During the fall of 1983 a group of citizens in Camp, Morris, and Titus counties formed a steering committee to establish a community college district. In January 1984 a proposition to establish a community college district and to authorize the issuance of $10,000,000 in bonds was passed. The creation of the community college district was the first in the state in ten years.
The Board of Trustee's of the district were sworn in on January 30, 1984 and immediately began the process of selection of a site, an architectural firm, and a College President. In seeking to build a college campus that served all residents of the district, the Board purchased a 220 acre farm centrally located among the three county seats of Pittsburg, Daingerfield, and Mount Pleasant. A College President was selected in May of 1984 and construction began in November. During the construction months, college faculty and staff were hired, academic programs were planned, and administrative policies and procedures were established.
In August 1985, Northeast Texas Community College started classes on schedule in the recently completed buildings. Due to the quality of instruction, Northeast received full accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in January 1987, one full year ahead of schedule.
Since that time Northeast Texas Community College has experienced growth in student enrollments and in its level of recognition as an institution which offers quality instructional programs in a student-oriented environment.
Northeast Texas Community College is located in a beautiful rural setting near the Chapel Hill community. Through an extensive visioning plan the campus now encompasses more than 375 acres. The campus is easily accessible for all residents of Camp, Morris, and Titus County College District. The campus includes the Math/Science Building, the Humanities Building, the Business Technology Building, the Industrial Technology Buildings, the Charlie and Helen Hampton Library, the Student Union Building, the Administration Building, the University and Health Science Center, the Industrial Regional Technology Center, the Criminal Justice Center, and the Residence Hall and a demonstration and research form.
The Physical Fitness Annex with a Nautilus weight room, baseball and softball fields, a rodeo arena, and three tennis courts are also available. Currently construction is underway for a new softball field, track, and soccer field. The Jim and Elizabeth Whatley Center for the Performing Arts, completed in the fall of 1991, features a theatre with a modern instructional stage and seating for 570. The lobby area doubles as an art gallery for students and visiting art shows, and the building includes theatre and music classrooms. The main campus design is extremely attractive. All buildings are constructed of earth-tone brick and have copper-tone metal roofs. The interior plaza, available for pedestrian traffic only, is graced with large fountains and is beautifully landscaped. The College owns or rents and operates outreach facilities in Pittsburg, Naples/Omaha, Lone Star, and Mount Pleasant.
