Kentucky Community and Technical College System
KCTCS Catalog: 2005-06
Please note that this is the 2005-06 catalog, and does NOT contain the most current information. This catalog is provided for reference only. The current catalog is always found here.

CURRENT CATALOG >> 2005-06 Catalog Home : Introduction : History and Functions of KCTCS

KCTCS Catalog 2005-06

Introduction

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  1. Message from President McCall
  2. History and Functions of KCTCS
  3. Mission Statement
  4. Academic Calendar
  5. KCTCS Leadership
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History and Functions of KCTCS

Created by the Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997, the Kentucky Community and Technical College System is 16 two-year colleges that provide quality postsecondary education and workforce training. KCTCS colleges are committed to making education more accessible, more relevant and more responsive to the needs of students, employers and communities.

Over 65 KCTCS campuses are strategically located across the Commonwealth, from Ashland to Paducah, from Covington to Bowling Green. Our alliance with the Kentucky Virtual University gives KCTCS a presence in cyberspace. KCTCS is the largest provider of Internet-based courses offered through the KYVU.

The colleges of KCTCS confer five types of credentials -- certificates, diplomas and three kinds of associate degrees -- upon students who complete credit programs. The single most popular area of study is the baccalaureate transfer program, which allows a student to earn an associate degree at a KCTCS community college and transfer those credits to any Kentucky university.

While continuing to emphasize its historical mission to provide general education, KCTCS is increasing its focus on occupational/technical education. In the last five years, KCTCS colleges have instituted more than 1,700 new programs and program options since 1998.

While providing credit-based academic and technical programs is a primary function of KCTCS, our System also views postsecondary education as a crucial resource for workforce development. KCTCS forges partnerships between colleges and businesses to provide Kentucky workers with the skills they need today, and to help industries and individuals develop the capabilities they will need tomorrow.

KCTCS also enhances learning opportunities for all Kentuckians through noncredit continuing education. From personal improvement to cultural activities, community development programs at KCTCS institutions are tailored to meet local needs. Our colleges sponsor an array of fine-arts programs that enrich their communities.

KCTCS institutions offer a wide range of student services to make the admissions process easy to navigate. Students at our colleges are eligible for federal financial aid and a variety of need- and merit-based scholarships.

While focusing on quality, KCTCS colleges are the best value in postsecondary education in Kentucky. Year in and year out, our tuition and fees are the lowest in the Commonwealth. Students at community and technical colleges benefit from a single, simple tuition and fee structure.

KCTCS colleges are enhancing efficiency and service to the Commonwealth in each of the System's 16 districts by consolidating of functions, services and programs and by pursuing single accreditation under the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

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