The College
Central Virginia Community College, a two-year institution established as a member of the Virginia Community College System, provides State-supported educational facilities beyond the high school level for the city of Lynchburg and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford, and Campbell. The curricula and programs of the College serve more than 243,000 people within this geographical jurisdiction.
With academic excellence its aim in all areas, the College offers various programs to meet the diverse needs of the region it serves. Its two-year college transfer programs in arts and sciences and in certain pre-professional areas lead to associate degrees and offer courses generally acceptable for transfer to four-year institutions. Its occupational and technical programs lead to diplomas, certificates, or associate of applied science degrees and are designed to prepare individuals for certain professions. Its other programs, including developmental work, workforce training for industry, and community service, offer instruction commensurate with the needs of individuals, groups, or the area at large.
The College, in seeking to accomplish its purposes, operates in accordance with the policies established by the State Board for Community Colleges and with the advice and support of a local community college board comprised of representatives of the cities and counties within the school’s jurisdiction. Though supported primarily by State funds, the College is partially financed by contributions from area governments, the Federal Government, businesses, individuals, and student tuition.
Location
Consisting of approximately 104 acres with a view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Central Virginia Community College campus is located at the intersection of U.S. Route 29 South and the Lynchburg Expressway (Route 501) within the city limits of Lynchburg. The campus is accessible either from U.S. 29 South (Wards Road) or State Route 766 (Wards Ferry Road).
Facilities
The College Building facilities of approximately 195,000 square feet include: general classrooms; various laboratories for computer and technical instruction; art studio and photography studio-labs; occupational shops for welding, electronics, electricity, engineering, heating and air conditioning, and mechatronics; Learning Commons and Library; distance education classrooms; student center; bookstore; counseling center; administrative offices, including Accounting, Admissions and Records, Financial Aid, divisional offices, faculty and staff offices, and the Workforce Solutions training facility. Outdoor facilities include tennis courts and an athletic field located north-west of the campus facing the Lynchburg Expressway. Vehicle parking on campus is available for students, visitors, faculty, and staff members.
CVCC Off-Site Centers
Central Virginia Community College has three off-site centers located throughout the region. These centers are located in Amherst; 200 Richmond Highway in the Mt. View Shopping Center, Appomattox; 136 Carver Lane in the Carver-Price Educational Center, and Bedford; 1635 Venture Boulevard in the Bedford Center for Business. Each center offers a variety of traditional and distance education courses in modern facilities.
History
The 1966 Session of Virginia’s General Assembly enacted legislation establishing a Statewide system of comprehensive Community Colleges to be located in regions serving every Virginian. The State Department of Technical Education, under the direction of Dr. Dana B. Hamel, was reorganized to form the State Department of Community Colleges. Dr. Hamel became the first Director to serve the Commonwealth in the new department.
Early in 1965, a local committee was formed to investigate the needs and feasibility of a community college for the Central Virginia region; and in July, 1966, the State Board for Community Colleges selected Central Virginia as a community college location to serve the cities of Lynchburg and Bedford and the counties of Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell.
A committee of local business, civic, political, and industrial leaders, and a professional site selection consultants team inspected and investigated more than 20 possible sites for the College before the selection was made. The site selected, where Central Virginia Community College presently stands, was approved by the State and Local Boards because of its geographic center to the service area’s population and accessibility to all major highways in the area.
In October 1966, Dr. S. A. Burnette was named President of the College. He immediately set up an office in the Lynchburg area and began establishing the new College. The first meeting of the newly appointed Local Advisory Board was held on March 14, 1967, and the name, Central Virginia Community College, was selected. On July 1, 1967, Central Virginia Community College assumed responsibilities for the freshman and sophomore college transfer programs previously offered by the Lynchburg Branch of the University of Virginia’s School of General Studies. The College operated in temporary quarters during the school year of 1967-68 located in the 721 Court Street Building, the Krise Building, and the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center.
The site on U.S. Route 29 South, with the Appomattox (Administration) Building and the Amherst (Academic Instruction) Hall, became available for students and staff for occupancy in August 1968. Dedication ceremonies were held on November 1, 1968. The College was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in 1969, then reaffirmed in 1973, 1984, 1994, 2004, and again in 2014.
In January of 1972, Dr. M. Douglas Reed was named the second president of Central Virginia Community College. On January 1, 1974, Dr. Donald E. Puyear became the third president of Central Virginia Community College. Construction of additional College facilities was completed in 1975 with an addition to Amherst Hall, and the construction of the Bedford (Learning Commons) and the Campbell (Engineering Technology) Halls. On January 1, 1984, Dr. Johnnie E. Merritt became the fourth president of Central Virginia Community College. In 1988, the College participated in the establishment of the Region 2000 Program, which is intended to promote commercial and industrial development in the geographic/ demographic region. The College established its Quality First Program in 1989 to offer to area businesses and industries. In July 1990, Central Virginia Community College formalized its economic development efforts by establishing a new Center for Business, Industry, and Government. On January 1, 1992, Dr. Belle S. Wheelan became the fifth president of Central Virginia Community College. In July 1992, a General Obligation Bond was approved and issued by the State Legislature. The Bond Issue provided $3,500,000 to CVCC for the construction of a new building, Johnnie E. Merritt Hall. In 1995, CVCC reached its capital campaign goal of $1.5 million. Johnnie E. Merritt Hall was opened in Fall 1997 with the Center for Workforce Solutions on the first floor, and the Humanities and Social Science Division Office and several classrooms and laboratories on the second floor. On January 11, 1999, Dr. Darrel Staat became the sixth president of Central Virginia Community College.
In June 2001, the CVCC Altavista Center began operations in the former Lane Company building. In August 2004, the AREVA (Framatome) Technology Center opened offering 35,000 square feet of laboratories and classrooms for machine tool, HVAC, and electronics. In January 2005, the CVCC Bedford Center opened in the Bedford Center for Business. During February 2005, the Grief Welding Laboratory was dedicated. The CVCC Appomattox Center opened in June 2007, located at the Carver-Price Education Center in the town of Appomattox. During July 2007, the James River Building was completed and serves as the new home for the Department of Facilities Management. In 2009, the college opened the CVCC Amherst Center located at Mt. View Plaza in the town of Amherst.
In 2011, the Seven Hills Hospitality and Culinary Center was dedicated and a new fitness center opened in Amherst Hall. In March 2011, Dr. John S. Capps began serving as CVCC’s seventh president.
Mission of VCCS
We give everyone the opportunity to learn and develop the right skills so lives and communities are strengthened.
Mission of Central Virginia Community College
Central Virginia Community College is an accessible, comprehensive, public, two-year higher education institution that is dedicated to:
- Providing open, flexible, affordable, quality learning opportunities for personal growth and the acquisition of knowledge and skills necessary for productive and meaningful life,
- Providing general education, transfer, applied science, certificate, and diploma programs,
- Determining and addressing the training needs of business, industry, and government to benefit the service area,
- Supporting workforce and economic development through participation in regional organizations and training for new and/or expanding businesses,
- Providing support services for education, training, technology infrastructures, and workforce development.
Statement of Values
The shared values concerning teaching and learning at Central Virginia Community College listed below are among the beliefs which guide the institution in the development of its mission, goals, philosophy, and operational procedures. Each value is followed by a series of supporting statements illustrating College support:
- The College values learning and provides occupational education which prepares the graduate to work at levels expected by the community; provides academic programs which prepare our students to succeed in upper division learning; provides educational opportunities for personal development; allocates resources for teaching and learning; employs qualified persons to facilitate learning; encourages the free interchange of ideas; provides and encourages life-long learning; and encourages active participation in educational opportunities.
- The College values access to educational opportunities and promotes its educational services; advocates keeping educational expenses affordable for our citizens; provides active recruitment and retention programs for students; provides equal opportunity in education and employment; structures the admission process to encourage enrollment; provides developmental courses when needed to qualify for entrance into programs; and encourages the development of programs with secondary and post-secondary institutions.
- The College values diversity and provides comprehensive educational programs; promotes understanding of cultural diversity; respects individuals from a variety of cultural backgrounds; teaches students about the cultural, economic, political and social environments in which they live; respects and responds to students’ different learning styles; respects and accepts different teaching styles; and recognizes the importance of prior learning and experiences.
- The College values excellence in performance and establishes criteria of performance; expects students, faculty, and staff to meet defined criteria; assesses performance; recognizes outstanding performance; encourages persons to serve as positive role models; promotes initiative, innovation and accountability; promotes professional development of faculty and staff; encourages persons to be aware of relevant current research; and assesses programs’ effectiveness.
- The College values a supportive environment and establishes a safe, attractive, and functional environment; provides assistance in meeting standards; promotes positive attitudes conducive to teaching and learning; provides advisement and counseling to support the needs of students; provides a variety of scholarships and financial aid programs; sponsors student organizations and extracurricular activities; and encourages a caring attitude among students, faculty, and staff.
- The College values democratic decision making and establishes and maintains a governance structure for shared decision making; expects ethical decision making; stresses honesty and integrity; establishes and maintains an effective communication structure; communicates accurately and promptly; and invites ideas and suggestions from all citizens of our service area.
- The College values community service and cooperates with other educational organizations; sponsors activities which enrich the community; plans educational programs with business, industry, and government; assesses the community’s learning needs; addresses the educational needs of the community; responds to the changing needs of the community; and anticipates the future needs of the community.
Accreditation
Central Virginia Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Questions about the accreditation of Central Virginia Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500 or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
The College is a member of the College Entrance Examination Board and the College Scholarship Service. The College is also a member of the American Association of Community Colleges.
The Radiologic Technology program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 N. Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, Illinois 60606-3182. The Respiratory Therapy Technology program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244. The Emergency Medical Services Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) and Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) programs are accredited by the Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services, 1041 Technology Park Drive, Glen Allen, VA 23059-4500. The EMS-Paramedic program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 9355-113th Street N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775, 727-210-2350, www.caahep.org upon recommendation of the Committee on Accreditation of Educational Programs for the Emergency Medical Services Professions (CoAEMSP), 8301 Lakeview Parkway, Suite 111-312, Rowlett, TX 75088, 214-703-8445, www.coaemsp.org.
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