You have /5 articles left.
Sign up for a free account or log in.
Struggling Eastern Gateway Community College in Ohio will receive a $6 million lifeline from the state to keep it solvent through the spring, local NBC affiliate WFMJ reported.
The move comes after EGCC halted registration in February, citing ongoing financial challenges.
The $6 million was approved by the Ohio Controlling Board, part of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management. The board, which oversees state budget adjustments, is tapping state instructional funds for what local news outlets have described as an advance for Eastern Gateway. The Ohio Department of Education will need to sign off on the cash infusion.
Eastern Gateway has been mired in controversy in recent months. Alleged financial irregularities prompted local, state and federal authorities to search campus offices in January. And last August, former officials were accused of misusing college credit cards.
EGCC’s financial issues have been exacerbated by the closure of its free college program for union members that caused out-of-state, online enrollments to soar. It also drew scrutiny from the U.S. Department of Education, which accused Eastern Gateway of violating federal financial aid rules. EGCC closed the program after a yearlong legal battle with the department.
As part of the $6 million advance, EGCC will be required to make a number of changes to improve finances, including providing weekly updates to the Ohio Department of Education.
