Oct 15, 2024  
NIACC Catalog 2020-2021 
    
NIACC Catalog 2020-2021 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Facilities and Services


Facilities/Services

The main campus in Mason City consists of contemporary, attractive facilities located around lakes in a park-like setting. The 500-acre campus provides facilities for instructional, administrative, recreational, and community activities. Up-to-date laboratories offer the latest in technological equipment. Adequate parking is available without charge for students and staff members. The Campus View Housing Complex is located at the north edge of the campus.

Agriculture Technology Lab
The NIACC farm lab consists of a cow/calf operation, farrow/breeding facility, pole barn, swine confinement, pasture, and no-till demonstration fields.

Athletic/Recreational Fields
Baseball, softball, soccer, and recreational fields are located on the east edge of the campus.

Career Counseling and Employment Center
The Career Counseling and Employment Center is located in the Pierce Administration Building, Room 106, or can be reached by phone at 641-422-4413. The Center provides NIACC students and alumni resources and support in successfully securing employment and opportunities. A variety of resources, tools, and activities are available to students and alumni as well as one-on-one support. The Career Counseling and Employment Center works in partnership with IowaWORKS–North Iowa through the Workforce Development Partnership to enhance the resources and service available. For more information on the Career Counseling and Employment Center and its services, see the Student Handbook or the NIACC website.

Conference Center
The Muse-Norris Conference Center, located east of the Auditorium and Fine Arts area, serves NIACC and community groups for education-related meetings and activities. A multipurpose recreational area is found on the lower level.

Business Training and Support
The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center provides entrepreneurial training and business consulting services to aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners, and individuals working in high growth industries. The comprehensive programs are designed to increase successful new business starts, reduce the high failure rate of young ventures, and strengthen business growth opportunities. For more information, call (641) 422-4111.

Laboratories

The newly renovated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) wing features spacious, flexible classrooms, and innovative laboratories utilizing the latest technology. A maker-space classroom creates opportunities for flexible learning. The well-lit rooms and hallways benefit from abundant natural light and the numerous energy conservation practices in place create a safe, healthy, and earth-friendly learning environment.

The Health Simulation Center laboratory is a state-of-the-art medical training facility. It offers students the opportunity to experience and learn from high-risk situations in a low-risk environment. The room design is based on industry standards and is modeled after area hospitals.

The career and technical laboratories in the Buettner Careers Building and Murphy Manufacturing Technology Center contain the latest equipment and updated facilities. Every effort has been made to ensure that students learn in spaces, and on technology, that effectively prepares them for entrance into the workforce.

Computer labs are available throughout campus (including the residence halls) and are available to all students for instructional use, Writer’s Workbench analysis, checking e-mail, or web browsing and research. Lab attendants are on staff to assist students. Students have access to this equipment days and evenings, Monday through Saturday.

Library

The NIACC Library provides access to information resources and services that support the success of our community.

The Library is open 58 hours per week, and is staffed by the library director and three library assistants, as well as student workers. Students, faculty, and staff may check out materials with their NIACC OneCard, and have remote access to online materials with their Trojan Home login. Other services include interlibrary loan, photocopying, faxing, and group study rooms.

The physical collection includes a wide variety of books, media, and periodicals. Subscriptions include national newspapers, North Iowa area newspapers, and journals. Electronic databases, offering full-text journal articles, newspapers, streaming video, and electronic books, are available through the library’s web page.

The Library’s Café Bean provides a casual atmosphere where students can meet and relax with coffee. The Writer’s Workbench Computer Lab is located in the Library, offering 30 computers and staff to help students develop their writing skills.

For more information on the Library and its services, see Library .

North Iowa Community Auditorium
A variety of opportunities are available to NIACC students through the North Iowa Community Auditorium, a modern 1156-seat facility located on the NIACC campus. Students perform regularly on stage through the NIACC vocal and instrumental music departments. In addition to student and community shows, performances by nationally and internationally known artists are available to NIACC students, often at reduced prices. Before the show or between classes, students may browse through the Auditorium Gallery where they will see various exhibits created by famous artists and NIACC art faculty and students.

On-Campus Housing
Completed in 2015, the Campus View Housing Complex provides housing facilities to 396 single men and women. Located at the north edge of campus, the housing complex includes a computer lab, laundry facilities, recreational and study area, C-store, and adjacent dining facility.

Recreation Center
The College opened the Recreation Center during the fall semester of 2008. The facility is just over 41,000 square feet and houses numerous wellness spaces and equipment for students, staff and faculty:

  • A suspended walk/jog track
  • A state-of-the-art athletic training room
  • Two volleyball/basketball/tennis courts
  • Athletic Department offices
  • Locker rooms for men and women
  • Two golf/baseball/softball hitting cages
  • Wrestling room
  • Intramural/Recreation Office

North Iowa Area Community College recognizes the value of development of both mind and body. The Recreation Center, along with classes and extracurricular activities, enhances the overall experience for our NIACC community.

Small Business Assistance
The Small Business Development Center offers assistance to small business owners or would-be entrepreneurs in all areas of business management, including sources of capital, loan applications, marketing strategies, and financial planning and analysis. Assistance includes counseling, training, and information. Services are free and confidential.

The SBDC is affiliated with Iowa State University and the U.S. Small Business Administration under Sub-Agreement No. SBAHQ-18-B-0021. For more information, call (641) 422-4342.

Student Activity Center
Located in the heart of campus, the Student Activity Center offers a classy, comfortable atmosphere for studying, dining, lounging, and visiting with classmates and instructors. Meals and snacks may be obtained in the Food Court, Monday through Friday. Vending machines are also available.

Student Learning Center
The Student Learning Center, located in Beem Center, offers opportunities to all college students and potential students who wish to:

  1. Increase their understanding/learning in NIACC courses through one-on-one or small group academic support.
  2. Improve their skills in reading, writing, math, and study techniques (for example, note-taking, test-taking, time management) either as brush-up before enrollment or while participating in a NIACC course.
  3. Gain high school credit/s, in a self-directed study format through the High School Credit Program after approval from the student’s high school.
  4. Validate their skills by participating in a testing program such as HSED or CLEP. To register for a CLEP exam, call 641-422-4101.

For further information, students should contact their counselor, the Learning Center staff, or refer to the Instructional Resources section of this catalog.

Tobacco-Free Campus
Pursuant to the Iowa Smokefree Air Act smoke/tobacco use, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes & smokeless tobacco is prohibited. The use of e-cigarettes is also prohibited. Smoking is defined as the burning or inhaling of tobacco or other matter that can be smoked or inhaled, or the inhaling of smoke or vapor from an electronic smoking device. Use is prohibited in all North Iowa Area Community College owned property including  vehicles, facilities, parking areas, and grounds.