ASHLAND, Ky. (May 16, 2003) – Enhancing service to students, employers and communities, the Board of Regents of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) took action on Friday to further develop comprehensive colleges across the state.

            The Kentucky Postsecondary Education Improvement Act of 1997, which created KCTCS, charged the new system with developing comprehensive community and technical colleges that offer university transfer programs, occupational/technical programs, workforce training, and community service.

Meeting on Friday at Ashland Community and Technical College, the Board of Regents supported that goal by approving the following proposals:

• Expansion of programs offered by Gateway Community and Technical College in Northern Kentucky to include two programs designed to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. The new associate in arts and associate in science degrees will provide students the first two years toward bachelor’s degrees. The new programs represent Gateway’s first offerings in the liberal arts/university transfer area. “This is a milestone as we move along on our path,” said Cynthia L. Read, chair of the Board of Regents.
• A new name for the institutions formerly known as West Kentucky Technical College and Paducah Community College – the new name will be West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
• Revised mission statements for West Kentucky Community and Technical College and Gateway Community and Technical College to reflect their transitions to comprehensive two-year colleges.
• Pursuit of consolidation of the two colleges – Maysville Community College and Rowan Technical College -- that compose the Maysville Community and Technical College District. The colleges also will pursue single accreditation under the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

            “By fulfilling our mission to establish comprehensive colleges in a seamless statewide system, KCTCS is changing the lives of students, improving services provided to employers, and fulfilling its vital role in the growth of communities,” said Michael B. McCall, KCTCS president.

            In other action during its regular quarterly meeting, the Board of Regents approved:

§         A $481 million budget that will fund the operations of the colleges and statewide system during the 2003/04 fiscal year. The budget reflects, among other funding sources, state funding previously approved by the General Assembly and tuition rates already established by the Board of Regents.

            The budget emphasizes priorities such as maintaining funding bases for colleges despite state budget cuts in the last two years; funding operations and maintenance of new facilities; funding a new model for allocating dollars among colleges; and funding a budget reserve of at least 3 percent of the recurring base of public funds.

            The new budget also includes funding for enhanced benefits and salaries for faculty and staff. KCTCS is expanding post-retirement health insurance available all employees, and funding salary increases for next fiscal year averaging 3 percent.

§         The first major step toward a new classification and compensation structure for KCTCS employees. Regents approved revised and streamlined job classifications – four classification bands for faculty and 18 for staff. The board will address salary ranges at a future meeting, and ultimately will seek funding from the General Assembly to improve salary equity among employees in the same classification bands.

§         A process for considering colleges’ requests to grant honorary associate degrees. The Board of Regents will review all such requests, which may be sought when individuals contributing significantly to the awarding college and/or KCTCS as a whole.

§         Candidates for graduation at KCTCS colleges in the spring 2003 semester. Some 6,783 students applied between January 21 and March 31 to receive certificates, diplomas or associate degrees.

§         New certificate programs to be offered by the following colleges: Ashland Community and Technical College; Bowling Green Technical College; Central Kentucky Technical College; Elizabethtown Technical College; Gateway Community and Technical College; Mayo Technical College; Maysville Community College; Southeast Community College; and West Kentucky Community and Technical College. To view a full list of the new programs, visit this site on the Web: www.kctcs.edu.

§         Elected officers for 2003/04 and 2004/05. Read will continue as chair, and Joseph B. Wise III as secretary. Richard A. Beam was elected as vice chair.

§         Honored Martha C. Johnson, founding chair, for her service to the Board of Regents. Johnson was one of Governor Paul Patton’s original appointees to the board in 1997. Her six-year term soon will expire. Johnson, a former resident of Ashland, works for Ashland Inc.

“Martha’s leadership has been key to the growth of KCTCS as a seamless system of comprehensive colleges,” said Read, current board chair. “Her wisdom, dedication and sense of humor will be missed.”

The Board of Regents’ next meeting is scheduled for August 15 at Henderson Community College.