West Virginia University at Parkersburg
Encyclopedia
West Virginia University at Parkersburg is a public college located in Parkersburg
, West Virginia
, United States
. It is a stand-alone college with its own board of governors and degree granting authority, separate from WVU. Conceived as a community college
to serve seven counties in west central West Virginia, it now offers some baccalaureate programs. It is the largest community college in West Virginia and the state's fifth largest public college with over 4,300 students.
WVU Parkersburg is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
.
enacted S.B. 420 which, among other initiatives, renamed PCC as West Virginia University at Parkersburg, designated it a regional campus of WVU, and transferred its governance to the newly-formed University of West Virginia
Board of Trustees.
In 2008, the governance structure of WVU Parkersburg was changed by the state legislature. WVU Parkersburg now has no relationship with WVU other than a commonality of names. WVU Parkersburg is now part of a state-wide network of independently accredited community colleges and is controlled locally by a Board of Governors.
WVU Parkersburg also offers Associate's degree
and certificate programs, as community colleges traditionally do, in a wide variety of other academic areas which are not offered as baccalaureate programs.
Future facility plans include a Memorial Clock Tower and Applied Technology Lab building to be added in 2011 and 2012. Mid-term plans also include a new Early Childhood Learning Center, a Student Life and Wellness Center, and an expansion of the Jackson County Center in Ripley.
in 1990, a redesign of the state system of higher education was proposed. The state Speaker of the House was from Parkersburg and added the renaming to the bill. In 1995 this system was replaced by yet another system of college organization under Governor Cecil Underwood, however the school retained the name WVU Parkersburg.
In 2008 the state adopted yet another system of college organization and completely "divorced" the community colleges from their parent institutions. WVU and WVU Parkersburg developed several agreements and a memordandom of understanding in the spring of 2009 allowing WVU Parkersburg to retain its name in an "evergreen" agreement.
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a stand-alone college with its own board of governors and degree granting authority, separate from WVU. Conceived as a community college
Community college
A community college is a type of educational institution. The term can have different meanings in different countries.-Australia:Community colleges carry on the tradition of adult education, which was established in Australia around mid 19th century when evening classes were held to help adults...
to serve seven counties in west central West Virginia, it now offers some baccalaureate programs. It is the largest community college in West Virginia and the state's fifth largest public college with over 4,300 students.
WVU Parkersburg is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
.
History
The college was founded in 1961 as the Parkersburg Branch of West Virginia University. It became Parkersburg Community College (PCC) in 1971 and was originally governed by the West Virginia Board of Regents. In a reorganization of the state's higher education governance structure in 1989, the West Virginia LegislatureWest Virginia Legislature
The West Virginia Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of West Virginia. A bicameral legislative body, the Legislature is split between the upper Senate and the lower House of Delegates. It was established under Article VI of the West Virginia Constitution following the state's...
enacted S.B. 420 which, among other initiatives, renamed PCC as West Virginia University at Parkersburg, designated it a regional campus of WVU, and transferred its governance to the newly-formed University of West Virginia
University of West Virginia
The University of West Virginia was an educational authority formed by the West Virginia Legislature on July 1, 1989, to oversee the operation of the state's graduate and doctoral degree-granting institutions. It was abolished on June 30, 2000...
Board of Trustees.
In 2008, the governance structure of WVU Parkersburg was changed by the state legislature. WVU Parkersburg now has no relationship with WVU other than a commonality of names. WVU Parkersburg is now part of a state-wide network of independently accredited community colleges and is controlled locally by a Board of Governors.
Academics
WVU Parkersburg is the first and, thus far, only community college in West Virginia to offer any Bachelor's degrees. Bachelor's degrees that are currently awarded at WVU Parkersburg include: the Bachelor of Applied Technology, Bachelor of Applied Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, the Bachelor of Arts in either Elementary Education or Multi-disciplinary Studies, and the Regents Bachelor of Arts (RBA) degree, which gives adult students college credit for past work and life experience and allows them to gain a general college-level education without selecting a specific major.WVU Parkersburg also offers Associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
and certificate programs, as community colleges traditionally do, in a wide variety of other academic areas which are not offered as baccalaureate programs.
Athletics
WVU Parkersburg does not currently field any of its own intercollegiate varsity teams. However, it does field several sport club teams that compete with area colleges, including men's basketball and soccer and women's volleyball. These teams are known as the Riverhawks.Campus
WVU Parkersburg is located on the outskirts of the city of Parkersburg. The campus is home to, among various buildings, a library, the main administrative building, the Workforce and Community Education Division, and the Caperton Center. WVU Parkersburg does not have any student housing on campus; it is a commuter school. The Jackson County Center is a smaller campus of WVU Parkersburg and offers a limited number of classes for students living closer to its Ripley, WV location.Future facility plans include a Memorial Clock Tower and Applied Technology Lab building to be added in 2011 and 2012. Mid-term plans also include a new Early Childhood Learning Center, a Student Life and Wellness Center, and an expansion of the Jackson County Center in Ripley.
Naming issues
The school was founded as the Parkersburg Branch of West Virginia University in 1961. It became Parkersburg Community College in 1971. Under Governor Gaston CapertonGaston Caperton
William Gaston Caperton III was the 31st Governor of the U.S. state of West Virginia from 1989 until 1997. He is currently the president of the College Board, which administers the nationally recognized SAT and AP tests. Caperton announced his intention to step down as president of the College...
in 1990, a redesign of the state system of higher education was proposed. The state Speaker of the House was from Parkersburg and added the renaming to the bill. In 1995 this system was replaced by yet another system of college organization under Governor Cecil Underwood, however the school retained the name WVU Parkersburg.
In 2008 the state adopted yet another system of college organization and completely "divorced" the community colleges from their parent institutions. WVU and WVU Parkersburg developed several agreements and a memordandom of understanding in the spring of 2009 allowing WVU Parkersburg to retain its name in an "evergreen" agreement.