Community and Workforce Engagement

NIAGARA COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

STRATEGIC PLAN

2019-2022

Community and Workforce Engagement

Goal: The College is committed to ensuring a highly skilled workforce contributing to economic development. Realizing that collaboration with the community is vital to student success, the College will create a more engaged, active campus to build a stronger relationship with the surrounding community, industry, and businesses (focus: external communities).

• Stimulate regional economic growth through collaboration with the community, business, and industry.
  1. Provide flexible, in-demand programs based on regional needs with input from active advisory boards at least once per year.
  2. Partner with local businesses and community organizations to promote collaboration.
  3. Become a primary regional resource for workforce development.
  4. Align Workforce Development programs with the regional economic development Western New York region priorities.
  5. Provide leadership and assistance to area businesses to address local industry needs.
  6. Develop credit and non-credit classes to meet the needs of the workforce and employers.
  7. Increase community partnerships through on-site education, internships, and apprenticeships.
  8. Continue to develop community education classes at Niagara Falls Culinary Institute and the Sanborn Campus not only for tourists, but for locals as well as business and industry.
  9. Provide diverse industry- and employee-centered training opportunities.
  10. Offer non-credit courses that provide short-term training leading to employment openings in Western New York.
• Increase SUNY Niagara’s presence and engagement in the community to provide greater accessibility.
  1. Improve outreach to feeder school districts.
  2. Target programming to bring the community to the campus.
• Offer community-focused education to expand regional cultural development and to promote lifelong learning.
  1. Ensure inclusivity of programming and marketing of events to appeal to all members of the community. (Embedded Diversity and Inclusion Objective)
  2. Encourage at least one community-based activity in the annual activities of each student club.
  3. Enable greater community usage of our buildings and grounds to leverage underutilized campus resources and facilities.
  4. Promote opportunities for SUNY Niagara employees to provide education, support, and leadership to the community in their areas of expertise.

4. Increase student access to the community.
   1. Provide a safe walking route for students to Tops/CVS/Key Bank/Tim Hortons. (SJ-Extra)
   2. Improve modes of transportation on campus (e.g., sideways for bikes, bike racks, etc.) and to campus (e.g., bus pass plans with the NFTA, additional shuttle stops, increased coordination efforts with the NFTA, alternative uses for or alternatives to the transportation fee for commuters who do use the parking lots or shuttle).
5. Improve event management.
   1. Designate a staff member who would be the one person all event-related information goes to in order to streamline the event management process.
   2. Explore funding opportunities to hire someone who would be solely in charge of event management.
   3. Create one form that encompasses all areas required for an event.
   4. Convene a meeting weekly for event management that one representative from PR, security, food service, records, student life, facilities, and maintenance attends to review all items are in order for that entire week’s events across the entire campus. (SJ-Extra)

Goal: The College will operate through a collegial model of shared governance, clear communication, and the highest standards of professionalism and integrity (focus: internal communities).

1. Ensure an open and transparent governance process that embraces equity, accountability, and ownership among the entire college community.
2. Improve communication of changes to existing/new programs, policies, and regulations. (SJ-Pay)
3. Develop a culture of transparency to improve communications and accept input from all affected stakeholders.

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