History of Fletcher Technical Community College
Fletcher Technical Community College was originally established as South Louisiana Trade School by Legislative Act 69, May Session of 1948, House Bill 212. The late Honorable Earl K. Long, then Governor of Louisiana, signed the bill for establishment on June 23, 1948. The school was established for the purpose of providing vocational training for the populace of an area comprised of the following five parishes: Terrebonne, Lafourche, Assumption, St. James, and St. Charles.
South Louisiana Trade School opened on July 2, 1951, at 310 St. Charles Street in Houma, Louisiana. The facility was built on a seven-acre site owned by the Terrebonne Parish School Board. Harrell P. Willis was the first director of the school and served until 1968. Full-time day preparatory classes were offered in Office Occupations, Drafting, Auto Mechanics, Welding, Industrial Engines Mechanics, and Carpentry. A full-time related studies program supplemented the instructional programs. Immediate need for and acceptance of the program was evidenced by the fact that a total of 883 trainees were enrolled during the first year of operation.
With the initial success of the trade preparatory program assured, extension classes were established to offer upgrading of skills to those persons already employed. Programs were offered both on and off-campus in Lafourche, Assumption, and St. Charles Parishes to give residents of these areas availability of training.
The school administration has endeavored to be responsive to the need for skill training and to provide training in emerging occupations by evaluating employment statistics. With changes in the mission and program offerings evolving over the years, so did the name of the school. In 1977, the name was changed to South Louisiana Vocational-Technical School; in 1990, to South Louisiana Regional Technical Institute; in 1995, to Louisiana Technical College - South Louisiana Campus. In 1999, the name was changed to Louisiana Technical College - L. E. Fletcher Campus to honor L. E. Fletcher, who served as director from 1968-1984.
The Louisiana Board of Regents (BoR), the coordinating board for all public higher education in Louisiana, at its meeting of June 26, 2003, granted approval for the request from the Board of Supervisors of the Louisiana Community & Technical College System (LCTCS) to recognize Louisiana Technical College - L. E. Fletcher Campus as a “Technical Community College” within the LCTCS. This action, effective July 1, 2003, required L. E. Fletcher to transition from its association as a campus of the Louisiana Technical College to a separate institution called L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College. F. Travis Lavigne, Jr., was named to serve as the Chancellor of this new independent technical community college within the Louisiana Community and Technical College System.
In 2007 through Senate Bill 337 (Act 391), Fletcher received the approval of $21.3 million for the development of a new campus on Highway 311. In 2009, L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College received Commission on Colleges Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation. On August 6, 2012, L.E. Fletcher Technical Community College opened the new campus on Highway 311 in Schriever, Louisiana.
In June 2014, F. Travis Lavigne, Jr. retired. The LCTCS Board of Supervisors appointed Mr. Earl W. Meador, J. D. to serve as Interim Chancellor. Mr. Meador served in the Interim position until January 3, 2016. The LCTCS Board of Supervisors, at its December 2015 meeting appointed a new Chancellor, effective January 4, 2016, Kristine H. Strickland, Ph.D. Dr. Strickland currently serves as the Chancellor.
In July 2018, Fletcher Technical Community College acquired South Central Louisiana Technical College, adding a new location on Tiger Drive in Thibodaux, Louisiana expanding their reach into Lafourche Parish.
Accreditations
L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees, certificates, and technical diplomas. Questions about the accreditation of L. E. Fletcher Technical 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).
Fletcher Technical Community College is also recognized and/or has programs approved or accredited by:
- Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP): Accounting Technology AAS, Business Administration AAS, and Office Systems Technology AAS
- HVAC Excellence: Air Conditioning and Refrigeration TD
- National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF): Automotive Technology TD
- Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC): Cardiopulmonary Care Science AS
- Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE): Drafting and Design Technology AAS and TD / Integrated Production Technologies AAS
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS): Medical Laboratory Technician AAS
- Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN): Nursing ASN / Practical Nursing TD
- Louisiana State Board of Nursing (LSBN): Nursing ASN
- Louisiana State Board of Practical Nurse Examiners (LSBPN): Practical Nursing TD
- Louisiana Department of Health (LDH): Nursing Assistant CTC
- National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS): Phlebotomy CTS
- Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP): Surgical Technology AAS
|
