About WNCC

Small-college feel, big-time opportunity. At Western Nebraska Community College, we offer endless educational, training, and growth opportunities for our students, partners, and community members throughout our 12 ½-county service area in the Nebraska Panhandle.

What We Believe

Mission Statement

WNCC assures learning opportunities for all – enriching lives, invigorating communities, creating futures.

Vision Statement

To positively impact the education and well-being of every student, employer, and community member in the Nebraska Panhandle region.

Values

Lifelong Learning
Student and Community Service
Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency
Collaboration and Communication
Innovation and Continuous Improvement
Respect for All People and Perspectives

Focus Areas

Student success, workforce readiness, and accessibility have long been the foundation of our guiding principles. In 2017, WNCC reaffirmed its commitment to those themes with the creation of the 2017 – 2022 Strategic Master Plan.

Engaged Teaching and Active Learning

WNCC is committed to ensuring students have an interactive, collaborative learning environment that prepares them to reach their academic and career goals. Ongoing classroom and program assessment is critical for continuous improvement, and incorporating state-of-the-art classroom technology is important to engage learners and prepare them for evolving workforce trends.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Implement strategies, including advanced technology solutions, to improve student engagement in all instructional offerings, regardless of modality.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Assess general education, program, and student affairs learning outcomes to enhance the student experience and prepare for college transfer and work readiness.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Construct a student learning commons/resource center to provide centralized teaching and learning support services and enhanced student interaction.

Student Recruitment, Retention, and Completion

Commitment to open access and affordability are values upon which WNCC was built, with student success and completion rounding out the core goals we have for our students. WNCC is developing and institutionalizing systems to ensure both student access and success, creating methods to support students, from entry to graduation. WNCC recognizes that completing the academic journey—no matter what the path—is critical for the long-term success of our students.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Increase student persistence and completion rates through a variety of student success initiatives.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Increase student recruitment rates through a variety of enrollment management strategies.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Construct centralized locations and adjacencies for student support services, including construction of a welcome/information center.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FOUR:
Expand electronic tools to enhance student communication.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

WNCC strives to create a campus climate that supports individual rights and respects diverse cultures, backgrounds, and ideas. It is with purpose that the college seeks to create a climate in which positive attitudes toward diverse groups is the norm and where increased involvement and academic growth are fostered. Additionally, WNCC wants to prepare students for growing diversity in workplaces and living communities.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Ensure a welcoming, inclusive and accessible environment for students, employees, and community members.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Expand efforts to recruit and retain diverse students and employees.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Enhance and expand cultural and global awareness within the college and community.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FOUR:
Demonstrate a culture of collaboration and respect towards one another.

Seamless Academic and Career Pathways

Through collaborative relationships with K-12 and university partners, WNCC will continue to develop and communicate clear roadmaps to success. Whether a student is looking to transfer on for further education, or move right into the workforce after completing his or her certificate or degree, WNCC strives to create systems that help students navigate to reach their academic and career goals.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Expand student transfer opportunities to four-year colleges and universities within Nebraska and surrounding states.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Expand rigorous and relevant secondary education options throughout the Panhandle.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Expand career exploration and advising tools and services for current and potential students.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FOUR:
Expand short-term career and technical education programming to meet student and employer needs.

Community and Employer Responsiveness

Meaningful engagement with members of the communities it serves has always been a top priority of WNCC. The college takes pride in being the community’s college, through lifelong learning opportunities for youth, senior citizens, and all ages in between, offering educational, social, recreational, and cultural activities. Leveraging resources through strategic partnerships with business and industry enables WNCC to respond quickly and significantly to the evolving and diverse needs of the Panhandle workforce.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Partner with area businesses, industries, and agencies to prepare students for high skill, high wage, high demand careers.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Ensure life-long learning and continuing education is available for Panhandle residents.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Partner with stakeholders to develop, cultivate, and share resources.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FOUR:
Construct a theater and performing arts venue for the college and its communities.

Operational Efficiency and Effectiveness

Being good stewards of fiscal, human, and capital resources is important to WNCC, including demonstrating transparency and accountability to internal and external stakeholders. Providing a safe and secure learning and working environment is paramount, and WNCC recognizes that helping its employees strive to be their best is an important strategy for business sustainability

STRATEGIC OUTCOME ONE:
Utilize technology solutions to streamline processes, enhance workflow, and realize efficiencies.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME TWO:
Assure financial stability through resource development and efficient operations.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME THREE:
Enhance campus safety, security, and well-being.

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FOUR:
Develop or revise written guidelines, practices, and procedures to enhance employee orientation, training, communication, and business continuity

STRATEGIC OUTCOME FIVE:
Continuously develop our employees to enhance growth, engagement and satisfaction.

Service and Instructional Priorities

Western Nebraska Community College shall be a student centered, open access institution primarily devoted to quality instruction and public service, providing counseling and other student services intended to promote the success of a diverse student population, particularly those who have been traditionally under served in other educational settings. WNCC, individually and collectively, shall provide the following instructional and service priorities:
Passed by ninety-third Legislature, State of Nebraska 1993, and (LB 239).

Applied Technology Education

Including Associate of Applied Science degrees (AAS), diplomas, certificates, and coursework to qualify individuals for entry into employment or to enable individuals to remain current, to upgrade skills, or to acquire new skills.

Transfer Education

Including liberal arts and sciences associate degrees (AA and AS) comprising course work which is comparable to the course work of the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program and applied technology degrees comprising course work which may be applicable to the course work of the first two years of a bachelor’s degree program.

Developmental Education

Including remedial programs, developmental programs, Adult Basic Education, General Education Development (GED) preparation, English Literacy Programs (ELP), and refresher courses.

Adult Continuing Education

Including career-related programs and services for professional certification or improvement; economic and community development including customized training programs developed for businesses and communities to meet needs such as occupational assessment, job training, and job upgrading and other programs and services that are within the scope of the Colleges expertise.

Public Service

Including vocational and personal development courses and activities not specifically identified in other priorities.

Applied Research

Limited to the enhancement of the instructional programs, student achievement, institutional effectiveness, and public service activities or related to faculty professional development.