I.A.1. The Mission describes the institution’s broad based educational purposes, its intended student population, the types of degrees and other credentials it offers, and its commitment to student learning and student achievement (ER 6)
The mission statement of the American Samoa Community College (ASCC) that is written and published in both English and Samoa in the 2014 – 2016 College Catalog, clearly describes its broad educational purposes of fostering successful student learning by providing high quality educational programs and services that allows students to achieve their educational goals and contribute to the well-being of American Samoa.
Table 1: Manulautī / Mission Statement in 2014-2016 Catalog p.ii-p.iii
The mission of the American Samoa Community College is to foster successful student learning by providing high quality educational programs and services that will enable students to achieve their educational goals and to contribute to the social, cultural, political economic, technological, and environmental well-being of American Samoa.
O le manulautī a le Kolisi Tuufaatasi o Amerika Samoa o le tu’uina atu o polokalama ma tautua faalea’oa’oga i se tulaga maoa’e ina ia manuia ai a’oa’oga a tagata a’oga ma mafai ai ona ‘ausia sini faalea’oa’oga ma tofu sao i le soifua manuia tau i le vafealoai, faaleaganuu, faafaigamalo, faatamāoaigā, faatekonolosi, ma le si’os’iomaga o Amerika Samoa. Ina ia taunu’u lenei manulautī, o le Kolisi, ona o se a’oga e tatala le ulufale i so’o se tagata, e taualoa i tulaga taua’oa’oga a le Iunaite Setete, ma o se a’oga tau Laufanua ma Atinae, e tuuina atu avanoa mo tikeri pakaloli ma tikeri faavae faapea tusipasi. O nei polokalama o lo o saunia ai tagata a’oga uma e aofia ai ma i latou e faigata ona maua avanoa, lu’itauina, po’o i latou sa le i masani ona avea ma tagata a’oga i se kolisi mo le;
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ASCC is an open-admission institution that provides educational opportunities for students who are educationally underserved, challenged, and non-traditional for transfer to institutions of higher learning, successful entry into the workforce, research and extension in human and natural resources, and awareness of Samoa and the Pacific through the offering of certificates, Associate degrees, and a Bachelor in Elementary Education degree.
All ASCC’s educational programs are aligned to the mission statement. These educational programs are designed whereas its Associate of Arts degrees are to prepare students to transfer to institutions of higher learning. Associate of Science degrees and Certificates of Completion and Certificates of Proficiency prepare students to enter into the workforce. Its Bachelor in Elementary Education degree provides a student with a choice to either enter the workforce or to transfer to an institution of higher learning.
The ASCC Mission is essential to institutional planning through its emphasis on student learning and student achievement. All internal stakeholders are committed to the best interest of the students and are unified by the College’s Vision, Participatory Governance Core Values, and achievement of its Institutional Learning Outcomes in assuring that Student Centeredness is central to institutional planning and the setting of institutional priorities.
The ASCC Vision holds as its central theme “Saili le Atamai” or to “seek knowledge” as an institutional foresight towards achieving its Mission and guiding principles of participatory governance that organize the College’s operating agreements and shared governance. Furthermore, highlighting ASCC’s commitment to student learning is stated in its Institutional Core Values which are the characteristics of internal constituents to ensure their support of student learning. The Institutional Core Values are as follows; Student Centeredness, Respect for Diversity, Collaboration and Teamwork, Respect for Tradition and Culture and Lifelong Learning.
In 2015, through further review of what the institution expected their students to achieve when they graduate, the Dean of Academic Affairs and Director of Institutional Effectiveness proposed the evaluation of Institutional Learning Outcomes for discussion with the Curriculum Committee. 1 This resulted in the newly established Institutional Learning Outcomes of ASCC that are measurable.
- Effective Communicators: ASCC graduates communicate respectfully, listen attentively, seek clarification, and value the opinions of others. Graduates effectively present information using a variety of modes and media. They adapt their method of presentation to suit specific audiences and convey their intended message using a variety of oral, written, and visual strategies;
- Critical Thinkers: ASCC graduates engage in the examination of ideas, issues, and problems, drawing on established bodies of knowledge and means of analysis. Graduates organize information logically and consider alternate strategies. They recognize the need for multiple voices and seek opportunities for those voices to be heard;
- Global Citizens: ASCC graduates are prepared to participate in regional and global communities. They demonstrate knowledge of their region and the world.
- Quantitative Competent Individuals: ASCC graduates organize, and critically examine written, oral, visual, and numerical information. Graduates efficiently use technology as a tool to gather and evaluate information from a variety of perspectives. Graduates use the information ethically, respecting the legal restrictions that exist when using published, confidential, and proprietary information;
- Responsible Leaders: ASCC graduates act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions, ethically and equitably. Graduates engage in professional dialogue and participate in learning communities.
An Addendum of the changes to the Institutional Learning Outcomes had been made to the 2014 – 2016 College Catalogue and approved by the Curriculum Committee on September 25, 2015 and the Leadership Triangle on September 29, 2015.