Northern Lakes College has a special relationship with the region and the communities it serves. Committee members are nominated by their community but their final appointment is made by the College President. The CEC ensures that local residents have access to education and training that is suited to their needs and goals. Since committee members are nominated and/or appointed by elected bodies, they report back to their nominating body about College programs and activities. Committee members also convey information and requests to the College on behalf of their nominating body. Each CEC may advise the President and guide the activities of their community campus by:​

• Identifying, assessing and setting priorities for programs and services needed in their community
• Informing community residents about the programs and services available in their community
• Recruiting and selecting students who apply for community programs offered by the College
• Assisting in recruiting and selecting of staff who provide adult education services to their community
• Evaluating adult education services delivered by the College in the community
• Making recommendations that will enhance the quality, credibility and integrity of the College and their specific community campus.

Each Community Education Committee has a representative on the Council of Community Education Committees that deals with inter-community and regional topics. The Council meets monthly with the College President and advises on the operation of the College. The Council is also a public advisory body to the Northern Lakes College Board of Governors.

Creating an environment of collaboration and connectivity between community and campus is the goal behind the engagement projects of the Community Education Committees (CECs). Active and thoughtful communities become more participatory and can enrich the lives of those involved in very meaningful ways.

Each CEC is asked to pick three projects every academic year, one from each of the three pillars below.  Each pillar supports Northern Lakes College’s engagement focus: student engagement, community engagement and personal development.

Student engagement builds on the success of our students and finds ways to highlight their expertise or to help build upon their skills. Through this pillar, we can build pathways for future achievements or showcase current student accomplishments.

Community engagement generates involvement of the local community so that it becomes invested and interested in local education. This provides a foundation to build greater awareness of the community's unique needs and attributes. 

Personal development works to offer those serving on our local CECs the opportunity to expand their individual skills.  Training and development programs tailored to meet the needs of CECs can be coordinated at a local level.

Outlined below are possible suggestions for CECs under each pillar of engagement. CECs are also encouraged to brainstorm their own projects and to share with Council of Community Education Committees (CCEC) and External Relations the successes and lessons learned from the events. 

The long-term goal of this is to become a forum where communities can share their stories freely and openly. In the interim, we ask that details be recorded from each event or project so that External Relations can coordinate and share the information with other communities. The following three pillars include suggestions for possible engagement projects in your community.​

STUDENT ENGAGEMENT PROJECTS