Campbell County Residents Vote To Make Gillette College Its Own College District

Wyoming will soon have an 8th community college district.

Results from the Campbell County clerk shows that by a more than 2-to-1 margin, Gillette College will soon leave the Northern Wyoming Community College District and become a district of its own.

Members for the college’s initial Board of Trustees were elected as well.

The new district won’t be official, until Gillette College gains accreditation from the US Department of Education and/or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which could take between 4-to-7 years.

Until then, funding from the Wyoming Community College Commission will still go to the Northern Wyoming Community College District, which also includes Sheridan College.

District President Dr. Walter Tribley says it will still be called the Northern Wyoming Community College District after the Gillette College separation becomes official.

Sheridan College has facilities in both Sheridan and Johnson Counties.

In a statement, Dr. Tribley says:

“I’d like to welcome the new college district to the Wyoming community college system, which has been recognized nationally as one of the best. It is a great thing to see a community actively supporting higher education. Our Board of Trustees and I are ready to go to work to help the newly created Gillette Community College District become independent and successful. Based on our long-standing partnership, we recognize the unique position we are in to provide specific, real-time support that will be necessary and helpful on the road to accreditation for the new district. I do not anticipate that current or future students enrolled in classes and programs during the transition will experience any interruptions or disruptions. As long as the interest of our students remains at the center of all decisions, I am confident the outcomes will be positive. I would like to extend my sincere congratulations to the citizens of Campbell County and the State of Wyoming. I would also like to thank Dr. Sandy Caldwell, the Wyoming Community College Commission, and WCCC staff for the key role they played in this process.”

Voting numbers won’t become official until the State Canvassing Board meets later this week to certify the results.