Shepherd hopeful to getting funds for branch campus
By BOB PARTLOW / Staff Writer, Martinsburg
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. - Officials at Shepherd College are cautiously confident they will receive $200,000 from the West Virginia Legislature to help move the community and technical college to the vacant Blue Ridge Outlet Center.
"I think there was a concern about the budget and what it would do," about a month ago, said Peter Checkovich, provost of the community college. "There's a little less of a concern now." He and other college officials spent considerable time seeking the money in Charleston, W.Va., at the just-concluded legislative session.
Shepherd College was counting on the $200,000 from the Legislature to defray start-up costs to move the community and technical college from Shepherdstown, W.Va., to Martinsburg. Del. Vicki Douglas, D-Berkeley, said she is always cautious about predicting budget items. She said the $200,000 should be in the budget digest.
"Three-quarters of that money is spent for education, whether higher or lower," Douglas said. "It looks firm, but I'm also aware that anything can appear or disappear."
