."

Youngstown State University (YSU) recently began working with Eastern Gateway and the Ohio Department of Higher Education on backup plans to ensure academically eligible students are able to enroll at YSU or collaborating community colleges to complete their degrees. Examples of similar programs at YSU and the community colleges include business, criminal justice, information technology, mechanical engineering, social work, teacher education, dental hygiene, nursing, and many more.

"YSU cares deeply about the people in our region and we are honored to work with Eastern Gateway and the Ohio Department of Higher Education to support students in this manner," said YSU President Bill Johnson. "We are pleased to ensure that affected students have the opportunity to register for classes at Youngstown State University. Additionally, we look forward to working with the Ohio Department of Higher Education and our regional community college partners to help those students who wish to continue on their academic pathway at one of Ohio's two-year schools."

Ohio community colleges that will welcome Eastern Gateway students include Stark State College, Belmont College, Washington State College of Ohio, Cuyahoga Community College, and Hocking College. YSU will coordinate with the Ohio Department of Higher Education to advise Eastern Gateway students on the best pathway to continue their education when that pathway involves collaborating with community colleges.

All involved colleges will work to honor credits earned by students and help students through the transfer process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it necessary for Eastern Gateway to pause registration and enrollment?

Eastern Gateway has recently been subject to a process known as heightened cash monitoring through the U.S. Department of Education. This has delayed typical flows of federal funding to the college, creating diminished cash flow. Due to the uncertainty of funding beyond this semester, Eastern Gateway has made the prudent decision to pause student registration until this process is resolved.

What happens to students at Eastern Gateway as a result of this pause?

Students who are on track to graduate at the end of the semester will not be impacted by the pause. Currently enrolled students who aren't scheduled to graduate at the end of the semester will need to register for classes in the summer semester or fall semester through another college. As announced, several Ohio colleges are welcoming these students to register for classes and pledging to pursue recognition of their earned credits, making the process as seamless as possible. The best fit for each student will depend on the program the student is pursuing today.

What is the role of the State of Ohio in facilitating this process?

The Ohio Department of Higher Education will coordinate with the Higher Learning Commission, the U.S. Department of Education, and other academic and regulatory bodies as necessary on the implementation of the arrangement, with planned approval for YSU to offer in-person classes in Steubenville for the benefit of Jefferson County. The Ohio Department of Higher Education has established a webpage and dedicated email address to answer questions posed by students, faculty and staff at www.highered.ohio.gov/egccinfo.

Statements from Key Stakeholders

Chancellor Mike Duffey

"This is a period of change in higher education, and it requires increased collaboration among our colleges. We are incredibly pleased that Youngstown State University, under the leadership of President Bill Johnson, has embraced this moment to support Eastern Gateway students, and that Ohio community colleges stepped up to give students options."

Bill Johnson, President of Youngstown State University

"Student access to high-quality and affordable educational experiences and workforce advancement opportunities that contribute to economic mobility have long been pillars of our mission at YSU. This arrangement is well aligned with those pillars and we look forward to serving the students and employers across the region now and into the future."

Tom Walsh, Interim President and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges

"The strength of Ohio's higher education institutions is our ability to work collaboratively. The top priority for our colleges is to ensure that Eastern Gateway students affected by this situation will be able to continue their academic program in a way that best fits their needs to prepare them for in-demand careers throughout the region."

For More Information

The Ohio Department of Higher Education has established an Eastern Gateway informational webpage dedicated to providing real-time updates and resources.

The webpage is located at www.highered.ohio.gov/egccinfo.

Students, faculty, and staff may also email [email protected], where department staff will coordinate answers to questions depending on the nature of the inquiry.