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

The passage of Initiative 424 in Nebraska, a piece of legislation designed, according to its
proponents, to end affirmative action, do away with quotas, and to end racial or gender preference,
has made addressing the needs of specific ethnic groups more difficult. Now, the emphasis must
be upon open access rather than identifying particular gender or ethnicity characteristics in order to
shape programming. However, the College’s service area contains many citizens of Hispanic
ancestry or from a Spanish-speaking background, so inclusive programs or projects designed to
increase the accessibility to higher education or to enhance educational attainment can still help to
meet the needs of populations typically under-represented in higher education.
In the fall term of 2008, a Student Services Outreach Coordinator, the Institutional Researcher, the
Vice President of Outreach Education, the Vice President of Student Services, and a WCCA Board
Member attended the Governance Leadership Institute on Diversity to better ascertain institutional
effectiveness in providing educational opportunities to the underserved (RR 14). The student
organization United Leaders for Cultural Diversity also supports the retention of minority culture
students and offers opportunities for them to grow academically and to develop leadership skills.
Veterans Upward Bound & Upward Bound Programs
WNCC, through the TRIO program, facilitates educational access through its offering of both the
national Upward Bound program designed primarily to serve first-generation students on a needs
basis. The College offers the Veterans Upward Bound program as a service to military veterans
seeking to re-enter the workforce or to further their educations. As is discussed later in Criterion 5
of this document when these programs are explained in full, the efforts of these programs address
diversity as well, serving representative strata within the local society—socially, economically, or
academically disadvantaged students.
Student Organizations
Some of the seventeen student organizations are primarily social, while others are academic,
professional, recreational, or service-oriented. All students are encouraged to take advantage of
the organizations that meet their individual needs and interests. Any new student organization
must be approved by campus administration and be sponsored by a member of the faculty.
Faculty, staff, and students are invited to attend and participate in these programs, which are open
to all students, and some to community members, the constitution of each group allowing for
diversity in the membership.
Residence Life
The Residence Life Manual, which undergoes yearly revision, addresses diversity with respect to
the residents of on-campus housing. Within the document are included guidelines for “Basic
Interpersonal Rights” and “Basic Roommate Rights” (RR 15). Other areas of diversity addressed
by this document include food services and special diets, complying with health issues and
religious faith and denominational beliefs, medical conditions and the accommodation of
disabilities. The document specifically references anti-discriminatory practices (RR 16).
Diversity in Course Offerings
A variety of courses have been developed by faculty members to address perceived educational
needs and to increase the students’ knowledge of issues in a diverse world. Courses such as
Cultural Anthropology, Mexican-American/Native-American Cultures, Living in a Diverse Society,
World Religions, and Non-Western Art Appreciation have high enrollment levels. In addition to
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