Our Mission

Mendocino College partners with a dynamic community of diverse students to help them achieve their educational goals.  Informed by research, reflection, dialogue, equity and anti-racist practices the College is committed to student success and achievement.  Mendocino College embraces its role as an intellectual, economic and cultural anchor for the region. (revised February 9, 2022)

Our Vision

Mendocino College encourages and nurtures student success through instructional excellence, social justice, and anti-racist practices. Mendocino College instruction and services are an inclusive, caring, and accessible learning environment based on individualized student needs. (revised October 5, 2021)

Our Core Values

  • Anti-Racism:  We support anti-racist practices and policies through institutional actions. We are actively working to dismantle systemic and structural racism through professional development, ongoing dialogue, analysis, and reflection.
  • Collaboration:  We promote collaboration among and across many groups:  students, faculty, staff, and our community partners.
  • Continuous Improvement:  We are committed to inquiry, professional development, and reflection.  We adjust our practices and embrace new tools and methods to provide equitable opportunities and outcomes.
  • Diversity: We value the creativity and insight that emerge from multiple perspectives and we recognize the importance of equity and diversity in achieving our goals.  As an institution we are strengthened by our many communities, cultures, and traditions.
  • Equity:  We work towards achieving equity in student educational outcomes, regardless of race, ethnicity, ability, gender identity, geographical location, and socio-economic status. We move beyond issues of access and place success outcomes for racially minoritized students as our focus. We aim to remove barriers to educational success and embrace student abilities. 
  • Integrity:  We maintain public trust by being honest, fair, transparent, and equitable.  We honor our commitments to our students, staff and communities.  
  • Respect:  We recognize the inherent value of each individual. We work and communicate collegially, creating working and learning environments which are conducive to the open exchange of ideas.
  • Student Success: Students come to us with rich experiences, goals and backgrounds. We create meaningful learning environments to support each student in developing and accomplishing their personal, educational and career goals and to prepare them for a lifetime of learning and achievement.
  • Sustainability: We are responsible stewards of fiscal, natural and human resources. We recognize that climate change is an active and direct threat to our students and community. we are actively working to incorporate a culture of sustainability and resiliency through professional development, ongoing dialogue, analysis and reflection. 

(revised October 5, 2021)

Our 2024-2026 District Priorities 

  1. Strengthening educational opportunities, programs, and services to historically underserved and/or marginalized communities through collaborations with schools/universities, business/industry, civic organizations, government, non-profits, and other community groups.
  2. Strengthen educational opportunities and pathways to Native American communities to maintain the highest percentage of Native American students in the California Community College system and achieve the status of a Federal Non-Tribal Native American Serving Institution.
  3. Demonstrate purposeful allocation of resources, make strategic investments in technology, infrastructure, facilities, and strengthen sustainable and resilient practices to create a supportive and collaborative 21st Century learning environment.
  4. Supporting measures and taking steps to reduce housing insecurity for students.
  5. Ensure strong alignment with the Accreditation Commission of Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) new 2024 standards in preparation for the Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) due in the fall of 2026.
  6. Support diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and accessibility (DEIAA) professional growth of faculty, administration, and staff leading to changes in institutional strategies and practices to reduce structural barriers for all students.

  (adopted August 2024)

Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Honoring Native Peoples and Lands

In the spirit of community, we acknowledge that Mendocino-Lake Community College District encompasses the ancestral and present homeland of the indigenous nations of Mendocino and Lake Counties, including the Cahto, Concow, Nomlaki, Pomo, Pit River, Sinkyone, Wailacki, and Yuki. We recognize, honor, and respect these nations as the traditional stewards of the lands and water on which the District is now present. As a community we acknowledge this legacy.

We recognize that Mendocino College has benefited and continues to benefit from the use of this land. Consistent with our values we will work to strengthen our relationship with native peoples.

By offering this Land Acknowledgement, we recognize, support, and advocate for their sovereignty and will work to hold Mendocino-Lake College District more accountable to the educational needs of local first nations and indigenous people. We take this opportunity to acknowledge the land and our responsibility to the original people and tribal nations of Mendocino and Lake Counties.

  (adopted November 9, 2022)

Learn about Pomo Plaza