MISSION
UCNJ – Transforming Our Community One Student at a Time.
Our Mission is to empower students to achieve their goals by providing access to high quality and affordable higher education. As a comprehensive community college, we provide career programs, transfer programs, developmental education, and lifelong-learning opportunities, with a focus on excellence. This mission is sustained through the College’s unwavering commitment to the transformational strength of a diverse campus community and an equitable and inclusive learning and work environment for all.
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Philosophy
UCNJ is committed to serving Union County in an environment dedicated to student success. The College has an open admission policy and is focused on educational excellence and the achievement of equity among the various populations served. The College strives to promote in students a sense of responsibility for their own development and an understanding of their obligations as members of a democratic society. The College fosters in students the desire to learn, the ability to think clearly and express themselves effectively, the habit of analytical and reflective thought, and an awareness of themselves, their heritage, other cultures, and their environment.
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Vision
UCNJ with its focus on student success will be recognized as a national leader within the higher education community in providing quality education.
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Values
UCNJ embraces these basic institutional values that guide the fulfillment of our Mission:
Student Success – Helping every student to achieve success is our highest priority. We are committed to promoting a climate of student success and to providing an environment conducive to teaching and learning; creating and expanding educational opportunities and support services is paramount to our mission.
Excellence – We are committed to the highest standards of excellence in all we do; we exemplify this value by providing programs and services that ensure excellence in teaching and learning, student services, and organizational efficiency.
Student Engagement – We are committed to enhancing and promoting student engagement by fully engaging our students as active learners and by providing a broad range of educational experiences both inside and outside the classroom.
Collaboration – We are committed to productive exchanges with all members of the College community and collegial relationships among our various stakeholders.
Integrity – We seek to uphold the highest standard of ethics.
Stewardship – We value and honor the trust placed in us by making wise and efficient use of resources.
Community Engagement – We are committed to encouraging civic engagement and supporting economic development in the region.
Diversity – We are committed to a diverse environment that supports an equitable education for all of our students and emphasizes respect for various cultures and individual differences.
Globalization – We seek to establish connections and relationships locally, nationally, and globally. -
Goals
In an effort to achieve the College’s mission, we strive to fulfill the following goals and to assess them on a regular basis to ensure the quality of our programs and services.
General Education – Provide a relevant and coherent general education for all students. Assess student learning outcomes in scientific/critical thinking and quantitative reasoning; oral and written communication; and information literacy.
Transfer Programs – Provide transfer programs for students planning to continue their education at a 4-year institution. Assess student learning outcomes at the course and program level. Regularly evaluate and update courses, curricula, and programs.
Career Programs – Provide career programs to prepare students to enter the workforce and meet workforce needs. Assess student learning outcomes at the course and program level. Regularly evaluate and update courses, curricula, and programs.
Developmental Education – Provide developmental education for underprepared students. Continue to implement approaches that facilitate the progress of students through the developmental sequence. Assess students’ success in college level courses.
Lifelong Learning – Provide courses and programs that encourage lifelong learning and are responsive to the needs of business and industry. Evaluate and update courses and programs, in response to identified needs.
Innovative Pedagogy – Develop, encourage, and support effective and creative approaches to teaching and learning. Regularly assess student learning outcomes.
Student Support Services – Provide appropriate support services for all students that ensure success throughout the students’ college career. Evaluate and update key programs and services in response to student needs.
Resources – Provide the necessary resources, both public and private, to support the institutional mission. Also, continue to partner with the Union College Foundation to identify and generate additional resources. Regularly assess the linkage between budgeting and planning.