The faculty of NMTC have identified the "Educated Person" as an

individual who "can move in the world of ideas and can use what she

knows to improve her life and the lives of others." The educated person

can assimilate divergent and difficult material with ease, analyze that

information critically, apply it creatively, and communicate it

clearly. This concept, in tandem with a philosophy of general education

that stresses the acquisition of knowledge, the accumulation of skills

throughout the lifetime, and the application of ethical reasoning to

everyday situations, provides both the pedagogical framework and the

conceptual guidelines for curricular development, revision, and maintenance.

With the education of all of its students the foremost priority, NMTC

offers the associate in applied science, associate in science, and

associate in arts degrees, and diplomas and one-year certificates. Many

short-term and business training programs are also provided to meet the

specialty training/retraining needs of the service area. 

NMTC is dedicated to providing high quality instruction based on

curriculum design that recognizes the integration of technical, related,

and general education and a social and developmental experience for its

focus on developing occupational skills and are further enhanced by the

inclusion of related core abilities adopted by the MTCS in their report

and is funded sufficiently to meet operational and capital costs.

The institution's programs reflect the educational needs and current

labor market needs for the local region and the state. Resources such

as employer requests, advisory committee recommendations, technological

advances, state employment projections, business surveys, etc., are used

to influence and/or determine program and course offerings. Other

external entities which propose, review, and critique curriculum are the

program advisory committees and accrediting/certifying bodies. Specific

MTCS and NMTC policies guide the program planning and evaluation

process. The process involves students, faculty, department chairs,

program advisory committees, department action plans, accreditation

requirements, administration, and the board of trustees. NMTC and the

MTCS utilize a five-year strategic management process with annual review

allocates resources for programs, personnel, facilities, and equipment.  

As technology influences constant curriculum evolvement, reallocation of

past two years.   The continuing education division has grown, and its

controls program has been re-named industrial controls and measurement

emergency medical services, early childhood education and precision

inventory, and a pilot program in certified surgical technology is being

offered through the NMTC continuing education division in partnership

to the Houlton Higher Education Center, enabling the program to

accommodate eight additional full-time students. The college is in the

planning process of developing an Ed Tech II program for implementation

of students, needs of employers, and technological changes, and

allocates limited resources to appropriately address these desires,

There are clear procedures (MTCS policy #202:01) for the periodic review

continual revision, provides clear guidance for program development by

providing an environmental scan, future assumptions, and the college?s

effectiveness, enrollment, labor market impact, and priority at least

interviews and surveys, then compiled in an annual report, which is then

demonstrates questionable employer satisfaction with graduates; lack of

progress toward meeting professional standards; and a significant

declining trend or an enrollment, placement, or completion rate of 50

considered for discontinuance may be given the opportunity for

NMTC's curriculum typically is developed at the faculty level and

processed for delivery through a curriculum committee composed of broad

representation from the academic and student services areas. Further,

faculty have direct responsibility for curriculum enhancement and

updating. The college curriculum committee is a clearing house for new

courses, course content, title or scope revisions, sequencing changes,

are forwarded to the vice president and president for final decisions.

The committee is guided by specific procedures set as official school

policy. Faculty members to the committee are nominated by their

respective department chairs and approved by the vice president. 

In the event of major program change, it is college and system policy

that students are guaranteed the opportunity to complete the program

they entered as designed, assuming continuous student enrollment, or the

discontinuance, all affected students are guaranteed the opportunity to

complete the program within a reasonable time frame (NMTC Policy

engineering technology program has been suspended for the 2002-2003

academic year due to insufficient enrollment; however, all enrolled

students have been provided the opportunity for successful completion.

The sheet metal program has been targeted for discontinuance, but

current freshmen in the program will be allowed to complete their senior

Sufficient term length is an important factor when planning the course

schedule. NMTC strives to provide ample opportunity for students to

acquire the knowledge and skills required in their chosen fields in an

adequate time frame, generally consisting of four 16-week semesters in a

to be offered in shorter time frames, only courses for which this is

mini-term between the fall and spring semesters, giving students an

opportunity to make up a course or advance in their chosen curriculum.

The classroom portion of each course is completed within the three

weeks, and students are allowed extra time beyond that period to

grade comparisons and monitoring of success rates in subsequent courses

In keeping with its mission, NMTC offers programs and courses off-campus

off-campus course offerings are administered by the assistant dean of

instruction, with the assistance of the department chairs, and under the

an effort to accommodate students with families, geographic concerns

locations throughout its service area which offer courses determined by

and adult education administration, courses are offered at the same cost

new facility to be shared with the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Located approximately 45 miles south of the main campus, the Houlton

Higher Education Center brings a tangible presence of higher education

with the University of Maine System to offer a transfer opportunity to

Each off-campus center is managed by an off-campus center director,

typically the local school district's director of adult and community

college. NMTC and the local school districts operate under the

Memorandum of Understanding between Northern Maine Technical College and

the Off-Campus Adult Education Center (workroom document), which is

The off-campus centers provide courses with instructional objectives

identical to on-campus courses. They are provided current course

materials, which allows them to provide courses and support services as

outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding between Northern Maine

Technical College and the Off-Campus Adult Education Center. The

centers use the same course syllabus, text, and course objectives.

Off-campus faculty interact with the college's department chairs and

full-time faculty and are invited to attend annual development

on campus, and learning resources are always available through the NMTC

Through the nursing program, NMTC currently maintains "clinical

experience for nursing students" agreements with Aroostook County?s four

major acute-care institutions, community-based nursing agencies, and

long-term care facilities for clinical training (workroom document).

Descriptions of off-campus center facilities, equipment, and resources

are available to students through off-campus center personnel and are

education program maintains similar agreements for field experiences

with many local child care facilities; the emergency medical services

program has similar arrangements with area health care agencies.

Conferences, special programs, and other non-credit related

instructional activities are administered through the continuing

training, workshops, and other training in a wide variety of fields for

which CEUs or academic credit may be warranted and awarded. Individual

programs adhere to the guiding principles of the institutional mission

statement. All training programs, conferences, and workshops are

intended to create ?life-enhancing workplace training, quality of life,

The college's undergraduate programs are developed to provide classroom

and laboratory experiences which provide students with the opportunity

to acquire the educational, occupational, and technical knowledge

required by Maine citizens for success in business, industry, and/or

occupational program curriculum are courses which enhance student

knowledge as an educated person and further facilitate the development

of "foundation skills" which support achievement in the student?s major

area. The NMTC mission statement includes objectives to offer

technically current and continually-improving curricula; to prepare

students to be responsible and active citizens; to broaden students'

educational foundation; and to enable them to pursue lifelong learning.

The occupational programs are organized as a coherent series of courses

by major content area, are administered through three departments, and

are created or discontinued according to local labor demands and

broad range of experiences in collegiate education, focusing on the

institution?s associate degree programs are accepted for transfer to

four-year institutions, or contain credits approved for transfer toward

the baccalaureate, the liberal studies program is the sole NMTC program

designed specifically for transfer to a four-year institution.

Students are placed in programs according to ability, desire, and

aptitude and are provided a range of remedial, tutorial, advising,

special needs, and counseling support services as needed. Program

information is communicated to students and the general public through

the college catalog, the Student Handbook, the college?s web site, and

copy of the student?s curriculum record analysis, which aids the

registrar, advisor and student in registration and in determining

The introductory major courses of each program are survey, principle,

and theory in nature, with some practical application. The intermediate

level major courses provide opportunities to learn more advanced

are intended to complement the major courses and to provide a

requisites are prescribed to enhance the student's learning experience

utilize the college library and information resources through

assignments and formal major projects. (NMTC goal 1, obj. c 4)

According to The Aim of an NMTC Education, ?A goal of NMTC is to create

a learning community that enables students to develop the knowledge,

skills, and values necessary to live thoughtful, creative, and

productive lives.? This philosophical perspective encompasses the self,

composed of courses in which this philosophy is imbued. Assessment of

student attainment of the desired goals and objectives evidences skills

learned through general education courses. During the past two years,

the general studies curriculum inventory has increased though the

Astronomy, Medical Mathematics, and American Literature Survey.

General education courses are delivered by qualified instructors. Large

unique creative abilities to the environment through research projects

emphasized, and students are afforded opportunities to work on projects

that become increasingly complex and challenging as the depth and

The major courses, as well as related courses, are designed to provide

students with the specific skills and knowledge required in their career

programs? major courses has an itemized skill ?checklist? which all

students are required to complete with some degree of proficiency. First

year or first semester major courses are introductory in nature, with

the second year courses providing advanced training using the foundation

skills developed during the first year. These checklists are reviewed

annually in conjunction with the program advisory committees and other

external resources such as industry exchanges and professional

The MTCS board of trustees expects all programs to provide, in addition

to the major courses, occupational skills which will prepare the student

for success in the workplace, at home, and in the community. The

critically, communicate effectively, compute, think critically and

creatively, solve problems, make decisions, and appreciate the need for

knowledge of history and ethics, acquired a social conscience, and will

responsibilities are becoming increasingly embedded in every course, as

Instructional effectiveness is evaluated using three methods. An

informal student opinion of instruction is conducted for courses each

semester, part of which solicits information on the strengths and

weaknesses of instruction and requests student suggestions for course

graduate and employer feedback enhances faculty members? awareness of

the most candid viewpoint available on instructional quality. Active

program and college advisory committees provide the college with

excellent external assessment of institutional effectiveness.

Assessment of student learning outcomes has become a major focus of the

Accreditation), a student learning outcome is one that measures a

faculty in different programs are capstone courses, faculty-designed

examinations, and licensure/certification examinations, (i.e., MOUS

certification, Journeyman Electrician, Registered Nurse, Certified

Novell Administrator, A+ Certification, and Network+ Certification).

Sources of indirect measures include follow-up surveys with graduates,

surveys of employers, and success of graduates pursuing baccalaureate

degrees. Because assessment is also impacted by the faculty contract,

additional direct and indirect assessment models will continue to be an

ongoing discussion within the institutional effectiveness process.

Program advisory committees provide the college with assessment of

Faculty are encouraged and supported to stay on the cutting edge of

their discipline and to update their teaching skills in response to

activities listed in each faculty member?s vitae, the faculty are

clearly engaged in a wide range of academic pursuits, such as attending

workshops and conferences and pursuing advanced degrees. Other avenues

of scholarly activities sought by faculty are: presenting at state,

regional, and national conferences; reviewing texts and materials;

reviewing national exams; participating on MTCS sponsored committees;

and serving in leadership roles on state and national professional

Requests for funding assistance for professional development activities

are made to the campus professional development committee composed of

employee representatives representing all areas of the college. The

committee works with faculty to implement their requests and to assist

faculty in achieving their professional development goals. All

committee approvals are submitted to the vice president/ academic dean

and international scenes, it is essential that educators utilize a

variety of venues to advance their academic preparation for today?s

continue to receive funding for periodicals, workshops, conferences, and

Instructors are encouraged to pursue scholarship and research as part of

allows for attending conferences, workshops, and seminars. In addition,

the college encourages faculty scholarship by supporting professional

development with adequate funding to meet its annual criteria. The MTCS

has set the benchmark of dedicating two percent of its annual funding

for continued scholarship and research activities of the faculty and

professional development of administration and staff. Faculty are also

faculty to examine current industrial practice, while sharing current

trends in technical education with community/business leaders.

NMTC strives to provide the most innovative, up-to-date, and

center with presentation equipment, including LCD projectors, DVD, CDR,

and Dolby 5.1 surround, is now used by the campus community to make

and to constantly seek and use the latest in technology and methods.

Each instructor creates an annual professional development plan.

Through participation in short and long range activities such as

workshops, seminars, conferences, faculty exchanges in business and

industry environments, matriculation in academic programs of study, and

focused topics on annual administrative days, faculty are involved in

continuous and consistent patterns of activities which promote and

activities is on the improvement and innovation of course content and

acknowledged annually through recognition awards, dedicated

Research conducted by faculty, as it applies to the creation and

revision of knowledge, falls under the guidance of a research policy,

faculty and administrators to ensure that appropriate and ethical

practices are used by those conducting research on campus. Requests to

conduct research are reviewed by an ad hoc committee, which recommends

Students who wish to pursue topics which exist outside of the

traditional course offerings may develop independent learning

opportunities for capstone experiences enabling students and faculty to

work together to utilize the knowledge gained in a single project or

Students are also encouraged to pursue scholarship at NMTC through

participation in honor societies (Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Beta Gamma) and

through participation in national technical organizations (Skills

USA/VICA, Association of Information Technology Professionals,

Instrumentation Society of America, and Student Nurses Association).

NMTC further encourages students to pursue scholarship by earning Dean?s

List status, competing for the Falcon Spirit Award and for Student of

awareness of the college through services, scholarly discussions, and

are accorded academic freedom to pursue scholarship and research through

opportunity to ?maximize individual potential and pursue excellence in

all activities? and the right to ?retain professional and/or technical

NMTC has a well defined and ethically grounded admission policy and

offers admission to its degree, diploma, and certificate offerings to

individuals who have completed a four-year high school program or its

equivalency. Other admission criteria are required based on the program

selected. Students may be admitted at any time of year. NMTC's

admissions and recruiting efforts adhere to the National Association of

College Admissions Counselors: Statement of Good Practices, Title IX,

Retention of students is a significant concern for the college. A

comprehensive system of support services is provided to help keep

students enrolled.   Students in academic jeopardy are referred for

which now funds the Student Support Services project. This

comprehensive effort provides counseling and tutoring services for all

dean of students, the department chairs, and individual faculty to

ensure that all participants receive individual attention. Student plans

are developed to offer a wide range of services including academic

programming, financial aid counseling, academic and community support

services, and career and personal counseling and goal setting.

The admission policy is clearly stated in the college catalog and

in programs considered non-traditional to their gender and attempts to

this includes support of the local Women, Work, & Community organization

and a highly-visible photo gallery dedicated to past students in

non-traditional roles. In 2001-02, NMTC?s strategic planning committee

developed and accepted the following formal definition of diversity: The

concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It includes

but is not limited to ability, age, class, culture, education,

ethnicity, family structure, gender, ideologies, political beliefs,

race, religion, sexual orientation, style and values. Diversity is each

of us and all of us. This campus-wide effort manifested itself in

promoting an accommodating campus atmosphere with special presentations

with examining the entire curriculum to determine how ?diversity

components? could be integrated into each appropriate course.

The admission procedure begins with the application and a required

counseled into a choice of programs in which they exhibit reasonable

potential. If the tests identify weaknesses, the student is advised to

enroll in an appropriate remediation program, which may involve

tutoring services are offered through the learning center, which is

staffed by two full-time faculty, skills specialists, professional

tutors, and peer tutors. Tutoring is provided for all students in all

subject areas. In addition, students with physical challenges are

accommodated with reasonable assistance, and most classrooms and

Transfer credit is accepted from accredited institutions as suitable for

a student's chosen program. Courses with "C" grades or higher are

transferred toward credit for courses similar to those offered at NMTC.

Certain restrictions and conditions may apply to specific areas such as

English and trade/technical courses, but generally a student may

portfolio assessment by the appropriate instructor and department chair

also be eligible for advanced standing credit by means of CLEP or DANTES

examination, ACE/PONSI, a qualifying exam, or work experience. Students

must include a detailed resume including the skills learned on the job

NMTC also holds transfer agreements with several Maine colleges and

six months of graduation, 24 percent of graduates opt to continue their

studies beyond the associate degree, both full- and part-time. Students

are made aware of transfer options through the advising and academic

NMTC provides many opportunities for students to succeed in their

NMTC has found that the reason(s) a student may leave school before

program completion include academic, financial, employment, relocation,

number of relief systems to deal with these including personal

counseling, a health center, student support organizations, emergency

Through program and department action plans, competency lists, program

reviews, and other assessments, the institution's academic programs are

placement rate and are sought by business and industry throughout the

state. Student and employer surveys reveal a high level of satisfaction

workplace and in further study is evidence of the success of the

strategic plan, which places the highest priority on the strengthening

of competency/performance based education in all subject areas. 

Constant curriculum updating and faculty development adequately support

continual seeking of sources of alternative revenue and supportive state

As part of the on-going five-year cycle for review, six NMTC programs

were reviewed by the MTCS educational policy committee in September

2002. These programs were information technology, computer information

systems, automotive technology, automotive body repair, computer

electronics and electrical construction and maintenance. Results of

technology program will be discontinued as of May 2003 and the sheet

metal program is currently slated for discontinuance in 2004.

NMTC's summer 2002 sessions experienced a higher than expected overall

enrollment. The college was able to provide 28 courses over three

NMTC provided one course via videoconference, three on-line, and

have begun to move some or all of the components of their learning

The off-campus centers continue to maintain their offerings, and courses

provided have been appropriate to facilities, resources, and faculty

available. One particular success has been the recent increase in

offerings of general education courses at Ashland Community High School

and at the St. John Valley Technical Center in Frenchville. Both

schools requested and received advanced-placement courses for their

eligible high school seniors under the Maine Aspirations Compact. These

courses have drawn a higher than average enrollment for off-campus

NMTC's occupationally-focused degree programs provide students with an

extensive and coherent introduction to a broad range of skills and

knowledge and a thorough examination of one disciplinary area. The

addition of the liberal studies program provides students with an

opportunity to take core courses which can transfer to baccalaureate

programs or to satisfy their need for a general studies introduction to

college. Program rationales are clear and are published within the

appropriate and programs are updated annually, formally within the

curriculum development polices and procedures and informally by

All of NMTC's associate degree programs have articulation or transfer

agreements with one or more four-year institutions, which is evidence of

the high regard these institutions have for the preparation received by

broadened the educational opportunities for area residents and is

With increasing numbers of students inadequately prepared for some or

all of the learning challenges within their program of study, the

learning center and the Student Support Services project play an

increasingly important role in student success at NMTC. These programs

have meant the difference between success and failure for many graduates

now successfully employed and continue to play a major role in

formal during the summer of 2002, with the centers signing collaborative

agreements to continue to assist under-prepared students by referring

them to their local adult education programs for remediation. Time

volunteered by faculty and students to mentor those in need of

assistance indicates the need for additional full time staff, which the

The occupational courses within the career-oriented programs provide

students with the in-depth, "hands on," entry-level knowledge and skills

required within the specific career field of study and enjoy high levels

updated annually through the use of instructor research and external

review by advisory committees and business and industry representatives.

The annual graduate and employer surveys indicate an overall high level

the workplace or for transfer to other institutions, and most employers

find graduates ready to be productive employees from the start. Most

The general education requirement in all associate degree programs is

intended to be coherent and substantive and to exemplify NMTC's

in communication, reasoning, analysis, logical thinking, and the

capability for continued learning, as well as scientific, historical and

social phenomena and the aesthetic and ethical dimensions of humankind.

Identification of these "foundation skills" and assessment of the level

Currently, all faculty pursue professional development to varying

degrees. Some of this involves research. Funding has been adequate,

but experienced a downward trend during the late 1990s. Funds expended

for academic year 1999-2000 for faculty were approximately $43,000.

However, funding for 2001-2002 was increased to $50,000, and $55,000 is

budgeted for the current academic year. The college has a history of

The bulk of faculty study takes the form of action research gleaned from

their findings in national publications and some write their own texts

relationships and providing system wide meetings and retreats. The

Dirigo Institute, designed and coordinated through the system office,

provides an end-of-year opportunity for system faculty and

administration to gather and share in a relaxed atmosphere. Industry

exchanges ensure technical currency and further promote scholarship and

collegiality between those in the classroom and those in the field.

Faculty involvement in these activities continues to improve.

Students are also encouraged to engage in research and scholarship

through participation in course exchanges with the University of Maine

at Presque Isle, research within course projects, and honor societies. 

Many instructors assign research projects which require the use of

information resources beyond the texts and instruction. Each student

also receives grounding in basic research through library orientation. 

Student use of the course exchange program has remained steady in recent

Instruction methods adopted by NMTC faculty are appropriate and varied.

Instructors are encouraged to use a wide range of techniques from

traditional classroom/ lecture/ lab/ discussion to asynchronous,

recently begun using WebCT software to provide out-of-classroom

resources to their students. NMTC's commitment to web-based instruction

is strong. The strategic plan calls for an expansion of the use of

seminar on WebCT software was offered to all faculty interested in using

eye-opener for instructors who had no previous knowledge of the

software. Several faculty have expressed interest in developing an

on-line presence for one or more of their courses. The completion of the

campus fiber optic network and equipment upgrades have made this

In January 2003, 12 NMTC faculty participated in a three day workshop

focused on the development of performance based curriculum using the

comprehensive learning design system that takes curriculum beyond

outmoded and rigid notions of previous performance-based systems. It

connects the development of explicit performance expectations and

targeted assessments with the design of teaching and learning strategies

Assessment of instruction has been found to be adequate but could be

improved. Efforts are continually directed toward seeking alternate and

new methods. In 1998 the Student Opinion of Instruction survey form was

revised using the Scantron system, which allows the use of optical

scanning in order to provide instructors and department chairs with a

more timely and comprehensive look at how students view instruction.

During the 2001-2002 school year, a peer assessment process was

The academic advising system has improved markedly over the past

decade. With students facing increased external pressures and

difficulties, scheduling courses and students has become a significant

challenge. The advising system has changed, with faculty becoming more

aware of student situations and more willing to accommodate special

situations and to devote more time and effort to students outside of the

classroom. This has, however, created a new source of stress for both

NMTC will continue to provide quality learning experiences leading to

continue to ensure that its programs are strong, current, and relevant

through its strong institutional effectiveness process.   Graduates are

job placement rate for graduates and continued strong business and

assessment, strategic planning and program review processes will

continue to provide the foundation for continued excellence in meeting

the education and training needs of its service area. New programs of

study such as precision metals manufacturing and certified surgical

technology are being added due to market demand; others will follow as

Delivery of courses at other than traditional times and locations will

infrastructure will speed the development and delivery of learning

technology-mediated learning opportunities and live videoconferencing.

The number of courses offered at the off-campus centers will continue to

grow as will the requests for advanced-placement courses. Both will add

to enrollment and tuition revenue figures, as evidenced by the dramatic

increase in enrollment with the opening of the new Houlton Higher

Education Center and the expansion to the St. John Valley Technical Center.

The curriculum committee will continue its charge to review, critique,

assess, and make recommendations to senior management on formal

curriculum changes, and faculty will be encouraged to continue informal

curriculum adjustments as seen necessary by the instructor and the

NMTC's strategic plan clearly outlines the future of the programs of

study. The plan has as its number one goal, "to enhance the quality of

programs through ongoing institutional accreditation, professional

identify appropriate accrediting/certifying agencies for its programs.

The automotive technology and diesel hydraulics technology programs were

reviewed for ASE (Automotive Service Excellence) certification through

NATEF (National Automotive Technician Educators Foundation) during the

note, after a small adjustment to the automotive body repair curriculum,

the program certification was upgraded to Master ASE certification.

This met the goal for submitting at least one program or department for

professional accreditation/ reaccredidation or certification annually

Given the early interest expressed in the liberal studies program, it is

envisioned that it will become a major program offering at NMTC.   As

the program grows so will the variety of general education courses

brought into compliance with the NMTC general education core curriculum

educated person will continue to provide the foundation for continued

development within all programs. Greater use of the course exchange

program with the University of Maine at Presque Isle will add to the mix

It is anticipated that the numbers of entering students requiring some

sort of remediation and/or tutoring will grow, putting added pressure on

the institution to provide the necessary services through the learning

center. Staffing for the center will require close monitoring in order

As faculty members retire and are replaced, professional development

"provide for annual professional development activities to strengthen

professional development activities at two percent of its educational

and general budget, given current budgetary constraints, the college

will need to become more aggressive in its search for alternative

Assessment of instruction is deemed adequate in the traditional sense

but is in need of improvement. Given the fact that assessment of

instruction is tied to the faculty contract, that assessment will be an

ongoing discussion within the institutional effectiveness process.

Instructors will continue to utilize varied instructional methods that

are appropriate to the learning environment and student needs. The

strategic plan calls for increased use of technology in the learning

guarantee that technology will play an ever-increasing role in the mix

will provide strong impetus for faculty to utilize appropriate

technology tools to enhance the learning experience of students. This

NMTC and the MTCS are excited about the possibilities of distance

number of instructors who will adopt this technology will increase

Internet access, the MTCS has installed an ATM WAN to replace the

Students will be increasingly required to research information from

outside resources.   This will necessitate ensuring that adequate

post-secondary institutions within the state will add greatly to the

breadth of available information resources, as will the recent expansion

The academic advising system will continue to play a large role in the

counselor to ensure the success of all students wishing to be successful