[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 152 (Friday, December 12, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN COMMEMORATION OF THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE OF DR. MICHAEL McCCALL TO 
                      THE COMMONWEALTH OF KENTUCKY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HAROLD ROGERS

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 11, 2014

  Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
my friend, Dr. Michael B. McCall, the Founding President of the 
Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS). Dr. McCall has 
announced that this will be his last year as System president and will 
be retiring in January.
   Under the leadership of Dr. McCall, KCTCS has served as the major 
gateway to post-secondary education across the Commonwealth. Since his 
appointment in December 1998, Dr. McCall has achieved many successes, 
such as merging the 28 community and technical colleges into 16 
individually accredited comprehensive community colleges and leading 
KCTCS to its position as the largest provider of post-secondary 
education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Because of his leadership, 
KCTCS currently serves over 92,000 students and represents over 47% of 
all undergraduate college students. Perhaps most importantly, KCTCS has 
dramatically increased participation in postsecondary education. The 
number of students participating in KCTCS has risen dramatically since 
the system was created, with enrollment increasing by 62,000 in the 
first decade.
   I am proud to have five community colleges within the KCTCS System 
that serve my district: Somerset Community College, Southeast Kentucky 
Community and Technical College, Hazard Community and Technical 
College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, and Ashland 
Community and Technical College. Each college has seen incredible 
growth since KCTCS was founded in 1997.
   Dr. McCall has also led the System to create major advancements in 
education and pioneered many new educational opportunities that are 
unique to Kentucky, including the North American Racing Academy (first 
college-affiliated horse racing academy in the United States), the 
Kentucky Coal Academy, Kentucky Fire Commission, and the Kentucky Board 
of Emergency Medical Services.
   Dr. McCall has served for more than 40 years in community and 
technical colleges. He has been recognized as Kentucky Monthly 
Magazine's Kentuckian of the Year and was also the Board Chair of the 
American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). This marked the 
first time a System-level president was elected chair of the AACC 
board.
   I am proud to have known Dr. McCall since he became KCTCS President 
and wish him great luck in retirement. I offer my full congratulations 
to Dr. McCall for his service to KCTCS and the Commonwealth of 
Kentucky. Thank you and may God bless you.

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