Possible reprieve for UCSO nursing program

UCSO may have found a partner to provide nursing classes at its Ardmore campus. (KTEN)

ARDMORE, Okla. -- The University Center of Southern Oklahoma may have filled the gap in its nursing program.

Last summer, East Central University suddenly announced it was ending its nursing classes at the Ardmore campus.

But now Langston University -- with campuses in Langston, Oklahoma City and Tulsa -- could be poised to step in.

"Langston has a very well-respected nursing program," said UCSO interim President Peggy Maher "There's a lot of enthusiasm on both sides, but we still have some boards to get through. There's our boards and their boards and the regents... and the nursing board, and their accreditation... so there's a lot of approvals to get before it's finalized."

East Central University originally blamed a budget shortfall for its decision to end the UCSO nursing program just months after a $15 million facility was opened at the Ardmore campus.

ECU later admitted it wasn't a financial decision, and it remains unclear why the school ended ties with UCSO over the nursing program.

Maher said ECU has since ended all of its Ardmore programs, which puts the UCSO campus at risk of facing major financial issues.

"It would reduce our tuition quite a bit and it would make it harder to make ends meet," she said. 

UCSO remains confident that it will be able to fill all of its education programs. They'll have about nine months to do so.

"So far, it looks very good, and we are hopeful that they will start their first class in January of 2019," Maher said.

Langston will have all new state-of-the-art nursing equipment at its disposal if it adds classes at UCSO. That equipment was provided through a grant.