Non-traditional college will serve rural counties

Associate degrees and other credentials are awarded through the The Rural Regional university. College of Northern Eventually, he said, Pennsylvania announced the college wants to develop Friday that it its own curriculum has state approval to operate and use its own instructors. an institution for low-cost instruction The goal is not to compete serving nine counties with existing campuses, lacking a community and in fact, the college. college is eyeing the possibility

Officials said the OK of using some of from the state Department their facilities, including of Education classrooms and library means plans will proceed services, he said. to enroll RRC's first “We've had discussions students in the fall, with Edinboro through a partnership University, with Clarion with Gannon University University. We've had in Erie discussions with the

The RRC is neither a University of Pittsburgh traditional brick-andmortar at Bradford and Titusville,” nor an online institution, he said. officials said. “It was truly a collaborative Instead, it aims to keep team effort that costs down by using led to the creation of this video conferencing technology new college and a new, linking faculty to unique and much students at an array of locations, needed post-secondary such as libraries educational option for or community education the area,” said Mary Jo centers. White, chair of the college's

Those officials are board of trustees calling it the first “community and a retired state senator. college-like” institution “This will be every north of Interstate community’s college 80 and say its mission from Erie to Emporium.” is to deliver “affordable and accessible education There have been a opportunities” for number of efforts to create nine Northwestern a community college Pennsylvania counties: in Erie County. Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Edinboro University Erie, Forest, McKean, offers workforce-focused Potter, Venango and programs including associates Warren. degrees through

The college previously its Porreco College in selected Warren for its Erie. administrative center. The RRC originated The RRC will be an open from the Education Consortium enrollment institution, of the Upper Allegheny, requiring only a high a community school diploma or GED initiative. to enroll, officials said. Conversations with

The college will education and business charge $180 per credit officials in the northern and $60 per credit for tier of Pennsylvania led dual-enrollment students, to development and passage those currently in of state legislation high school. in 2014 to create the institution,

At least initially, Gannon officials said. is providing the curriculum and instructors, said Duane Vicini, the college's project executive.