Darton College’s new nursing building was unveiled in March. The nursing program is one area being scrutinized while officials discuss the possiblity of creating four-year programs at Darton.

Darton College should be granted status as a four-year college to help cope with an imminent shortage of nurses, an official with a local citizens group pushing for the change told the Albany-Dougherty Economic Development Commission Wednesday.

Glenn Tennyson, speaking on behalf of Citizens for Economic Development, told the commission that there will be a critical shortage of nurses and nurse practitioners in the near future as the nation's current stock — whose average age is 50, he said — prepares for retirement and that Darton is poised to expand their current two-year programs to help meet the demand.

Read more: Albany Herald