KCTCS Board of Regents review flat fall enrollment

Versailles, Ky. (Sept. 26, 2008) - Fall enrollment was a major topic of discussion during today's Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents meeting. For the first time in the organization's 10-year history, enrollment did not increase during the fall semester with an estimated 92,175 students compared with 92,828 in 2007.

"This slight drop in enrollment is a direct result of a decline in state appropriations and the Council on Postsecondary Education's decision not to approve our recommended tuition increase," said KCTCS Board of Regents Chair Richard A. Bean. "We can no longer continue to do what was mandated to us in the 1997 Postsecondary Education Improvement Act without appropriate levels of support."

Due to a $13.5 million reduction in state appropriations, KCTCS began the 2008-09 academic year with 240 fewer faculty and staff. KCTCS colleges have absorbed the budget cuts by eliminating academic programs and reducing the number of courses and services offered to students. Specific actions include:

· Elimination of full academic programs on one or more campuses of 10 colleges;

· Enrollment caps in one or more programs at 12 colleges;

· Fewer courses or fewer course sections offered by 14 colleges;

· Raising the minimum number of students required for a class to be offered at 15 colleges;

· Increasing class sizes at nine colleges;

· Reduction in services to students and businesses at 15 colleges;

· Closure of a campus at Gateway Community and Technical College;

· Capping of enrollment at Jefferson Community and Technical College's downtown campus;

· Discontinuation of class offerings at Wayne County High School by Somerset Community College; and

· Elimination of weekend operations of the library at Owensboro Community and Technical College.

In response to the tight budgetary environment, KCTCS is aggressively pursuing additional revenue sources including the launching of a virtual learning initiative entitled KCTCS Online. This program is completely learner-centered and will allow adults to pursue higher education anytime, anywhere, and anyplace without ever having to physically enter the doors of any KCTCS college.

"I believe that we will emerge out of this difficult budget situation much stronger because during times of crisis effective organizations become more focused and innovative," said KCTCS President Michael B. McCall. "Revolutionary programs like KCTCS Online will allow us to play a primary role in transforming the state's economy to meet the needs of the global economy."

KCTCS currently has 22,000 students online, with an estimated 10,000 more predicted over the next three years.

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

An Associate in Applied Science in Homeland Security/Emergency Management for Bluegrass Community and Technical College and West Kentucky Community and Technical College;
An Associate in Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography for Hazard Community and Technical College;
An Associate in Applied Science in Surgical Technology for Hazard Community and Technical College;
Associate in Applied Science in Advanced Industrial Integrated Technology for Madisonville Community College;
35 certificate programs at 15 KCTCS colleges, including a pilot program for Human Resource Administration at Gateway Community and Technical College and a pilot program for Release of Information Data Specialist at Jefferson Community and Technical College;
7,890 candidates for graduation who applied for academic credentials (certificates, diplomas or associate degrees) between April 22, 2008 and August 4, 2008.
The credentials include:

*5,738 candidates for certificates;

* 553 candidates for diplomas; and

*1,910 candidates for associate degrees.

The next meeting of the KCTCS Board of Regents will be December 4, 2008 at the KCTCS office, Versailles, Kentucky.

For most Kentuckians, higher education begins at KCTCS. Our statewide system of 16 colleges and 67 campuses provides citizens throughout the Commonwealth with a quality education that is both accessible and affordable. For more information, visit www.kctcs.edu