Evolution of the Nebraska Technical Community College System
An overview is provided of the historical development, organizational structure, and programs and services of the Nebraska Technical Community College (TCC) System. First, statutory provisions establishing the TCC system and defining its priorities are cited, explaining that the system was established to create locally governed and supported technical community college areas with the major educational emphasis on occupational education. Next, the historical development of the TCC system is traced, explaining the present system's evolution from three separate sources: two-year junior colleges, state vocational/technical colleges, and area vocational/technical schools. The next section focuses on the TCC's organizational structure, noting that the organizing principle of the system is local control and that the six TCC Areas are independent political subdivisions responsible directly to the State Legislature. This section also explains the role of the State Board for Technical Community Colleges and the Nebraska Technical Community College Association in providing statewide coordination. Finally, the paper examines the programs and services of the TCC system. The three major roles of the system (i.e., vocational technical programs and non-degree occupational education; general academic transfer programs; and avocational recreational courses) are highlighted, along with other special roles (i.e., remedial programming, including adult basic education and general educational development; general education; economic development activities, such as customized job training, retraining, and upgrading; and in-depth academic and career assessment and counseling). (EJV)
Book, 1986