Mission Statement:
The Connections and Community Committee fosters a welcoming, inclusive, and engaged environment by building meaningful relationships, enhancing communication, and promoting a strong sense of belonging. We strive to connect individuals and groups through events, outreach, and initiatives that encourage collaboration and strengthen our shared community.
How does Chadron State College define connections and community?
In higher education, students, faculty, and staff bring a wide spectrum of backgrounds, identities, and perspectives to campus life. These include visible and less visible characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical and mental abilities, sexual orientation, and cultural heritage, as well as differences shaped by lived experience—such as socioeconomic background, language, religion or belief systems, geographic origin, family structure, and educational pathways.
Recognizing and valuing this range of human experience is essential to fostering an inclusive and intellectually vibrant academic community. When institutions create space for multiple viewpoints and ensure equitable access to resources and opportunities, they strengthen the quality of teaching, learning, and research for everyone involved.
The purpose and function of this committee shall be:
- Develop a Connections and Community Plan
- Document meeting minutes/notes
- Review committee’s purpose, relevance at year end and provide recommendations with your year-end summary report
- Submit an annual report to the President’s office prior to May 1st each year
Goals for the Committee:
- Create a welcoming and supportive environment for the campus community.
- Create a climate of intentional interaction and collaboration between individuals and groups.
- Develop leaders for positive social transformation.
- Enhance student learning and personal development through intentional educational programming.
Outcomes for the Connections and Community Committee:
- Human Differences: Students, faculty, and staff will develop and express an informed understanding of the wide range of cultural backgrounds, social identities, and lived experiences represented within the campus community and beyond. This includes gaining insight into the histories, values, and contributions of groups that differ from their own, and demonstrating respect and openness in academic, professional, and interpersonal settings
- Cognitive and Social Growth: Students, faculty, and staff will experience enhanced intellectual and interpersonal development through engagement with individuals whose backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences differ from their own. Learning in environments that reflect a broad range of viewpoints encourages critical thinking, empathy, adaptability, and the ability to navigate complex social and academic contexts.
- Identity Development: Through participation in programs, students, faculty, and staff will gain a deeper understanding of their own identities, including aspects such as ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, gender, and other social factors. This self-awareness will foster personal growth, encourage reflection on the intersectionality of various identity markers, and support a more holistic understanding of how these identities influence their experiences and interactions within academic and professional environments.
- Leadership Development:
Programs should offer students, faculty, and staff meaningful opportunities to develop leadership skills in settings that emphasize equity, cross-cultural understanding, and collaboration among individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences. Effective leadership in today’s academic and professional environments requires the ability to engage respectfully across lines of difference and to foster environments where all voices are valued.
Reporting Template
- Summarize committee’s efforts throughout the year – include summary meeting minutes/notes
- Provide summary of challenges the committee experienced and what recommendation of changes for the next year
- Submit committee’s review of purpose and provide recommendations for changes, deletions, additions, etc.
- Submit committee’s membership and provide recommendations for next year.
- Choose question