Introduction to NVCC

President’s Message

Welcome to Our College!

I am happy to welcome you to Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC), a dynamic and nurturing institution where the success of our students is our expectation. Surrounded by splendid gardens and grounds and served by talented and credentialed faculty, staff and administrators at our Waterbury and Danbury Campuses, the College offers comprehensive educational opportunities for those who are just beginning their education and those who are continuing their personal journey to a better future.

Our catalog presents our students a rich and diverse array of career and academic programs, including accounting, allied health, business, cybersecurity, dance, digital arts, early childhood education, engineering technology, horticulture, hospitality management, human services, legal assistant/paralegal, liberal arts, manufacturing, nursing, sciences, theater and many more. We provide opportunities by participating in multiple transfer and articulation agreements designed to facilitate student transfers to the Connecticut State Universities and beyond.

For the past fifty-six years, Naugatuck Valley Community College has been an engine of change in the lives of our students and in the communities we serve through strong relationships with Connecticut agencies that promote educational, labor, economic and community development initiatives. NVCC has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as one of the top 25 community colleges nationwide in advancing opportunities for low-income students and in 2018, the Aspen Institute selected NVCC as one of the top 150 community colleges of excellence in the nation. In 2019, the National Science Foundation funded NVCC’s grant proposal to increase the number of low-income, academically talented students with demonstrated financial need who obtain degrees in STEM and enter the workforce or graduate programs. The NVCC Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center was selected as one of 10 national finalists for the 2019 Bellwether Award in the area of workforce development, and the College receives generous support from local industry partners such as Praxair, Inc. to educate and train the manufacturing workforce of tomorrow.

Students enrolled in credit programs at the Waterbury and Danbury campuses receive a UPASS that grants them unlimited, free bus transportation both day and night. Evening bus service was returned to Waterbury in 2011 after an NVCC-led advocacy campaign supported by students, members of the Regional Advisory Council and our state delegation highlighted the need for evening bus rides. The College also has a Bridge to College Office with federal GEAR UP and Upward Bound grant funding for college preparation.

Our varied degree, certificate and non-credit program offerings make Naugatuck Valley Community College the place to be. A new academic year brings the promise of exciting new opportunities for students. In Waterbury, our learning commons along the fifth floor afford students quiet places to study or socialize. Our Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) offers free tutoring services for all students and the Center for Academic Planning & Student Success (CAPSS) provides mentoring, academic advisement and counseling. The Center for Job Placement and College Opportunities (CJPCO) can help you create a professional resume and assist with transfer opportunities upon graduation and the Student Activities Office will provide you with information on how to become involved at NVCC and in the community. These services are replicated on a smaller scale at our new Danbury Campus where our Learning Commons provides tutoring and library services and a quiet place to study. Whether on our Waterbury or Danbury Campus, NVCC is alive with cultural activities for students, their families and the communities we serve.

I am joined by the entire NVCC family in welcoming you and supporting you as you begin a journey to a rewarding, engaged and successful next phase of your lives.

Sincerely,

Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.

President

April 2020

The NVCC Mission

Naugatuck Valley Community College offers quality, affordable education and training in response to evolving community needs by providing opportunities to individuals and organizations to develop their potential.

The NVCC Vision

At NVCC, the word “community” is central and our students are considered our most sacred trust and our finest asset. Collaboration within and outside the confines of our immediate surroundings defines our actions and is the base for the rich intellectual, educational, cultural and civic-minded experiences we provide our students.

Five Goals

1. At NVCC, students achieve their goals.
2. NVCC faculty and staff make a difference-at the college, in the community, in their fields of study and in the lives of students.
3. NVCC programs meet and beat academic and industry standards.
4. NVCC is an engine of change within Waterbury, Danbury, and the broader community.
5. NVCC is an effective, performance-based institution.

In addition to these five goals, the Strategic Plan outlines 15 strategic initiatives-what we will do to meet these goals.

About NVCC 

Naugatuck Valley Community College resulted from the merger in 1992 of Mattatuck Community College and Waterbury State Technical College by the Connecticut General Assembly.

The College’s Role and Scope flows from the October 1992 comprehensive Mission Statement established by the Board of Trustees. The College’s main campus is designated as the Central Naugatuck Valley Region Higher Education Center. The location serves as one of the regional offices of Charter Oak State College, Connecticut’s external degree program and an off-campus location for Central and Western Connecticut State Universities, Starbase and Advanced Manufacturing programs of Kaynor Technical School.

The College, conveniently located at the crossroads of state highway 8 and Interstate 84, is accessible by public transportation. It serves over 25 towns and cities in the west central part of the State of Connecticut. Waterbury, with a population of over 110,000, and Danbury with a population of over 65,500 are considered the anchor cities in a region flanked by small rural and suburban communities. Recently, the college began increasing offerings in three Danbury locations: 190 Main Street, W.C.S.U., and at Danbury High School.

The College is comprehensive in its offerings of over 100 associate degree and credit certificate programs. In addition, the College offers hundreds of non-credit learning activities that are customized to fulfill industry specific training, job skills upgrading, and personal enrichment opportunities. Technical and technological education is a key component of our programs and services. Our specialized training programs serve the needs of the people and the industries of the State of Connecticut. Such diversity makes the institution a social, cultural and intellectual environment for people of all ages.

Learners range from youth in elementary and middle school, to young adults just out of high school, to mature adults returning for employment, retraining or leisure time activities. Learners who are non-native speakers of English take English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to help them achieve personal, professional and academic goals. Businesses and industries access additional training, learning resources, and cultural enrichment opportunities for their employees.

The institution accommodates the needs of the physically challenged. It houses Smart classrooms, large and small classrooms, specialized labs for science, art, and engineering; computer and technology labs; a learning resources center, a student center, and a fine arts center that provides spaces for music and drama productions.

Learning

The College provides services from a highly qualified full-time faculty complemented by a talented pool of instructors and trainers. Outstanding learner-centered instruction is central to our mission. NVCC prepares students for transfer to other institutions and for the world of work. A strong core of general education gives students a broad background that prepares them to change or modify career direction or to transfer to other institutions of higher education.

Degree and certificate programs include computer training, writing and research. For those who come to the College unprepared for its rigors, a developmental skills program supports critical thinking, writing, and math competency to help students succeed.

The College involves all students in mathematics, reading, and writing and provides students with supportive services in counseling, tutoring, testing, and individualized assistance.

The College has a number of liaisons with area elementary and secondary schools. The College Career Pathways prepares students in high school for direct entry into college curricula. The Connecticut Pre-Engineering Program for middle school students and the Kids-on-Campus Summer Program for elementary and secondary students enrich both the College and the community.

NVCC offers additional supportive student services including advising, financial aid, health services, peer tutoring, services for veterans, minority student services, a bookstore, student government, student organizations and activities.

There are a number of collaborative Community College System initiatives including the Center for Teaching, the College of Technology, the Basic Skills Testing and Placement Program, and the Business and Industry Services Network.

Public (Community) Service

Art, dance, drama, film and music presentations are regular offerings at the college as the instructors develop student and community potential in the performing and fine arts. The magnificent stages, workshops, dance and music studios provide the faculty, students, and community with settings that make the classrooms come alive with sight and sound.

The Max R.Traurig Library is open to visitors from the community and provides the region with a collection of over 30,000 books, print subscriptions to magazines,journals,and newspapers,and CDs and DVDs for education and entertainment. Members of the community,including Alumni,may also visit the Library to sign up for a Community Borrower account,which allows for book borrowing,use of Library computers and oncampus access to Wi-Fi,electronic periodical databases,and electronic books.

Accreditation

Accreditation Statement

Naugatuck Valley Community College is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE).

Accreditation of an institution of higher education by the New England Commission indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria for the assessment of institutional quality periodically applied through a peer review process. An accredited college or university is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also addressed through accreditation.

Accreditation by the New England Commission is not partial but applies to the institution as a whole. As such, it is not a guarantee of every course or program offered, or the competence of individual graduates. Rather, it provides reasonable assurance about the quality of opportunities available to students who attend the institution. Inquiries regarding the accreditation status by the New England Commission should be directed to the administrative staff of the institution. Individuals may also contact:

NEW ENGLAND COMMISSION OF HIGHER EDUCATION (NECHE)
3 Burlington Woods Drive
Suite 100
Burlington, MA 01803-4514
781-425-7785 • email: cihe@neasc.org

The College is also accredited by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education.

In addition to comprehensive accreditation by the New England Commission of Higher Education, some degree and certificate programs have the following specialized accreditations:

Committee on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care
Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
National Association for the Education of Young Children
National Institute for Automotive Service Education (ASE)
National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF)
Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing Inc. (ACEN) www.acenursing.org
National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)
Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET, www.abet.org.
National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission (NASAC)
National Association of Landscape Professionals (NALP)

Statutory Mandate

The legislative mandate for community-technical colleges, as provided in Public Act 92-126, Section 27(a) states:

1. The primary responsibilities of the regional community-technical colleges shall be:
   1. to provide programs of occupational, vocational, technical and technological and career education designed to provide training for immediate employment, job retraining or upgrading of skills to meet individual, community and state man-power needs;
   2. to provide programs of general study including, but not limited to, remediation, general and adult education, and continuing education designed to meet individual student goals;
   3. to provide programs of general study for college transfer representing the first two years of baccalaureate education;
   4. to provide community service programs as defined in subsection 5(b) of this section;
   5. to provide student support services including, but not limited to, admissions, counseling, testing, placement, individualized instruction and efforts to serve students with special needs.
2. As used in this section, “community service programs” mean educational, cultural, recreational and community-directed services which a community-technical college may provide in addition to its regular academic program. Such community service programs may include, but shall not be limited to:
   1. activities designed to enrich the intellectual, cultural and social life of the community;
   2. educational services designed to promote the development of skills for the effective use of leisure time;
   3. activities and programs designed to assist in the identification and solution of community problems; and
   4. utilization of college facilities and services by community groups to the extent such usage does not conflict with the regular schedule of the college.

Continuing Notice of Nondiscrimination;

Naugatuck Valley Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, age, sex, national origin, marital status, ancestry, disability, including but not limited to present or past history of mental disorder, learning disability or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or genetic information in treatment or employment at the College, in admission or access to the College, or in any other aspect of its programs and activities.  In addition, the College does not discriminate in employment on the additional basis of veteran status or criminal record.  The College is required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Title II), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (Age Act), and their respective implementing regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 35 and 34 C.F.R. Parts 100, 104, 106 and 110, not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, or national origin (Title VI); disability (Section 504/Title II); sex (Title IX); or age (Age Act). Inquiries concerning the application of each of the aforementioned statutes and their implementing regulations to the College may be referred to the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, at (617) 289-0111 or 5 Post Office Square, 8th Floor, Boston, MA 02109-3921, or to the applicable College Coordinators who are located at Naugatuck Valley Community College, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, Connecticut 06708: Kimberly Carolina, Director of Human Resources/Section 504/Title II/ADA/Age Act Coordinator, Room K704b, 203-575-8056; Sarah Gager, Dean of Student Services/Deputy Section 504/Title II/ADA/Age Act Coordinator (Students), Room K509a, 203-575-8086; Jacquie Swanson, Associate Director of Human Resources/Title IX Coordinator, Room K704, 203-575-8043 (Rev 10/21/19).

This catalog/publication is true and correct in content and policy. Naugatuck Valley Community College reserves the right to change requirements, courses, prerequisites, regulations, tuition, fees and other policies without prior notice. Upon written request, the President of the College may make waivers of these policies due to extenuating circumstances. The catalog does not constitute a contract and is for informational use only.