Overview of Mount Wachusett Community College

This section describes the makeup and responsibilities of Mount Wachusett Community College.

Overview

Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) was established by Section 5 of Chapter 15A of the Massachusetts General Laws and operates under the direction of a board of trustees, whose members are appointed by the Governor.

MWCC is a member of the Massachusetts public higher-education system, which consists of 15 community colleges, 9 state universities, and 5 University of Massachusetts campuses. MWCC is an accredited public two-year institution serving 29 cities and towns in north central Massachusetts. The 269-acre campus is located in Gardner; satellite sites are located in Leominster, Fitchburg, and Devens. The college offers more than 45 associate degree and certificate programs, as well as adult basic education / general education diploma programs, education and training for businesses, and noncredit community service. Courses are offered during days and evenings; on weekdays and weekends; and in person and online.

MWCC offers three programs in the early childhood education (ECE) major that prepare students to work with children. As of December 31, 2018, there were 118 students enrolled in ECE programs. Each student who is enrolled in an ECE program must take part in a practicum course that requires 150 hours of working directly with children in a supervised ECE setting. To ensure the safety of children in these settings, all students who participate in MWCC’s ECE practicum courses are required to have Criminal Offender Record Information¹ checks before participating in classroom settings.

In January 2017, after 30 years of service, MWCC’s then-president retired. Before he left, he developed a three-year strategic plan covering fiscal years 2015 through 2017. This plan was extended to accommodate the transition to a new president, who was appointed in March 2017.

A 65,000-square-foot gymnasium was built on the Gardner campus in 1975 to accommodate intercollegiate sports programs. This facility included an indoor swimming pool, three full-size indoor basketball courts, and several other amenities. MWCC withdrew from intercollegiate sports competition in the late 1980s. In 1995, in an effort to use the building, MWCC opened Mount Fitness Center (MFC) to students, faculty members, staff members, and the public. MFC offers low-price memberships for individuals and families.

MWCC also operates a cafeteria, the Green Street Cafe (GSC), on the Gardner campus. GSC provides daily dining specials as well as standard breakfast, lunch, and dinner. MFC and GSC are classified as auxiliary services² of MWCC and are managed and operated by MWCC employees.

1. These checks provide information about a person’s history of criminal activity, if any. They contain only Massachusetts information, with a few exceptions.

2. According to the National Association of College and University Business Officers’ Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual, “An auxiliary enterprise [or service] exists to furnish goods or services to students, faculty, staff, other institutional departments, or incidentally to the general public, and charges a fee directly related to, although not necessarily equal to, the cost of the goods or services.”

Date published:	March 31, 2020