As a community college, College of Marin is responsible for serving Marin County’s educational needs. Marin County has extreme inequities in educational attainment, often tied to income and race/ethnicity. Developing partnerships between COM and K-12 Districts, business/industry, government agencies and nonprofits, the College proactively assesses and continually responds to community needs. Given the high cost of living and lack of affordable housing, employers seeking skilled labor have difficulty finding employees for many small businesses. Being a mission-driven institution as well as one of the largest employers in the County, COM will contribute to solving some of Marin’s long-standing challenges where they intersect with the college’s mission to meet educational needs in areas such as skills training among industry groups that are expected to grow.
Between 2019-2025, the College will focus on the following goals:
- Enhanced partnerships with business/industry to meet student and local workforce needs.
- Enhance and optimize partnerships between COM and the K-12 educational system, including IVC offerings.
- Periodically assess community needs, with specific focus on segments of the service area that have been historically underrepresented.
- Respond to community needs in all mission-relevant areas in a more flexible and timely manner.
- Make the College a center for community engagement and cultural enrichment.