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Mission
El Centro College is an urban learning institution preparing students to live, to work and to be of service in a diverse, global society.
Purpose
In keeping with the mission, the purpose of El Centro College is to provide:
- Freshman and sophomore courses in the liberal arts;
- Workforce education programs leading to associates degrees or certificates;
- Continuing adult education programs for occupational or cultural enrichment;
- Education programs designed for students who need additional preparation in order to be ready for college level course work;
- Comprehensive student services, including on-going counseling and guidance designed to assist students in achieving their individual educational goals;
- Adult literacy and other basic skills programs;
- A variety of instructional delivery modes, to include online and distance education; and
- Such other programs and services as may be prescribed by the Texas Coordinating Board, or local governing boards in the best interest of post-secondary education in Texas.
Vision
El Centro College is a vibrant urban community college, with multiple campuses, committed to a seamless educational process for all that it serves. The college will focus its resources on support of life-long learning, with an emphasis on systematic assessment and intervention as indicated for its students.
Recognizing the unique opportunity offered by an urban multicultural setting, El Centro College will purposefully develop transcultural values and competencies in every aspect of the college experience. While attending to the distinctive needs of each individual, the college will initiate strategies for advancing a global perspective that promotes responsible citizenship throughout the college community.
Core Values
We are guided in achieving our mission by the following core values which direct all that we do.
Learning
- Foster the personal, professional, and intellectual growth of learners by providing exemplary and innovative teaching and learning experiences and personalized student support services.
- Commit to providing learning opportunities that are accessible, affordable, and of the highest caliber.
- Provide viable, high-quality technical and liberal arts programs with relevance to the future and demonstrate improved learning outcomes for all of our students.
- Offer state-of-the-art professional growth opportunities to all employee groups.
Diversity
- Challenge individuals to broaden their concepts of self, expand their views of the world and recognize their roles in a global society by fostering values that respect and celebrate diversity while promoting social responsibility, critical thinking, communication, and innovation.
- Understand and act on the principle that inclusion makes us stronger and able to perform at higher levels.
- Recognize and respect the unique needs and potential of each learner.
Integrity
- Ensure equity and fair treatment in all policies, processes and procedures.
- Welcome constructive assessment and suggestions for improvement and follow through on our commitments.
- Value academic freedom and respect the rights and opinions of each individual. Encourage a lively, on-going interchange of views among students, faculty, staff, and administration.
Honesty
- Promote mutual respect and trust through open communication and actions.
- Encourage everyone to speak and act truthfully and to participate in authentic conversations.
- Value the public trust and support received from our community to prepare our students to be productive in an interdependent and changing world.
Excellence
- Continually expand our capacity to create high standards of performance through the acquisition of new knowledge and our commitment to constant responsiveness to the needs of our community of learners.
- Anticipate the changes in our society and embrace those changes in practical but innovative ways.
- Prepare today’s workforce to meet the needs of a rapidly changing, technologically advanced, global economy through traditional and non-traditional alternatives.
- Take pride in what we do, how we do it and where we work.
Communication
- Foster inclusiveness of individual and community viewpoints in a collaborative decision-making process.
- Promote meaningful participation in shared governance by nurturing inquiry and frequent dialogue within a collegiate culture.
- Support employee involvement and empowerment as the means to improve student learning, services, and processes within the college.
Goals
Goal I – STUDENT SUCCESS – The success of our students is always the primary focus of El Centro College.
- Objective A: Quality Instruction: El Centro College will use continuous quality improvement strategies to ensure that we continue to offer state-of-the-art programs and general education curricula and pedagogy.
- Objective B: Access and Retention: Our student body will reflect the diversity of the college service area and students will progress academically.
- Objective C: College-Level Skills Attainment: Our students will master the skills (e.g., mathematics, reading, writing, and college readiness) needed to participate successfully in college-level curricula.
- Objective D: Graduation and Transfer: Our students will obtain the skills needed to meet area workforce needs and/or be academically prepared to pursue a baccalaureate degree.
- Objective E: Adult Literacy: Our students will acquire basic literacy skills needed to live and function in our communities.
- Objective F: Student Engagement: Our faculty, staff, and administration will be very intentional about engaging our students during the limited amount of time that students are on our campuses.
Goal II – EMPLOYEE SUCCESS – We are committed to hiring, retaining, and developing successful employees as a key to the positive impact we have on our students and communities.
- Objective A: Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention: Recruit, hire, and retain quality employees that reflect the diversity of students and the service area of the college.
- Objective B: Development: Develop, offer, and evaluate professional and organizational development programs that enhance the effectiveness of individuals and the college to continuously improve services internally and externally. Provide opportunities for faculty engagement in their discipline through research, readings, and skills acquisition.
Goal III – ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT – We positively and significantly impact economic and workforce development initiatives key to the prosperity of Dallas County (with an emphasis on the Southern Sector), North Texas, the state, and the nation.
- Objective A: Strategic Alliances: Create, expand, and/or strengthen alliances with business, industry, and government to promote local and regional economic and workforce development
- Objective B: External Funding (Contracts and Grants): Strengthen and expand resource development in support of the college mission.
GOAL IV – COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT- We add value to lives and build communities by continually strengthening and expanding our connections with civic, community, and educational organizations.
- Objective A: Partnerships: Create, expand, and/or strengthen partnerships with community and educational organizations to improve the quality of life in our communities.
GOAL V: BUSINESS AND FISCAL AFFAIRS: We maintain the public’s trust by being fiscally responsible and accountable at all times.
- Objective A: Accountability and Reporting: Ensure that the Board of Trustees and system community is regularly informed of our fiscal health and stability.
GOAL VI: ORGANIZATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS: We meet our strategic goals based on continual evaluation and improvement of programs and services in relation to student and community needs.
- Objective A: Strategic Planning
- Objective B: Private Sector Support
COLLEGE GOVERNANCE – PART A
President’s Cabinet
The President’s Cabinet serves as the operational decision-making body for the college. The Cabinet addresses institution-wide issues and those institutional matters within the major divisions for which the vice presidents, executive deans, and other cabinet members, wish to receive guidance and counsel from the total senior officer corps of the college.
The President’s Cabinet is comprised of the College President, the Vice President for Business Services, the Vice President for Academic Affairs & Student Success, the Vice President for Health/Economic Development, the Executive Deans of Instructional Divisions, the Executive Dean for Learning and Support Services, the Dean for Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness, the College Director of Marketing and Communications, the Executive Dean of Students and Enrollment Services, the Executive Dean of Student Development and Support Services, the Dean of Resource Development, the BJP Campus Executive Officer, the Regional Director of Small Business Development Center at BJP, BJP Instructional Dean, BJP Business Solutions Director, the College Ombudsperson, and the Middle College High School Principal.
The Cabinet is supported in its decision-making role by the following advisory bodies that constitute representative components of all components of the college.
College Planning Council
This body is charged with the responsibility for developing and monitoring the College Strategic Plan and the College Operational Plan; developing the planning and budgeting process; and attending to issues related to accreditation, the Coordinating Board, and the college’s overall institutional effectiveness efforts. The Council meets three times per full semester, once during the summer term, and on-call for special needs.
Subcommittee on Institutional Effectiveness
This body is a subcommittee of the College Planning Council and is charged with the responsibility for assessing the overall effectiveness of instructional and support service areas on a scheduled basis. The College President appoints the members of the subcommittee with representation from all employee groups. The findings of the subcommittee are reported to the College Planning Council, where action is taken on the findings resulting from the assessment activities.
Vice President for Business Services Council
This body addresses issues relating to the administrative area and the student service units under the supervision of the Vice President for Business Services.
Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Success Council
This body addresses issues relating to instructional and student services units under the supervision of the Vice President and chief instructional officer.
Vice President for Health and Economic Development Council
This body addresses issues relating to the health and economic development units under the supervision of the Vice President for Health and Economic Development.
Faculty Leader’s Forum
This body meets with the President, Vice Presidents and College Ombudsperson twice per semester. The focus of this forum is directed toward issues and dialogue initiated by the faculty leaders. The College President and the President of the Faculty Council jointly develop the agenda.
Professional Support Staff Leaders Forum
This body meets with the President, Vice Presidents and College Ombudsperson once per semester. The emphasis is on issues of special interest to the professional support staff of the college, with dialogue and information sharing being the overall objective. The agenda is jointly developed by the PSS administrative liaison (Vice President for Business Services) and the PSS President.
Faculty Dialogue
As a component of the Report Week activities each semester, the College President conducts an open dialogue session with the faculty of the college. The senior officers attend and serve as resources. The President of the Faculty Council is invited by the College President to suggest issues to be addressed by the President.
Professional Support Staff Dialogue
During the first month of each semester the Vice President for Business Services conducts an open dialogue session with the professional support staff members. The other senior officers attend as resources, if needed. The PSS President is invited to suggest issues to be addressed at the dialogue session.
COLLEGE GOVERNANCE – PART B
Role of Students in Institutional Decision-Making
To ensure that students have an adequate participatory role in institutional decision-making, the following represents areas of participation by students in the governance process:
Student Leader’s Forum
Twice per semester the Student Leaders meet with the President, Vice Presidents, College Ombudsperson and key student development/support administrators. One session is scheduled in the afternoon and the other is scheduled in the evening. The Executive Dean of Students and Enrollment Services, SPAR Director, and Executive Dean for Student Development and Support Services jointly develop the agenda for the meetings. An open invitation is extended to any student to attend these forums.
College Committees
Students serve on the following college bodies and committees:
- College Planning Council
- College Aesthetics Committee
- Drug/Alcohol Abuse Education Committee
- Refund Petition Committee
- College Special Events Committee
- Wellness/Quality of Life Committee
Senior Administrator Open Door
The College President and Vice Presidents have established an “open door” policy, thus enabling any student to have access to the four (4) most senior administrators at any given point in time, without a scheduled appointment.
Student Survey of Instruction
Students are afforded the opportunity to provide a review of the instruction received by both full-time and adjunct faculty members. The Executive Deans of the divisions of the college are provided these survey results for their information and guidance.
Approved by the College Planning Council June 15, 2005
History
To meet the increased need for opportunity in higher education that their expanding economy and growing population demanded, the citizens of Dallas County voted in May, 1965, to establish the Junior College District. By a margin of more than three to one a bond issue of $41,500,000 was authorized. More than 50,000 citizens signed petitions to call the election. Each section of the county and each chamber of commerce of the county were represented at a steering committee. The Dallas County Junior College bond issue had widespread support from virtually every organized group in the County plus tremendous grass roots support from citizens at large who were convinced the junior college could solve or alleviate their dilemma.
El Centro College opened in 1966 as the first campus of the Dallas County Community College District (DCCCD). Located in the Central Business District of the City of Dallas, El Centro College enrolled over twenty-four hundred full time students in its first year of operation. In addition, evening and non-credit classes served over four thousand part-time students. Additional campuses opened in 1969 and 1970. At that time, students enrolled in Dallas County Junior Colleges reached around 18,000 to 20,000, with an additional 30,000 part-time students attending late afternoon and evening classes. Today, the Dallas County Community College District is among the largest in the United States with over 57,000 credit students enrolled in a given semester.
In May 2004, due to current and anticipated enrollment growth, and their belief in the need for an effective, educated workforce, the Dallas County voters gave the Dallas County Community Colleges their strong endorsement to move forward with a second, $450 million bond package. The bond was approved by approximately 70 percent of the citizens who voted in that election. This bond issue will enable the Dallas system to expand capacity and update classrooms and laboratories to meet students’ needs; address safety issues at older facilities; and ensure that the district can meet the educational development and training needs of this rapidly growing and diverse county.
With the passing of the bond, El Centro College is poised to become a multi-campus institution, serving students in the Dallas downtown area, at the Bill Priest Campus in southern Dallas, and eventually at a campus to be built in West Dallas. In June 2004, the Board of Trustees, upon the recommendation of the Chancellor, passed a resolution to acquire the Paramount Building, located at 301 N. Market Street in the West End. This building has 7 floors and 113,000 square feet, representing twice the square footage currently occupied at El Centro by our Nursing and Allied Health Program. El Centro will also acquire the building at 701 Elm Street, which currently houses the Chancellor and other key system offices, which will move to a new building in downtown Dallas. Planning committees have been formed to consider space needs of instructional and student services areas, and architects are already working on the renovation of the Market street building to become the Center for Nursing and Allied Health.
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