General Information

Governance

Forsyth Technical Community College is one of 58 institutions operating in the North Carolina Community College System, a statewide organization of public, two-year and post-secondary educational institutions. The statutes of the state of North Carolina provide for the organization and administration of a community college system under the direction of the state board of community colleges. This 20-member board has full authority to adopt all policies, regulations and standards it deems necessary for the operation of the system. The governor and the General Assembly appoint members of the state board. The state board has three major functions: equitable distribution of funds and fiscal accountability, establishing and maintaining state priorities, and educational program approval and accountability.
Forsyth Technical Community College is governed by a 13-member board of trustees - four appointed by the governor of North Carolina, four appointed by the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education and four appointed by the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners. The Student Government Association president serves as a nonvoting member. Trustees are appointed to four-year terms and set local policy for the College.

Accreditation

Forsyth Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award associate degrees, diplomas and certificates. Contact the Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097 or call 404-679-4500 for questions about the accreditation of Forsyth Technical Community College. 
The College is a member in good standing of the American Association of Community Colleges.

Specialized Program Accrediting and Approval Agencies

• Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), 1361 Park Street, Clearwater, FL 33756, 727.210.2350, www.caahep.org
• Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCEDMS), 2025 Woodlane Drive, St. Paul, MN 55125-2998, 651.731.1582, www.jrcdms.org
  On the new chart, Medical Sonography is accredited by CAAHEP and JRCEDMS isn’t listed.
• Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), 2000 West Danforth Road, Suite 130 #203, Edmond, OK 73003, 405.285.0546, www.jrcnmt.org
• Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 2850, Chicago, IL 60606-3182, 312.704.5300,www.jrcert.org
• National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Early Childhood Associate Degree Accreditation, 1313 L Street, NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20005-4101, 800.424.2460, www.assoc_accred@naeyc.org
• National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF), 101 Blue Seal Drive, Suite 101, Leesburg, VA 20175, 703.669.6650, www.natef.org
• North Carolina Board of Nursing (NCBON), P. O. Box 2129, Raleigh, NC 27602, 919.782.3211, www.ncbon.com
• The Electronics Engineering Technology and Computer Engineering Technology programs are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org
• North Carolina Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy (NCBMBT), P. O. Box 2539, Raleigh, NC 27602, 919.546.0050, www.bmbt.org
• American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacist (ASHP), 7272 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814, 1-866-279-0681
• The Forsyth Technical Community College Medical Assisting Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), on recommendation of the Curriculum Review Board of the American Association of Medical Assistants Endowment (AAMAE). Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, 20 North Wacker Drive, Suite 1575, Chicago, IL 60606, 312.899.1500, www.aama-ntl.org/endowment
• The Respiratory Therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244,  817.283.2835, www.coarc.com
• American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation
• Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission
  North Carolina Community College Performance Measures

History

For 51 years, Forsyth Technical Community College ideals have remained the same: to provide quality education and training for the citizens of North Carolina. Forsyth Tech’s first classes began in the fall of 1960. Automotive mechanics, machine shop, electronics and practical nursing were among the first course offerings at the new Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Industrial Education Center, Forsyth Tech’s first name.

1963 witnessed the establishment of the North Carolina Department of Community Colleges and with that, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Industrial Education Center passed to the new community college system. In 1964 came a new name, Forsyth Technical Institute and commitment to the community grew steadily with the addition of the General Adult Enrichment Courses in 1964-65. Adult Basic Education began at the Institute in the summer of 1965.

The 1970s brought more change and expansion for Forsyth Technical Institute. The allied health program was created in the fall and winter of 1971-72, offering courses in three areas: nuclear medicine, radiological technology and respiratory therapy. The criminal justice program was added in 1971. And in the fall of 1972, a two-year nursing degree program was added. In 1974, the College Foundation was created to work with alumni to raise funds for buildings, programs and scholarships.

In the 1980s, expansion led to the acquisition of the Dalton Junior High School site, which became the Institute’s West Campus site in Winston-Salem, and ground was broken for a technology building, Hauser Hall, on the main campus site.

1985 saw the first of two more name changes for Forsyth Technical Institute, with the name changing to Forsyth Technical College, and then, in 1987, to its current name, Forsyth Technical Community College or Forsyth Tech as it’s frequently referred to. In 1989, the College Transfer Program began, which allowed the College to serve an even wider portion of the community.

As the College entered the 1990s, new buildings were added. Bob Greene Hall, with classrooms and laboratories, was dedicated in 1991. The Allman Center, built in 1992, provided both classroom and administrative space. In 1996, the Corporate and Continuing Education Division, now called Economic and Workforce Development, added two training sites in downtown Winston-Salem, of which one still remains as the Small Business Center. In 1998, two new off-campus centers were added: the Mazie S. Woodruff Center in Northeast Winston-Salem and the Grady P. Swisher Center in Kernersville.

In 2006, the new Technology and Student Services building (approximately 87,000 square feet) was opened. A dental lab and clinic were completed on the first floor of Snyder Hall for the Dental Hygiene and Dental Assisting programs that same year.

The Northwest Forsyth Center (40,000 square feet) opened in the summer of 2008. Located in King, it serves as a training facility for public safety, firefighters, police and sheriff employees and houses industrial systems technology, certified nursing assistants and criminal justice.

In 2009, Forsyth Tech named two schools in the Health Technologies Division: the Paul M. Wiles School of Nursing and the Len B. Preslar, Jr. School of Allied Health. These schools were named for two men who supported these areas continually with both financial and programmatic support. These are the first two schools named at Forsyth Tech.

The beginning of 2012 marked the opening of the 139,000 square foot state-of-the-art Transportation Technology Center, housing Automotive Systems, Heavy Equipment, RV Maintenance and Repair, Collision Repair and Refinishing, and the Richard Childress Race Car Technology Programs. The center was funded by a 2006 bond package.

Also in 2012, the nursing program was named the Joyce E. Glass Associate Degree Nursing Program in honor of former trustee Joyce Glass Sweeten. Mrs. Glass served as a member of the Board of Trustees for 25 years.

In 2013, Phase One of the Oak Grove Center opened, providing classrooms, offices, an auditorium, and a bookstore. The center, formerly known as the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School Systems Administrative Office and Career Center; now houses a state-of-the-art TV studio, control room and a radio studio.

In 2014, Forsyth Tech opened a new center in downtown Winston-Salem in Innovation Quarter. The Business and Industry Services team, which includes the Small Business Center, now offers state-of-the-art training in this refurbished space.

Phase two of the Oak Grove Center was opened in 2015, housing the Dewitt E. Rhoades Conference Center, Admissions, Records and Student Services offices. New classrooms and labs were added for the trades programs as well as a new clean lab. Also in the space is the Process Improvement Lab that our Economic and Workforce Development team uses to teach LEAN business practices.

Forsyth Tech continues to look at the training needs for the future and is currently a Cisco training academy. Through the Thomas H. Davis iTEC Center (information technology) Forsyth Tech is providing a broad spectrum of technology training to the Piedmont Triad, utilizing traditional classroom and online courses.

The Foundation of Forsyth Tech

The Forsyth Tech Foundation is dedicated to raising funds to support the advancement and achievement of the students, faculty, and staff of Forsyth Technical Community College. The Forsyth Tech Foundation has established three fund-raising priorities:

• Student support. The Foundation provides scholarships and other support to help students address and overcome barriers to their education. Most Forsyth Tech students work at least part time. Others are out of work or stuck in low-skilled, low-paying jobs. While tuition at Forsyth Tech is affordable compared to four-year colleges and universities, it is beyond reach of some of our students.

For more information about scholarships or to apply, please visit http://www.forsythtech.edu/apply/financial-aid/scholarships. To create or give to a scholarship please contact Angela Bryant-Cook, Director of Donor Relations, at 336-734-7618 or abryant@forsythtech.edu.  

• Technology. The Foundation funds technology that gives students relevant hands-on experience in their programs. From machines that simulate cancer-radiation treatment to 3D printers that manufacture parts, technology is advancing faster than the College can keep pace. Students and instructors need access to state-of-the-art instruments and equipment found in the workplace. The Foundation cultivates investments for technology purchases to ensure students are trained on current devices.

• Professional development. Just as technology is advancing, our employees need to continually learn new skills and broaden their knowledge base to ensure that the college offers a high-quality education to students.  The Foundation invests in faculty and staff by funding professional development grants to attend workshops, seminars, tuition reimbursement, training and emerging classroom technologies.

To request support for professional development opportunities, please contact Angela Bryant-Cook, Director of Donor Relations, at 336-734-7618 or abryant@forsythtech.edu.  

The Forsyth Tech Foundation’s goal is to build upon the strengths of the College and support the mission of providing students with guided educational pathways into a competitive workforce for the community and global economy. In our view, the greatest strengths of the College are our students, faculty/staff, and the technology on which our programs rely. Our strategy is to grow these assets as much as possible through securing community investments for student scholarships and support, professional development grants and technology purchases. 

The Foundation is designated as a public non-profit corporation under the General Statues of North Carolina and has authority independent of the College. It is governed by an autonomous board of directors composed of community leaders.  The Foundation oversees management of funds belonging to the Foundation and prudently applies amounts derived from such investments to support the College. Donations to the Forsyth Tech Foundation are typically tax deductible.  To learn more or make a gift please visit www.forsythtech.edu/giving.