RESTON, VA (September 28, 2008) The Community and Technical College at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology (CTC @ WVU Tech) in Montgomery, WV has formed articulation agreements with 15 PrintED-accredited career technical schools in MD. These are the first statewide articulation agreements undertaken by either CTC @ WVU Tech or the Maryland Department of Education's Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning.

Under these new articulation agreements, certain courses being taught in MD PrintED-accredited programs will be eligible for college credit toward an Associate of Science degree from CTC @ WVU Tech. While the courses qualifying for articulation have yet to be determined, the agreements essentially allow PrintED instructors to identify which classes they currently teach match up with courses offered at CTC @ WVU Tech.

"This is a flexible articulation based on the accreditation areas that are being taught at each individual school," explained Jack Nuckols, professor and chair of the Department of Printing at CTC @ WVU Tech. "Whether a program concentrates on digital file preparation or digital file output, for example, PrintED instructors will be able to find classes that fall into the articulation agreements-so even if you don't operate a printing press in your program, your student can still earn college credit."

According to Katharine Oliver, assistant superintendent, Division of Career Technology and Adult Learning at the Maryland Department of Education, the concept of statewide articulation is still relatively new. Such agreements are now reinforced by the federal government since the passage of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, she said.

CTC @ WVU Tech and the MD Department of Education are at the forefront of the movement toward statewide articulation and are helping to promote a new level of professionalism and education in traditionally manufacturing-heavy industries, such as graphic communications. Oliver said, "These agreements with CTC @ WVU Tech are a way for us to continue to advance this notion of a consistent approach to education in printing technology, while maintaining our partnership with the industry and broadening our partnership with post-secondary institutions. It further helps us deal with the outdated way of looking at career technical education, that it's either that or college."

In an innovative twist to the articulation agreements, MD students who earn an Associate of Science degree from CTC @ WVU Tech will additionally receive WV in-state tuition if they continue their studies toward a Bachelor of Science in WVU Tech's printing management program. According to Nuckols, the annual savings will amount to approximately $6,000.

To facilitate students' access to the printing technology program at CTC @ WVU Tech, the community college recently put its entire program online. This provides more availability and flexibility for those enrolled in the course of study.

The articulation agreements between CTC @ WVU Tech and MD will also include MD's one prison-based PrintED-accredited program, the Occupational Skills Training Center in Baltimore.  Both Nuckols and Oliver say these articulation agreements will serve as a model for articulation agreements with other parties.

For further information, contact Jack Nuckols at: [email protected] or 304/442-3172; Katharine Oliver at: [email protected] or 410/767-0158.