WLOX – Some outraged by Juco partnership with South Alabama

Some outraged by MGCCC partnership with South Alabama

JACKSON COUNTY, MS (WLOX) – A controversy involving the University of Southern Mississippi, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and the University of South Alabama continues. The issue deals with a building on the community college’s Jackson County campus.

For nearly 25 years, USM has been renting the building from MGCCC. Because of budget constraints, that’s no longer the case. So the community college recently worked out a deal with South Alabama. And that has some folks very unhappy.

“I really don’t appreciate high ranking state officials using another state agency trying to smear and ruin the reputation of a great institution,” MGCCC President Dr. Willis Lott said.

Dr. Lott is talking about an unnamed state lawmaker who went to the state auditors office to ask about the agreement MGCCC made with the University of South Alabama. Lott said there’s a misconception that USA is getting the building for free.

“It’s really not a free year,” Dr. Lott insisted. “Instead of getting our $66,000 in cash, they’re going to put in over $100,000 worth of equipment.”

WLOX
3/19/10