BridgeValley Community and Technical College (BVCTC) is a multi-campus community and technical college serving the Charleston, West Virginia metropolitan area. It was formed in 2014 by the merger of Bridgemont Community and Technical College of Montgomery, West Virginia and Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College of South Charleston, West Virginia. Its current president is Eunice Bellinger.
History
Montgomery Campus (former Bridgemont Community and Technical College)
The Montgomery campus serves the upper Kanawha Valley region of West Virginia. It was established in 1966 as the Community College at West Virginia Institute of Technology. In 1996, West Virginia Institute of Technology became a regional campus of West Virginia University and was renamed West Virginia University Institute of Technology. At this time, the community college became known as Community College at West Virginia University Institute of Technology. As a result of the 2008 reorganization of the higher education system of West Virginia, the state's community colleges were "divorced" from the general colleges and universities and had to adopt new names unrelated to their parent institutions. Community College at West Virginia University Institute of Technology became Bridgemont Community and Technical College as a nod to the many bridges and mountains in the area.
South Charleston Campus (former Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College)
The South Charleston campus, formerly Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College (KVCTC), was established in 1953 as a community college component of what was then West Virginia State College (now University). In 2003, it was accredited as West Virginia State Community and Technical College, but remained administratively linked to WVSU. In 2008, the legislature fully separated the Community and Technical College from its parent 4-year institution, however, both schools continued to share the same campus. Due to the extremely crowded conditions endured by both KVCTC and WVSU and for the schools to facilitate their missions, ongoing efforts were made to establish a separate campus. In the fall of 2012, KVCTC moved to its new campus in South Charleston at the former Dow research facility.
In 2009, the school went through a name change to distinguish itself from West Virginia State University. The school's new name was officially announced on April 20, 2009 as Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College. KVCTC held its first commencement ceremony on May 16, 2009. Previously, Kanawha Valley held its commencement in a joint ceremony with West Virginia State. In May 2012, KVCTC received national recognition by earning the MAP-Works Overall Excellence Award for implementing a program aimed at student success.
Merger
In early 2013, a bill was in process to merge Bridgemont Community and Technical College with Kanawha Valley Community and Technical College. The schools combined their administrations, but maintain both campuses and all course offerings. According to former KVCTC President Joseph Badgley, "This is a model that should have been a place a long time ago, ... This is a good time to do it to since I’m retiring and it will make the transition much easier." Then-Bridgemont President Beverly Jo Harris said "We have worked hand in hand [with KVCTC] over the past several years trying not to duplicate programs, ... Now under one administrative structure, we’ll have a very broad range of healthcare and technology programming." Over the 2013-14 academic year, the schools operated independently. In the fall of 2014, the combined schools became officially known as BridgeValley Community and Technical College. Harris was named president of the new multi-campus college.
Degrees offered
The South Charleston campus grants more than 20 Associate in Applied Science Degrees, one Associate in Science Degree, one Associate in Arts Degree, 17 Certificate of Applied Science Degrees, and twelve Skill Sets. To meet the expressed need for nurses in the region, the college began its first Associate Degree in Nursing in the fall of 2005.
The Business Studies Division has articulation agreements with Marshall University and West Virginia State University for students to transfer the Accounting, Finance, Management and Marketing degrees into a baccalaureate program. An agreement exists with Marshall University to transfer the Computers and Information Technology: Management Information Systems degree from BVCTC. The Paralegal Studies program has an articulation agreement with the University of Charleston to transfer students from that program into the University of Charleston's baccalaureate Political Science program. More information about the paralegal courses that transfer into that program can be found by visiting the following website: https://sites.google.com/site/bridgevalleyparalegalstudies/
Accreditation
The South Charleston campus has met the recommended criteria to become an independently accredited institution by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. In October 2004, the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association approved the South Charleston campus to receive the maximum five year initial accreditation. Following a return visit in April 2010, the school was granted the maximum ten year accreditation.
The Nursing program at the South Charleston campus is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc. and the West Virginia Board of Examiners for Registered Professional Nurses since 2007. At an accreditation visit in 2012, the NLNAC recommended the full eight-year accreditation of the nursing program.
The Nuclear Medicine program at the South Charleston campus is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology.
Lease dispute
As of September 2017, the college is being threatened with eviction from its South Charleston campus for non-payment of rent following the June 2015 expiration of its lease. President Bellinger acknowledged that the school has not paid rent in two years for the two buildings and grounds it occupies, but school officials hope that suing their landlord, the West Virginia Regional Technology Park, might delay the actual eviction.
References
External links
- www.bridgevalley.edu Official website.
