Accreditation
Wor-Wic is a state-approved two-year college. It is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, 3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104, 267-284-5000. The Middle States Commission on Higher Education is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Several of Wor-Wic’s programs have specialized accreditations.
History
In June of 1975, the State Board for Community Colleges approved a proposal for the creation of a community college to serve the postsecondary vocational and technical education needs of the residents of Worcester and Wicomico counties. The college was designated to operate as a “college without walls.” In November of 1975, the college’s board of trustees appointed Dr. Arnold H. Maner to serve as president of the college. Continuing education courses were offered in the fall of 1975, and the college opened its doors to credit program students in the fall of 1976. In 1989, state legislation was enacted to allow Somerset County residents to attend Wor-Wic at the in-county tuition rate.
After almost 20 years of leasing classroom and office space at various locations in its service area, the college purchased 173 acres of land on the southeast corner of Route 50 and Walston Switch Road in Salisbury. Construction was started in 1993, and the campus officially opened in the fall of 1994. In 1997, the college purchased 29 additional acres of land adjoining the campus to the south of the existing property, bringing the total college-owned acreage to more than 200. Henson Hall was built in 1999, providing a home on campus for Wor-Wic’s nursing and radiologic technology programs. In the summer of 2000, Maner retired, and Dr. Ray Hoy was named Wor-Wic’s second president.
Guerrieri Hall opened in the fall of 2001 to provide office and classroom space for the college’s criminal justice department and the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy. A new Student Center (subsequently named Hazel Center) was opened in the summer of 2005, providing food service, assembly and additional activity and study space for Wor-Wic’s growing student body. The Jordan Center was added in the fall of 2006, providing child care facilities and additional classrooms for students in the human services department. In 2007, the Workforce Development Center (subsequently named Fulton-Owen Hall) opened, providing a new home for the college’s continuing education and workforce development division, the business department and the hotel-motel-restaurant management department.
In 2011, the college purchased 12 additional acres of land adjoining the campus. Also in 2011, emergency medical services, nursing and radiologic technology were moved out of Henson Hall into a new Allied Health Building (subsequently named Shockley Hall), which made room in Henson Hall for the expansion of science courses and allied health classes offered through the continuing education and workforce development division.
Mission
Wor-Wic is a comprehensive community college that enhances local economic growth by addressing the educational, training and workforce development needs of the residents of Worcester, Wicomico and Somerset counties. The college serves a diverse student body through its high quality, affordable educational offerings and comprehensive support services designed to facilitate student goal completion.
Vision
Wor-Wic will be a leader in enhancing the quality of life on the Lower Eastern Shore by developing a world-class workforce and providing excellence in education and training.
Values
Accessibility is the availability of educational services for all members of the community regardless of geographic, physical or economic limitations.
Community is the result of collaboration and cooperation among employees, students and stakeholders to meet the needs of the service area.
Diversity is embracing all people, ideas and experiences by providing an inclusive and supportive environment.
Integrity is honest and ethical behavior that allows for mutual respect, responsibility and accountability among employees, students and the community.
Innovation is the adoption of new or creative ideas and technologies to enhance learning and institutional performance.
Learning is the acquisition of knowledge and skills that lead to intellectual and personal growth.
Excellence is the highest level of performance, professionalism and standards.
Goals
In support of its mission, vision and values, Wor-Wic has identified the following college goals:
- Provide service area residents with access to quality education and training at a reasonable cost.
- Offer courses and programs to prepare students for entry into the workforce, career advancement, licensure, certification, transfer to four-year colleges and universities, and personal development.
- Promote economic development by providing innovative programs and services that address the needs of business, government, nonprofits and other community groups.
- Provide students with educational experiences and support services that help them achieve their goals through college completion and workforce preparation.
- Partner with local high schools and universities to facilitate seamless transitions through the levels of education.
- Attract and retain a diversity of students and employees.
- Acquire appropriate human, financial and technological resources to meet institutional needs.
- Ensure the highest quality of student learning, support services and institutional effectiveness through the assessment process.
Assessment of Academic Programs and Student Services
In accordance with Wor-Wic’s mission to provide high quality programs, the college engages in routine, systematic assessment processes to ensure continuous improvement of student learning and success. The college’s assessment process determines to what extent students are attaining stated student learning outcomes. To that end, student academic performance data are collected in the aggregate, at the course, program and institutional levels. Individual students are not identified. In addition, students are asked to participate in a number of collegewide surveys to provide feedback on the quality of academic and student services. The results of the surveys are analyzed by college officials in order to continually improve teaching and learning, as well as institutional procedures. For questions regarding the assessment process, contact the director of assessment at 410-334-2966.
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