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

egistration. Instructors can readily access complete class rosters, e-mail notification tools, grade
reports, attendance reporting features, early-warning system forms, links to assessment and
WebCT sites, and a variety of custom reports and routines to assist them in managing classes.
Twice in the past three years, WNCC has been the recipient of the Top Digital Community College
Award presented by the Center for Digital Education and Converge magazine. Out of nearly 200
community colleges nationwide that participated in the survey, WNCC placed 6 th in 2008 and 4 th in
2007. This award reflects WNCC’s expertise in the areas of technology, such as online classes,
computer labs, online admissions, student access to transcripts and grades, information security,
infrastructure, campus security alerts, and online library capabilities.
In 2008, WNCC moved from maintaining its own e-mail system on campus-based servers to
contracting with Google for e-mail services. This switch has provided faculty, staff, and students
with an easy-to-use email system that provides extensive storage space for messages. In addition,
the G drive (common storage drive) is being refashioned to provide better security and increased
capacity. Outlook is the current standard for internal electronic messaging.
A detailed Technology Plan is in place that includes key initiatives aimed at meeting student,
faculty and staff needs, including computer hardware, software, and educational technology
demands for each campus. The plan is also available on the website (RR 75).
Campus Safety
WNCC proactively addresses safety issues on its campuses, which contributes to an
effective learning environment. The College contracts with Safety Line Consultants for staff
training related to safety and emergency situations. Monthly safety trainings are conducted
for the physical plant staff at the Scottsbluff campus, and monthly safety training occurs on
the Sidney campus for all employees. The All Hazards Response Guidelines booklet was
developed in 2007 (RR 76), and College staff and faculty have reviewed the guide in large
and small group meetings in preparation for training and drills, including a mock active
shooting held at the Scottsbluff campus in 2008, in addition to fire and tornado drills.
Mock training sessions and drills include the participation of local law enforcement agencies, firerescue
agencies, and local emergency medical personnel, in addition to the Scotts Bluff County
Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). College administrators have participated in
Incident Command Systems (ICS) training, which includes table-top exercises; the College has
also created its own College Emergency Response Team (CERT) group, as mentioned earlier.
Shooter drills are planned for the Alliance campus during the fall term of 2009 and for the Sidney
campus to occur during the spring semester of 2010. Local law enforcement personnel will be
involved there as well, and WNCC safety and administrative staff members will meet to debrief
about the drill and to account for the observations in future planning.
WNCC implemented an automated emergency mass notification telephone system in 2007 that
allows the College to notify all faculty, staff, and students of an emergency situation on campus
via land-line telephones, cell phones, text messages, and automated e-mail. Faculty and staff
members, as well as students, are presented with a drop-down screen on the Portal to update
Western Nebraska Community College Page 113