History of EACC
St. Francis County residents planted the seeds for a local institution of higher learning in 1968 with the formation of a community college committee. In June of 1969, the Crowley Ridge Community College Corporation received its charter. In April of 1971, Mrs. Ed (Betty Jo) Hodges donated $25,000 to the organization. The generous grant allowed the group to purchase 40 acres of land located on Crowley’s Ridge.
In August of 1973, the Arkansas Board of Higher Education announced that St. Francis County had met all the requirements and criteria for the formation of a Community College District and authorized the county to call for an election on the issue. On November 8, voters approved the proposal, which included a 4-mill tax to finance construction of the College.
Gov. Dale Bumpers appointed nine members to the Board of Trustees, and the college representatives officially took office on Dec. 13, 1973. On February 7, 1974, the trustees selected Horace E. Hartsell as first President of East Arkansas Community College. Dr. Hartsell began his duties on March 15, 1974. An administrative team and faculty were assembled, and on August 26, 1974, classes opened in a temporary, renovated facility at the corner of Court and Izard Streets in downtown Forrest City. In the first term, 684 students enrolled for credit courses.
In December 1974, the board authorized construction of 11 buildings at a cost of $1.5 million on the Crowley’s Ridge site. Classes began at the new campus in August of 1975. In 1986, the Board approved a $1.5 million expansion and improvement project that increased the physical plant by 50 percent without any additional tax. In addition to energy-saving measures, renovation and improvements to existing buildings, the College added 23,000 square feet of new facilities including a fourth classroom building, a music building, a lecture hall and expansion of the physical education building.
In 1991, EACC purchased land from the Becker family to continue its expansion program. Following relocation of Newcastle Road, the school erected a million-dollar Computer Education Center and two new office buildings. An overall land-use plan has also been developed to lead the college into the 21st century.
The 15,000 square ft. EACC Learning Resource Center opened in December of 2000. The building houses the EACC Library, the Continuing Education and Workforce Development offices, and the Distance Learning classroom. The Betty Jo Hodges Student Services Complex opened in the spring of 2002 and offers EACC students a wide range of counseling, registration, and academic services. Classroom Buildings 1, 3, and 4 have been completely renovated and renovations to Classroom Building 2 will be completed by Fall Semester 2010. The EACC Technology Center opened in 2007 and houses programs in support of emerging industries in the College service area. The 33,000 square foot Fine Arts Center opened in April of 2010.
Service Area
The EACC service area includes St. Francis, Lee, Monroe, Cross, Woodruff Counties and a portion of Poinsett County, but the College’s educational influence does not end there. Students from Crittenden, Lonoke, Prairie, Phillips, Pulaski, Arkansas, Craighead, White, Faulkner, and Mississippi counties have also attended EACC in recent semesters. Students attend classes either at the main campus in Forrest City or at numerous off-campus sites located in the EACC service area. In 2005, EACC opened the Wynne-Site with multiple classrooms and offices in the Bill Thomas Building located in Wynne, Arkansas. The Site has been instrumental in offering students a wide variety of credit classes and Continuing Education opportunities.