Residents, college officials and school staff debated a proposed switch of the Clewiston High School Collegiate Academy provider from Florida Southwestern State College (FSW) to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). The superintendent recommended approving an FGCU memorandum of understanding, but the board did not make a motion and took no formal action.

Julia DeBloy, who identified herself as a Clewiston resident and a member of the Florida Southwestern State College board of trustees, urged the board to retain FSW for the program. “By releasing the FSW Collegiate… it looks like you’re going to end up spending $40,000 to $60,000 more annually, and you’re going to have far fewer credits that the students in this community are going to earn,” DeBloy said, and she asked whether FGCU could guarantee in-person courses and preserve the AA degree and graduation ceremony FSW students receive.

Superintendent Swindle summarized the district’s concerns and the opportunity with FGCU. He described long-standing service by FSW but said business and billing practices had prompted the district to explore alternatives. The superintendent recommended that the board approve the FGCU MOU so FGCU could become the Collegiate Academy provider at Clewiston High School; he added that the change would not affect LaBelle dual enrollment offerings and that if approved the junior cohort would begin with FGCU while FSW would “teach out” current seniors.

Becky Jones, director of early college programs at FGCU, described FGCU’s model and said FGCU intended to offer a minimum of eight FGCU credits on site at Clewiston High School in the first year, with the potential for more credits later as FGCU seeks campus-level approvals. Jones said FGCU would offer guaranteed admission and consider students for scholarships following completion of the Collegiate Academy and noted the university’s “destination” scholarship ($3,000 cited as an example) tied to completion and grade requirements.

FSW representatives disputed claims that their program provides lower rigor or fewer supports. Tina Karriker, director of accelerated pathways at FSW, said FSW is “really focused on our first generation college students” and noted that FSW automatically awards an AA degree when students complete 60 appropriate credits and that students participate in a formal commencement. Ian Newhart, deputy chief of staff at FSW, provided cost figures and said FSW’s cost-per-credit-hour is lower than FGCU’s standard university rate; he offered to meet again with the board to provide side-by-side comparisons.

Board members asked detailed questions about accreditation, entry requirements, faculty staffing and billing practices. Superintendent Swindle said staffing challenges mean neither provider can guarantee every course will be in-person each semester but that FGCU had proposed flexibility on billing for courses taught on-site versus virtual instruction. Several board members and community speakers emphasized the value students place on receiving an AA degree and the ceremonial graduation at FSW; supporters of FSW pointed to long-standing ties and outcomes for Clewiston students.

By the meeting’s end the superintendent repeated his recommendation to approve the FGCU MOU, but no board member made a motion to act. The superintendent said the proposal would begin with next year’s junior cohort if the board later approves the MOU; otherwise the current FSW agreement would be taught out for the senior cohort.

No formal vote was recorded on item 5c during the meeting.