Core Values. It is what guides our actions.

Learning

Changing the world by increasing knowledge and skills: Creating knowledge and skills through teaching and learning is the core of what we do. We recognize that learning continues throughout our lives and see learning as essential to competent citizenship in a democracy. We know that learning changes minds and lives. We change the world for the better by embracing and encouraging learning in our students, our colleagues, and ourselves.

How we live the value of learning:

• We actively involve our students in their learning, inside and outside of the classroom, to help them succeed in their educational experiences.
• We build the abilities of our students and colleagues to remember accurately, think critically, understand deeply, apply knowledge practically, analyze thoroughly, evaluate honestly, and create openly by developing their skills and confidence.
• We support life-long learning and encourage our students, colleagues, and community to learn, grow, and participate. We seek learning opportunities for them.
• We set learning goals, assess progress, and do what it takes to help people learn.
• We seek, appreciate, and welcome new and diverse ideas, people, and cultures.
• We enthusiastically share our knowledge, expertise and ideas with our students, colleagues, and constituents.
• We take personal initiative to learn, be informed, and gain new knowledge, skills, and understanding.

Community

Changing the world by building relationships: We build relationships as we live our mission. We are in, of, and part of our community, state, and world. We are good stewards of the resources we have been given. We recognize and appreciate that diverse people, ideas, thinking, and beliefs expand our perspectives and provide new insights for each of us. We work together as a team for a common purpose and share a mission and vision. Through these efforts, we serve our students, stakeholders, community, and the world. We change the world for the better by building and supporting a sense of community.

We live this value when:

• We are good stewards of our resources and our environment.
• We participate in efforts to meet the needs of, enrich, and improve our community.
• We recognize each other’s interests and try to reach common ground.
• We welcome students, guests, and staff and create a sense of belonging.
• We work together in achieving our common mission and take a big picture view of our college for the good of our students and stakeholders.
• We treat each other with respect and foster an environment of inclusion.
• We care about and help our ICC students and colleagues, as well as our community and our world.

Integrity

Changing the world by building trust: Trust and honesty are the cornerstones of our college. We keep our commitments, act consistently and fairly, and do what we say we will. Our students and constituents know what to expect when they deal with us. We are ethical and forthright. We change the world for the better when we act with integrity every day.

We live this value when:

• We conduct ourselves, our classrooms, and our business honestly, ethically and consistently.
• We do what we say we will, keep our word and are trustworthy.
• We trust others and empower them to take actions and make decisions within the realm of their responsibility and job duties.
• We set a good example and mentor others.
• We use data and facts to inform our decisions, remain objective in discussions and decisions, and are honest about our own biases.
• We maintain confidences, especially confidential student information.
• We maintain a safe workplace and do our best to provide a secure campus, free from danger.

Responsibility

Changing the world by taking accountability for our actions: All of us contribute to the success of our students and our college. It takes the best efforts of each one of us to ensure the college achieves its mission and vision. We act with responsibility when we do our job well and help others do the same. We act professionally and respectfully. We are accountable for what we say and do. We change the world for the better when we act with responsibility in our work.

We live this value when:

• We promptly acknowledge the needs of our students, colleagues, and constituents and respond appropriately and effectively to meet those needs.
• We help students, staff, and constituents identify and reach their goals.
• We start each day ready to work and are accountable for completing our work on time and doing our job well.
• We keep people informed with open, honest, fair, and frequent communication.
• We admit our errors, make amends, and learn and improve from honest mistakes.
• We plan ahead to achieve the best results.
• We follow-up and follow-through.

Excellence

Changing the world by achieving more: We set and achieve ambitious goals, work constantly to improve, and are dedicated to helping our students realize success. Excellence means we invest time in understanding the needs and requirements of those we serve and find ways to delight them. We hold high expectations for ourselves, our colleagues, and our students. We recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our students and our college. We change the world for the better when we strive for excellence by achieving more.

We live this value when:

• We set and achieve high standards for our performance and ambitious goals for our future.
• We express our appreciation to others for good work, celebrate our student and staff successes, and maintain a positive attitude about the work we do.
• We continuously improve processes to eliminate errors, create value, provide better service, and enhance quality.
• We ask when we don’t know.
• We listen to the voices of those we serve and find ways to meet and exceed their needs.
• We actively seek feedback from those we serve and use it to improve our processes, programs, and procedures.
• We try new things, learn from best practices, and take managed risks.