Quinsigamond Community College

Quinsigamond Community College
Logo of Quinsigamond Community College.
TypePublic community college
Established1963
AccreditationNECHE
Academic affiliations
Higher Education Consortium of Central Massachusetts
Endowment$4.6 million (2022)[1]
PresidentLuis G. Pedraja
Students7,368 (2022)[2]
Location
Worcester
,
Massachusetts
,
United States

42°18′53.29″N 71°47′37.07″W / 42.3148028°N 71.7936306°W / 42.3148028; -71.7936306
Colors   White and blue
NicknamesWyverns (male)
Lady Wyverns (female)
MascotWyvern
Websitewww.qcc.edu

Quinsigamond Community College (/ˌkwɪnˈsɪɡəmʌnd/)(colloq: QCC, Quinsig) is a public community college in Worcester, Massachusetts. It has an enrollment of over 7,000 students. Many students are enrolled in the college's transfer program, MassTransfer, with the intent of continuing on to a college or university in the state.[3]

In March 2020, the Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor released a performance audit of Quinsigamond Community College covering the period from July 2017 through March 2019. The audit found that QCC did not ensure that all students enrolled in its early childhood education courses had undergone required background checks. Auditors could not verify that 44 of 259 students had received required Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) and Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) checks. The audit also found that 17 students participating in capstone courses had not received required fingerprint-based background checks before beginning the courses. QCC agreed with the finding and stated that it was implementing changes to its procedures.[4]

In April 2025, the Massachusetts Office of the State Auditor released another performance audit of QCC, primarily covering activities between March 2020 and June 2023, with its examination of employee settlement agreements extending from January 2019 through December 2023. The audit identified deficiencies involving information-system controls and the college's administration of employee settlement agreements.[5]

The 2025 audit found that QCC did not have a documented, transparent, or accountable process governing employee settlement agreements, including agreements containing nondisclosure, non-disparagement, or similar restrictive provisions. Auditors identified 20 employee settlement agreements during the period reviewed and recommended that QCC develop and implement a formal policy governing such agreements and track complaints associated with agreements containing restrictive clauses.[5]

History

Founded in 1963, QCC occupies a campus within the Greendale neighborhood of Worcester, which was formerly owned by the Assumption Preparatory School until it was destroyed by an F4 tornado in 1953. The college maintains twelve satellite campuses in locations such as nearby Marlborough and Southbridge.[6]

QCC offers day, evening, and online classes, which include over sixty associate degree programs and over fifty certificate programs in nine course categories.

QCC has a Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education, which offers low-cost training programs that enable individuals to learn new skills that can be applied on the job or used for future professional development. The center works closely with local companies and organizations to meet specific organizational goals.[7]

Beginning in Fall 2024, QCC (in addition to all other Massachusetts community colleges) will be free to all Massachusetts students without a prior college degree, in accordance with the MassEducate program.[8]

Accreditation

The Harrington Learning Center on the campus of Quinsigamond Community College in 2012.
The Harrington Learning Center on the campus of Quinsigamond Community College in 2012.

QCC is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education.[9] Individual programs of study are also fully accredited by specific agencies such the American Dental Association, the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and the National League for Nursing.

Athletics

QCC is part of the Massachusetts Community College Athletic Association, and competes in Division III of the National Junior College Athletic Association.

In 2010, QCC athletes became known as the Wyverns, after the legendary, two-legged dragon.

Notable faculty

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ↑ "About QCC". September 27, 2010. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  2. ↑ "Quinsigamond Community College". Archived from the original on January 17, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  3. ↑ "MassTransfer". October 14, 2016. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  4. ↑ "Audit of Quinsigamond Community College". Mass.gov. Office of the State Auditor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "Audit of Quinsigamond Community College". Mass.gov. Office of the State Auditor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. April 4, 2025. Retrieved August 12, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Driving Directions". December 6, 2010. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Center for Workforce Development and Continuing Education". October 25, 2012. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  8. ↑ Medeiros, Dan (July 30, 2024). "Mass. makes community college free for everyone statewide. How to get a degree debt-free". The Herald News.
  9. ↑ "Massachusetts Institutions". Archived from the original on October 9, 2021. Retrieved May 27, 2021.
This page is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.