KCTCS Board of Regents promotes seamless system

HENDERSON, Ky. (August 15, 2003) - The seamless delivery of education services in Kentucky will be promoted by actions taken Friday by the Board of Regents of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS).

During its regularly, quarterly meeting, held at Henderson Community College, the Board of Regents approved:

• A new name for the KCTCS college in Hazard. Hazard Community and Technical College comprises institutions formerly known as Hazard Community College and Hazard Technical College. HCTC encompasses campus in Perry, Breathitt, Knott and Leslie counties.
• A new name - Big Sandy Community and Technical College - for the institutions formerly known as Prestonsburg Community College and Mayo Technical College. The newly named college comprises campuses in Johnson, Floyd and Pike counties.

Names of college campuses will reflect historical references and ties to communities - Prestonsburg Campus, Mayo Campus, Hager Hill Campus, and Pikeville Campus.

"Choosing appropriate names for our colleges is important to convey to the public the value of the postsecondary education and workforce training that we provide to communities," said Michael B. McCall, KCTCS president.

"These new names make clear our colleges' roles in offering university transfer courses, technical programs, support for economic development, and the myriad other services that change the lives of Kentuckians," McCall said.

In other action at its meeting on Friday, the Board of Regents approved:

• New mission statements for Hazard Community and Technical College and Big Sandy Community and Technical College to signify their roles in serving the region as comprehensive two-year colleges.
• Graduation candidates who applied for academic credentials (certificates, diplomas or associate degrees) between April 1, 2003, and June 30, 2003. Systemwide, 1,731 students applied for credentials during the period. The largest number - 362 - came from Central Kentucky Technical College in Lexington.
• A new associate in applied science degree program in Radiography to be offered by Ashland Community and Technical College.
• New certificate programs that will be offered by Ashland Community and Technical College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Central Kentucky Technical College, Elizabethtown Technical College, Gateway Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical College, Henderson Community College, Hopkinsville Community College, Jefferson Community College, Madisonville Community College, Maysville Community College, Owensboro Community and Technical College, Somerset Community College, Southeast Community College, and West Kentucky Community and Technical College.
• A biennial budget request to be submitted to the Council on Postsecondary Education. The budget request may be modified by the council before it is included in the postsecondary education budget forwarded to the next governor and the 2004 General Assembly.

Also, the regents received a report on KCTCS performance indicators - or measurements of how the System Office and colleges are fulfilling the goals outlined in the KCTCS Strategic Plan. McCall highlighted continued enrollment growth of the colleges and increasing rates of students transferring from community and technical colleges to other higher education institutions.

The community and technical colleges of KCTCS change lives by providing accessible and affordable education and training through academic and technical associate degrees; diploma and certificate programs in occupational fields; pre-baccalaureate education; adult, continuing and developmental education; customized training for business and industry; and distance learning. For more information, visit www.kctcs.edu.