VERSAILLES, Ky. (March 14, 2016) – The Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) Board of Regents approved a new Associate of Applied Science in Broadband Technology at Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) during its quarterly meeting on Friday.
The program is an instrumental initiative designed to improve the economy in the southeastern region of the state that is part of both the KentuckyWired and Shaping Our Appalachian Region (SOAR) initiatives.
The KentuckyWired project was launched last year and is designed to expand high-speed broadband coverage throughout the state, beginning in eastern Kentucky.
Kentucky is at the bottom of the list nationally when it comes to broadband accessibility and speed, but will become one of the top in the nation when this project is complete. This means not only greater access and speed for individuals and existing organizations, but also makes costs more competitive nationally making the region and the state more attractive to business.
KCTCS colleges, including five in the SOAR region, have been designated Community Anchor Institutions and will serve as distribution hubs for connectivity with new buildings to house fiber optic cable built on their properties. This makes KCTCS colleges a priority location for creating improved coverage in communities throughout the Commonwealth. The Broadband Technology program at BSCTC will provide a trained workforce to support the need for installation and maintenance to support this initiative.
Other action taken by the KCTCS Board of Regents included:
•Approval of a new program proposal for a diploma in Pharmacy Technology for Bluegrass Community and Technical College;
•Ratification of nine new credit KCTCS occupational-technical certificate programs;
•Approval of 5,789 academic credential requests (certificates, diplomas or associate degrees) between October 6, 2015 and January, 11, 2016. The credentials include:
•3.382 candidates for certificates,
•389 candidates for diplomas, and
•2,018 candidates for associate degrees.
•Naming of the Regional Postsecondary Education Center at Madisonville Community College as the Steve Beshear Center for Postsecondary Education.
The next KCTCS Board of Regents meeting will be June 9 – 10, 2016 at Maysville Community and Technical College, Maysville, Kentucky.
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