Mission Statement

Santa Barbara City College
Mission Statement

Santa Barbara City College is responsive to the community, and is committed to learner-centered educational experiences and a continuous process of improvement, innovation, and renewal. This commitment enables students to reach their highest potential while achieving their diverse educational goals.

The college demonstrates a commitment to educational excellence, scholarship, academic freedom, critical independent thinking and personal responsibility. It fosters collegiality and mutual regard and respect among students, faculty, staff and community members.

The institution provides open access to curriculum, instruction and support services to assist students in pursuit of their transfer, career preparation, employment, job advancement, and re-training and life-long learning goals. Educational excellence, service to students and responsiveness to our community are our core, guiding values.

Guiding Principles

There is in each individual an intrinsic dignity and worth.
A democratic society functions best when its members are educated and participating citizens.
Individuals have the capacity to learn to direct their destiny and the responsibility to participate effectively in the affairs of society.
The opportunity to learn should be accessible to all who can profit from it and who wish to avail themselves of it.
Each person should be encouraged and helped to realize his/her fullest potential regardless of economic, educational, or physical disadvantages, and/or cultural differences.
The community and the individual are best served when people can find satisfying and productive vocations and can learn to make rewarding use of leisure time.
It is important that all people learn about cultural heritages and how to work together to create a better society.
As a community college, Santa Barbara City College must be responsive to the needs of the community it serves.
A commitment to the ideal and tradition of academic freedom is basic to an intellectual environment which encourages serious scholarship and critical, independent thinking.
Education is a lifelong process--not solely preparation for adult life.

Fundamental Purposes
The fundamental purposes of Santa Barbara City College are . . .

To provide uncompromisingly excellent quality of instruction in all programs of the college, and to create and maintain an environment which emphasizes teaching and learning, and encourages free discussion of ideas, interests and issues.
¨To maintain a comprehensive curriculum which supports a viable transfer program, a diverse occupational program, and general credit and non-credit educational opportunities appropriate to the needs of the South Coast community.
To provide equal opportunity to postsecondary education at minimum cost to all who wish to avail themselves of it, or who can benefit from it, through programs of outreach, counseling, placement and developmental education, and through a policy of non-discrimination and affirmative action.
To be particularly responsive to the needs of the local community and the citizens who come to the college as students, and to be sensitive to changes in these needs.
To be responsive to the needs of the region, state and the nation for persons trained in particular skills.

In pursuit of these purposes, the college will provide programs and services in the most cost-effective manner possible, and, at all times, will practice fiscal responsibility.

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