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

LifeLink-Nebraska Program
The College meets the needs of its district constituencies and embraces diversity through its
participation in LifeLink-Nebraska, an enrichment transition program for students aged 18-21 with
medical, behavioral, or intellectual disabilities. The program is designed to prepare students for the
workforce through academics, social and life skills, and vocational skill development. In other
cases, students who have the academic preparation enter standard college courses, and some of
them may be seeking degrees. LifeLink students who need it are able to utilize assistive
technology to help with reading and writing challenges. The students obtain part-time employment
while they are in the program. Since the 2008 inception, 20 students have enrolled in LifeLink.
Unfortunately, the model does not yet reach its full potential because no colleague mentors are
currently serving. Typical of a commuter campus student lifestyle, students at WNCC are often
working part-time elsewhere, have families, or simply leave campus after classes. Both time and
availability limit the potential to engage people interested in serving as mentors for Life-Link
students. In similar programs, however, having fellow student mentors has eased transitions for
students in similar types of programs, so building a mentor network remains a challenge for the
ESU 13 and College personnel to solve.
Core Component 4c: The organization assesses the usefulness of its curricula
to students who will live and work in a global, diverse, and technological
society.
WNCC’s commitment to education for a global, diverse, and technological society is expressed in
its statement of philosophy, which declares a “Belief in the inherent right of every person to an
opportunity for education,” as well as another statement reflecting an “Awareness of the changing
role of education” (RR 102). The institution provides appropriate curricula to students living in
today’s world, and internal and external cross-checks evaluate WNCC’s effectiveness at reaching
those goals.
Program Reviews and Program Certifications
The College works under the guidelines of the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary
Education (CCPE) in Nebraska, which has responsibility to review, monitor, and approve, disallow,
or close instructional programs. In addition, many of WNCC’s vocational programs of study are
grounded in curricula designated by various organizations, governing bodies, or regulatory
agencies which set standards or guidelines for the content of the courses that comprise the
programs. Upon successful completion of these courses, appropriate credentials are awarded to
students, or they become eligible to sit for examinations that will result in the acquisition of
licensure or credentialing.
For example, the Aviation Maintenance program curriculum must comply with the Federal Aviation
Administration Federal Aviation Regulation 147. The National League for Nursing Accrediting
Association’s 2008 site visit and review confirmed that WNCC’s Practical Nursing program
complies with State of Nebraska Standards of Practice, as well as with national standards
established by the League of Nursing. A follow-up visit in 2009 occurred because the program
relocated to the new facility at HATC, but the accreditation status was not affected.
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Western Nebraska Community College