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KCTCS president announces retirement

Lexington Herald-Leader

Jay K. Box, president of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS), announced his retirement today during the KCTCS Board of Regents meeting. Box will leave the system at the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30, 2020.

Box was named the second president of KCTCS on November 19, 2014. He is a community college graduate and has more than 30 years of experience in community college leadership.

“Dr. Box has been a wonderful leader for KCTCS, and he will be missed by the board as well as the faculty and staff,” said KCTCS Board of Regents Chair Gail Henson. “His focus on student success was evident from day one, and he never lost that focus. He has been a transformer for the system, catapulting Kentucky’s community colleges into the national spotlight with his work on the American Workforce Policy Advisory Board and the Rebuilding America’s Middle Class board.”

During a time when enrollment was flat or shrinking in Kentucky and nationwide, KCTCS set records for credentials awarded and program completion. Under Box’s leadership, Kentucky is now ranked eighth in the nation in credentials awarded by two-year, public colleges; second based on Kentucky’s population.

“In my first speech to faculty and staff, I told them we should be our students’ dream catchers, and I still believe that,” Box said. “It’s our job to inspire them, help them overcome barriers to success and have better lives for themselves and their families.”

The national search for a new KCTCS president will begin right away with the formation of a search committee and the hiring of a search firm. The process will take several months, and Box’s successor is likely to be named in early fall of 2020.

In other business, the board:

•Received positive results from the organization’s annual independent financial audit for the fiscal year 2018-19. The opinion issued by Crowe LLP was an “unmodified opinion,” the best type of report offered by public accounting firms. KCTCS has received an unmodified opinion every year since its inception in 1998. 

•Ratified 28 certificate programs.

•Approved an Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Welding Technology for Hopkinsville Community College and Massage Therapy for Hazard Community and Technical College

•Approved 9,221academic credential requests between July 18, 2019 – October 2, 2019 (associate degrees, diplomas and certificates).  These credentials include 6,387 candidates for certificates, 422 candidates for diplomas, and 2.412 candidates for associate degrees.

The next KCTCS Board of Regents meeting will be March 12-13, 2020 at the KCTCS System Office in Versailles.

(provided by the Kentucky Community and Technical College System)

Paul Hitchcock earned his Masters in Communications from Morehead State University and Bachelors in Radio-TV/Psychology from Georgetown College. A veteran broadcaster for more than 40 years and an avid fan of blues, jazz and American roots music. Hitchcock has been with WMKY since 1986 and was named General Manager in 2003. He currently hosts "Muddy Bottom Blues" (Fri., 8pm-9pm), "Nothin' But The Blues" (Sat., 8pm-12am), "Sunday Night Jazz Showcase" and "Live From The Jazz Lounge" (Sun., 8pm-9pm) and "The Golden Age of Radio" (Sun., 2pm-3pm). He also serves as producer for "A Time For Tales" and "The Reader's Notebook."
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