2.10 Narrative

The institution provides student support programs, services, and activities consistent with its mission that promote student learning and enhance the development of its students. (Student Support Programs and Services)

Narrative: Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College (OCtech) provides student support programs, services, and activities, consistent with its mission, that promote student learning and enhance the total growth and development of its students. As an open admissions institution, the College serves students with diverse backgrounds and ability levels. The Student Support Services Division provides quality programs that enable the College to achieve its mission to meet the personal and academic objectives of the citizens and communities it serves. OCtech’s Student Support programs foster student success by providing comprehensive support services and learning experiences that promote and help students identify and achieve both personal and educational goals.

The Division works to plan, implement, and evaluate all Student Services components to ensure that it meets the needs of students, faculty, and staff. OCtech provides Student Support Services through a variety of functional departments within the Student Services Division. These departments provide services and resources to promote life-long learning opportunities and experiences for students. In keeping with the institutional mission, these services are designed to maximize the economic and social impact that academic success can have on the citizens of the College’s service area. Services include new student recruitment, admissions, student records and registration, financial aid, assessment, counseling, veterans affairs, career planning, academic advising, job placement, Student Transitional Education Program (STEP), the Minorities in Allied Health Program, students with disabilities support, student discipline, new student orientation, and student activities.

New Student Recruitment employs one full-time employee to implement recruitment and admissions services in service area high schools and communities. This staff member serves nine public high schools and five independent high schools in Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties on a routine basis. In addition, personnel also serve needs as requested in another 21 high schools in neighboring counties. The need for expanded services is supported by the fact that 25% of the total OCtech student population resides outside of Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties. High school recruitment activities begin each year with participation in local Educational Opportunity Programs. The College participates in these programs as a member of the Carolinas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (CACRAO).

Placement testing services are provided at no cost in area high schools to provide convenient access for students to apply and qualify for admission to the College. OCtech administers ACT’s ASSET test in the high schools to assess college readiness; it also plans to pilot a web-based version of this ACT product, e-COMPASS, in Spring, 2005. In addition to recruiting for specific programs, the College also provides early college opportunities to area high school students through the College Credit Courses (Triple C) program, which provides the opportunity for qualified high school students to participate in dual enrollment courses during the junior or senior year. Over the past two years, the College has enrolled over 100 high school students in dual credit programs each term. The College recruiter is actively involved in providing student support services to these students through personal visits to the high schools and contact with the school guidance staff.

OCtech also focuses a variety of recruitment activities to target adult learners. The College filmed two information segments with the local cable company and aired information about the opening of the Student and Community Life Building and available services the College offers the community. These segments aired in May, 2003, and a second segment in August, 2004. The College also conducts a Community Appreciation Day. During this event, the extended community is invited to tour the campus and participate in free mini-workshops and courses. The Public Relations Office at the College plans, develops, and implements the College’s marketing and advertising activities. OCtech uses newspaper reports, advertisements, billboards, radio, and television to publicize information for recruiting and public service information. Each semester, a detailed Course Schedule Brochure is inserted in the local newspaper for distribution to approximately 40,000 readers in Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties and their surrounding communities.

The focus of all recruitment activities is to accurately portray the College’s academic offerings as it strives to fulfill its mission and adequately serve the diverse educational and cultural needs of its students.

Admissions staff members employ a variety of resources to assist students in making an informed decision to engage in learning at OCtech. Student Services counseling staff and the College recruiter serve as admission advisors to provide services to prospective students, parents, and applicants. All staff members are cross-trained in assessment, admissions and financial aid services in order to provide comprehensive enrollment services and to minimize the need for students to visit multiple offices and staff for enrollment needs. Admissions staff members employ a variety of measures to serve students, including individual sessions with students, group presentations in area schools and community organizations, and telemarketing initiatives. Applicant credentials are reviewed, evaluated, and processed by admissions/counseling staff. The Vice-President for Student Services also serves in the capacity of Admissions Director for the College. Student records staff and admissions staff are shared positions. Their responsibilities include admissions, registration and student records responsibilities.

Student Records and Registration employs a staff of three: the position of College Registrar and two Administrative Specialists. This office recommends registration policies and procedures under the direct supervision of the Vice President for Student Services. Admissions functions such as actual entry of prospect and applicant information into the College’s administrative database is conducted through this office. Student Records and Registration conducts data entry of all admissions and student records information, including entry of prospective student information, applicant information, student acceptance to the College, registration information, course entry and schedule changes, student grades, transcripts and graduation information. The College Registrar’s Office adheres to an established records retention plan as required by the State Board for Technical and Comprehensive Education Policy 3-2-104 and Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Policy 4.021: Retention of Student Records.

The Financial Aid Office administers a variety of federal, state and local student aid programs that provide assistance in meeting the costs of a college education. Since 2001, financial aid disbursements to students at OCtech have increased by 123% to meet the needs of the College’s 40% enrollment growth. The Financial Aid Office employs five staff members, including the Director of Financial Aid. This office disburses millions of dollars in aid to students each year as illustrated in the Financial Aid Comparison Report. During 2003, the Financial Aid Office disbursed approximately $8 million dollars to students at OCtech. Federal programs include PELL, SEOG, Federal Work Study, Stafford Loans, and Veteran’s Benefits. State programs include Life Scholarship, South Carolina Needs-Based Grant, and Lottery Tuition Assistance. Local programs include institutional and private scholarships and company-sponsored tuition assistance. Since the College serves a predominately minority population (60%) from many surrounding rural areas, the Financial Aid Office provides comprehensive financial aid services that include assistance with completion and submission of the FASFA via the web, advisement services that inform students of the availability of all student financial aid resources, and packaging of financial aid for students who have a completed Student Aid Report (ISIR) on file. In an effort to serve all students more efficiently and effectively, the College implemented an auto-packaging financial aid procedure in the fall of 2004 that permitted staff to import the data from the Student Aid Report (SAR) into the OCtech student database, award Pell to those eligible, and generate an award letter, all within 48 hours.

The Office of Assessment Services contributes to the mission of the College by fostering student success via a methodical and organized process of educational and career measurement. Policies and procedures are devised with broad faculty input for operational effectiveness and compliance with Title IV regulations. Assessment policies and procedures are published in the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Catalog and are communicated to prospective students and applicants during counseling sessions. The College utilizes a variety of assessment instruments to evaluate the academic preparedness of students. The Director of Assessment coordinates all placement testing services on campus.

Technology is incorporated in the assessment process as the educational and career measurements are computerized and adaptive. Paper and pencil testing is available, but this method of assessment is used secondarily when technology is either not available or not appropriate. The College utilizes ACT’s online COMPASS test for on-campus course placement testing services and the ASSET for assessments administered in the local high schools. In addition to the COMPASS and ASSET, the College accepts both SAT and ACT scores for course placement as outlined in the Course Placement Matrix located on the OCtech intranet for faculty and staff use. In the Spring of 2005 term, the College plans to pilot the use of ACT’s new e-COMPASS, a web-based version of the COMPASS that will be maintained on ACT servers. The pilot will incorporate testing on campus and in select high schools that have high-speed internet access in a controlled and supervised counseling or multi-media environment.

The College also utilizes additional assessment instruments for program admission to curricula with limited enrollment, including Nursing and Health Sciences Programs. Applicants are required to achieve prescribed minimum scores on the Nurse Entrance Test (NET) or the Health Occupations Basic Entrance Test (HOBET).

The Director of Assessment meets with Academic Deans and Academic Program Coordinators on an annual basis to evaluate, revise, and establish course placement criteria for specific courses and programs of study. The confidentiality of the assessment records is maintained within the guidelines of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act.

Counseling Services employs seven counselors, all prepared at the Master’s level and credentialed to assist students with personal counseling issues. Counselors are available to assist both day, evening and distance education students. They are available Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The Director of Career, Counseling and Placement Services also developed a community agency referral guide to assist students who may need or desire more in-depth services or therapy that the College may not be able to provide on a long-term basis. Each counselor has access to this guide. In addition to the seven staff members who provide personal counseling services, three additional staff members provide academic and career guidance services to students. All ten professional staff members are cross-trained to provide a variety of services to students. Academic guidance and counseling services are assigned to staff by program of study. Each staff member is assigned to serve students enrolled in programs within specific Academic Divisions.

Counseling and guidance services provided to students include, but are not limited to: academic planning, personal counseling, tutoring referrals for students who are having academic difficulties, assistance with curriculum selection and changes, development of a student graduation plan, and assistance to students who are on academic or financial aid probation or suspension status. The College also employs two counselors prepared at the Master’s level to serve students in the OCtech Student Transitional Education Program (STEP). They provide academic, personal and career counseling services. The two STEP counselors serve approximately 200-250 STEP Program participants each year.

Career Counseling Services are available to students from any member of the Student Services Counseling/Guidance Staff; however, the function is managed by the Director for Counseling, Career and Placement Services. The purpose of career counseling is to assist prospects, applicants, and students with career exploration and discovery. The College utilizes an interactive web-based product developed by National Career Assessments, Inc., called the Kuder Career Planning System. The Kuder website is located at htpp://sc.kuder.com. Students have access to complete an electronic career planning portfolio and may participate in three career planning assessments: Career Search/Interest Inventory, Work Skills Assessment, and Work Values Assessment. This product is available to current and prospective students at any time and anywhere individuals have access to the Internet. The electronic portfolio allows students to build a printable comprehensive personal and career file resume that can be utilized with college admissions and scholarship applications. The portfolio also contains a resume section that the student can use for part-time and full-time employment. This product is suitable for use by middle school students, high school students, and adults. The web-based portability of this product permits students to access their information at home and provides an opportunity for parents, spouses or other family members to participate in the career planning process. Students who utilize the Kuder Career Planning system have access to their accounts free of charge for life.

The Student Services Staff at the College provides Kuder testing assistance and interpretive services to both students and parents. With leadership from OCtech in 2002, every high school and high school student in South Carolina now has access to free use of the Kuder Career Planning System. This was made possible based on the successful results of a pilot project the College conducted with one of our local high schools. OCtech staff members have now trained all area middle school and high school guidance counselors in the use of the Kuder. OCtech staff will also assist, if scheduled, high school counselors in administering and interpreting the Kuder assessments. In addition to the Kuder Career Planning Product, the College also utilizes other career planning resources that include: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Career Exploration Inventory, Strong Interest Inventory, and Career Assessments Inventory as requested.

The Academic Advising Services Office is coordinated through the Student Services Division. The purpose is to assist students in planning program and course selections in order to meet educational and career objectives. Student advisor reports are provided to each academic department through the Office of the Registrar each term. Students are assigned faculty advisors during the first term of enrollment at the College. Advising sessions with students are conducted by appointment during published pre-registration periods each semester. OCtech also operates an Advising Center that operates on a first -to-sign-in basis and is managed by the Academic Advising Coordinator and other faculty volunteers. A comprehensive Advising Manual is available to assist volunteers with serving students from all programs of study who seek services of the Center. The Advising Center is open to serve students during exam periods at the end of the term and during the add/drop period after the start of classes each semester when faculty have limited time for advising services. In addition to advising services available to students, the Coordinator for Advising services provides advisor training each semester to faculty and staff at the College.

The Advising Center is a component of Academic Advising services. The Center served approximately 1,353 students in Fall 2004 during a two-week period. The Advising Center Utilization Report reflects service activity for Spring 2003 – Fall 2004 terms. During this period, 4,762 student contacts were logged. The Advising Center position and services were established during the Fall 2002 term. Prior to that date, advising services were decentralized and coordinated within each academic division.

Job Placement Services are available to current and former students of OCtech. This office is staffed by the Director of Counseling, Career and Placement Services. Services to students include resume development, job seeking skills, interviewing skills and job referral services. The Counseling, Career and Placement Services Director also provides job seeking skills workshops on campus each spring to serve those students who will graduate in May and August. An electronic announcement of job openings is sent to faculty each week to inform students of available jobs in our service area. Interested students are referred to the Job Placement Office for assistance and employer contact information. The College completes an annual program evaluation report each year that details graduation data and job placements rates for each program of study at OCtech. The monthly reports for all August 2002 – May 2003 graduates of OCtech reflect an overall job College placement rate of 87%.

The Job Placement Office is also responsible for conducting the Post Graduate Employment Survey and the Employer Follow Up Survey each year. Results of these surveys indicate that graduates are generally pleased with the education they received at OCtech. In addition, employers also respond favorably to the employment survey. The responding area employers indicate that they are pleased with the skills and training that the College provides our students.

Job placement services are critical to fulfilling the portion of the College’s mission statement that indicates that OCtech will have a positive economic impact on the citizens of its service area.

The Student Transitional Education Program is funded under the Department of Education Student Support Services TRIO Grant. The mission of the Student Transitional Education Program (STEP) is to support the mission of OCtech by providing academic support services to academically under-prepared, low-income, first-generation, and/or disabled students who are eligible for program services.

The STEP program provides supportive services for eligible students to achieve the following objectives:

increase retention rates
increase graduation rates
foster a climate of institutional support
facilitate the rate of transfer to four-year institutions for those who plan to earn a bachelor's degree.

The program serves approximately 250-300 students each year. STEP provides the following services to students: 1) academic, career, and personal counseling, 2) academic tutoring, 3) study skills workshops, 4) cultural activities, 5) and financial aid assistance to eligible participants via grant aid awards. STEP supports the Institution’s mission by providing academic support services to students who enter the College with academic deficiencies and students who require intensive academic support in order to achieve their academic goals.

The Minorities in Allied Health Program is funded in part by the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education Access & Equity program. The Minorities in Allied Health Program is designed to increase the enrollment and program retention rates of African-American students in OCtech’s highly competitive Nursing and Allied Health programs. Serving approximately 30 to 40 participants each year, the Minorities in Allied Health Program has several academic support components: 1) Pre-Admission Test Preparation Workshops, 2) Pre-admission academic counseling, 3) Post-admission academic counseling, and 4) Academic Tutoring.

In addition to the academic support components, the program provides financial assistance in the form of examination fee vouchers and tuition assistance for participants. The Minorities in Allied Health Program supports the Institution’s mission by providing measures that are designed to increase the enrollment, retention, and graduation rates of African-American students desiring to enter allied health occupations. These occupations require associate degree level training or above, and minorities are currently very underrepresented in these professions throughout South Carolina and especially in the OCtech service area.

Services for Students with Disabilities are provided to ensure that students with qualifying disabilities receive appropriate and reasonable accommodations as required by section 504 of the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disability Act, section II. A Student Services counseling staff member is the designated Coordinator for Disabilities Services. Policies and procedures are in place to address the needs of applicants and current students. The Coordinator also provides updates to laws and guidance to faculty in order to meet the needs of students who require special accommodations. A Students with Disabilities Faculty Handbook has been developed and is revised as needed to assist faculty members in ensuring that students are provided access to academic programs and services.

Student discipline is handled through the Office of the Vice-President for Student Affairs. There is a formal process in place at the College to channel faculty or staff complaints against students. Due process is essential in dealing with infractions of College policies and procedures as well as Federal statutes. Sanctions involving student misconduct follow the provisions of the South Carolina Student Code of Conduct. Matters of academic misconduct are handled through the Vice President for Academic Affairs Office. These procedures are also outlined in the Student Code of Conduct, Section IV. B, of the Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College Catalog, 2004. Procedures involving student complaints against faculty or staff are handled through the procedures outlined in the Student Grievance Procedure for the SBTCE system. The Grievance Procedure is also published in the Orangeburg Calhoun Technical College Catalog, 2004.

OCtech’s New Student Orientation program is designed to acquaint the student with the College prior to enrollment. An informative orientation to the College is scheduled for all new students prior to the beginning of their first semester of enrollment. New students and transfer students are invited and encouraged to attend. All students are urged to attend, but attendance is not mandatory. The Orientation session provides an overview of services at OCtech, including academic, financial affairs, campus safety, student activities, policies and other important information for first-time students. A Student Handbook is provided which includes a yearly planner and campus map. The current content and format of the orientation program serves students’ needs as substantiated on the Orientation Evaluation Report, Fall 2004. Approximately 109 students completed fall orientation surveys. The results indicate that 99% of respondents were pleased with the information they received at the orientation program. In addition, 89% said that they preferred to participate in an orientation session on campus as opposed to making the program available on the internet. Consequently, the College is continuing with the on-campus format. In addition, while the College enrolled 325 students in internet classes in the Fall of 2004, only six students were enrolled exclusively in internet classes. All others were also enrolled in on-campus courses. Internet students are also included in new student orientation.

The Student Activities program promotes the development of leadership and the social and interpersonal skills of students through extracurricular activities and governance. OCtech provides these services in accordance with the mission and beliefs of the College. The program provides opportunities for students to serve on committees, participate in athletic events, communicate their concerns, and establish community projects. The College has an established Student Advisory Board (SAB) that consists of representatives nominated by faculty from each academic department. The SAB elects a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. The SAB President is selected from members registered in other academic clubs and honor societies on campus.

In addition to the Student Advisory Board, students have the opportunity and are encouraged to participate in other student organizations:

Phi Beta Lambda
Phi Theta Kappa
Society of Future Radiologic Technologists
Student Nurses Organization
Future Practical Nurses’ Club
Association for the Education of Young Children
International Association for Administrative Professionals
The International Club
Student in Free Enterprise

The College process includes students in the OCtech strategic planning. OCtech administration invited representatives from several student organizations to participate in the College’s 2004 Spring Planning Retreat with administration, faculty, staff, and Area Commission members. During this retreat the student representatives were full participants in the updating of the College’s strategic plan and the determination of the 2004-05 annual goals.