CCRI's Mission - Our History

CCRI, (formerly known as Rhode Island Junior college) opened its doors to 365 students in September 1964, under the leadership of President Flanagan.   The college's purpose, as stated at that time, was to provide all citizens of Rhode Island with access to higher education and to become an institution that was broad in purpose, creative in design and service oriented.

As CCRI grew, its statement of purpose was revised to better reflect the comprehensiveness of its role in the community.  President Liston brought the services of the College closer to the community through campus expansion and satellites throughout the state.  The 1979/80 College Catalog described the institution's statement of purpose as still broad in purpose, creative in design and service oriented. 

In 1981, a mission statement was formulated.

In concluding the 1994 Re-accreditation process, the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) Commission recommended that CCRI establish a process to periodically review its mission and purpose to ensure that it met NEASC Standards and reflected CCRI's current focus and vision for the future.  A Long-Range Planning Committee was established in 1995/96 to set goals and a strategic direction for CCRI.  A final discussion draft was prepared and submitted to President Liston and Sepe in 2000.

With the retirement of President Liston, and under new leadership, a Vision/Mission Initiative was launched in the spring of 2001. President Sepe appointed a Committee of 12 to review CCRI's mission and its vision for the future.

Final reports generated by the Vision Initiative Committee were reviewed by the NEASC Self-Study Sub Committee on Mission and Purposes (2002-04). In its appraisal, the Sub-Committee reported that although faculty, administrators and students indicated a basic understanding of CCRI's mission and purpose, they could not precisely summarize the nine missions described in the full mission statement.  The Sub-Committee recommended that CCRI establish a process to periodically review the mission statement and undergo a revision. 

The NEASC Self-Study Sub-Committee (2002-04) made the following recommendations:

The Mission Statement should be strengthened by:

Additionally, the statement should reflect that:

In the Fall 2004, President Sepe established the Mission Initiative Committee to begin the process of reviewing and revising CCRI's vision for the future, it's mission and articulating its core values.

Following almost 20 months of meeting and reviewing data collected from surveys and forums the revised mission of the Community College of Rhode Island, was approved by the RI Board of Governors for Higher Education at its August 21, 2006 meeting.

CCRI Mission Statement

The Community College of Rhode Island is the state’s only public comprehensive associate degree-granting institution.  We provide affordable open access to higher education at locations throughout the state.  Our primary mission is to offer recent high school graduates and returning adults the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for intellectual, professional and personal growth through an array of academic, career and lifelong learning programs.  We meet the wide-ranging educational needs of our diverse student population, building on our rich tradition of excellence in teaching and our dedication to all students with the ability and motivation to succeed.  We set high academic standards necessary for transfer and career success, champion diversity, respond to community needs, and contribute to our state’s economic development and the region’s workforce.

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