WNCC 2010 Self-Study Report - Western Nebraska Community ...

with retirements which occurred in the span of time since the last accreditation visit, the institution
again faces significant numbers of potential retirements within the next 5 and 10 year categories.
A chart below details those retirements as calculated by using age 65 as a primary indicator of
retirement eligibility:
Table 6-23 Retirement Eligibility (at age 65)
Job Classification Over 65 Within 5 Years Within 10 Years
Administrative 1 3 13
Faculty 5 8 17
Professional 1 3 4
Support 1 8 14
Of the current total of 191 full-time employees at WNCC (if the workforce composition remains
fairly consistent), 40.8% of the current workforce will be eligible to retire within the next 10 years,
including 30 of the 74 full-time faculty members and 17 of 33 employees in administrative positions,
some of whom serve in executive leadership roles (RR 51). While retirements cannot be avoided,
the turnover rate will mean that WNCC will need to create systems whereby the effect is lessened
and whereby new faculty and staff members become contributing members of the institution
relatively quickly and permanently.
Institutional Change and Shared Governance
The shared governance model at WNCC consists of three primary councils, Curriculum Council,
Student Services Council, and College Council, along with several committees, task forces, and
event teams. Institutional change is driven primarily through the three Councils, where Council
members chart the course for the future of the institution, both short-term curricular adjustments
and long-term changes such as programming or student policies.
Students in the Service Region
Besides the students from its district, the College draws students from adjacent states, as well as
nationally and internationally. The greatest numbers of full-time students enroll from Scotts Bluff
County. However, area high school recruitment visits occur on a regular basis in order to inform
other students of the educational opportunity available within their district. Another viable target
market is the Colorado/Front Range area, which shows great potential for growth in total
population, besides the fact that Colorado community colleges are more expensive and many of
them are at or approaching capacity.
Out-of-state students represent a large block of students at WNCC, but the number is slightly
deceptive because the total includes students enrolled through Corporate Academies, such as
Cabela’s. A student may be in Virginia taking the course offered through the partnership, which
means the student is registered as being out-of-state, although the corporate partner is
headquartered within WNCC’s service area (the corporate headquarters for Cabela’s is actually
located in Sidney).
Western Nebraska Community College Page 83