We would be happy to provide additional detail and information on any of the findings set forth below, as the Policy Commission might request or direct. There are significant barriers to access to the Advantage Valley CTCs. Visibility is an enormous barrier to access. The Advantage Valley CTCs are all but invisible. CTCs are not presently effectively promoted by high schools or in the work place, due in part to lack of effective marketing efforts for community college education.
Cost is a barrier.
Presently, CTC tuition at the Advantage Valley CTCs is the same as tuition at the baccalaureate programs. CTC tuition is relatively high on a comparative basis. While tuition and fees are higher in the component institutions, West Virginia's free-standing community and technical colleges receive some supplemental appropriations that assist in maintaining lower tuition levels. The Implementation Board recognizes and applauds the efforts of the three institutions to address the CTC tuition problem through the implementation of differential tuition rate adjustments for the CTC and baccalaureate programs over the next six years. These efforts will result in a CTC tuition priced significantly below the cost of baccalaureate tuition at the end of six years.