Baccalaureate Council Proposal
The members of the WACTC Baccalaureate Group propose to become a WACTC council under the
direction of the WACTC Instruction Commission. There has been a consistent and sustained growth of
both the number of overall applied baccalaureate degrees being offered and the number of community
and technical colleges offering these degrees in the state. This expansion would be best supported by
the creation of a formal council to effectively advise the Instruction Commission, as appropriate, on
matters relating to BAS procedures, processes, and promotion.
History
The Washington Community and Technical College Baccalaureate Council was established by an
informal group of Washington community and technical college personnel directing the first Bachelor of
Applied Science degree programs.
The purpose of this Council shall be:
 To explore mechanisms for developing and expanding baccalaureate pathways for students of
Washington community and technical colleges.
 To improve communication, liaison, and share best practices and processes among community
and technical colleges in the State of Washington regarding conferring applied baccalaureate
degrees.
 To study, evaluate, develop, and promote statewide articulation agreement processes from
AAS/AAST – BAS - MA.
 To inform and advise as appropriate operational processes and procedures of campus
baccalaureate programs across the colleges and other formal state councils and commissions.
 To plan and convene a statewide BAS conference annually to provide a consistent forum to
connect community and technical colleges, share best practices and provide a learning
community for staff working with or interested in developing BAS degrees.
 To serve as a resource for policy considerations relating to BAS degrees for other Washington
State Community and Technical College councils and commissions.
 To liaison with other key statewide commissions, councils, and groups including, but not limited
to: the Centers of Excellence, Intercollege Relations Commission, Articulation and Transfer
Council, Council of Basic Skills, and the Workforce Education Council.
 To serve as the Washington State liaison to the national Community College Baccalaureate
Association.
 To consider issues of general interest to institutions of higher education.
 To promote and advocate for baccalaureate pathways within member institutions.