The front sign at the main entrance of Gillette College.
The Gillette College District Task Force, which was assembled by the Campbell County Board of Commissioners in June, submitted an application to the Wyoming Community College Commission (WCCC), in which the college announced its plans to break away from the Northern Wyoming Community College District (NWCCD) and operate under its own independent district.
The WCCC will hear public comments Oct. 10 in the Pronghorn Center at Gillette College from 2 – 4:30 p.m. regarding the college’s request to create and operate under its own independent district.
Campbell County Board of Commissioners Administrative Director Carol Seeger is a member on the task force responsible for handling the district formation process, which she noted has not been successfully done in Wyoming since 1968 when Laramie College District was formed.
According to the proposal the task force submitted to the WCCC, Gillette College plans to operate under its own district due to the lack of a “meaningful role in its own governance,” that it has taken while operating under NWCCD.
During the commissioners’ regular business meeting Tuesday, Commissioner Rusty Bell voiced his support for the college’s efforts to operate under its own district specifically due to the imbalance of control over the facilities and programs between Gillette College Foundation and NWCCD.
This follows NWCCD President Walter Tribley’s announcement last spring that most college sports, including men and women’s and basketball and women’s volleyball, would be cancelled along with several other clubs and activities. The commissioners stated their objection to the decision being made with no input from Gillette.
In late June, Campbell County Commissioner Rusty Bell suggested several options that the college had available to break away from NWCCD and, ultimately the commissioners decided to form a new district instead of annexing away from the old one.
“Right now, Gillette College is being run by seven people out of Sheridan,” he said.
“If they wanted to close the doors next week, they could.”
After accepting the application, WCCC is statutorily obligated to hold at least two “listening sessions” in separate towns to gather public comment from residents around the state about the proposal submitted by the task force.
The proposal states that by operating under its own district, Gillette College will be able to ensure that the educational services offered are relevant and specific to the local economy and work force demand.
The Higher Education Market Analysis highlights the growing demand for healthcare and healthcare-related occupations in Campbell County and lists opportunities for the college to expand and create programs to launch both degree and non-degree personnel into the field.
The proposal also provides current and forecasted data regarding Gillette College’s attendees. In 2030, a projected 39,619 high seniors from around Wyoming will attend Gillette College along with an estimated 22,001 adults between the ages of 25 and 64.
To form its own district, a county also has to meet a $1 million assessed valuation required by Wyoming law, which Campbell County does according to the summary of assessed valuations provided with the proposal, which lists the county’s annual assessed valuations between 1950 and 2020. Since 1970, Campbell County’s assessed valuation has surpassed the required amount.
As of 2020, the county’s assessed valuation is over $4.24 billion.
According to Wyoming Statue the county’s assessed valuation is vital to the formation of a college district as districts must pay WCCC four mills of their assessed valuation in order to receive state funding which is distributed to districts based on student enrollment.
NWCCD’s current student enrollment reflects Gillette and Sheridan colleges, but only Sheridan residents are currently taxed the four mills paid to WCCC.
Along with holding public hearings, or “listening sessions,” the state college commission must also conduct a survey of the area, to ensure sustainability of the proposed district.
A second hearing will be held in Riverton Oct. 14 at Central Wyoming College. From Oct. 9 through Oct. 23, the online comment period will also be open to the public; pre-registration to attend the hearings in person or submit online comments is provided on the commission’s website.
