It was announced last week that the merger was being considered.

No campuses will be closed as a result of the merger, but personnel will be cut.

Both locations will remain open, but a significant reduction in the schools’ budgets is expected. “Each school will lose $250,000,” McDaniel said. “We don’t have the luxury to lose $700,000 or $800,000 without losing people.”

Specific personnel cuts have not yet been announced. “We’re going to take care of this consolidation thing, it’s been given to us and we’re going to make it work,” said McDaniel.

Merging 14 technical colleges across the state is expected to save $3.5 million.

Northwestern Tech has a satellite campus on Battlefield Parkway in Ringgold.

(Walker County Messenger)