General Information

Vision Statement

Our vision of Shelton State Community College:

A college dedicated to learning
A college recognized for its commitment to excellence
A college responsive to students and community.

Mission Statement

Shelton State Community College is a public, open-admission, comprehensive, community college whose primary mission is to provide accessible postsecondary education, training, and community educational opportunities.

Institutional Values

Scope

In 2009 Shelton State Community College adopted “Shelton 2020,” its strategic plan for the next decade. Below you find outlined the four strategic imperatives and 19 goals by which the College will achieve its goal of 12,000 students enrolled by the year 2020.

1.0 Enriching Student Learning and Development

1. SSCC will develop and sustain excellence in instructional programs and support.
2. SSCC will expand eLearning and other innovative delivery methods for instruction.
3. SSCC will achieve and maintain student retention, transfer, and graduation rates comparable to national benchmarks.
4. SSCC will enhance the student life experience through excellence in programs, services, and facilities.

2.0 Empowering Faculty and Staff

1. SSCC will build a team of diverse, student-centered faculty and staff with the best qualifications and experience in all positions.
2. SSCC will maximize opportunities for faculty and staff development.
3. SSCC will be inclusive and open in all deliberations and communications regarding its policies, procedures, and performance expectations.
4. SSCC will encourage faculty and staff to pursue innovative strategies that enhance student learning and services.

3.0 Expanding Our Impact Areas

1. SSCC will assess and respond to community needs and opportunities and seek to expand partnerships consistent with its mission.
2. SSCC will enhance its accessibility and services to underrepresented populations
3. SSCC will enhance its distinction as Alabama’s Community College of the Fine Arts
4. SSCC will be an essential component for postsecondary education and career/ workforce preparation for the region
5. SSCC will strengthen partnerships with educational entities within Alabama.

4.0 Ensuring Our Future

1. SSCC will pursue strategies to increase enrollment to 12,000 by 2020.
2. SSCC will develop and implement an integrated marketing plan to increase public awareness.
3. SSCC will increase alternative sources of revenue for the operating budget through alternative sources.
4. SSCC will pursue a global focus in education and service.
5. SSCC will adopt national best practices to provide a campus environment that is safe, sustainable, and secure.
6. SSCC will develop a comprehensive long-range plan to utilize technology.

Nondiscrimination Statement

Shelton State Community College has filed with the Federal Government an Assurance of Compliance with all requirements imposed by or pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Regulation issued thereunder, to the end that no person in the United States will, on the basis of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits thereof, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity sponsored by this institution. It is also the policy of Shelton State Community College to be in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which provides that no person in the United States will, based on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Any individuals wishing to report acts of racism or bigotry at Shelton State Community College should contact the Office of the Dean of Student Services, Martin Campus, 205.391.2217, or the US Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 404.532.6350.

In addition, the College is in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the recruitment and employment of faculty and staff, or the operation of any of its programs and activities, as specified by Federal Law and Regulations. The Section 504 Coordinator for students is the Dean of Student Services.

Persons or any specific class of individuals who believe they have been subjected to discrimination prohibited by Titles VI, IX, Section 504, or an Act or Regulation issued there-under may, alone or with a representative, file with the United States Commissioner of Education or with this institution, or with both, a written complaint.

Equal Opportunity In Education and Employment

It is the official policy of the Alabama Department of Postsecondary Education, including all postsecondary institutions under the control of the State Board of Education, that no person in Alabama will, on the grounds of race, color, disability, sex, religion, creed, national origin, or age be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program, activity, or employment.

 Facilities Resources

 Martin Campus

Shelton State Community College is part of a state system of public colleges. This system originated in the Alabama Trade School and Junior College Authority Act enacted by the state legislature in May, 1963. The governing board for the institutions within this system is the Alabama State Board of Education (ASBE) and the Chancellor, Alabama Community College System, Department of Postsecondary Education, is the chief executive officer of the system.

Shelton State Community College was established by resolution of the ASBE on January 1, 1979. That resolution combined two existing institutions: Shelton State Technical College, established in 1952, and the Tuscaloosa branch campus of Brewer State Junior College, an institution whose main campus was located in Fayette, Alabama. The Tuscaloosa branch campus of Brewer State had been in operation since 1972.

C. A. Fredd Campus

In 1994, Shelton State Community College consolidated with C. A. Fredd State Technical College, another public two year college located in Tuscaloosa. The new institution created by the consolidation retained the name of Shelton State Community College, and the president of Shelton State was named president of the consolidated institution. The institution now called Shelton State Community College, C. A. Fredd Campus, was created by the state legislature in 1963 as Tuscaloosa State Trade School. In 1974, the institution became Tuscaloosa State Technical College and was authorized by the ASBE to grant the associate degree.

In 1976, the college name was changed to C. A. Fredd State Technical College to honor the first president of the institution. C. A. Fredd State Technical College was recognized as one of the nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Shelton State Community College maintains that identity and continues the specific HBCU mission of promoting educational access and opportunity for all students in a culturally diverse community.

Alabama Community College of the Fine Arts

In 1997, in recognition of its contributions to and potential in art, music, dance, and theatre, the Alabama Legislature, by joint resolution, designated Shelton State Community College as the Alabama Community College of the Fine Arts. The mission statement for the State Community College of the Fine Arts is to provide accessible, inclusive educational and cultural opportunities for students and citizens of Alabama through quality instruction and innovative arts programming. Joining together amateurs and professionals, technology and tradition, the College encourages the development of excellence in a broad range of artistic expressions.

In 1998 Shelton State and Theatre Tuscaloosa founded The Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame to honor Alabamians, by birth and adoption, who have made significant contributions to film, television, or theatre. Past inductees include Tallulah Bankhead, Rebecca Luker, Truman Capote, George Lindsey, Dean Jones, Hugh Martin, and Jim Nabors. The Gala to commemorate inductees is held on the Martin Campus and has become one of the most significant cultural events in Alabama.

Sandra Hall Ray Fine Arts Center

The Sandra Hall Ray Fine Arts Center honors one of Tuscaloosa’s most outstanding cultural, educational, and business leaders. This Center is home to the Shelton State Community College Fine Arts Division, Theatre Tuscaloosa, and The Alabama Stage and Screen Hall of Fame. The Hall Ray Fine Arts Center facilities include the Bean Brown Theatre; the Alabama Power Recital Hall; the Bell South and National Bank of Commerce Galleries; Painting, Drawing, and Photography Studios; and a Dance Studio.

The Shelton State Community College Music Department with choral and instrumental rehearsal rooms, faculty studios, an electronic keyboard classroom, and student practice rooms is also located in the Hall Ray Fine Arts Center. The Sandra Hall Ray Fine Arts Center at Shelton State Community College is unique among community colleges in Alabama and places Shelton State among the elite arts education institutions in the southeast.

Shelton State Community College Libraries

Shelton State Community College maintains two campus libraries to serve all students, regardless of the program in which they are enrolled. The Brooks-Cork Library, located on the Martin Campus, houses more than 45,000 books and carries more than 400 current periodical subscriptions. Its holdings provide support for both academic and technical areas of study. The Lewis Library, located on the C.A. Fredd Campus, houses approximately 1,500 books to support the programs housed on that campus. In addition, the Lewis Library provides a small, basic reference collection and carries several current periodical subscriptions. Students may access the library’s catalog online through the College Web site, www.sheltonstate.edu.

Current information is available on both campuses in print and electronic formats. Current subscriptions, as well as computer databases, provide this information for students in a number of general and specific subject areas. Audiovisuals for individual and class use are also available. Students are encouraged to use the Alabama Virtual Library (AVL) from any computer on campus. Home access to the AVL is available at no cost to anyone and passwords are no longer required of Alabama residents.

Library hours vary according to campus and are indicated below. When classes are not in session, library hours on both campuses are 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The libraries are not open when the College is closed (as for holidays). Special hours or changes in the regular schedule are posted as necessary. 

Students who fail to return borrowed materials should be aware of the following College policies:

1. Overdue fines for books and vertical file materials are charged at a rate of 10 cents per day to a maximum of $8.00 and $2.00, respectively.

2. Overdue fines for items on Reserve are charged at 50 cents per hour to a maximum of $8.00 per item.

3. Replacement costs for lost or damaged items are $25.00 per book; $5.00 per Vertical File item; $25.00 per Reserve item; and $50.00 per audiovisual item.

4. At the end of one semester, after the due date, any unreturned item or any unpaid fine is considered a debt to the College. Students will not be given approval for graduation applications until the debts are cleared by the Shelton State Libraries.

The University of Alabama Libraries and the Stillman College Library are available to all students upon presentation of a current Shelton State Community College library card.

Students who wish to request the purchase of library materials may leave a written request at the circulation desk on either campus, may e-mail the library (see library Web page to make the request). Students and other library users are expected to abide by College policies regarding behavior and student conduct including posted guidelines for use of electronic resources. All library procedures and expectations are posted on the library’s Web site.

All library users should be prepared to show current identification in the libraries upon request.  Restrictions apply for printing privileges.

 The SOAR Institute

The SOAR Institute is a comprehensive approach to working with academically underprepared students.  The key components of SOAR are  Instruction, Advising, and Tutoring.  Currently, our developmental courses are Reading I & II (RDG 084 & RDG 085), Basic Math and Elementary Algebra (MTH 090 & MTH 098), Basic English I & II (ENG 092 & 093), and Basic Study Skills (BSS 090).  An instructional coordinator for each subject area will work closely with all teachers of these courses.  These coordinators will teach at least one developmental course and may also teach college level classes.  Students Will be assigned to a Navigator who will work closely with the student for the duration of their time in developmental classes at Shelton State Community College.  Navigators will develop student profiles and help students in all areas that pertain to being a successful student.  Shelton State offers free tutoring.  SOAR tutors will be trained and closely supervised.  The tutoring program will be available to all students at Shelton State Community College, not just those in developmental classes.  For more information, call 205.391.3982.

Community Outreach

Shelton State Community College offers a variety of services to the community that do not earn an academic credential.  These include Adult Education GED and ESL classes), Continuing Education (skills training), and Community Education (enrichment).  The college also works closely with local businesses and vocational preparation programs through our Training for Existing business and Industry Center, Ready to Work Program, and Job Placement Center.  The Career Services Center assists all interested students in job preparation and placement.