General Information

Development of Eastern Wyoming College

Eastern Wyoming College was established in September 1948 as the Southeast University Center, an extension of the University of Wyoming and a part of the Torrington School District 3. From 1948 - 1956, the College struggled for existence on a very limited budget which necessarily limited the faculty, curriculum, and student enrollment. At one time during this period, the College enrolled only 16 full-time students taught by two full-time instructors, and was offering only a dozen classes.

In June of 1956, the citizens of the Torrington Public School District voted to organize the Goshen County Community College District as an independent political subdivision of the state with its own board of control. Although this initial action in the formation of a separate college district encompassed the same territorial boundaries as that of the Torrington Public School District, it was possible to enlarge the district by election to annex additional public school districts to the College District. During the fall of 1956, District 1 and District 10 elected to become a part of the College District. In the spring of 1958, District 7 voted to become a part of the College District also. In the fall of 1965 all public school districts within Goshen County voted to become a part of the College District. The name of the college was changed from the Goshen County Community College District to Eastern Wyoming Community College District on December 20, 1968.

After the reorganization in 1956, the enrollment increased to 62 full-time students with 4 full-time instructors offering approximately 30 classes during each term of the school year. Growth of the institution continued steadily. Today the College serves almost 1,700 students in credit courses and almost 700 students in non-credit activities. The College supports a branch campus in Douglas and Regional Learning Centers in Converse, Crook, Niobrara, Platte, and Weston counties.

Mission

College Mission - Adopted November 10, 2017  

Student success is our first priority; as a learning community we provide opportunities that enable students to achieve their goals and enrich our unique region through work, partnerships, and student achievement.

Strategic Objectives

Strategic Objectives - Fall, 2017

Strategic Objective #1 - The College will advance student success through highly engaged educational practices that include associate degree opportunities and transferability, career and technical programs, certificate programs and workforce development to prepare students for the modern workforce.

1. Increase student persistence and completion by identifying barriers that prevent students from continuing semester-to-semester and implement strategies to support student progress.
2. Provide an environment that helps foster a sense of belonging through high quality customer service with performance measured by student satisfaction on the CCSSE survey.
3. Establish guided pathways for all programs that provide clear direction with support services and on ramps to improve student access and success.
4. Improve support for students in the area of financial aid by increasing the proportion of students who complete the FAFSA and the percentage of students meeting with financial aid personnel.
5. Engage in activities that improve the college and career readiness of EWC students.
6. Completion of a Strategic Enrollment Management Plan.

Strategic Objective #2 - The College is resourced, trained and positioned to provide quality opportunities for our students that will promote pride and unity among our college community and be a great place to work and attend school. The College’s practices, financial resources and services are poised to provide quality educational programs and services to our students.

1. Identify common workforce needs and opportunities to strengthen community relationships.
2. Facilitate workforce and economic development initiatives when possible.
3. Align and empower employee strengths that benefit the institution in meeting strategic goals with opportunities for all EWC staff and faculty participation.
4. Partner with K-12 to support a seamless alignment between high school classes and EWC offerings.
5. Improve course success rate of EWC students taking classes at University of Wyoming.
6. Identify and secure alternative revenue streams.
7. Optimize human, economic and environmental expenses with available revenue.
8. Attract and retain high quality people.

Strategic Objective #3 - The College’s infrastructure and facilities support will provide professional and safe facilities for quality programs with technological solutions that will keep our college current, up-to-date and safe.

1. Provide professional and safe facilities that are equipped to support quality programs.
2. Update our building master plan yearly.
3. Align faculty utilization with program needs.
4. Update our technological abilities as finances allow.

Strategic Objective #4 - The College’s internal organizational structure, behavior and practices will support and enable administrative and institutional efficiency, health, compliance and trust.

1. Foster a climate of inclusivity so that all students and employees, fulltime and part-time are welcomed, supported and valued for their contributions.
2. Development of a plan that addresses hiring and retaining a more diverse workforce.
3. Develop a plan to achieve equity in outcomes for students from underrepresented groups.
4. Foster partnerships that embrace and support concurrent and dual enrollment.
5. Strengthen advising and scheduling for students.
6. Assess possible use of flex-time and innovative schedules for staff.
7. Develop a plan for providing raises to employees of EWC.
8. Review current practices and strategies that support and recognize employee engagement and innovation.

Strategic Objective #5 - Trustworthy partner relationships with students, colleagues, community, and business members will foster and enable efficient use of resources providing accountability, trust, ownership and legitimacy to those partners.

1. Strengthen relationships with all high schools in our Outreach areas by developing data driven focused plans for recruitment and service.
2. Engage community partners while developing effective and efficient credit and non-credit programs that support our students’ attainment of relevant skills.
3. Evaluate and develop, as appropriate new programs in high demand occupations that lead to sustainable employment opportunities.
4. Create a strategy to expand and review programs and a strategy for better integration of online and classroom settings for our students.
5. Promote positive community and alumni relations.

College Vision for the Future

College Vision - Adopted November 10, 2017

Eastern Wyoming College will be an innovative learning environment for academic excellence and community enrichment that champions student success.

Student Philosophy Statement

(Approved by Curriculum and Learning Council July 2010)

Eastern Wyoming College is committed to providing a student experience that promotes academic success in a challenging and supportive environment, facilitates the transition to college for first time students, and helps all students identify and achieve their individual goals. EWC’s student experience is designed to foster personal growth by increasing independence, promoting ethical behaviors and personal responsibility for learning, and affording opportunities for student involvement in campus activities to enhance social development.

Diversity Statement

Eastern Wyoming College envelops a culture respective of our diverse communities, learners, and society. Through active dialogue we engage in enriching the lives of our students, faculty, staff, and community by providing the safe and free exchange of ideas, knowledge, and perspective. Central to our mission is the dynamic understanding of diversity to include but not limited to: age, culture, ethnicity, gender, class, creed, orientation, and perspective. Diversity at EWC forms the foundation of our values, skills, and learning- culminating into the norms for how we build  relationships, communicate, and resolve conflict. As an institution, we affirm the holistic understanding of diversity and endeavor to foster an environment for its growth, support, and future as it reveals who we are today and whom we will become tomorrow.

Government

Eastern Wyoming College is a public institution established under the provisions of the State Legislature’s 1951 Community College Act for the purpose of providing instruction in the first two years of college work, and for offering related services to the people of eastern Wyoming. The College is a tax-supported, co-educational institution under the control of an elected board, the members of which are residents of the College District. The College is operated by the Eastern Wyoming Community College District.

The Eastern Wyoming College Board consists of seven members elected to four year terms (beginning with the general election in 1988), by the eligible voters within the College District. The terms are to be determined by the Board of Trustees, with never more than a simple majority being elected at one time.

Regular meetings of the Board are held on the second Tuesday of each month. Special meetings are called by the President of the Board to conduct business as required.

Board of Trustees

Accreditation

Eastern Wyoming College is accredited by the following professional organizations:

• The Higher Learning Commission

230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500
Chicago, IL 60604
Telephone: 800.621.7440/312.263.0456
Fax: 312.263.7462
info@hlcommission.org
www.hlcommission.org

• American Veterinary Medical Association

1931 N. Meacham Road, Suite 100
Schaumburg, IL 60173-4360
Telephone: (800) 248.2862
Fax: (847) 925.1329
www.avma.org

• American Welding Society

8669 NW 36 Street, Suite 130
Miami, FL 33166-6672
Telephone: (800) 443.9353
www.aws.org

• Accreditation Commision for Education in Nursing

3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850
Atlanta, GA 30326
Telephone: (404) 975.5000
Fax: (404) 975.5020
www.acenursing.org

To obtain additional accreditation information, contact the EWC Office of Institutional Effectiveness at (307) 532.8220.

Memberships

• American Association of Community Colleges
• APPA: The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers
• Association of Community College Trustees
• College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
• E & I Cooperative Services
• Mountain States Association of Community Colleges
• National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
• National Block and Bridle Club
• National College Testing Association
• National Community Education Association
• National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
• National Intergovernmental Purchasing Alliance (IPA)
• National Junior College Athletic Association
• National Junior College Livestock Judging Coaches Association
• The Higher Learning Commission
• Western Undergraduate Exchange
• Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education
• Wyoming Association of Community College Trustees
• Wyoming Community College Athletic Conference
• Wyoming Distance Education Consortium (WyDEC)

Affirmative Action/Equal  Employment Opportunity Policy Statement

Eastern Wyoming College is dedicated to providing opportunities and recognizing the talent of all people within the institution. There is a commitment to a policy of equal employment opportunity for all persons on the basis of merit without regard to race, color, national origin, marital status, age, sexual orientation, sex, religion, political belief, veteran status or disability.

In accordance with the policy, Eastern Wyoming College affirms its commitment to nondiscrimination in its employment practices as they relate to recruitment, hiring, selection, screening, employment, testing, compensation, promotion, employment benefits, training and educational opportunities, access to programs, work assignments, transfer, application of policies and discipline, access to grievance procedures, and any and all other conditions of employment which are provided by Eastern Wyoming College policy, regulation, rule or  practice.

All administrators, faculty, staff, committees and others involved in employment related decisions are directed to comply with this policy. The Director of Human Resources is responsible for administering and coordinating the College’s Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Program.

Name, office location and telephone number are:

Director of Human Resources
Affirmative Action Officer
Tebbet Building, 234
Eastern Wyoming College
3200 West C Street
Torrington, WY 82240
(307) 532.8330