In a special meeting, August 21, 2019 the Central Wyoming College Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution to allow the college to begin the approval processes to start Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) degrees.
In a memo to President Brad Tyndall, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Accreditation Liaison Officer Louisa Hunkerstorm stated that “community colleges offering four-year degrees is a growing nationwide trend. These offerings allow students to continue their education beyond the Associate’s level at an affordable price while staying in their home communities. Degree offerings can be tailored to suit a community’s specific workforce needs, and may be more applied or technical than the focus of typical four-year university degrees.”
Beginning with the codification of the Wyoming Education Attainment Council Executive Committee in the 2019 General legislative session, Wyoming leaders have been collaborating on several fronts to provide additional pathways for individuals to obtain post-secondary credentials and certificates. According to former Governor Mead’s executive order, “the economic growth and economic diversification of the State will depend on citizens and workers with a wide array of knowledge and skills.” It emphasized that high-quality industry credentials and higher education degrees were connected to higher employment and increased earning power.
As is customary with all new academic programs, the college first receives approval from the Board of Trustees, and next steps will include seeking required approval through the Wyoming Community College Commission followed by the Higher Learning Commission.
“Combined with CWC’s internal approval process, these detailed approvals will ensure that any programs will fit within CWC’s mission and Board Ends, serve Wyoming state goals, meet standards of academic quality and rigor, and serve students well,” Hunkerstorm said.
“CWC trustees have unanimously approved the resolution for CWC to begin the process of pursuing the Bachelor of Applied Science degrees in order to allow more students to attain their goals and improve their lives by obtaining a post-secondary degree,” President Brad Tyndall said.