CVCC’s merger delayed

The pending merger of Chattahoochee Valley Community College with two other Alabama institutions has been delayed.

Five months ago, the Alabama Community College System board of trustees approved the consolidation of seven institutions into two regional campuses. The board governs the state’s 25 community colleges and technical schools.

Wednesday, however, the system’s chancellor announced the plan won’t be implemented until “the middle of 2017 at the earliest.”

In a statement to the board and released to the media, ACCS Chancellor Mark Heinrich said the timeline has been pushed back “due to unforeseen legislative and departmental delays, coupled with timing issues to ensure students’ financial aid packages will not be compromised.”

The original effort to consolidate by July didn’t give the ACCS enough time to satisfy the requirements of three entities with oversight authority, the U.S. Department of Education, the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges, and the Alabama Commission on Higher Education.

“The new timeline also allows us to make this process as smooth as possible for the backbone of our schools: our students,” Heinrich said.

Whenever the consolidation is implemented, according to the plan, the seven affected ACCS institutions will remain open, but their administrative functions will merge to save money. CVCC, which opened 42 years ago and now has about 1,650 students, will join 1,700-student Central Alabama Community College, which has locations in Alexander City, Talladega, Childersburg and Millbrook, and 4,500-student Southern Union State Community College, which has locations in Wadley, Opelika and Valley.

Jefferson Davis Community College in Brewton, Alabama Southern Community College in Monroeville and Reid State Technical College in Evergreen will merge with Faulkner State Community College in Bay Minette.

This story was originally published May 11, 2016 at 9:53 PM with the headline "CVCC’s merger delayed."