MANATEE — To the ire of Manatee Community College officials, the president of the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee appears to be challenging comments MCC’s officials are making in their pitch for a four-year nursing program.
USF Sarasota-Manatee President Arthur M. Guilford wrote a letter to the Department of Education in response to MCC’s letter of intent to start the program. The memo points out what USF’s nursing program already offers locally, and brings into question what kind of program MCC will offer.
The letter comes just weeks before MCC’s application is scheduled to be decided by the state Board of Education.
Guilford states that USF Sarasota-Manatee has been offering nursing courses to meet the needs of the local community, including getting grants to hire more teaching staff.
He also said his campus has worked out an agreement with Manatee Memorial Hospital to provide on-site programs for students and has conducted courses on MCC’s campus. The USF College of Nursing dean even appointed a nursing adviser who comes to the local USF campus once a week.
But the letter, dated Wednesday, “mystified” MCC President Lars A. Hafner.
“I’m disappointed,” he told the Herald Friday. “It’s a shock to us and more of a shock to the community.”
In a letter dated Friday, Hafner sent a rebuttal to the Department of Education. Manatee Memorial Hospital and the Venice Regional Medical Center officials also wrote letters of support for MCC’s proposed program that included some harsh criticism of USF Sarasota-Manatee’s nursing offerings.
Guilford said on Friday that he does not object to MCC’s proposal to start a nursing program or offering a four-year degree. When asked if he supports it, he described his position as “neutral.” He pointed out his letter did not contain any objection to MCC’s proposed nursing program.
“I have no objection to MCC going four-year at all,” he said. “I think there are plenty of students for all of us.”
Guilford said the letter was intended to “clear up some verbal comments made in the community that we don’t offer nursing.”
“It’s routine,” he said. “The commissioner of education always informs the universities in areas where a college is going to start offering a particular course or degree.
“So we were just responding to the request to inform them if there is a duplication of degree,” Guilford said. “I don’t think it’s a good thing for the community if there is too much duplication.”
MCC officials hope to start the program in January 2010. If MCC is denied this application, the community will be forced to wait two to three years for a BSN program.
It’s a much-needed program for the area, Hafner said. Already, 251 students said they were ready to start the program if it’s offered today.
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