COMPREHENSIVE STANDARD CS P2:

The institution’s continuing education, outreach, and service programs are consistent with the institution’s mission.

The continuing education, outreach, and service programs of the Collin County Community College District (CCCCD) are consistent with the institution’s mission to be a student- and community-centered institution committed to developing skills, strengthening character, and challenging the intellect. Continuing Education (CE) and service programs are specifically addressed in the nine elements required by the Education Code in the State of Texas. They are highlighted in the College’s mission and purpose statement, approved by the Board of Trustees on May 22, 2001 (Reference1), and are included in the CCCCD Catalog (References 2, 3) as follows:

“Through its campuses, centers and programs Collin County Community College District fulfills its statutory charge to provide:

• Continuing adult education programs for academic, professional, occupational, and cultural enhancement.
• Workforce, economic, and community development initiatives designed to meet local and statewide needs.”

Continuing Education accomplishes this purpose by developing new course offerings using the New Course Proposal Form (Reference 4) and by providing services that meet the needs of local business and industry, education and government entities, and members of the local community. The Continuing Education outreach and service programs also conform to state requirements outlined in the Guidelines for Instructional Programs in Workforce Education (GIPWE) (Reference 5) and Workforce Education Course Manuals (WECM) (Reference 6), as well as internal procedures included in the CCCCD Curriculum Development Manual (Reference 7).

Environmental scanning is conducted periodically to determine need for new programs and courses. Environmental scanning includes review of local workforce needs, various labor-related Web sites, the student evaluation of instruction (Reference 8), and the Continuing Education five-year review (Reference 9). Other College workforce development staff and administrators meet frequently with area business and industry leaders, as well as with economic development officers and chamber of commerce executives.

In order to meet workforce, economic, and community development needs, continuing education courses, as published in the CE Schedule of Classes (Reference 10), are offered at a variety of locations throughout the District: on-campus, on-line, and at business and industry locations. College credit programs and courses, as published in the Credit Schedule of Classes (Reference 11), are also offered on-campus, on-line, and via video, telecourse, and teleconference, as well as at local high schools and businesses as necessary to meet the needs of the community.

CCCCD also fulfills its mission to be a community-centered institution through various community outreach and service initiatives. The College hosts summits, workshops, and symposia on timely topics of community interest. The biennial economic summit is a partnership with Collin County and economic development corporations and chambers of commerce throughout the county designed to address topics of concern to the region (Reference 12). The College hosted an education summit in 2003 that brought together faculty and administrators from independent school districts, the community college, and local universities to discuss ways to make higher education more accessible for underrepresented minorities (Reference 13). Other symposia have dealt with women’s leadership issues (Reference 14) and early childhood education concerns in the community.

Faculty host such outreach activities as the History Fair for local high school history students, A Day of Science for students in a local middle school, the Chinese Institute of Mathematics Competition, and an Electronic Design Competition to showcase student work to area businesses. Through cooperative work experience, internships, and practicums, CCCCD students are provided with opportunities to gain practical experience in the community. Area business leaders serve on advisory committees and ensure that workforce development programs and curriculum meet business and industry needs (Reference 15).

The College has a nationally-recognized service learning program in which community service is linked with academic instruction (Reference 16). The emphasis is on critical, reflective thinking; problem-solving; social and personal development; and civic responsibility. Combining academics with community service provides a unique opportunity to put into practice principles that are taught in the classroom.

In addition to outreach efforts that benefit current and future students, CCCCD also encourages participation from other facets of the community. The Seniors Active in Learning (SAIL) program is modeled after Elderhostel International and provides a forum for senior citizens to design educational opportunities of interest to their organization (Reference 17). The College serves as a host for SAIL and provides administrative support for the group.

Finally, CCCCD values input from the community and seeks to involve the community in envisioning and planning activities. The Committee of 100, initially comprised of community leaders who helped start the College in 1984-85, now provides input on major goals for the College’s strategic planning process.

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