WVU Tech/Southern Agreement Signing

Collaborative program between WVU Tech and Southern gives students an opportunity for four-year degree in accounting

Logan, WV - West Virginia University Institute of Technology and Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for an Accounting Comprehensive Collaborative Program effective July 1, 2010, the schools announced today.

Students wishing to pursue an Accounting Bachelor of Science degree offered by the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences and who have successfully completed the first two years of required accounting work at Southern, may enter the collaborative program at WVU Tech beginning this fall.

College officials participating in the agreement signing ceremony were West Virginia University Institute of Technology College Provost, Dr. Scott M. Hurst and the Dean of the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Stephen W. Brown. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College representatives included President Joanne Jaeger Tomblin, Vice President for Academic Affairs Cathy L. Smith-Cox, Pamela L. Alderman, dean for career and technical programs along with Dr. Gail Hall, department chair for business. The MOU agreement signing ceremony took place at Southern's Logan Campus.

"I commend President Tomblin and the Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College faculty and staff for their open-minded collaboration with Tech to expand educational opportunities to Southern West Virginia.  This program demonstrates how technology and collaboration among institutions can provide greater access to higher education.  I am personally thankful to President Tomblin and her staff for the opportunity to participate in a venture that educationally impacts the area in which I was born and raised and still consider home," Dr. Hurst said.

Students entering the accounting program will have the opportunity to complete upper level program requirements (300-400 level) primarily through online courses. They will also benefit from reduced paperwork ordinarily associated with transfers making it a seamless admissions process, Smith-Cox explained.

"It is always a pleasure to work with Dr. Hurst and the administration, faculty and staff at WVU Tech," President Tomblin said. "This unique agreement will provide students who receive an associate degree from Southern a wonderful opportunity to acquire the baccalaureate degree in accounting. In addition, courses will be delivered in a non-traditional format so students will have more flexibility in attaining a degree. We look forward to starting yet another chapter in Southern's 40-year history as well as helping students from our region become successful."

Initial details of the curriculum for the Accounting option at Southern and of the courses required to complete the Accounting B.S. degree at WVU Tech are listed on the colleges' web sites.

"WVU Tech is appreciative of the opportunity to work with Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College to offer an on-line baccalaureate degree in Accounting to graduates of Southern's associate degree program.  I am pleased that both institutions have worked closely together over the past year to make the transfer of credits easy and that students from Southern will be able to advance their accounting education through distance learning from WVU Tech." said Dr. Brown.

This is one more example of the two institutions collaborating to bring higher education opportunities to students in West Virginia.

Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College operates four campuses and two sites located in Boone, Logan, Lincoln, Mingo, Raleigh and Wyoming counties. Kentucky students residing in Pike, Martin, Boyd and Lawrence counties are eligible for in-state tuition rates. The college's web site is www.southernwv.edu and the toll free number is 1-866-798-2821.

Southern is a member institution of the Community and Technical College System of West Virginia and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges.

Pictured l-r, are front row,  Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College President Joanne Jaeger Tomblin and West Virginia University Institute of Technology College Provost, Dr. Scott M. Hurst. Back row l-r, Dr. Gail Hall, department chair for business at Southern; Pamela L. Alderman, dean for career and technical programs; Cathy L. Smith-Cox, vice president for academic afairs; and WVU Tech Dean of the College of Business, Humanities and Social Sciences, Dr. Stephen W. Brown.