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HARRISBURG – Rep. Martin Causer (R-Turtlepoint) is encouraging the Department of Education and the Corbett Administration to immediately release $1.2 million designated in the state budget for the establishment of a rural community college. “The money was appropriated this year for the sole purpose of helping to establish the college. I am at a loss as to why the administration is interpreting the law in such a way as to deny the board of trustees the money they need to get this important initiative off the ground,” Causer said. “Under the law, the board has just one year to put together a comprehensive plan to outline the formation and operation of the college. Assembling such a plan will require a great deal of time and expertise and would be extremely difficult to accomplish without the state funding promised to them.” Act 126 of 2014 authorized the creation of the community college and was based on legislation sponsored by Causer in the House and by Sen. Joe Scarnati (R-B...

HARRISBURG) – The Pennsylvania Department of Education has taken steps to establish Pennsylvania’s first Rural Regional Community College, announced Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-25), Senator Bob Robbins (R-50) and Senator Scott Hutchinson (R-21). According to the legislators, the newly created community college is being established with the goal of offering two-year associate degrees, as well as training and certificate programs to underserved areas of the Commonwealth. Curriculum of the college will be determined by the Board of Trustees, based upon the future workforce needs of the designated region of Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, McKean, Potter, Venango and Warren counties. “I am very excited that groundwork for launching the Rural Regional Community College is now in place,” Senator Scarnati stated. “This will be the first community college to offer greatly needed higher educational opportunities to northwestern Pennsylvania. Thanks to input by edu...

He talked about a number of issues including the local community college initiative, game commission concerns -- including deer management -- Payment in Lieu of Taxes, and more. Listen here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

By Rep. Martin Causer (R-Cameron/McKean/Potter) A high school graduate who just barely made it through, or one who wants to go to a state university and can’t afford it. A working parent who wants to learn the skills needed to obtain a better paying job. A displaced worker or veteran in need of retraining to get back into the workforce. A small employer looking for skilled workers to support an expansion of his or her business. Community colleges are a great option for all of these people…unless, of course, they live in rural Pennsylvania. A 2011 study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee found community college services lacking in 25 of the state’s 26 rural counties. Nearly every other state in the nation provides statewide coverage by community colleges, no doubt because their leaders understand the vital role these institutions play in helping to meet the demand for increasing and ever-changing workforce skills. When Pennsylvania’s community ...

The State Senate today by a vote of 42 to 4, approved legislation introduced by Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati (R-Jefferson) to create a Rural Regional Community College in Pennsylvania. Senator Scarnati, who introduced Senate Bill 1000 in June of last year, explained that the legislation is a bi-partisan measure which is based largely on recommendations by a Legislative Budget and Finance Committee (LBFC) study completed in December 2011. “I am very pleased to represent the 25th Senatorial District which includes eight rural counties in north western Pennsylvania,” Scarnati said. “The needs of residents in rural Pennsylvania are vastly different from suburban or urban districts, especially when it comes to post-secondary educational opportunities. Senate Bill 1000 will help set the foundation for establishing rural public community college opportunities in Pennsylvania, to help meet the educational needs of students in rural areas.” The LBFC study which helped provi...

Pitt-Bradford President Emeritus Dick McDowell and State Rep. Marty Causer will appear before the House Education Committee tomorrow, during a briefing about bills that would create a rural community college pilot program. McDowell and Causer will be discussing House Bill 1701. Its sister bill, Senate Bill 1000, sponsored by Senator Joe Scarnati, proposed creation of the program in the 11-county area of northwest and north central Pennsylvania. The bills were introduced in response to a 2011 study of community college services by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947