3 Area-Wide Recommendations

What makes a community college exceptional?

Throughout the planning process, some common themes came to light: Community Engagement and Connection; Learning, Program Development, and Delivery; Campus Identity and Sense of Place; Inclusivity and Accessibility; Student Support; and Stewardship and Sustainability of Resources.

MCC already is an exceptional community college, and using the broad themes as a framework for continued excellence will serve MCC well into the future. Area-wide recommendations are presented to serve as a guide to future planning as MCC continues to achieve its vision of excellence for the next 50 years.

AREA-WIDE

Recommendations

1. Background:

– When complementary programs are strategically colocated and connected, a vibrant educational ecosystem – or district – is created that encourages collaboration, a sense of identity, and connection to a broader community.

– Specialized districts serve as aligned hubs of knowledge and innovation within credit, non-credit, and workforce programs.

– A district can be implemented on a small or large scale.

– A distinct identity creates a keen sense of place for a cohesive and engaging student experience.

2. Recommendations:

– Establish distinct districts within existing MCC campuses and centers dedicated to fostering holistic learning and nurturing strong community connections around centralized programming.

– Provide MCC students with access to top-notch programs that include specialized equipment and innovative learning environments and services within purposeful communities that promote collaboration and peer-to-peer education.

3. Next Steps:

– Define districts already existing within MCC as well as potential future districts.

– Study the relevancy of existing programs in their current locations and consider relocation or co-location of complementary programs to enhance potential.

Partnerships

1. Background:

– Strategic partnerships between MCC and surrounding communities, businesses, industries, and educational institutions provide an integral connection between MCC and the broader community ecosystem.

– Strong partnerships expand MCC’s capacity to provide comprehensive and up-to-date education and address community challenges with innovative solutions.

2. Recommendations:

– Ensure that partnerships align with the MCC’s mission and strategic priorities. Partnerships should enhance educational quality, workforce development, community engagement, and student support services.

– Develop partnerships that enhance curriculum relevance and quality by incorporating industry insights, real-world examples, and practical experiences into academic and workforce development programming.

– Ensure effective communication channels and collaborative structures are in place between MCC and partners, facilitating the exchange of information, feedback, and updates to ensure relevancy to programs and learning.

– Identify partnerships that provide innovative space solutions that are economically smart and maximize education potential.

3. Next Steps:

– Develop a framework for evaluating and developing potential partnerships to ensure alignment with MCC’s mission and strategic priorities.

– Monitor partnerships through continuous evaluation and improvement to ensure mutually beneficial outcomes.