Updates for Students

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas in the parking lot.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas in the parking lot and the outdoor tables near the student lounge.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas along the sidewalk, the green spaces behind the building, and in the parking lot.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas along the sidewalk and in the parking lot behind the N Building.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas in the parking lot behind the M Building.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas of the Classroom Building patio and parking areas, as well as the highlighted areas of the Science Education Center parking lot.

Coverage is available in the highlighted areas along the sidewalk, the green spaces behind the building, and in the parking lot. 

Hello Students,

Summer has officially begun as we complete Summer I and start Summer II next week. We are also entering Stage 3 of our return to campus plan and I’m happy to see more of you on campus, socially distanced of course.

With return to campus, we have adjustments to make as we follow practices that keep us Healthy at BCTC. If you are coming to campus next week or this fall you will be asked to participate in check-in procedures and wear a mask. You will also see physical barriers in high traffic areas, 6’ markers indicating the appropriate social distance, limited use of common areas and shared amenities, and signage posted around campus. This is all to protect and promote your health and safety.

If you have not already read our Welcome Back Plan that describes operations for Summer II and Fall 2020, please do so. In addition, our Healthy at Work Officer, Beecher McCarty, emailed information on contact tracing this week. Please review this information. Our success in welcoming you to campus and keeping you on campus will depend on our attentiveness to this plan.

While we are still promoting remote service, we are offering some services to you on campus and encourage anyone who needs in-person service to make an appointment.

Yesterday, we celebrated some of you who had completed all fall enrollment steps with a drive through pizza and t-shirt giveaway. We will also begin a new student BCTC Spirit Video Contest next week. If you are enrolled, enter to win a laptop!

We have much to celebrate in our response to this pandemic. You are making a great choice by continuing your educational path. Steve Maraboli best expresses this idea: “Life doesn’t get easier or more forgiving, we get stronger and more resilient.” Your choices demonstrate your resilience and determination to reach your goals. Well done!

As always, stay healthy and remember we are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President/CEO

Hello BCTC Students,

I cannot say enough how proud I am of your courage and determination. The past three months have not been easy for anyone, and you have risen to meet every challenge.

Attached you will find our Welcome Back Plan that describes operations for Summer II and fall.  Kentucky has done a remarkable job of keeping incidents of COVID-19 low, allowing businesses to reopen under specific guidelines. These guidelines, which are reflected in our plan, encourage responsibility for ourselves and for each other. Personal accountability is paramount to the success of our plan and staying on campus this fall. I expect each of us to follow these protocols and guidelines.

Please watch our Healthy at BCTC video, if you have not already, to learn more about what campus will look like when you return.

We will enter Stage 3 of our plan the week of June 29. This means we will still have a limited number of students and employees on campus but will begin to offer a few more in-person services. These services will be offered per state guidelines and social distancing practices. We are still encouraging remote service. However, if you need to meet with one of our student service areas in-person, we highly recommend you make an appointment.

We want to make sure we are meeting your needs as we all return. Please complete this student survey, so we will know how we may serve you better. There are only three short questions, so it will just take a minute.

In addition, I encourage you to join us for the LIVE student forums on the BCTC Facebook channel every Tuesday 3-3:30 p.m. We will answer your questions live and provide great information about this fall. This Tuesday, our Healthy at Work Officer, Beecher McCarty will take questions. If you miss the session, no worries! We’ll record it and you can view it later that day on Facebook or YouTube. Also, be sure to regularly check your email. I’ll be sending updates every Thursday, and others from the college will be sending updates you will want to see.

I’m sure we are all a bit weary from the uncertainty and stress we have experienced in the past months, and we just want “normal” to come back. This reminds me of a famous quote by Vivian Greene: “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” You have all been doing this so well, and this dance continues as we look forward to our Summer II and fall semesters.

As always, stay healthy and remember we are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President/CEO

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Dear Students,

We are fast approaching the end of Summer I and set to begin Summer II in a couple of weeks. It is hard to believe we are already well into Summer 2020.

In preparation for return to campus this fall, we created the Healthy at BCTC video for you and our college community. You will see the focus is providing for your safety on campus.

As we get closer to the time for students to return to campus, we will provide more details to you. If you have questions about the Healthy at BCTC plan, please email them to Beecher McCarty.

Consider these words from Joshua J. Marine as you make plans for Summer II and Fall 2020, "Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful."

As always, stay healthy and remember, we are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President/CEO

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Dear Students,

As you wrap up this semester by completing your final exams, I encourage you to finish strong and offer you another round of encouragement from your amazing faculty and staff.

Once you ace those exams, I hope you are continuing your educational path this summer and fall. BCTC has flexible learning options, and virtual student support for online and remote classes will be strengthened this summer. We are committed to ensuring you can meet your education goals as we stay safe in relation to COVID-19. If you have not done so, now is a good time to enroll in summer classes.

Our college team is also developing plans to meet social distancing and health requirements for you in class when it is safe to return to BCTC.  Beginning August 17, fall term classes will be offered in a variety of formats.

There will be fully online classes as well as face-to-face classes and some options that are a mixture of both, barring any disruption from pandemic response. Face-to-face classes will have a strong online or remote instruction element, so if in-person classes must move online for a while you will be ready. And, there are a variety of scheduling options, including 16-week, 12-week, and 8-week sessions so you can take classes as they fit your schedule.

If you need help enrolling for summer or fall classes, please contact your advisor.

We are all facing a challenging new real world. You are not alone. BCTC is offering flexible options as we do this together.

Koffi C. Akakpo, Ph.D.
President/CEO

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Well, you have done it! Tomorrow will mark the last day of classes for the spring semester. The last mile in your race is your finals next week.

Your outstanding performance reminds me of a quote by John Wooden: "Don't let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."  You have certainly proven this true. Each day comes with the opportunity to be the best in your area of strength. If you believe it, you can achieve it.

Regarding when the CARES Act funding will be available to students, unfortunately we don't have an answer yet. There has been much discussion at the federal level about who will qualify and the award criteria. We're waiting on final directions and hoping that will come next week. We will let you know when to apply, as soon as the application is available.

We do, however have big news about our graduation ceremony! I am pleased to announce today we finalized our graduation date. We will hold the 2020 BCTC graduation ceremony December 12 at EKU. You will get details from our graduation committee soon.

However, we will not let May pass without celebrating our graduates. We have some nice surprises planned for you, including banners at Newtown and all of our regional campuses, social media campaigns, and graduates be looking for a fun message from us to you in the mail.

I encourage you to finish this semester strong by preparing for your finals and doing your best! I hope these messages from our faculty and staff will provide the last boost of confidence you need.

Remember, "tough times never last, but tough people do," said Robert Schuller. We are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

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Let me begin with saying, great job! Every week I see more and more of your determination to not only push through these difficult times, but excel in them. I hope the calls from our faculty and staff are providing the extra encouragement you need.

Some other encouraging news is that the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act has been approved by the United States Congress. These funds are to assist students with education related expenses resulting from the coronavirus, such as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare.

BCTC is working with the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and the United States Department of Education on the process for awarding these funds.  As soon as the process has been finalized and the application is available, we will communicate that to you through email, social media, text messages and the website.

As the semester ends, I encourage you to complete the course evaluations you got in your student email. You can respond until May 2. This helps us determine what did and did not work in the courses you are taking, so we can serve you better.

I also want to encourage you to finish strong this semester. We are almost to finals week. If you need any help completing the semester or registering for summer or fall classes, please contact us. I have attached information from our counseling department regarding assistance and virtual workshops they are doing. We are here to help.

Speaking of our great staff and faculty, they have created a new video with encouraging messages this week. Check it out!

Finally, we are not out of the woods yet. We need to keep working together and helping each other. As an African Proverb says, "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together."

Remember, we are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

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Hello Students,

As I write this email, it occurs to me that it has been almost a month since we all began taking classes and working remotely. Each week brings new challenges and opportunities.

Social distancing, necessitated by the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus, forces us to physically separate rather than come together. As we struggle adjusting to our new school/work life, we are also adjusting to less contact with those who are important to us.

However, we can create physical distance while finding new ways to socially connect. I encourage you to do that with your friends, families, instructors and classmates.

Do you know that our admissions department offers daily program showcases? If you or someone you know are interested in programs offered at BCTC, you can join one of these sessions. Just check out social media for the sign-up links every day.

Do you need help signing up for summer or fall classes? Our advisors are here to help. Click here to contact them.

Are you missing your classmates? Our student engagement team runs virtual student activities to help reduce stress.

Thanks to technology, we have many ways we can connect virtually when we can't physically gather. In fact, we've gathered some faculty and staff for you today. Check out their encouraging messages to you!

Do you want to send a message back to our faculty and staff? We can help! Follow the steps below and send your video to megan.taul@kctcs.edu. We'll put these together and send them to our faculty and staff next week, and post them on social media.

Record a short (15 seconds or less) video on a smartphone, webcam, etc.
Film in landscape orientation (turn your phone sideways)
Film in a quiet location that isn't too dark
Email to Megan.Taul@kctcs.edu the file (20MB or less) or a link to One Drive, Dropbox or Google Drive (more than 20MB)
These are all ways we make those very important social connections while staying safe with physical distance. Fred (Mr.) Rogers once said, "The connections we make in the course of a life - maybe that's what heaven is."

Finally, I am overwhelmed and deeply touched by how many of you have reached out to me and my family during this time. Thank you! Please, take care of yourselves and your loved ones. And remember we are all in this together, will overcome together and will come out of it stronger.

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Congratulations! You have completed another week and there are only 31 days to the end of the semester. I know you are working hard, learning new things and strengthening your skills every day.

Looking beyond spring semester, I have an update for you. The Summer I sessions (4, 6 and 8-week) will be online, and possibly Summer II as well. I hope you will take advantage of your new online learning skills and this time that we are social distancing to get more classes completed.

As we prepare classes and services for the summer semester, we would love to get your input and find out how you're doing. Will you take a moment to answer five questions for us?

If you are a graduate, I'm sure you're wondering about the new date for the graduation ceremony. We are working to make that decision and will let you know soon.  We are anxious to celebrate your success with you.

Finally, I have a special message for you from our faculty and staff who believe, as I do, that you've got this!

Enjoy this short video that we hope it encourages you as you finish strong!

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Dear Students,

As we approach the end of another week in our new reality, I am so proud of how, despite your own personal challenges, you are continuing your studies and working toward completion of your courses.

Some of you are doing this as you help your children with their online school work. Some of you are doing this with limited technology and internet access. Some of you are doing this with very little experience with technology. But, you are all doing it. Well done! Please know that we are here for you.

I'm also hearing that you are helping each other through virtual class communication, emails and the KCTCS app chat. I hope you will also encourage your instructors and our college staff who are working so hard for you.

Finally, make sure you are utilizing the resources we have collected for you on our student page, taking breaks, enjoying the outdoors as you practice social distancing, and engaging in our virtual student activities.

Be safe. Take care of yourselves and your families in the upcoming week and remember, you can do this. We will end this semester strong, together.

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Dear Students,

We were informed this afternoon by Dr. Jay Box, KCTCS President, that all KCTCS colleges will continue online instruction through the end of the semester.

Your instructor will continue to work with you to complete your spring courses online. The faculty, staff and I understand that this may pose challenges for some. We are working together to provide you with resources to complete this semester successfully. You will find an abundance of online resources and information on the COVID-19 student updates page we set up for you. You can get to this from our home page on the COVID-19 Updates link.

On this student resource page, you will find the latest updates from me, a contact list of services you need, online learning tips and tutorials, access to online tutoring service, IT Help, information about wi-fi access on campuses, information about companies who are offering FREE wi-fi to students, free access to eTextbooks, and even virtual student activities set up to keep you connected.

If you are in a course that includes an in-person lab or clinical instruction, your instructor will work with you on how and when that coursework will be completed, based on the health and safety recommendations of Governor Beshear.

In addition, graduation has been postponed until we can all come TOGETHER and celebrate the success of our graduates. As soon as that date is determined, we will share it with you.

BCTC will continue to provide services to our students and the community remotely through April 17, following guidance from the Governor's Office and the Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE).

I want you to know that faculty, staff and I are here to assist you in any way we can. We have collected a list of contact information for services you may need on the student page to make finding help easier. We are here for you.

I look forward to getting back on campus and celebrating graduation with you in the days ahead!

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Dear Students,

I want to sincerely express my appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for the patience, resilience and cooperation you have displayed during this unprecedented time. I know that you are dealing with a lot more than taking classes right now.

The crisis at hand is like none we have ever experienced. Decisions we have been forced to make have caused difficulties and inconvenience for everyone. However, please know that we take your success and safety seriously.

You may be experiencing an increased level of anxiety associated with COVID-19 and social isolation. In addition, some of you may encounter difficulties navigating a new mode of instruction. Please know that we are very aware of this and doing everything we can to help alleviate this stress.

If you are struggling, we have resources at BCTC to help. First, you can make an appointment with BCTC personal counseling. If you need assistance with Blackboard or online learning, check out our online learning resource page. We also have tutoring services available. The video on this page can help you access online tutoring.

We will continue to update our BCTC COVID-19 webpage with new messages and resources. Please regularly check this page and your college email.

In addition, please take seriously all health precautions and social distancing recommendations to protect yourself and your family. Please use good judgment and do your part to stop community spread. We are working to not only protect the health and well-being of our college community, but also our loved ones. 

I want to assure you that we are in this together. I hold a deep confidence that you and our college community will emerge from this extraordinary challenge stronger and more united than ever.

I believe in you and look forward to seeing you back on campus when all of this is over.

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Dear Students,

We are aware of the communication you recently received from UK concerning your housing for the remainder of the semester. We understand you have many things to consider and that you may have some questions for us. Therefore, we want to share the following:

In light of the responsibilities associated with your move in the upcoming week, we want you to know our instructors will work with you during this time.

After BCTC online instruction ends April 4, you may want or need to continue online. We will work with you to continue your instruction online and provide details on this process in the coming weeks.

We want to do everything we can to ensure your success this semester. We know these events have been very challenging.

We are here for you. If you have further questions or concerns, please contact our Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management, Dr. Palisa Williams Rushin at palisa.rushin@kctcs.edu.

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