Jefferson at a Glance
Our Vision
Jefferson Community College will be a dynamic educational leader, transforming lives and our community.
Our Mission
Learning is the focus of Jefferson Community College. Through excellence in teaching, innovative services and community partnerships, the College advances the quality of life of our students and community.
Strategic Goals
Direction 1: Student Success
Jefferson Community College will enhance
students’ ability to succeed in their educational and career goals
by embracing a “students first” approach.
Direction 2: Programs and Services
Jefferson Community College will expand its programs, services
and facilities to meet community educational needs and reach new populations.
Direction 3: Community Image and Engagement
Jefferson Community College will be the “ College
of Choice” for educational opportunities in the North Country.
Direction 4: Institutional Sustainability
Jefferson Community College will strengthen
its sustainability and viability.
Direction 5: Organizational Excellence
Jefferson Community College will build
a collaborative culture that promotes excellence.
College Objectives
Jefferson Community College is committed to building community and building success by providing an educational, social and cultural environment in which all members of the community can learn, question, grow and contribute effectively to a changing world. In meeting that commitment, the College has established the following objectives:
- To provide Associate Degree programs in the arts, sciences and professional fields enabling graduates to transfer and continue their study.
- To provide Associate Degree and certificate programs in career-oriented fields designed to prepare graduates for employment in a variety of vocational and technical areas.
- To provide opportunities for lifelong learning and for specific job training through certificate, workshop, seminar and community service programs.
- To provide library, media, and other technical resources to support courses, curricula, and life long learning activities of the College and the community.
- To provide assessment, advisement, and counseling services to assist students in establishing and achieving their educational, vocational and personal goals.
- To provide appropriate equipment, facilities and human resources to support academic programming and support services.
- To provide a wide range of cultural programming for the members of the College community and area residents.
- To provide community service through the availability of College staff, facilities, resources and programs.
- To provide appropriate instruction, support services, and facilities for all members of the campus community - including the academically talented, the academically disadvantaged and the learning and physically disabled - to advance and enrich the educational experience.
- To expand educational opportunities by establishing partnerships with area businesses, colleges, schools and community organizations and agencies.
- To promote an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.
- To promote the College's General Education Objectives and Statement of Student Development.
- To promote the friendly spirit across the campus in the belief that this provides a better environment for learning.
Jefferson Community College was chartered in 1961 and was initially accredited in 1969 by the Middle States Association, 3624 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-2680, (215) 662-5606, www.msache.org. The College’s accreditation was re-affirmed by the Middle States Association in 2005.
In addition to its Middle States accreditation, the College is fully accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, 61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006, (212) 363-5555, www.nlnac.org and is a member of the Sevicemembers Opportunity College (SOC) and the Servicemembers Opportunity College Associate Degree Network (SOCAD). Jefferson is a founding member of the higher educational consortium, SUNY Colleges in the North Country.
Jefferson Community College is one of 64 campuses--and one of 30 community colleges--which comprise the State University of New York (SUNY) system; it is the only institution of higher education whose campus is within a 50 mile radius of the city of Watertown, NY.
The College is supervised by the State University of New York and sponsored by Jefferson County. Its service area is largely rural, with agriculture and tourism the dominant industries. In 1985, the US Army posted the 10th Mountain Division at nearby Fort Drum, bringing some 30,000 new residents to the area and doubling the population of the Watertown metropolitan area. The Fort Drum area has experienced even more recent growth. The US Army has added 3 rd and 4 th Brigades to the 10 th Mountain Division, bringing an additional 12,000 residents to the Watertown metropolitan area since 2003.
Jefferson admitted 119 full- and 221 part-time students to its first class in September of 1963. In the fall 2007 semester, Jefferson's total headcount was 1,764 full-time and 1,419 part-time students.
The College offers 14 A.A.S. career curricula, 12 transfer A.A. or A.S. curricula and 6 certificate programs. Six degree programs are available entirely online. To ease transfer, Jefferson has articulation agreements with colleges and universities across the United States, as well as two jointly enrolled programs (Business Administration, Liberal Arts – Childhood Education) with SUNY Potsdam. Additionally, Jefferson has partnered with several four-year institutions to provide additional opportunities for community members to earn bachelor’s degrees locally. Along with its credit bearing programs, the College offers a variety of workshops, seminars and workforce training opportunities. Cultural events, open to the public, routinely include film and theatrical events, lectures, seminars, and art exhibitions. The library resources are open to the public, and community members are encouraged to use them. Personal, academic, and vocational counseling are provided to both students and the community.
The Center for Community Studies at Jefferson conducts community-based research and provides a forum for the productive discussion of ideas and issues of significance to the community. Additionally, a SUNY Small Business Development Center was opened on the campus in 1986.
The College campus, located near Interstate Highway 81 on the western boundary of the City of Watertown, consists of eight permanent buildings, athletic fields and ample parking for its commuter student body.
JCC does not have on-campus housing, but there are apartments (visit Truscott Terrace) in close proximity to campus and within walking of public transit and groceries.
Technology plays an important role in supporting the educational process at the College. Nearly one hundred percent of instructional classrooms and computer labs are technologically ‘smart” and are connected to a campus-wide network. Faculty and staff have access to the same campus-wide network from their offices for application and information sharing as well as electronic mail and Internet access. Members of the campus community can also access the Internet through a wireless network available in all instructional buildings. Several electronic classrooms provide access to on and off-campus resources for multimedia presentations.
Campus and course information, as well as hybrid and completely online courses, are available using Blackboard, a virtual extension of the campus community. In addition, there are two Interactive Distance Learning rooms which enable the College to send instruction to and receive courses from other institutions with similar capabilities. An email ID is created for all students enrolled in at least one credit course and students have around the clock access to online course registration and their personal student records.