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

Supplemental Instruction surpasses the institutional average. Students participating in SI receive
higher grades than those who do not, and only about 23% of WNCC students graduate from
college, while program-supported students graduate at rates of 35-45%.
The positive results from the TRIO presence encourage WNCC to improve and expand its support
mechanisms. In some cases, it may be a question of how various resources and services are
integrated, and in others, like intrusive advising, the institution must find additional resources in
order to reach its goals of expanded service. As with any successful venture, TRIO staff members
build student success from following best practices established by other programs nationally, but
its staff members also create local success by trying new methods or activities, as well as by
learning from the students they serve. Focus groups and surveys are used to plan new courses,
seminars, or workshops to be created on the basis of perceived need.
Core Component 5c: WNCC demonstrates its responsiveness to those
constituencies that depend on it for service.
Western Nebraska Community College serves a variety of constituents, and via partnerships and
articulation agreements with other entities, WNCC is able to offer a successful transition to higher
education. WNCC partnerships include corporations, public governing bodies, health facilities, K-
12 school districts, industry leaders, public utilities, and public service entities.
Articulation Agreements for Transfer Education
Besides its participation in the Nebraska Transfer Initiative, WNCC strives to ensure the
transferability of its courses by maintaining articulation agreements, consortium agreements,
cooperative agreements, and concurrent enrollment agreements with over 24 other collegiate
institutions in Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas. These agreements increase access to
higher education for WNCC’s constituencies in its rural service area (RR 127).
Given WNCC’s objective of seamless articulation, the College conducts Transfer Day twice per
year at its Scottsbluff campus. Student Services representatives provide transportation for
students who desire to participate from the Alliance and Sidney campuses. During Transfer Day,
recruiters from 10 to 14 colleges gather to answer questions and to provide information to students
about opportunities and requirements for transfer to other institutions of higher learning.
Panhandle Health Academies
Responding to the need for increased preparation for health care workers in the area, the
Panhandle Partnership for Health and Human Services (PPHHS) offered 49,473.25 contact hours
of training between 2005 and 2008. This has resulted in 93 credit hours being earned by
participants. During this time period, 5,255 employees (based on duplicated student count) have
been trained (RR 128) .
Within the Regional West Academy, 120.75 College credits have been earned through the 6,767
hours of training provided. In all, 6,114 RWMC employees (based on duplicated student count)
have had the benefit of customized occupational training (RR 129).
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Western Nebraska Community College