History
Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) opened in 1946 as a day school in Augusta, Maine, under the name of "Maine Vocational Technical Institute" for returning World War II veterans. An increasing enrollment and the rapid growth of various technologies necessitated more comprehensive facilities. During the summer of 1952, the Institute was moved to the site of the former Fort Preble in South Portland, where it assumed the name of Southern Maine Vocational Institute. It is located close to Portland, the largest city in Maine, on a site overlooking Casco Bay.
Over the years, this institution evolved from a solitary technical institute into an accredited college. In the fall of 1968, the first associate of applied science degree students were enrolled, and in May 1970 the institution saw its first associate degree graduates. The then Southern Maine Vocational Institute sought accreditation by the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. Later this accreditation was transferred to the Associations Commission on Technical and Career Institutions when that commission was established. In 1985, the Maine legislature approved L.D. 2174, An Act to Establish the Maine Vocational Technical Institute System. This act formally grouped the then six institutions, once governed individually by the State Board of Education, into one organization under a central office structure governed by a Board of Trustees (BOT).
On June 22, 1989 the Maine legislature passed An Act to Enhance the Status of Vocational Technical Education in Maine. This act changed the name of the Maine Vocational Technical Institute System to the Maine Technical College System (MTCS) with similar name changes at each of the college within the system. At this time Southern Maine Vocation Technical Institute became SMTC.
In October 1998, the President of the MTCS and the Chancellor of the University of Maine System (UMS) worked together to bridge a gap in the higher education system structures in the state when they formed the Community College Partnership. This partnership laid the groundwork for development of community college offerings through the technical colleges that resulted in planned transferable degrees to the UMS campuses. Subsequently, the MTCS/BOT approved the awarding of associate of arts degrees in General or Liberal Studies at the technical colleges in December 1998. Southern Maine Community College revised its Mission Statement to embrace this enhanced educational position in May 1999. The school reports its educational mission statement is: "Southern Maine Community College empowers its students to respond to a changing world and enhances economic development in Southern Maine by providing a variety of educational opportunities and partnerships."
Over the years, the institutional focus moved from one predominantly centered on training to one committed to a broad range of academic curricula with an emphasis on lifelong learning. SMCC now offers diverse programs offering a variety of certificate, diploma, and degree options. The average age of the student body is 26.
Read more about this topic: Southern Maine Community College
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