NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a comprehensive, public two-year college that serves and strengthens the community through learning for living.
Strategic Initiatives
Our Vision and Values
NorthWest Arkansas Community College intends to be a nationally recognized two-year comprehensive institution that excels in providing community, transfer, and workforce education in a learning-centered environment. In pursuit of this vision, NWACC will:
• Cherish academic, professional and personal integrity;
• Facilitate continuous learning for students and stakeholders;
• Value human resources over other resources;
• Develop the potential of the individual to achieve excellence;
• Anticipate and respond to needs by encouraging innovative ideas and technologies;
• Respect differences and view them as strengths; and advance knowledge through individual and team challenges.
Reaching to the future, NWACC has established 5-year initiatives:
NorthWest Arkansas Community College will be a premier educational provider in northwest Arkansas by developing a responsive educational delivery system customized to the needs of learners and receiver organizations.
NWACC will:
• Become a primary choice educational provider in northwest Arkansas by developing a responsive educational delivery system customized to the needs of learners and receiving organizations.
• Forge a systematic linkage with K-12 and university partners to achieve “seamlessness” in curriculum, technology, student support and service delivery.
• Provide expanded access to educational opportunities for the population in general, but especially for under-served learners in all age groups who are disconnected from education by choice or circumstance.
• Enhance partnerships with business and industry through innovative approaches to design and delivery using the principle of co-creation for opportunity.
• Develop into a hub and function as a catalyst for comprehensive regional planning and development encompassing all sectors of the community.
• Build a new image and increase community awareness of programs and services offered through NWACC.
• Align the organizational infrastructure of NWACC with growth through a review of development needs and opportunities, internal capability and resources, additional facilities and changes required to achieve strategic goals.
• Enhance NWACC’s capacity to achieve its initiatives by diversifying its resource base.
• Balance demand for quality services with available resources to manage growth.
Student Learning Outcomes
NorthWest Arkansas Community College is a learning-centered institution. Specific learning outcomes have been established in keeping with the college's mission of providing “learning for living.” These outcomes describe the general knowledge, skills, and perspectives faculty and students should expect in earning an associate degree.
The Associate of Arts (AA) or the Associate of Science (AS) degree is designed for students who want to transfer to a senior college or university to earn a bachelor's degree. The primary educational outcome associated with this degree matches this purpose. Students are prepared to succeed in a four-year college program.
Associate of Applied Science degrees train students for specific careers. The primary educational outcome associated with this degree relates to this purpose. Students are prepared to enter, continue to work or advance within their fields of study.
As members of a learning community, students should demonstrate professional behavior in their interactions with others and in their approach to academic work. Professionalism is valued by employers and appreciated by all. The development of professionalism is a reflective process that often requires changing behavior. To encourage this process, faculty and staff will model professionalism and establish standards that students are expected to follow.
Learning outcomes for general education
College degrees do more than train and certify vocational skills. NWACC believes that general education is an essential part of all its higher education degree programs. These general education outcomes prepare students to pursue life-long learning. For some of the outcomes, a specific set of courses has been established to help students accomplish them. Other outcomes are not associated with one particular course. For example, there is no single course designated to help students develop higher order thinking skills. These skills will be developed across the curriculum. Whether or not there is a specific curriculum, all of the general education outcomes are addressed to some degree in most courses. For example, students will be expected to write outside of English class or use algebra outside of math class. NWACC faculty have identified the following general education outcomes that communicate what students will gain from their degree.
Students develop higher order thinking skills.
Higher education goes beyond memorization and basic comprehension. Students must be able to apply, analyze, synthesize, and evaluate what they learn. While most first and second year college courses lay a foundation of basic knowledge of the subject matter, students will also be challenged to use their intellect, to think critically, to solve problems and/or to wrestle with complex issues.
Students gain greater awareness of cultural perspectives.
One of the traditional goals of a college education is to expand students' understanding of the world by presenting them with diverse ideas and attitudes. In the pluralistic society in which we live, being aware of cultural perspectives is essential. An important element of this understanding is recognition of one's own culture and the impact it has on one's perspective. Across the curriculum, students will be exposed to different cultural perspectives to enhance their ability to understand and interact with others.
Students can write clear, coherent, well-organized documents, which are substantially free of errors.
Students can read selections at the appropriate level of education and describe the main ideas and supporting details. Students can evaluate written materials objectively.
Students develop effective oral communication skills.
A college graduate should be able to speak effectively. Most NWACC students will develop public speaking skills to inform and persuade others. Some professional program students will focus on interpersonal communication skills essential in performing job-related duties. All students should have opportunities to improve their oral communication skills across the curriculum through class presentations and small group activities.
Students achieve mathematical literacy.
College graduates should be able to understand and use numerical relationships and basic analyses of data in their roles as consumers, citizens, scholars, and professionals. Graduates should possess the computational, algebraic and quantitative skills necessary to solve problems and evaluate complex situations.
Students can use computers proficiently.
Because of society's increasing use of computer technology, college graduates must be able to use a computer. Employers are expecting computer skills in those they hire. For most students, being proficient means being able to create, update and manipulate word-processing documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and databases. Students will able to use e-mail for communication and a browser to navigate the Internet. Other students will gain proficiency in specific computer applications related to their field of study.
Students can employ a variety of sources to locate, evaluate, and use information.
In support of personal, professional, and academic goals, students should be able to recognize a need for information and locate it. They must then be able to evaluate effectively the reliability and relevance of that information.