Anoka Ramsey Community College

Mission & Strategic Plan

• COMPLETION

  Completion refers to students successfully achieving their educational goals—whether earning a degree, completing a certificate or diploma, transferring to another institution, taking college credits while in high school, or gaining job-ready skills. As a strategic theme, completion emphasizes timely progress, strategic scheduling, and strong student support systems to ensure that more students from all backgrounds reach the finish line. This theme reflects our commitment to BRIDGES (Belongingness, Restoration, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth, Equity, Sustainability) in support of Students by creating a clear, supported journey from enrollment to credential.

  • Goal 1 – Increase Completion Rates
  • Goal 2 – Increase Awards
  • Goal 3 – Increase Bachelor’s Degree Complete Rate for Students who Transfer

• CLIMATE

  A healthy organizational climate is essential to the success of our college’s mission of providing opportunities within a supportive learning environment. As a strategic theme, Climate reflects our commitment to fostering a workplace culture that is inclusive, respectful, collaborative, and rooted in continuous improvement. We recognize that the well-being, engagement, and sense of belonging among faculty, staff, and administrators directly impact the sense of belonging and success of our students as well as our overall institutional effectiveness. By promoting BRIDGES (Belongingness, Restoration, Inclusion, Diversity, Growth, Equity, Sustainability), particularly goals related to Employees and Culture, we aim to build an institution where people are valued, supported, and empowered to contribute to the college’s mission.

  • Goal 1 – Improve the Employee Experience: Measured by the PACE Climate Survey and the HEDS Campus Climate Survey
  • Goal 2 – Improve the Student Experience: Measured by the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) and the HEDS Campus Climate Survey

• CAPACITY

  Capacity refers to the college’s ability to effectively fulfill its mission through adequate resources, infrastructure, systems, and talent. As a strategic theme, Capacity focuses on enhancing the college’s financial and operational capacity to ensure sustainable growth, resource stewardship, institutional effectiveness, and the ability to meet evolving student and community needs (all related to the “S” in BRIDGES). Building capacity means investing in faculty and staff development, technology, facilities, and data systems that enable innovation, responsiveness, and accountability. It also involves ensuring that policies, processes, and resource allocations are aligned with strategic priorities and equity goals. As we face evolving student needs, workforce demands, and external challenges, our ability to adapt and scale our efforts depends on the strength of our internal capacity.

  • Goal 1 – Financial Health: Maintain the college’s financial capacity
  • Goal 2 – College Workforce: Align the college’s human capacity with operational needs
  • Goal 3 – Operational Heath: Enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, adaptability, and resilience of the college’s systems, processes, and infrastructure
  • Goal 4 – Data-Informed Decision Making: Strengthen the college’s capacity to collect, analyze, and apply data, evidence, and information to guide planning, resource allocation, and continuous improvement

• Previous Strategic Plan

  THE MISSION

  Anoka-Ramsey Community College is an open-door, comprehensive higher education institution committed to excellence in teaching and learning. Anoka-Ramsey is committed to responding to the educational needs of its changing communities and to providing opportunities for enhancing knowledge, skills, and values in a supportive learning environment.

  THE VISION

  Anoka-Ramsey Community College is committed to developing articulate, critical and creative thinkers who are responsible contributors to the community.

  THE STRATEGIC PLAN

  Embedded within these goals is a commitment to quality education and student success, ultimately leading to graduation. Graduating with a degree and/or certificate benefits both career and transfer students. By graduating with a credential, students demonstrate their persistence and skills and are better prepared for the challenges of life and future studies.

  Commit to Student Success

  We value the success and well-being of our students.
  We value access and affordability for our students.

  A. Increase the number of students transferring or completing a certificate, diploma, or degree in a timely manner.
  B. Equitably increase retention and academic progress.
  C. Develop proactive approaches to meet students’ changing academic, physical, emotional, and financial needs.
  D. Empower students to gain ownership of their academic and personal success.

  Promote Academic Excellence

  We value excellence in teaching and learning. We value continuous improvement in curriculum and instruction.
  We value exploring new pedagogical methods that enhance learner outcomes.

  A. Offer rigorous programs of study to meet current and future transfer and workforce expectations.
  B. Actively assess that learner outcomes are being met to improve curriculum and instruction.
  C. Incorporate inclusive classroom strategies that engage all students.
  D. Establish and maintain learning environments and delivery methods that support diverse, state-of-the-art, student-centric learning experiences.
  E. Maintain high academic standards and support students to produce quality work.

  Foster a Vibrant Culture that Practices Equity and Inclusion

  We value a culture of caring and mutual respect for all students and all employees.
  We value equity and inclusion campus-wide for all constituents.
  We value collaborative leadership and decision making.
  We value intellectual curiosity and knowledge growth.

  A. Support a welcoming and safe environment for our students and employees.
  B. Recruit, hire, and retain diverse faculty and staff that reflect our community and students.
  C. Invest in development opportunities for faculty and staff.
  D. Promote the value of free speech and diverse voices and viewpoints.

  Establish a Strong Reputation and Valuable Partnerships

  We value strong community partnerships that benefit the success and well-being of our students.
  We value the stewardship of physical, financial, and human resources.
  We value long-term financial sustainability that incorporates strategic investments.

  A. Build a reputation for excellence within the region and state; and be nationally recognized as leaders in community and technical college education.
  B. Develop systems and curricula that respond expediently to new job skills, training, and career opportunities with community and industry partners.
  C. Enhance relationships with K-12 schools, workforce organizations, and higher education transfer partners to provide educational and career pathways for students.
  D. Promote practices that enhance environmental stewardship, reduce our carbon footprint, and make us a good neighbor in our community.

  Guiding Principles for Curriculum & Assessment of Student Learning

  Anoka-Ramsey Community College continually reviews and assesses its curriculum. Throughout this process, the College is committed to developing students’ commitment to lifelong learning through clear thinking, effective communication, accepting diversity, and ethical decision making. As a result, the College will provide learning experiences that promote learning in the following areas:

  • Clear Thinking: thinking through reasoning, creating, and reflecting
  • Effective Communication: integrating information with experience and expressing insights
  • Accepting Diversity: understanding and respecting individuals and local, regional, national, and global communities
  • Ethical Decision Making: maintaining responsibility for environmental, political, economic, social, and personal concerns

• Resources

  Accreditation

  History & Facts

  Diversity & Inclusion

  Bias Response Team