The College is dedicated to the belief that all people should have an equal opportunity to develop and expand their skills and knowledge throughout their lives. The College promotes this concept by making higher education available to all who can benefit through its open door admission policy, affordable tuition, and a wide variety of financial aid opportunities. The College is committed to providing an educational environment where opportunities for successful advancement will be available for all students, but particularly those who have historically been underserved. Instruction is delivered in various formats including on campus, online, and at convenient off-campus locations throughout the College’s service area. Through its programs and services, the College contributes to the quality of life in the community, supports economic development in the region, and reinforces the concept of learning as a lifelong pursuit.
The College offers educational programs and services which enable students to achieve their potential, better understand themselves and others, seek continued higher education, gain applied technology skills required for employment or career growth, and improve their quality of life. Educational opportunities provided by the College include courses for transfer, associate degrees, applied technology program certificates, training programs, developmental studies, adult education, and Ready to Work programs. Working in partnership with area universities, businesses, and industries, the College strives to support economic development by keeping the curriculum current.
Through Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment arrangements with local school systems, eligible high school students may complete courses offered by the College and receive college credit for their work. College credits and training programs are also available to those requiring college courses for promotion and/or professional certification.
The College recognizes the need to provide student support services. A Student Success Center is housed on each campus to assist students with a variety of college success initiatives. Professional advisors help students succeed and manage their lives and careers through financial aid assistance, and personal and academic advisement. Students with additional needs have access to a variety of services provided by the College. The College also provides appropriately furnished and well maintained physical facilities, classroom equipment, and grounds. In addition, extra-curricular activities expand and enrich student experiences at the College.
Goal 1
To ensure access to education for all people throughout their lives with special efforts made to seek diversity of population and to support the historically underserved;
Goal 2
To continuously improve the quality of our varied educational offerings which lead to certificates, associate degrees, transfer to baccalaureate institutions, the general educational development of students, and immediate employment in an occupational field, the College strives to meet the following general educational outcomes.
- Students will demonstrate proficiency in communication.
- Students will demonstrate proficiency in problem-solving skills.
- Students will demonstrate proficiency in quantitative reasoning.
These outcomes are used to assess the general education competencies for all students.
Goal 3
To build community partnerships which support economic development.
Goal 4
To keep the curriculum current in order to strengthen the bridge for students to pursue further education and/or the workforce;
Goal 5
To meet the needs of a variety of community based populations by designing credit, non-credit, and CEU courses, using varied delivery systems and by making available services, activities, and other resources of the College;
Goal 6
To offer support services and extracurricular activities which enrich the student learning experience and help students formulate and achieve their goals;
Goal 7
To establish an environment which is safe, healthy, aesthetically pleasing, accessible to students, and otherwise learning centered;
Goal 8
To develop faculty and staff who are proficient, professional, and enthusiastic in advancing the mission of the College; and
Goal 9
To become a model of institutional effectiveness and advancement through decision-making based on research, planning, on-going assessment, and adequate and equitable budgeting and distribution of funds.