Wichita Area Technical College - History

History

Year Event
1995
  • Senate bill 257 was passed and signed by the governor authorizing the transition of Wichita Area Vocational-Technical School to Wichita Area Technical College (WATC) and gave the college the authority to grant college credit and award the associate of applied science degree.
1999
  • State supervisory jurisdiction over WATC was changed from the Kansas State Board of Education to the Kansas Board of Regents with the passage of Senate bill 345.
2000
  • An ad hoc task force, appointed by the Wichita Public Schools Superintendent, developed and presented Keys to Success, a list of the desired characteristics of a world-class technical college.
  • WATC received Candidacy status with the Council on Occupational Education. Camille Kluge was appointed president of the college.
2001
  • WATC received full accreditation from the Council on Occupational Education.
2002
  • The Kansas Board of Regents established a policy enabling all degree-granting institutions in Kansas to achieve accreditation from HLC-NCA. WATC began the research and planning necessary to accomplish this new requirement.
2003
  • The Kansas Legislature passed Senate bill 7, allowing all degree-granting institutions to be governed by a board independent from a K-12 school board and to develop a plan for transition.
2004
  • The WATC transition plan was approved by the local Wichita Public Schools Unified School District 259 (USD 259) Board of Education (BOE) and the Kansas Board of Regents. WATC transitioned to an independent entity governed by a new nine-member Board of Trustees on July 1, 2004.
  • WATC suffered a loss of $3.5 million in funding from USD 259 resulting in a reduction-in-force of 59 positions and 12 programs.
  • Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution creating a Sedgwick County Technical Education and Training Authority.
  • The Preliminary Information Form seeking HLC-NCA accreditation was prepared and submitted to HLCNCA.
2005
  • WATC Board of Trustees expanded to 11 members.
2006
  • WATC received candidacy status with HLC-NCA.
  • Camille Kluge resigned. Jim Means was appointed interim president.
  • Plans for a new campus were announced by the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners.
  • WATC was named the managing partner for the new facility.
2007
  • The Sedgwick County Technical Education and Training Authority became the governing board for WATC.
  • Peter Gustaf was appointed president.
  • Twenty-nine full-time equivalents were eliminated to redirect funds for instructional priorities.
2010
  • The National Center for Aviation Training opens at Jabara Airport.

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