Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
Strategic Plan
2021 to 2025
Adopted October 8, 2020
WYOMING COMMUNITY COLLEGE COMMISSION
2300 CAPITOL AVENUE
5TH FLOOR, HATHAWAY BUILDING
CHEYENNE, WYOMING 82002
(307) 777-7763
www.communitycolleges.wy.edu
Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
Page 1 of 5
2021 to 2025 Strategic Plan
Adopted October 8, 2020
Introduction
The Wyoming Community College System strategic plan charts an exciting course forward for the next
five years. Wyoming’s community colleges are strong, nimble, and flexible with a proud history of
serving the state. The system continues to navigate ever increasing complexities including: the need for
additional positive educational outcomes, developing a more educated citizenry, providing workforce
development resources, and serving as regional centers within the state and their respective
communities. The mission, and past strategic plans, have served as a path forward for Wyoming’s
Community Colleges.
Prior, Statewide System Strategic Plans encompass two distinct components: 1) 2010 Strategic Plan,
which includes a Comprehensive History, Economic Analysis, Overview of Colleges, State-level Data, and
Strategic Goals and Objectives; and 2) 2014 Strategic Plan 2.0 Addendum, which focuses on Educational
Attainment and a refined set of goals.
Community College System Mission
Wyoming community colleges provide dynamic lifelong learning environments through higher
education, workforce development, innovative partnerships, and civic and global engagement
that lead to responsible citizenship and economic, social, and cultural prosperity.
The mission and purpose of the Wyoming Community College Commission is to provide coordination,
advocacy, funding, and accountability for the Community College System on behalf of the State of
Wyoming.
Coordination – The Community College Commissioners and staff provide coordination across the system
on all new program approvals, strategic planning, administrative rule making, consortium contracting, as
well as creating system-wide goals and initiatives.
Advocacy – In addition, they advocate for both the colleges and their students, highlighting their pursuit
of access, progress, and attainment of educational goals and objectives.
Funding – Through the use of a collaboratively developed funding allocation model, legislative
appropriations are distributed using certain performance metrics that recognize achievement toward
those adopted system-wide goals.
Accountability – Is achieved through the use of a centralized data warehouse, a system-wide data
dictionary, and provided reporting tools that create transparent, real-time reporting capabilities along
with the ability to perform predictive analytics of both student success and employment probabilities.
Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
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Relevant Statutes
The Community College Commission is tasked, by the Wyoming State Legislature, with creating and
maintaining a strategic plan. The creation of this plan is pursuant to the following Wyoming Statutes:
21-18-202 a (v)
“Develop and maintain a statewide college system strategic plan for the
delivery of educational programs in Wyoming by each college pursuant to
subsection (h) of this section;”
21-18-202 d (i)
“Approve all new academic programs, including applied baccalaureate
degree programs, qualifying for state funding pursuant to the statewide
community college strategic plan developed under subsection (h) of this
section;”
21-18-202 d (ii)
“Review existing programs, determine the most effective and efficient
delivery of programs qualifying for state funding pursuant to the statewide
community college system strategic plan and terminate state funding for
those programs which are inconsistent with the statewide community
college system strategic plan”
21-18-202 e (v)
“The commission shall provide annual reports to the legislature and
governor on the performance of individual community colleges and the
college system as well as on the achievement of statewide priorities as
specified in the statewide college system strategic plan. The commission
and the colleges shall work together in a collaborative effort in defining the
report formats and the methodology and data elements required in
preparing the reports and a reasonable time line for completion of
reports;”
“Reports provided by the commission to the legislature and governor shall
be attached with and aligned to the college system performance
benchmarks, outcome measures and other performance indicators
specified in and defined by the strategic plan.”
21-18-202 h
“The commission shall prior to the beginning of each biennial budget
period, review, update and modify the statewide college system strategic
plan. The plan shall clearly prescribe the components of the educational
program and attach program components to statewide system priorities.
This plan shall serve as the basis for state operational and capital
construction budget requests and funding of the statewide college system
Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
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for the applicable biennial budget period. In developing, reviewing and
updating the strategic plan, the commission shall”
21-18-203 (a)
“In collaboration with the boards of the community colleges, the
commission shall submit state appropriation requests on behalf of the
community college system in compliance with the statewide community
college system strategic plan. The standard budget request submitted by
the commission for state aid to community colleges under W.S. 21-18-205
for the fiscal biennium commencing July 1, 2020 and every four years
thereafter, shall be equal to the amount defined in W.S. 9-2-1002”
21-17-105
“Tuition to be as nearly free as possible; number, qualifications and
selection of students for reduced tuition; tuition for veterans, their spouses
and children; reciprocal residency.”
2021-2025 Strategic Plan
The 2021-2025 strategic plan is crafted to provide a direction forward for the Wyoming Community
College System and compliment the many statewide educational initiatives including the individual
community colleges’ strategic plans, and other agencies such as Workforce Services, Wyoming
Department of Education, and the Educational Attainment Executive Council. The Strategic plan
includes four primary goals: Educational Attainment, Affordability, Program Alignment, and Economic
Development.
Goal #1
Educational Attainment
Facilitate postsecondary educational attainment to the betterment of all Wyoming citizens
Objectives
• Facilitate the percentage of working adults, 25-64 years of age, with a post-secondary degree
or certificate to 60% by 2025 and to 75% by 2040.
• Encourage access and infrastructure development for student recruitment, retention, and
degree or credential attainment, and reducing barriers for special populations (first
generation, low income, minority, veterans, at risk, and adult).
• Collaborate with state and federal agencies, school districts, and workforce entities to
facilitate a postsecondary educational culture among K-12, adults, and industry.
• Facilitate the empowerment of all students to discover their academic and/or workforce
potential, achieve goals, and continue growth through lifelong learning and enrichment.
Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
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Goal #2
Affordability
Facilitate community college system sustainability, funding, and affordability while keeping
higher education as nearly free as possible.
Objectives
• Support sustainable funding options for community colleges, that result in a net addition to
allow for increases in costs due to external costs adjustments for both fixed and variable costs
related to inflationary pressure, increased compliance/regulations, and modern operations
and technology.
• Encourage structures supportive of administrative and institutional efficiency, academic
quality, and safe learning environments.
• Engage colleges in prioritizing infrastructure, capital construction, facility resources, and
technology supporting quality programs and positive student outcomes.
• Ensure and sustain financial aid programs for special populations by eliminating financial and
access barriers.
• Facilitate accurate reporting and analytics for increased efficiencies and enhanced student
outcomes.
Goal #3
Program Alignment
Facilitate alignment of post-secondary programs with UW, workplace, and workforce
providing a seamless pathway for Wyoming citizens to their future endeavors and to the
benefit of the state.
Objectives
• Identify degree, certificate, apprenticeship, and training program gaps at the state, regional,
and local level to expand offerings meeting industry, workforce, and economic needs.
• Utilize program review and approval processes to identify unnecessary duplication while
ensuring local access to industry-aligned programs.
• Promote initiatives encouraging course transferability, common course numbering and
transcripts, articulation agreements, student retention, degree and certificate completion,
and persistence to graduation to facilitate pathways for student degree or credential
completion.
• Expand access to remote learning (distance education, online courses, work-based,
externships, apprenticeships, other) for all programs to include noncredit, community and
cultural enrichment, lifelong learning to serve rural and hard-to-reach populations.
Casper College ∆ Central Wyoming College ∆ Eastern Wyoming College ∆ Laramie County Community College
Northwest College ∆ Northern Wyoming Community College District ∆ Western Wyoming Community College
Page 5 of 5
Goal #4
Economic Development
Facilitate initiatives leading to the diversification and growth of Wyoming’s economy
Objectives
• Continually evaluate community college program offerings and encourage those leading to
economic diversification.
• Support the colleges in leveraging economic development, partnerships, consortia, and
investments.
• In partnership with other entities, facilitate initiatives and strategies to attract, develop,
retain, and advance a skilled, technical, and or scientific
ally oriented workforce.
