Bitterroot Valley Community College Position StatementResidents of the Bitterroot Valley seek to replace the current Bitterroot College University of Montana, with the Bitterroot Valley Community College, signifying a structural change to a state-recognized, locally controlled Community College District.The new Bitterroot Valley Community College will provide a comprehensive two-year education plan as outlined by the Montana University System, which includes:• Workforce development, including Certificates, Applied Associate Degrees,& Industry-Recognized Credentials• Transfer Education through Associate Degrees & general education coursework• Developmental & Adult Basic Education• Lifelong Learning• Community DevelopmentOur Bitterroot Valley Community College will have three critical organizational features which will optimize its potential as a two-year education campus. These features are:• Programming Authority o Enables the college to be timely, flexible, and self-directed in meeting the educational and workforce training demands of Ravalli County• Independence & Permanence o Allows the college to be established as a distinct local and regional entity, essential for recruitment clarity, recruitment opportunity, resource opportunity, collaboration leverage, and evidence-based decision making• Funding Equity, Predictability, and Control o Allows the college to plan, develop, and implement programming and services at levels commensurate with Montana's other two-year education providers