74-32,459. Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology; affiliation and approval thereof; designation; governing body; programs; admissions. (a) The Wichita area technical college, authorized and designated as a technical college pursuant to K.S.A. 74-32,458, and amendments thereto, with a governing board established pursuant to K.S.A. 74-32,452, and amendments thereto, is hereby affiliated with Wichita state university and the institutional infrastructure of the college is hereby officially designated as the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology shall be governed by and operated as a technical college campus within Wichita state university.

(b) The governing board of the Wichita area technical college, established pursuant to K.S.A. 74-32,452, and amendments thereto, shall become the industry advisory board to the president of Wichita state university for the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology, and all the powers and duties established in the governing board of any technical college by law shall be transferred to Wichita state university, subject to the rules and regulations and supervision of the state board of regents. The president of Wichita state university shall appoint the members of the industry advisory board. Advisory board members shall represent an industry sector that corresponds to a program offered by the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology.

(c) The Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology shall offer programs that focus on critical areas of regional competitiveness, including credential and degree programs ranging from a general educational development (GED) credential to associate of applied science degrees. The industry advisory board shall:

(1) Review non-credit and credit programs with the president and senior leadership of the campus of applied sciences and technology to ensure such programs are aligned with the current and emerging needs of the industry for an educated and trained workforce; and

(2) provide input relating to changes in each advisory board member's industry sector that affect academic programs.

(d) (1) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the following persons admitted by Wichita state university into the campus of applied sciences and technology shall not be subject to the admission requirements set forth in K.S.A. 76-717, and amendments thereto:

(A) Persons admitted as degree-seeking students in career technical education courses or programs terminating with an associate of applied studies degree; and

(B) persons admitted as nondegree-seeking students in career technical education certificate programs.

(2) Persons admitted into the campus of applied sciences and technology who subsequently seek to transfer into another school within Wichita state university, or into a bachelor's, master's, doctorate or non-technical associate degree or certificate program offered at Wichita state university, shall, at the time of such transfer, be subject to the admission requirements set forth in K.S.A. 76-717, and amendments thereto.

(3) Persons admitted by Wichita state university seeking a non-technical certificate, non-technical associate degree or any bachelor's, master's or doctorate degree shall be subject to the admission requirements set forth in K.S.A. 76-717, and amendments thereto.

(e) The Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology shall continue to be a technical college and shall be eligible for funding that is available to technical colleges to the extent provided by law. The amounts of such funding are to be determined in the same manner as provided by law for technical colleges.

(f) Whenever the Wichita area technical college, Wichita area vocational school or the Wichita area vocational-technical school, or words of like effect, is referred to or designated by any statute, contract or other document, such reference or designation shall be deemed to apply to the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology. Except as otherwise provided in this section, the provisions of all statutes of general application to area vocational schools, area vocational-technical schools and technical colleges shall apply to the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology. Whenever area vocational schools, area vocational-technical schools or technical colleges are defined, referred to or designated in a statute, such definition, referral or designation shall be deemed to apply to the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology.

(g) The affiliation effected by this section shall not affect any contract, agreement or assurance in effect on the effective date of this section.

(h) Subject to authorization by the state board of regents, all personnel of the Wichita area technical college, who are necessary to the operation of the Wichita state university campus of applied sciences and technology, in the opinion of the president of Wichita state university, shall become personnel of Wichita state university. The employment of such personnel shall be deemed uninterrupted.

(i) No suit, action or other proceeding, judicial or administrative, lawfully commenced, or that could have been commenced, by or against the Wichita area technical college, or by or against any personnel of the Wichita area technical college, shall abate by reason of the affiliation effected by this section. Any such suit, action or other proceeding may be allowed to be maintained by or against Wichita state university. No criminal action commenced or that could have been commenced by the Wichita area technical college shall abate by reason of the affiliation effected by this section.

(j) The provisions of this section shall be effective on and after the date the higher learning commission of the north central association of colleges and schools approves the affiliation described in subsection (a).

History: L. 2017, ch. 43, § 1; July 1.