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NCC Vision Statement :
Norwalk Community College is the educational center of the community, providing opportunities for intellectual inquiry, open dialogue, multicultural awareness and lifelong learning. Recognizing the diverse needs of its students, the College strives to provide an environment in which they are empowered to achieve their highest potential.
College Mission
Norwalk Community College is the southwest Fairfield County leader and partner in the academic, economic and cultural lives of our communities, providing comprehensive, accessible, innovative and affordable learning opportunities to diverse populations. To realize this distinctive mission, NCC:
- provides a broad range of credit and non-credit liberal arts and sciences, career, and technical associate degree and certificate programs leading to transfer, employment, and lifelong learning;
- supports economic development through partnerships with labor, business, industry, government and our communities, providing workforce development, business development, and technology training;
- promotes success and inclusion through a stimulating, nurturing learning environment, high quality instruction, support services, and co-curricular activities;
- builds community through the sponsorship of intellectual, cultural, social and recreational events and activities; and
- engages students and community members to become active and responsible leaders in their communities.
Academic Goals
The College strives to be a community college in the fullest sense. Dedicated to serving the people of southwestern Connecticut, it offers all of its resources and facilities to help meet the educational, cultural and economic needs of the region. The College, within the framework of its stated objectives, endeavors to provide an education at a modest cost to all qualified persons.
The College offers programs of interest to students with varied educational aims. A student desiring to pursue his/her studies beyond two years and planning to transfer to a four-year institution should elect one of the transfer curricula. These programs offer universityparallel courses and provide a good pre-professional foundation. Students who do not anticipate taking formal education beyond the first two years but wish to broaden their education, will also benefit from these courses.
Many career curricula combining technical or vocational interest with studies in the liberal arts are offered. Career programs are added and revised to meet the changing needs of the residents of southwestern Connecticut. There are career offerings in certificate programs, which require completion of 30 credits or less. Provision has also been made for those students who do not wish to complete an entire curriculum or certificate program but who have a specialized, limited objective. They are permitted to enroll in courses that they are qualified to take.
The College offers opportunities for study during the summer. Part-time students may continue their studies without interruption. Full-time students at Norwalk Community College or other institutions may take additional courses to accelerate or to complete their programs.
Core Curriculum
In order to prepare students for an increasingly complex and culturally diverse society, a Core Curriculum has been developed to provide the knowledge and skills needed to succeed and grow within the world community. Graduation from NCC will be evidence that the student has acquired communication, computational and basic computer skills, as well as developed an understanding of the humanities, sciences and social/behavioral sciences while comprehending how these disciplines relate to each other and to broader social issues.
First-Year Experience Courses
The Freshman Seminar or College Forum course is required for all first-time full-time students. Please see descriptions in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog.
Accreditation
Norwalk Community College is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., a non-governmental, nationally recognized organization whose affiliated institutions include elementary schools through collegiate institutions offering postgraduate instruction.
The New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc., is one of six nationally recognized regional accreditation associations in the United States and is the official accrediting agency for schools and colleges in the six New England states. Institutional membership in the association indicates that the College has been carefully evaluated
and found to meet standards agreed upon by qualified educators.
Accreditation of an institution by the New England Association indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer group review process. An accredited school or college is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.
The College is licensed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education.
The Legal Assistant Curriculum is approved by the American Bar Association.
The Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, Inc., 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326, www.acen.org, (404) 975-5000.
The Medical Assistant Certificate Program is accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Program (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Medical Assisting Education Review Board (MAERB). The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs is located at 1361 Park Street, Clearwater, FL 33756, (727) 210-2350.
The Respiratory Care program is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (CoARC), 1248 Harwood Road, Bedford, TX 76021-4244, (800) 874-5615, www.CoARC.org.
The Child Development Laboratory School is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).
The Physical Therapist Assistant Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, (703) 706-3245, accreditation@apta.org, www.capteonline.org.
Equal Opportunity
Norwalk Community College, guided by an affirmative action plan approved by the Board of Regents of Higher Education, complies with all federal and state regulations and statutes that provide for equal opportunity for all. Questions should be directed to Therese Marrocco, Director of Human Resources.
Equal Opportunity Policy
The Community-Technical College System of the State of Connecticut will not discriminate against any person on the grounds of race, color, religious creed, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, marital status, mental retardation, sexual orientation, learning disability, physical disability, including but not limited to blindness, or a prior conviction of a crime, unless the provisions of sections 46a-60(b), 46a-80(b) or 46a-81(b) of the Connecticut General Statutes are controlling, or if there is a bona fide occupational qualification excluding persons in one of the above protected groups. With respect to the foregoing, discrimination on the basis of sex shall include sexual harassment as defined in section 46a-60(8) of the Connecticut General Statutes. Although it is recognized that there are bona fide occupational qualifications which provide for exception from employment prohibitions, it is understood these exceptions are to be applied pursuant to Section 46a-68-33 of the administrative regulations. Further, the system will not discriminate against any person on the grounds of political beliefs, or veteran status.
Policy Against Sexual Harassment
Sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination which is illegal under state and federal law and is also prohibited by the Board of Regents’ Non-discrimination Policy. The Board’s policy recognizes that sexual harassment undermines the integrity of employeremployee and student faculty-staff relationships and interferes with the right of all members of the College community to work and learn in an environment free from harassment. Such conduct will not be tolerated. For a complete statement on this policy, consult the NCC Student Handbook.
NCC Continuing Notice of Non-Discrimination
Norwalk Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, national origin, marital status, ancestry, present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression or genetic information in its programs and activities.
In addition, the College does not discriminate in employment on the basis of veteran status or criminal record. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Dean of Students Carol Smith Harker, Title IX Coordinator, at (203) 857-7013 or charker@norwalk.edu; or Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Coordinator Fran Apfel at (203) 857-7192 or fapfel@norwalk.edu.
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