Mission, Vision, and Values
Mission
Napa Valley College transforms lives. Whether your goal is to transfer, to pursue a career, or to explore your interests, Napa Valley College provides excellent educational and professional opportunities that are student-centered1, equity-focused2, and community-oriented3.
Vision
Napa Valley College cultivates a learning environment grounded in equity, inclusion, and empowerment.
Values
Napa Valley College is a community of learners that strive to grow, teach, model, and emulate the following values in ourselves and in our students.
Integrity: We treat each other ethically and foster an environment of trust.
Accountability: We commit to ensuring that our actions align with our words and recognize the importance of clear expectations and follow-through that is timely and clearly communicated.
Respect: We recognize each other’s humanity, demonstrate consideration for others, and connect through active listening and sharing perspectives to achieve common goals.
Inclusion: We embrace the power of diverse peoples, perspectives, and experiences. We commit to creating a flexible and responsive environment where everyone can thrive and learn.
Equity-Mindedness: We commit to being evidence-based, race-conscious, institutionally focused, systemically aware, and equity advancing4.
Social Justice: We commit to being anti-racist and dismantling systemic injustices to ensure access to resources and opportunities necessary for success.
Sustainability: We pledge to center sustainability by recognizing the interconnectedness of a healthy ecological environment, upholding universal human rights, and equitable stewardship of economic resources, all of which are necessary to the wellbeing of current and future generations.
1 Student-Centered: continuously improve the student experience by providing wrap-around support services and an environment which promotes the success of all students in achieving their educational goals
2 Equity-Focused: maintain open access to higher education for all students and address performance gaps in outcomes among disproportionately impacted students
3 Community-Oriented: foster a sense of belonging on campus, while also building connections with our larger community
4 The equity-mindedness value describes an approach to help achieve the college vision and is drawn from the research of Estela Mara Bensimon and the University of Southern California Center for Urban Education. The equity-focused environment of Napa Valley College focuses specifically on access and outcomes for students.
Approved by the Board of Trustees, November 16, 2023