Wichita Area Technical College to become Shocker territory

In less than a year, Wichita Area Technical College will be known as Wichita State University’s Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology.

“This is a pivotal moment in WATC’s 52-year history,” WATC president Sheree Utash said in a release. “Over the next few months, you will see name changes at our campuses, a transition from blue and green to black and yellow and the enrollment of new Shockers for the 2018 fall semester.”

Both colleges just received the final approval from the Higher Learning Commission to form an affiliation. The change will become official on July 1, 2018.

“This is an exciting day for education in Wichita and the state of Kansas,” Utash said in the release. “A strong partnership between WATC and WSU has existed for many years through collaborative efforts like the National Center for Aviation Training, the Shocker Pathway associate of arts degree and WSU Old Town. Now with a formalized affiliation, this will push our two institutions to collaborate more as we redefine what education looks like and drive toward developing the next generation of trained workers.”

The affiliation will result in three changes for WATC:

▪ WATC will change their name to WSU Campus of Applied Sciences and Technology.

▪ The Kansas Board of Regents will govern the college.

▪ Utash will become campus president of the new college and vice president of WSU Workforce Development.

The new campus will maintain WATC’s open admission policy for students, tuition rates and all programs and scheduling. It will provide technical programs, adult basic education, technical certificates and degrees, Shocker Pathway, and customized training to assist industry.

The affiliation will help both institutions fulfill their missions of increasing opportunities for students, and it will help meet the needs of the state by providing area industries with a better-trained workforce, the release states.

“The economic success of this state is at the very heart of what Wichita State does and informs every decision that we make,” said WSU president John Bardo. “This is a natural partnership that ensures the state of Kansas remains competitive with its neighbors and attractive to companies looking to explore new approaches to innovation, creativity and research.”

WATC currently offers over 100 programs of study in aviation, health care, manufacturing, design and business.

This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 12:21 PM with the headline "Wichita Area Technical College to become Shocker territory."