2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 19, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Introduction to NVCC



CEO’s Message

Welcome to Our College!

Hello, and welcome to Naugatuck Valley Community College!

NVCC is a vibrant, diverse, and caring community of faculty, staff, and students. Here, you will meet people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures – last count we had students representing over 50 countries! Over 30% of our students are Hispanic, and NVCC was designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) in 2015. Such diversity in perspectives, experiences, and abilities contributes to the rich fabric of culture at NVCC and allows us to achieve our Mission and Vision.

Being able to take courses and earn degrees on two campuses in Waterbury and Danbury means that you help us become an “Engine of Change” in our communities.

With over 70 associate degrees and more than 30 certificates through our academic programs, and an abundance of non-credit programs that lead to certifications, we are a comprehensive college where you find opportunities for your future: To strengthen and expand your skills, to start a new career, or to complete a degree or certificate and transfer to a four-year university or go directly into the workforce.

These past months have taught us that our world changes at lightning speed. But one thing remains the same: the quality of education you get at NVCC and the dedication of our faculty and staff to support you every step of the way. We believe that learning occurs everywhere at NVCC: in our classroom, through your engagement with clubs and other events and activities, and in your connections to faculty, staff, and your peers. Our shared focus is on how we can help you to succeed and reach your goals.

In a 1963 lecture, Ralph Ellison reminds us that in our diverse society, “Education is all a matter of building bridges.” Here at NVCC we know how to build bridges: we consistently find ways to span differences and connect with students and others; to build pathways among courses toward degrees, transfer, and future employment; and to create links to resources for students who need support.

We’re glad you’re here! If you have any questions about NVCC and how we are working to address the COVID pandemic and keep our campuses safe, please check out our FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) and other information here.

Find out more about NVCC by visiting our College Facts page.

 

Warmly,

 

Lisa Dresdner, Ph.D.
NVCC Chief Executive Officer

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 (NVCC) resulted from the merger of Mattatuck Community College and Waterbury State Technical College by the Connecticut General Assembly in 1992. The General Assembly’s 1989 legislation to consolidate the boards of trustees governing the technical colleges and the community colleges was followed in 1992 with the merger of Waterbury State Technical College and Mattatuck Community College. The merged college was called Naugatuck Valley Community-Technical College which was shortened in 1999 to Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC).Read more about the rich history   of what is now Naugatuck Valley Community College. 

NVCC is a public, two-year, associate degree granting, co-educational, non-residential college and one of 17 institutions comprising Connecticut State Colleges and Universities (CSCU). NVCC is governed by the Connecticut Board of Regents for Higher Education. 

The College, conveniently located at the crossroads of state highway 8 and Interstate 84, is accessible by public transportation. Students registered for credit courses are eligible for a bus pass through the transportation fee associated with their registration. 

NVCC has a 22-town service area including towns and cities in the west central part of the State of Connecticut. Waterbury and Danbury with populations of over 110,000 and 85,000 respectively are considered the anchor cities in a region flanked by small rural and suburban communities. 

NVCC’s 110-acre Waterbury Campus is just minutes from Exit 18 off of I-84. The campus features Student and Fine Arts Centers with two theaters; art, music and dance studios; multi-media labs and rehearsal rooms, a tutoring center Learning Resource CenterAcademic Center for Excellence , observatory, game room and so much more.

Technology Hall, home of the College’s Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (AMTC) features the latest classroom technology, advanced laboratories, a freestanding greenhouse and state-of-the-art facilities for our engineering, manufacturing, automotive and hospitality programs. The College’s newly renovated Founders Hall is home to our Center for Health Sciences where student learn in modern classrooms and progressive health care simulation labs.

Known for its beautiful gardens, Naugatuck Valley Community College boasts a long list of themed gardens including Shakespeare, Biblical, Medicinal, Sustainability and Rain Gardens along with a Poets’ Circle. The College is rich in horticultural foliage, with 14 specialized horticulture gardens on campus for students to learn first-hand about the plants and their culture using sustainable designs and landscaping. There are also 11 other landscaped plantings surrounding buildings and beautifying traffic islands.

NVCC’s new and expanded 20,000 square foot campus at 190 Main Street in Danbury opened in the fall of 2017. Thousands of students attend classes at the campus conveniently located in Danbury’s vibrant downtown. In addition to credit courses, non-credit Learn 2 Earn job training and skill-building courses are available in popular health care and business fields like certified nurse aide (CNA), phlebotomy, bookkeeper, office professional and security officer, providing a quick turnaround into the workforce. The Campus also provides English as a Second Language (ESL) to non-native English speakers, from beginning to advanced levels.

Naugatuck Valley Community College (NVCC) offers an enriching educational experience for degree-seeking students and those who are committed to lifelong learning. We offer a real alternative for students who want to save money and earn their associate degree without accruing large amounts of student debt.

Learn more about the unique programs and facilities offered at our College or find out different ways you can pay for college to minimize your debt after graduation.

The College is comprehensive in its offerings of over 100 associate degree and credit certificate programs to help students meet their goals:

  • Associate degrees that enable seamless transfer to 4-year universities 
  • Associate degrees and certificates designed for in-demand careers
  • Work-force education, including non-credit proficiency certificates

NVCC offers hundreds of non-credit learning opportunities that are customized to fulfill industry-specific training, or job-skills upgrading. 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.

Credit programs are managed through the four academic divisions of the College. https://nv.edu/academics/academic-programs/academic-divisions

Workforce and certificate programs are managed through Non-credit and Lifelong Learning. https://nv.edu/academics/workforce-education/workforce-training-courses-and-certificates

Students 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.

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. 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. Read more about our college, our community, our goals, and our vision for the future in our Strategic Report.

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.

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.

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 on-campus access to Wi-Fi, electronic periodical databases, and books.

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 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;

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 disability, 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 applicable College Coordinators: Leah Glende, Director of Diversity & Inclusion/Section 504/Title II/ADA/Age Act Coordinator, CSCU System Office, glendel@ct.edu; 860-723-0727; Angelo Simoni, CSCU Title IX Coordinator - CSU System Office, 860-723-0165; Sarah Gager, Dean of Student Services/Deputy Title IX Coordinator, Section 504/Title II/ADA/Age Act Coordinator (Students), Naugatuck Valley Community College, Room K509a, 750 Chase Parkway, Waterbury, CT, 203-575-8086 or 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 (Rev 9/28/20)

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 CEO 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.