Criterion Four:  Acquisition, Discovery, and Application of Knowledge

The organization promotes a life of learning for its faculty, administration, staff, and students by fostering and supporting inquiry, creativity, practice, and social responsibility in ways consistent with its mission.

As a tribal college WETCC is founded on the values of the Anishinaabe culture.  Learning is a life-long journey and the College’s mission is to provide the opportunity for learning and exploring to its constituents.  It is with this understanding that WETCC has undertaken the reorganization and revising of its vision, values, and purpose statements; the rewriting of its policy and procedures, handbooks, catalog, and implementation of a new development plan. 

Core Component 4A

The organization demonstrates, through the actions of its board, administrators, students, faculty, and staff, that it values a life of learning.

Findings 4.1:  The board has approved and disseminated statements supporting freedom of inquiry for the organization’s students, faculty, and staff, and honors those statements in its practices.

Findings 4.2:  The organization’s planning and pattern of financial allocations demonstrate that it values and promotes a life of learning for its students, faculty, and staff.

Findings 4.3:  The organization supports professional development opportunities and makes them available to al of its administrators, faculty, and staff.

Findings 4.4:  The organization publicly acknowledges the achievements of students and faculty in acquiring, discovering, and applying knowledge.

Findings 4.5: The faculty and students, in keeping with the organization’ mission, produce scholarship and create knowledge through basic and applied research.

Findings 4.6:  The organization integrates general education into all of its undergraduate degree programs through curricular and experiential offerings intentionally created to develop the attitudes and skills requisite for a life of learning in a diverse society.

Finding 4.7: The organization demonstrates the linkages between curricular and co-curricular activities that support inquiry, practice, creativity, and social responsibility.

Finding 4.8 and 4.9: Learning outcomes demonstrate that graduates have achieved breadth of knowledge and skills and the capacity to exercise intellectual inquiry. Learning outcomes demonstrate effective preparation of continued learning.

Findings 4.10:  Regular academic program reviews include attention to currency and relevance of courses and program.

Findings 4.11:  In keeping with its mission, learning goals and outcomes include skills and professional competence essential to a diverse workforce.

Findings 4.12:  Learning outcomes document that graduates have gained the skills and knowledge they need to function in diverse local, national, and global societies.

Findings 4.13:  Curricular evaluation involves alumni, employers, and other external constituents who understand the relationships among the courses of study, the currency of the curriculum, and the utility of the knowledge and skills gained.

Findings 4.14:  The organization provides curricular and co-curricular opportunities that promote social responsibility.

Findings 4.15:  The organization’s academic and student support programs contribute to the development of student skills and attitudes fundamental to responsible use of knowledge.

Finding 4.16: The organization follows explicit policies and procedures to ensure ethical conduct in its research and instructional activities.