The boards of trustees for Black Hawk College and Western Illinois University have approved the transfer of operations and license for Quad-City public television station WQPT.

The Black Hawk board unanimously approved the transfer at its meeting Thursday night in Kewanee, Ill. The Western Illinois board gave its approval at its meeting this morning in Macomb.

WQPT's operating and reserve funds, totalling more than $2.7 million, will be transferred to a restricted account through the Western Illinois University Foundation.

"Acquiring WQPT supports increased community service, visibility and marketing for Western in the Quad-Cities, complements the work of academic departments, enhances fundraising efforts and provides opportunities for resource sharing between University Television, Tri States Public Radio and WQPT," Western Illinois officials said in a news release.

WQPT, a Public Broadcasting System station, has been a part of the Black Hawk campus in Moline since it signed on the air in 1983. Deciding that a television station did not fit into its mission, the Black Hawk board completely cut funding to it beginning with the 2007-08 academic year budget.

The station has continued to be housed on the Black Hawk campus, with 11 full-time and two part-time employees.