Statement of Institutional Principles

Transparency and Merit in Admissions:

How will your institution ensure that admissions criteria are transparent and wholly described to prospective applicants? And how will your institution ensure admissions decisions are based on merit, achievement, and your university’s educational purpose? 

Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC) is an open-access institution. Applicants do not compete against one another for general admission. We provide broad access to education and training, then help students begin in courses that match their preparation and goals. 

EICC uses a simple online application. We publish admissions policies, course prerequisites, placement information, and program requirements in our online academic catalog and student handbook. Admissions staff and academic advisors also help students understand what they need to complete before enrolling. 

General admission, course placement, and entry into certain programs are separate processes. Students come to EICC with different educational experiences and goals. Our placement process helps each student identify an appropriate starting point and understand the courses needed to move forward. Mathematics placement, for example, considers high school grade-point average, previous coursework, and other assessments. 

Course prerequisites identify the preparation students should have before beginning more advanced work. Some programs have additional entry requirements tied to the academic, technical, clinical, licensing, or safety expectations of the field. EICC publishes these requirements in the online catalog and program materials and connects them to the purpose of the course or program. 

Because EICC has open admission, we do not rank applicants against one another based on merit. We consider academic preparation and achievement when they are relevant to placement, prerequisites, or entry into a program with specific requirements. EICC applies its requirements consistently and does not base admission decisions on protected characteristics. 

Free Speech and Open Inquiry:

How will your institution protect the free exchange of ideas, wide-ranging debate, and open-minded campus discourse? And how will you guarantee that unruly and violent protestors do not harass students or disrupt classes, research, public lectures, and campus operations?

Students should be able to ask questions, express their views, encounter ideas they may disagree with, and reach conclusions based on evidence. These experiences strengthen learning and prepare students to participate in their workplaces, communities, and public life.

As a public institution, EICC protects speech and expression consistent with the First Amendment. Students, faculty, and staff may participate in discussion and debate, invite speakers, distribute information, join peaceful assemblies, and express opposing views. EICC does not favor or restrict protected expression based on viewpoint. 

EICC requires students, faculty, and staff to complete annual online training on free speech and First Amendment protections. Participants receive a link and a completion deadline. The student handbook also explains these protections. Together, these resources help the college community understand both the rights afforded to lawful expression and the responsibilities that come with using college spaces. 

EICC distinguishes expression from conduct. Disagreement, criticism, peaceful protest, and counterprotest are protected. Threats, violence, unlawful harassment, property damage, obstruction of access, and conduct that materially disrupts classes, events, or college operations are not. 

When conduct creates a safety concern or substantially interferes with college activities, EICC uses established personnel and procedures to respond. Depending on the circumstances, campus safety resource officers, deans, the administrator on duty, and the district safety director may be involved. EICC bases its response on the conduct and level of risk, not the viewpoint being expressed. 

Students and employees should be able to attend class, work, enter college facilities, and participate in college activities safely. EICC supports that expectation through clear policies, required training, designated response personnel, and timely attention to disruptive conduct. 

Intellectual Pluralism and Academic Vitality:

How will your institution encourage intellectual pluralism in all its academic units? How will your faculty hiring and evaluation practices support academic vitality and ensure that all relevant perspectives are taken seriously? And how will your institution ensure the research enterprise is dedicated to advancing knowledge, deepening understanding, and serving the American people who fund it? 

 Students learn by asking questions, examining evidence, and considering relevant perspectives. EICC expects them to explain their reasoning, engage thoughtfully with disagreement, and reach conclusions based on the standards of the subject they are studying.

Faculty bring academic credentials, professional experience, subject-matter knowledge, and teaching expertise to their work. Political viewpoint is not used as an academic qualification. Faculty use professional judgment to select instructional methods and materials while guiding students toward established course and program outcomes. 

EICC also evaluates academic quality through structured program review. Every career and technical education program completes a comprehensive review every four years. Faculty examine program evidence, students provide input, and a panel of peers and staff reviews the findings. The panel recommends improvements to curriculum, resources, facilities, and equipment. In fall 2026, EICC will extend a similar review process to Arts and Sciences program areas.

Business and industry partners contribute important information to career and technical program review. They help EICC understand how fields are changing, which skills employers need now, and which capabilities workers may need in the future. Faculty consider that input alongside professional standards, accreditation requirements, and their own expertise. This process keeps programs current while preserving faculty responsibility for instruction. 

EICC’s primary work is teaching, transfer preparation, workforce education, and service to the region. Institutional research, program review, student outcomes, workforce information, and partner input help us evaluate that work and make informed improvements. These practices strengthen academic quality, support student learning, and guide the responsible use of public resources. 

Affordability, Value, and Student Outcomes:

How will your institution ensure that families can access affordable, high-return, degrees? And what will your institution do to contain costs, improve pricing transparency, and ensure that every academic program equips students to repay their loans?  

 Students should understand the cost of their education and where their program can lead before they invest their time or money. EICC keeps college affordable, gives students clear information, and helps them choose an efficient path toward employment, career advancement, or transfer. 

EICC did not increase tuition or fees for the 2026-27 academic year. We publish tuition, fees, estimated attendance costs, and a net price calculator so students and families can plan before enrolling. For many EICC students, affordability also depends on financial aid. In the 2024-25 academic year, 64.9% of our postsecondary students received financial aid, and 54.4% were eligible to receive a federal Pell Grant based on financial need. Financial aid staff provide counseling and loan guidance to help students understand their options and make informed decisions. 

We also help students avoid unnecessary costs. Advisors help students build an academic plan and choose courses that apply to their credential. EICC considers prior coursework, high school performance, and other assessments to help students begin at the right level. We evaluate transfer credit and eligible learning gained through work, military service, training, or other experiences so students do not repeat coursework or skills they have already completed or demonstrated. Defined transfer pathways identify the courses students should complete at EICC before continuing their major at a four-year institution.

Through concurrent enrollment and Career Academies, high school students take EICC courses for both high school and college credit. Career Academies also provide hands-on preparation in a career field. In 2024-25, 4,733 high school students enrolled in EICC courses, with tuition paid by their school districts. Depending on the academy, students may earn college credit, complete a credential, or prepare for direct employment. Those who continue at EICC do so with fewer requirements remaining. 

Students need clear information about a program’s requirements and where it can lead. Every EICC program webpage includes labor market information to help students understand how the program connects to employment. Program materials identify related occupations, while the academic catalog provides the full course sequence and transfer information where applicable. These resources help students compare their educational and career options before choosing a program. 

EICC regularly reviews its programs as student needs, academic fields, and the regional economy change. Every career and technical education program completes a four-year review. Faculty, students, peers, and staff examine enrollment, completion, student outcomes, workforce demand, program costs, and facility and equipment needs. The review can lead to curriculum changes, new investments, program expansion, suspension, or discontinuation. Beginning in the coming academic year, EICC will extend a similar review process to Arts and Sciences program areas, bringing the same structured evaluation to all academic areas.

EICC combines affordable tuition, clear program information, careful academic planning, financial aid guidance, and regular program review. Together, these practices help students use their time and resources wisely and make steady progress toward their goals.  

Academic Standards and Rigor in the Age of AI:

How will your institution incentivize rigor in the age of AI, combat grade inflation, and prioritize excellence in teaching and learning?

Students should leave EICC able to demonstrate what they know and what they can do. New technologies may change how students learn and how faculty teach, but they do not change that expectation. EICC maintains clear course and program outcomes and expects students to meet the academic, technical, or professional standards of the subjects they study. 

Departments establish program learning outcomes, and faculty and adjunct instructors teaching the same courses use common syllabi and shared course outcomes. Faculty regularly dedicate time to assessment, examining how well students are learning and how that learning can be measured. In many programs, students must also demonstrate skills through labs, clinical experiences, applied work, or other forms of assessment that show what they can do, not simply what they can produce. 

EICC does not set a desired grade distribution. Our focus is whether grades reflect student achievement of established course expectations. The Institutional Research office produces grade-distribution reports that deans and college leaders review along with student feedback and other academic information. These reviews help identify trends and areas that may require closer attention. 

Teaching quality is also reviewed and supported. Faculty are observed at least once every three years, with more frequent observation for new faculty. Student feedback is part of the evaluation process. New faculty participate in orientation, work with a faculty mentor, and receive additional support as they develop their teaching practice. 

EICC is also preparing faculty and students for the responsible use of artificial intelligence. A districtwide AI policy is in development. The planned Center for Teaching, Learning, and Development will provide guidance on appropriate student use of AI, help faculty become more comfortable using the technology themselves, and explore ways AI can support teaching without replacing student learning. Faculty also have access to plagiarism-detection software as one tool for protecting academic integrity. 

Academic support and academic standards are not competing priorities at EICC. We give students opportunities and support to succeed while expecting them to demonstrate the knowledge and skills required by their courses and programs. As technology changes, EICC will continue to strengthen teaching, assessment, and academic expectations so those standards remain meaningful. 

Safeguarding Research Integrity from Malign Foreign Influence:

How will your institution protect academic programs from foreign influence, and safeguard the integrity of the research enterprise?  

EICC is primarily a teaching, transfer, and workforce institution. We do not operate the kind of large research enterprise described in this question. Our responsibility is to protect academic decision-making, student and institutional information, college systems, and grant-funded activity from inappropriate outside influence or access. 

Academic decisions remain the responsibility of the college. Outside organizations do not control EICC curriculum or academic decisions. Partnerships and external funding may inform or support our work, but they do not replace faculty and institutional responsibility for academic programs. 

EICC limits access to student and institutional data and follows FERPA and other applicable privacy requirements. Cybersecurity measures help protect college systems and information from unauthorized access. 

Grant-funded activity follows sponsor requirements and applicable federal rules. These expectations help ensure that external funding is used for its approved purpose and does not compromise EICC’s academic responsibilities or stewardship of public resources. 

EICC will continue to apply these safeguards. Our focus is clear: protect academic integrity, secure institutional information, and maintain college control over academic decisions. 

Prioritizing American Interests:

How will your institution answer this national call to action? How can your campus and faculty advance American security interests, deliver academic programs that meet urgent workforce needs, and contribute materially to the Nation’s prosperity? 

EICC serves the national interest by serving its region well. We prepare students for skilled work, career advancement, and transfer while helping employers respond to changing workforce needs. 

Our programs are shaped by labor market information, faculty expertise, employer input, accreditation standards, and regular review. EICC prepares students in fields that are important to strong communities and a resilient economy, including advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity and networking, health care, public safety, agriculture, and other high-demand areas. 

We also respond directly to employer needs through apprenticeships, customized training, short-term credentials, and state workforce programs. These efforts help current workers build new skills and help employers prepare people for new and changing jobs. 

Career Academies and concurrent enrollment allow workforce preparation to begin earlier. In 2024-25, 4,733 high school students enrolled in EICC courses, with tuition paid by their school districts. Students can explore career fields, learn workforce skills, earn college credit and a credential. 

Faculty make this work possible by keeping curriculum current, setting clear learning expectations, and helping students apply what they learn in further education and the workplace. EICC answers this national call by continuing to do what our public mission requires: expand access, maintain academic quality, prepare a skilled workforce, support regional employers, and use public resources responsibly.