Student Services is part of Student Development and Instructional Support, shown above. The purpose of Student Services is to improve student performance, satisfaction, and goal attainment while at Mott Community College. Student Services provides resources, guidance, and assistance for students from pre-admissions counseling to post-graduate job placement, and throughout the students’ time at MCC.

To assist with a productive beginning, entry services include:

· Admissions, where students learn about the college and apply for enrollment;

· Financial Aid, where students receive assistance in removing economic barriers;

· Counseling and Student Development, where counselors provide information about career goals and program choices, provide orientation to the college, and provide personal and health counseling.

Ongoing services include:

· Student Life, which offers a variety of special events, clubs, and organizations;

· Registration and Records, which assists with enrollments, payments and grades;

· Athletics and Campus Recreation, which provides competitive sports on an intercollegiate level as well as non-competitive team and individual sports and activities.

Exit services include assistance with transferring to four-year colleges and universities, and Career and Job Placement assistance with resumes, interviews, and job placement.

Goals and objectives of the area include enhancement and refinement of college intake services, enhancement of enrollment management, and implementation of programs and services that meet student needs. These goals meet the mission of the college, which states that the college will "assess students’ needs upon admission and then throughout their stay at MCC so that the college can provide academic advising, counseling, and other essential services to ensure student success. The college will continue to change as students’ needs change."

To work toward meeting these goals, the offices of Student Development and Instructional Services (SDIS) and Academic Affairs created and provided oversight for the PERSIST committee, which is composed of faculty and staff from many areas of the college. The committee was formed for the purpose of reviewing retention patterns and student entry procedures and providing recommendations to improve retention rates and to simplify intake services. A summary of changes made as a result of PERSIST recommendations include:

1. Transfer Students –Transfer students with documentation of having successfully completed college-level English composition and/or mathematics and a content area class requiring extensive reading at the sending accredited institution will be exempt from the appropriate components of placement testing and orientation.

2. Non-Candidate-for-Degree Students – Students who are granted non-candidate-for-degree (NCFD) status are exempt from placement testing and orientation and may enroll in courses without prerequisites unless they change their educational intent to pursue a degree or certificate or if they wish to enroll in college-level English composition or mathematics.

3. Placement Testing –All new degree or certificate seeking students are required to complete English, reading and math placement testing before registering for classes.

4. Academic Advising – All new degree or certificate seeking students are required to see an advisor or counselor prior to registering for the first term of enrollment. For subsequent terms students are encouraged to seek advisor or counselor assistance. Degree or certificate seeking students who have a cumulative grade point average below a 2.0 or are undecided regarding a program major or who are enrolled in developmental course work are required to see an advisor or counselor each term in which they are in that status.

5. Early Admissions High School Students – High school students in good academic standing may take college courses with permission of a parent/guardian and their high school principal or counselor.

6. Orientation – All new degree or certificate seeking students are required to receive college orientation prior to registering for classes.

Besides the PERSIST committee’s recommendations, an action which has improved student satisfaction with Student Services has been to consolidate most Student Services into one building, the College Center, which is located in the middle of the campus. Counseling and Student Development, Academic Advising, the Assessment Center, Health Services, and Career Services are located on the top floor of the College Center. Admissions and Recruitment, Student Life, the College Store, and the Applewood Café are located on the first floor. Registration and Records, the Cashier’s Office, Financial Aid, and the Snack Bar are located on the lower level of the College Center. Putting these services together has eliminated most of the travel between buildings previously required of students enrolling at the college.

Services for evening students are now available as student services offices remain open until at least 7:00 p.m. and an Evening Services brochure provides details about services, locations and hours.

Many other plans and projects are underway in Student Services, including the Kearsley Park project, in conjunction with the City of Flint and Flint Public Schools, to rescue a deteriorating park and provide soccer and baseball fields and cross-country trails for Mott’s expanding athletic program.

An InfoChannel system of television monitors in each building and the Southern Lakes Branch Campus (SLBC) in Fenton that is programmed by the Student Life Office provides information about student activities, sports, enrollment deadlines and upcoming community and college events. Plans are currently under discussion to extend this information to Mott’s cable television channel.

A coffee shop has opened on the first floor of the College Center and newly furnished student lounges (one with a karaoke stage) are providing comfortable spaces for socializing and study. In 1999, other areas of the College Center will add new carpeting, paint and new furnishings as part of an ongoing plan of renovation for the thirty-year-old building.

Advancements in technology have allowed online registration and financial aid applications via the Internet, admissions applications available on the college Web site, orientation and financial aid videos to be viewed on the Web site, and career services and library services accessible on the Internet. Computer software is now in place which provides interactive counseling, academic advising, financial aid assistance, and career services to students at remote sites. These services have bridged the gap for students in Fenton and Lapeer and for distance learning students located in plants and factories in other cities and even in other states.

The Admissions Office, which had been combined with registration as Admissions and Records between 1993 and 1996, was expanded in 1997 to include recruitment and articulation and has taken a pro-active stance in recruiting new students and reaching out to local high schools, businesses, factories, community organizations and government agencies. Frequent mailings and follow-up telephone calls from the Admissions Office are used to supplement the regular marketing efforts and the two areas work closely together to coordinate advertising and distribution of marketing materials.

The Admissions Office is responsible for the processing of applications to the college and for providing information about the college to prospective students and to the general public. Mott Community College has an open door admissions policy, which is consistent with the mission statement of the college. All high school graduates and non-high school graduates who are 18 years of age or older will be admitted. Applicants under 18 who do not have a high school diploma may complete the General Education Development test before admission. Current high school students may be admitted as dual-enrolled or early admitting students.

Applications are accepted throughout the year and are available at any high school in Genesee County, the branch campus in Fenton, and the Lapeer extension site as well as the Admissions Office on the main campus. Applications are available on the college Web site and students will soon be able to apply for admissions online.

New students in specific applicant groups such as international students, guest students, dual-enrolled students and early admitting high school students have increased enrollment numbers in recent years, as the Admissions office has improved monitoring and recruitment activities. International students have increased from 15 in 1997 to 53 in Winter, 1999. During the Winter, 1999 semester, 217 high school students (158 dual-enrolled and 59 early admit) attended Mott, compared with 19 in Fall, 1997. With the help of the school-to-work/tech prep director, Mott has actively pursued articulation agreements with local high schools. These are included in the School to Work/Tech Prep section of this report.

A high school located on the Mott campus, the Mott Middle College, has a very high percentage of students who begin taking college classes as high school students and continue as college students at Mott after high school graduation. Of the 1998 Mott Middle College graduating class, 77 percent of the graduates subsequently enrolled at MCC.

A continuing challenge for recruiters is to produce a higher percentage of applicants who actually enroll in classes. Many prospective students call to inquire about admission, and may even complete admission applications, but do not register for classes. The Admissions Office is implementing a student tracking system that will monitor prospects from initial inquiry to successful matriculation. They are also completing design of a new viewbook for recruitment and marketing purposes, and are considering proposals for a scannable application for admission, which will reduce data entry errors and speed the admissions process.

Another challenge is the turnover of students each semester. PERSIST, a college committee formed to look at college retention patterns and to make recommendations for improving retention rates, has offered many suggestions which have been implemented, including an Academic Alert system. This program generates letters to students referred by instructors for tutoring or counseling. Other suggestions which have been implemented have included telephone calls by professors during the week before classes begin to students in their areas who have not yet registered, and a major revision of the student entry procedures which previously required several days and many visits to campus before a student could complete intake processes.

The entire admissions process has been greatly streamlined in recent years so that students who are not seeking a degree or certificate may be admitted and enrolled into classes without completing placement tests, orientation and/or mandatory advising by academic advisors and/or counselors. This means that a student who merely wants to take a computer class, an automotive class, or an art class does not have to complete the same enrollment procedures as a student seeking an associates degree or certificate. These services are available, of course, for any student seeking advice and assistance with course selection and registration procedures, but are no longer required.

The Fall 1998 Student Survey indicated a higher than average satisfaction with the services of the Admissions Office, with only four percent expressing dissatisfaction. Complaints which have been made have included data entry errors involving residency codes, social security numbers or, occasionally, duplicate records for new students. These concerns would be addressed with new application forms now under consideration.

A potential enrollment threat for community college students is pending legislation which proposes educational time limits for welfare recipients. If passed, this legislation may negatively affect enrollment of older female students and those with dependents receiving assistance. Admissions staff closely monitor the legislation and remain in constant contact with legislators who support community college education.

The goals of the athletic program are to provide opportunities for students to participate in intercollegiate competition in a variety of sports, and to promote the concept of the scholar-athlete. Mott is the only college in Genesee County that offers an athletic program with intercollegiate competition. Research supports that student activities, of which athletics and recreation are an integral part, play an important role in college student retention. Varsity and intramural sports are the kind of student activities that promote "interactions with peers, including emotional support…that can be critical for college success" (Witherspoon, Long, Chubick, 1999). Sports are a fun way for commuter students to form important bonds with peers.

The college is a member of the Michigan Community College Athletic Association and the National Junior College Athletic Association. Nearly 100 student athletes comprise men’s and women’s teams that compete with other conference schools and, when qualified, enter regional and national tournaments in baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, golf and cross-country. Soccer is also under consideration for next year. Attendance at home games is free for all current students and game times are posted on the InfoChannel.

A new project, the Kearsley Park Project, which has been formed in conjunction with the City of Flint and the Flint Public Schools, is seeking funding and public support to restore the public park adjacent to the college. This project, when completed, will add baseball and softball fields, soccer fields and cross-country trails for Mott’s use.

In recent years, MCC has consistently produced outstanding competitive athletic teams. MCC teams have had a surge of victories in the last several years, winning conference championships in men’s basketball and volleyball and baseball. Highlights for 1997-98 included the second straight conference championship by the women’s volleyball team, and second place in the regional tournament. Men’s basketball ranked in the nation’s top ten and won four consecutive conference championships in 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998. Men’s baseball won their second consecutive conference championship and finished fourth in the state. Women’s softball finished second in the conference tournament and fielded five all-conference players. The golf team was selected as NJCAA Academic Team of the Year, which is a reflection on the concept of the scholar/athlete, and is a goal for which Mott’s athletic teams continuously strive. The overall grade point average of all athletes is 2.67. The Athletic Director stresses that the work ethic and discipline needed to win on the field be carried over to the classroom. Coaches maintain good communication with instructors and frequently accompany their players to the Learning Center. They arrange for group tutoring or individual tutoring and for study groups. One need that has been identified for the coming year is the use of study table monitors.

The athletic department requires that the Athletic Code of Conduct, which is published in the Student Handbook, be adhered to by all members of the athletic programs. The code of conduct covers academic standing, proper use of college property and equipment, prohibition of alcohol, tobacco and drug use, appropriate dress and appearance, and public behavior.

Financial support is provided for the athletic program by the Bruin Club and Bruin Booster Club. Since 1962, these organizations have raised more than one million dollars to supplement the athletic program budget, provide athletic scholarships, and purchase equipment and materials.

Campus Recreation

The campus recreation program provides opportunities to participate in both organized and informal activities for MCC students, faculty, staff, and community members. There are team and individual competitive sports, as well as non-competitive ‘free-play’ activities. During designated hours, students may use the racquetball court and tennis courts at no charge. Intramural play is available in basketball, volleyball, racquetball, table tennis and bowling. Activity programs in aerobics, swimming, and conditioning are also offered. Family Fun Nights on Friday evenings encourage students to bring their families for movies, crafts, exercises and swimming, and has averaged more than 40 participants per night. More than 250 students participated in the campus recreation program during 1997-98.

In 1999, low-cost off-campus recreation activities, including downhill skiing and ice skating, have been popular with students and staff, with plans to add cross-country skiing and canoeing soon.

Work Cited

Witherspoon, A.D., Carolyn Long and Jennifer Chubick. "Prediction of College

Dropouts Using EDS Scores." Journal of College Student Development.

Jan-Feb 1999: 82.

Mott maintains a strong commitment to campus safety and security. A comprehensive crime prevention program has been initiated during the last three years with twin goals of eliminating or minimizing criminal opportunities and encouraging students to be responsible for their own security and the security of others with prudent, common sense behavior. Starting with a safety office which contracted with outside agencies to provide unarmed security guard services, the college has organized a Public Safety Department which is staffed by trained professional safety officers who are employees of the college. Public Safety supervisors are certified as police officers, are armed, and have full police powers.

The college maintains continual patrols of all areas of the campus and offers an escort service, upon request, for persons walking on campus. Electronic alarms and emergency intercoms are available in many student parking areas, and closed circuit television surveillance cameras cover all surface parking along Horrigan Drive. Safety and Security Information reports are prepared annually and special alerts are published in staff and student newspapers to report recent crimes.

Formal surveys of exterior lighting have been conducted by professional engineering consultants, and lighting has been upgraded as a part of extensive campus renovations. Exterior doors on campus buildings are locked and secured each evening by security officers. Every effort is being made to reassure staff and students that the Mott campus is safe and secure.

Other services offered by campus safety include assistance in parking lot emergencies, such as jumpstarts and opening of locked cars, and emergency weather warnings.

Parking

A majority of students drive to their classes at MCC, even though public transportation is available. Convenience and security of parking facilities are always issues with students. In 1995, one surface parking lot adjacent to the College Center which contained 300 parking spaces, was designated as a paid parking lot and students have been complaining about this ever since. During the 1997-98 academic year, Student Congress senators took this up as a cause. They called other community colleges in the state, but found that some have free parking and some have a combination of free and paid parking. They were unable to provide convincing arguments or data to support elimination of the parking fees. Since then, some student suggestions have included a semester charge for parking, a discount semester rate, and a discount rate for multiple parks. The suggestion for a discount rate for multiple parks was implemented and students who receive one park for a dollar can purchase 6 parks for five dollars, or 25 parks for 20 dollars. The other suggestions have merit as well and need further consideration by the college administration.

There are 15 parking lots on the main campus, with a total of 3107 parking spaces. Approximately 40 percent (1313 spaces) of the parking spaces are located in ramps.

Students dislike parking in student ramps, voicing the opinion that they are dark, unsafe, and too far from the classroom buildings, particularly for evening students. Public safety officers patrol these ramps regularly and have installed voice alarms and painted the stairwells in an effort to make them lighter and safer. Very few instances of harm, such as break-ins or robberies, have occurred in the ramps, but the perception remains among students that they are unsafe. This is an area where the administration is constantly looking for solutions.

Career and Job Placement Services consists of a Career Resource Center and a Student Employment Center. The Center functions as a centralized clearinghouse for activities involving the career marketplace. More than 7500 students and community members used these services during 1997-98. Nearly 3700 visits were for career information, while on and off-campus employment staff assisted approximately 1800 students each. In Fall, 1998 more than 240 students were placed in work study positions with the college and in community service. Mott graduates enjoy a 91 percent placement rate, based on a five-year average.

The Career Resource Center makes presentations to new student orientation sessions and to classes coming to the center to see what is available for student use. The Center operates the DISCOVER computerized guidance program, which guides students through interests and careers, the Michigan Occupational Information System (MOIS), career resource books and magazines, and career information files.

Staff in the Center have access to an interactive computer and video technology to provide information to students in Fenton and Lapeer and other remote sites. This has allowed a department with a small staff to very effectively serve outlying areas.

The Student Employment Center provides assistance with student job searches, including resume writing and pre-employment interview practice. They also bring employers on campus to conduct interviewing sessions and recruiting as well as developing and coordinating targeted job fairs, such as the Criminal Justice Career Fair. An MCC Job Hotline provides current employment information, and a database of more than 3500 active and prospective regional employers allows broad access to changing labor market needs. Job postings, on-campus interviews, a liaison with the Michigan Employment Security Agency, job-seeking workshops, Internet job searching, and lifetime graduate services are offered by the Employment Center. The Center also places work study students on and off-campus in coordination with financial aid staff.

Goals and objectives of Career and Job Placement Services include increased computer access, expansion of the online career search capabilities, better communication with graduates, employers, and academic divisions, and improved customer service for students who are seeking work study positions and for college employers of these students.

Nearly 66 percent of the respondents in the Fall 1998 Student Survey answered that they did not know about the Career and Job Placement Center. Advertising in the student newspaper and on the InfoChannel, and placing flyers on bulletin boards in classroom buildings are recommendations the Center might implement to generate interest and more traffic.

Child care is available on the main campus and at the Southern Lakes Branch Campus (SLBC) in Fenton. Several child care programs on or adjacent to Mott’s campus are available for students.

Day care services at Woodside Church, which is adjacent to the main campus, may be arranged for children two-and-a-half to five years on a full or part-time basis. This is not a drop-in center. Children must be enrolled in advance and the fee is $3.00 per hour. This program includes group activities using music, story telling, science and cooking. At SLBC, hourly child care is available for children from two-and-a-half to 12 years, as well as a full-time program for three- and four-year-olds. Southern Lakes Early Learning Center also offers a summer child care camp for children two-and-a-half to 12 years. Daily experiences include cooking, books, music, art and outdoor activities as well as age-appropriate, hands-on activities and field trips.

A Michigan School Readiness preschool program is available at Woodside Church and at SLBC for four-year-olds which is funded by the State of Michigan and offered at no cost to students. The program is operated by the college and includes a home-based program for children who have no transportation, as well as a center program, which offers learning through ‘hands on’ activities.

A Head Start program located on main campus and SLBC currently serves three to five-year-olds at no cost to students, but there are income requirements to qualify. Morning, afternoon, and evening sessions are available, with a limited number of full day spaces. An Early Head Start program for pregnant women and children zero to three will be coming soon to the college. Services are offered for children and families with a ‘creative curriculum’ for children who meet eligibility requirements.

The college catalog begins with the Mission Statement of Mott Community College and ends with the academic credentials of faculty, administrators, and staff. The college catalog provides a definitive description of degrees and certificate requirements, programs of study, and current course descriptions for all college classes. General academic and non-academic policies and procedures which affect students are included. Also included are admissions and registration procedures which include charges and refund policies, information about financial aid programs, scholarships, veterans’ benefits and other awards and grants. Information about instructional support services, student services, library services and other learning resources, and continuing education programs which are available for students includes locations and telephone numbers.

The catalog is updated annually or biennially so that students will have current information about new programs, courses, services, and resources. Care is taken to provide a catalog that is easy to use and helpful to students, containing features such as a page entitled "Where to Go for What," a campus map and a one-page "New Student Enrollment Process" in the form of a flow chart. A copy of the current college catalog is available in the NCA Resource Room, Curtice-Mott 2130.

The college bookstore became the Follett College Store in 1995, when the Follett Bookstore Corporation of Chicago purchased the existing inventory and leased the space formerly occupied by the college owned store. The goal of the Follett College Store is to provide authorized textbooks for college courses, supplies, Mott clothing, snacks, greeting cards, computer software, and many items with Mott’s logo. The College Store will buy back used textbooks when they are authorized for use for the following semester. The store frequently has sales for students and employees and is a popular stop for gifts and snacks. Textbook ordering is computerized so that books which are ordered ordinarily arrive within a week. For the fall semester, more than 800 titles are ordered for more than 1000 different courses.

Besides the full service store on the main campus, satellite stores are opened at Fenton and Lapeer for about three weeks at the beginning of each semester. Representatives from the main campus deliver textbooks which have been ordered for classes held at those locations as well as basic supplies. After this period, students from the branch campuses have to come to Flint to the main campus to purchase books. Beginning in 1999, students are now able to order textbooks from Follett via the Internet. This enables students to avoid travel, traffic, parking delays, and long lines at the bookstore.

Problems occur occasionally with textbooks that do not arrive in time, textbooks ordered in insufficient quantities, and textbooks that may have been misrepresented by the book companies regarding price or optional features such as CD-ROMS. Some students are concerned that the bookstore does not carry art supplies required for various art classes. Generally the bookstore manager makes every effort to resolve problems and to provide adequate and satisfactory service for students and faculty. An example of this was an economics textbook that arrived with a price tag of more than $100. The professor felt that he had been misled, so the bookstore bought back all copies of the text and returned all books to the publisher, which incurred considerable costs for the bookstore.

Because Follett is a profit-making business, however, they try to determine very carefully how many textbooks to order, based on faculty requests, past sales and estimated buy-backs. Bookstore computers are programmed to actually order fewer copies than the number requested by the academic divisions, and in some instances were 5 to 12 books short for a class. The bookstore can now check enrollment data daily or weekly to verify whether orders are adequate, and can initiate overnight delivery when necessary. A Bookstore Advisory Committee chaired by the Director of Business Operations and including the Associate Deans is now meeting on a regular basis with bookstore management to address faculty and student concerns.

The goal of Counseling and Student Development is to provide both academic and personal assistance and information that students need. Counseling faculty provide pre-admissions counseling for new students before they apply for admission. They provide academic advisement for students who are undecided or are in general studies. A transfer counselor works with students preparing for four-year colleges. Career counseling is available to help with selection of a career, a program of study, and appropriate courses. Personal counseling is provided on an individual and confidential basis. Counselors conduct interest and personality testing, orientations, placement testing, help with program changes or withdrawal from the college, and instruction of personal development credit courses which are designed to assist students develop both academically and personally. For the 1997-98 academic year, 15,482 students received individual counseling related to school or personal concerns.

While counselors continue to spend a large amount of time advising undecided students, many changes have recently taken place. Recommendations from outside consultants as well as the PERSIST committee were approved by the College Professional Study Committee and the president and have changed requirements regarding placement testing, orientation, and academic advising for entering students. Before 1998, all new students were required to take placements tests, attend orientation, and receive advisor/counselor signatures before being allowed to register for the first 17 credits of 100 or higher level courses. Reaching 17 credits frequently took several semesters. Students who were not candidates for degrees were limited to six credits or two classes before they were blocked from registering. Earlier surveys of students indicated that these policies were a major source of aggravation and dissatisfaction because enrollment required many visits to the college and sometimes required a wait of several weeks to schedule an advising appointment. Even though counselors would see students without appointments, a wait of several hours was inevitable during heavy registration periods, and students who knew exactly what they wanted to take often watched these sections fill while they waited for a signature.

Consultants stressed that the notion that "one size fits all" does not work for today’s community college students. PERSIST committee members agreed that counseling should be focused on students with low academic performance and with students seeking degrees and certificates. Counselors are now available to spend more time with developmental, probationary, and/or undecided students, yet still are available to any student who desires these services.

Among other changes which have occurred is computerized placement testing. Instead of paper-and-pencil placement tests, which necessitated waiting several days for tests to be scored and entered on the student’s record, students may now come to the Assessment Center on a daily basis from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., take standardized College Board CPTs, and have the scores immediately recorded. Orientations are now available on video and on the college Web site, as well as scheduled orientation sessions conducted by counselors. An interactive orientation is being designed for Mott’s Web site that will include counselor feedback. The Assessment Center plans to offer testing services that will meet larger community needs including workforce development and government agencies. The center also plans to offer CLEP testing for Mott students and the general public, beginning during the summer of 1999.

A few years ago, Counseling and Student Development experienced a number of retirements, and the counselors were not immediately replaced. They had to rely on part-time counselors during periods of heavy demand. Recently, however, several full-time counselors have been hired and they have restored diversity in the staff as well as strengthened services and resources. To provide counseling and advising services for distance learning students, Fenton and Lapeer, interactive advising has been implemented.

From the Fall 1998 Student Survey, responses related to counseling services indicated the need for current information about four-year colleges. The transfer counselor has begun updating the information contained in the curricular guides and equivalency/transfer lists and is now arranging this material into matrices so that it will be easier to access by other counselors, advisor, and students. Students have asked for these guides to be placed on the MCC Web site. Students also expressed the need for a counselor for international students. A counselor who has recently transferred to counseling from the admissions office has had extensive experience with international students and should be able to advise these students knowledgeably in the future.

Academic Advisement

Faculty advisors in the Academic Advisement Center assist students in selecting courses and registering in business, health science, humanities, mathematics, science, social sciences, and technologies. The Advisement Center has been located in the College Center since 1996, when it was co-located with Counseling and Student Development. Before this date, advisors were located in or near division offices which are scattered across campus. This attempt to consolidate advising and other enrollment services means that new students are now able to complete an admissions application, a financial aid application, placement testing, orientation, academic advising or counseling, registration, payment of tuition and fees, and purchase of textbooks and supplies in one building: the College Center.

Based on the recommendations of the PERSIST committee, all new degree or certificate seeking students are required to see an advisor or counselor prior to registering for the first term of enrollment. For subsequent terms, students are encouraged to seek advisor or counselor assistance, but are now able to self register. Advisors served more than 14,000 students during 1997-98.

Two divisions, health sciences and technologies, have full-time advisors in the Advisement Center. Because programs such as nursing and dental hygiene are very competitive and have long waiting lists, extensive advising is often required. Students in the technology area are frequently seeking credit for apprentice training, which must be evaluated by the advisor, or have taken high school courses which may be articulated with Mott programs. These advisors work closely with the Registrar in determining course sequences and equivalencies.

To provide academic advising for Fenton, Lapeer and distance learning students, interactive software has been installed in computers on the main campus, Fenton, Lapeer, and other remote sites so that advisors can communicate directly with students when they need assistance with course selection and registration. An advisor at the main campus can advise students at remote sites via computer which allows the advisor and student to talk and to see each other as well as pertinent documents and records needed to complete registration activity. This has helped to fill a gap in services for remote populations considered beyond reach just a few years ago.

When the Advisement Center opened, oversight was provided by division offices. Now the Advisement Center staffing and budget are administered by the Associate Dean of Counseling and Student Development (CASD), in an effort to provide ‘hands-on’ supervision and smoother traffic flow. Some suggested changes in the physical layout of the Advisement Center have already begun in order to ease traffic flow problems. It is expected that issues regarding advisor training, advisor appointment times, and communication between advising and counseling also will improve with this reorganization. An advisor handbook has been in the planning stage for several years and training for advisors has been sporadic. Because most advisors are full-time faculty, it has been nearly impossible to schedule advisor meetings. The use of e-mail, memos and small group workshops has had to suffice for explanation of new policies, new course offerings, and new computer training. Students have related that they have been advised to take classes they don’t need for their program of study, that they have been placed in classes which are too difficult, or that they were registered in classes located at a branch campus 20 miles away. These concerns are being addressed by the CASD Associate Dean.

Health Services

Health counseling rather than clinical services is the goal of Health Services. Health counseling is provided by counseling faculty who are also nurses. Health services include counseling for specific health problems, health screening, remedies for minor illnesses, consultation with a physician, vision testing, hearing, blood pressure, hemoglobin, and pregnancy, medical appeals and withdrawals, and physical space for rest and recuperation.

Concerns have been expressed about the limited hours for physician appointments and the lack of evening services for students. The health counselors schedule education and awareness programs which are open to students and the public and which have included low or no-cost cholesterol screening, information about community agencies and services, alcohol awareness, AIDS updates, wellness programs, blood drives, flu shots, and information about communicable diseases.

The purpose of the Financial Aid Office is to administer federal, state, private, and institutional financial aid programs in order to assist in removing economic barriers to education. Financial Aid staff assist students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), assist students with loan and scholarship applications, provide scholarship information, and select recipients for many institutional scholarships.

More than 8.1 million dollars were distributed during 1997-98 through Pell grants, Stafford loans, employer paid programs, federal and state programs, scholarships, insurance companies and trusts. In a typical year, nearly 3000 students receive Pell grants, more than 1200 students receive loans, another 1000 students are in employer paid programs, and 1200 receive scholarships.

Goals and objectives of Financial Aid include improved monitoring of attendance and implementation of a pro-rata refund policy mandated by federal regulations. They also plan to increase student use of Internet capabilities to apply for financial aid online. More assistance will be provided to students searching for additional financial aid sources through the Internet. Finally, a major goal is to reduce the number of trips students must make to the Financial Aid Office to complete files and receive financial aid.

Financial Aid staff have produced a video which is used during orientations, financial aid nights, and for group presentations. The video is now available on the college Web site.

Many student complaints regarding Financial Aid, like other Student Service complaints, related to long waits. Students also referred to repeated trips to the office, difficulties in reaching the office by telephone, and delays in receiving Pell and loan refunds. Financial Aid staff is working with the Cashier’s Office to try to simplify the refund process and to shorten processing time. Accurate attendance records are assisting this process. Other comments noted in the Fall 1998 Student Survey related to cursory treatment received on the telephone or at the front desk. These areas are staffed primarily by students who are hardworking and conscientious, but sometimes give wrong or misleading information. It is recommended that a full-time staff person should always be available at the front desk to answer questions accurately and satisfactorily.

A concern for Financial Aid staff is the skyrocketing number of requests for loans during the past few years, which raises the specter of an increased default rate. In 1990-91, 129 students received $439,084 in loans. In 1996-97, 1252 students received $2,781,607 in loans. The Financial Aid Office monitors the satisfactory academic progress of all students receiving financial assistance. Students who fall below a 2.0 grade point average, withdraw from too many classes, or exceed the maximum credit limit are considered in violation of satisfactory academic progress and may not receive further financial aid until they return to compliance or successfully appeal the violation. Loss of financial aid negatively impacts enrollment so that it is important to refer students for instructional support services early enough for students to receive help and successfully complete coursework. The Academic Alert feature of the attendance report provides a referral option by faculty for tutoring or counseling services for students. Financial Aid staff monitor these reports and maintain contact with the Learning Center about the use of these services by financial aid recipients who might otherwise violate standards of academic progress.

Food services at the college are provided as a convenience for students and staff since the college campus is located in primarily a residential area, and no restaurants or fast food chains are nearby. Food services consist of a Snack Bar, the Applewood Café, catering, a coffee shop, and various vending machines placed around the campus. The Snack Bar is located on the lower level of the College Center and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, during the weeks that classes are in session. The Snack Bar provides breakfasts and lunches, including Taco Bell products and choices from quick snacks and hot entrees, soft drinks and fruit juices. During the month of February, 1999 the Snack Bar served 5190 customers. An additional 2615 Taco Bell customers and 1425 catered customers were served for a total of 9230 customers for the Snack Bar.

The Applewood Café is an elegant dining room operated by the culinary arts program, and provides gourmet lunches Monday through Thursday during fall and winter semesters. Few students can afford the prices in Applewood, but the facilities are open to the public as well as to students and employees. The culinary arts program also caters many events on campus and operates the Coffee Shop on the first floor of the College Center.

Vending machines are available in nearly every building on campus and provide a variety of snacks and beverages. There is a need for food services during the evening, but attempts to provide late afternoon and evening services could not be financially sustained. The Purchasing department, which provides oversight for the Snack Bar and vending machines, has formed a committee to prepare for future needs, especially when the Regional Technology Center opens.

The college has a contract with Sodexho-Marriott to manage the Snack Bar and send the college monthly bills to cover the cost of the operation. Food services does not break even at this point, however, and the Marriott Corporation has been contracted to develop a business plan for the college that covers the snack bar, catering, vending, the café and coffee shop and conference center food service for the Regional Technology Center. The purpose of this plan is to help the college plan for future needs of the college and operate food services on a break-even basis.

Registration and Records has been combined with the Cashier’s Office since 1993, and this has been an organizational move that has benefited students who objected to standing in lines at different locations to register and then pay tuition and fees. While registering students for classes is the primary responsibility of Registration and Records, the area is responsible for many other student services. Grades, transcripts, graduation audits, diplomas, Veterans’ benefits, address changes, enrollment verifications, student IDs, articulations, program and course codes, student histories, external transcript evaluations, state aid information, attendance, grade point averages, grade changes, fresh starts, and class cancellations are handled by registration and records staff. Students may register, add, drop or withdraw from classes at registration windows, by mail, by telephone, and via the Internet.

Goals and objectives for Registration and Records include maintaining accurate and complete student records. The area is also working to improve customer service at the windows and on the telephones. Improving the training and evaluation of student employees and increasing the number of opportunities for growth and professional development for the staff are also important goals. Finally, automating transcript production and graduation auditing are underway.

One new responsibility that has been added to the area in recent years is monitoring attendance. To assist the Financial Aid Office in complying with federal regulations regarding the attendance of Pell recipients and to implement a PERSIST committee recommendation regarding retention, the Registration and Records Office began entering Attendance and Academic Alert reports in Fall, 1997. Monitoring attendance became a mandatory college procedure for each instructor. Scantron forms, which had been custom designed for the college, are completed by instructors every two weeks for each section and forwarded to the attendance clerk in registration and records. On the same report, instructors can refer students for tutoring and/or counseling services, or report non-attendance and/or unsatisfactory progress. The attendance program generates letters which are mailed to referred students, requesting that they make an appointment, drop a class, or other appropriate action. The clerk also notifies the Learning Center and the counseling office about referrals so that they can follow-up with telephone calls. It is hoped that this early intervention will result in fewer dropped classes and failing grades.

Technology has provided a host of opportunities for the area to improve services and to expedite registration processes. WEB registration now allows students to register online, get copies of their student histories, and check balances. The next service now being addressed is to allow students to pay online, as soon as security concerns are satisfactorily answered.

Across the state, colleges are posting course equivalencies online so that students, registrars, and counselors can determine immediately whether a course will transfer to another college. The MACRAO organization of Michigan registrars, counselors, and admissions officers have given this a top priority for the next two years and have established a Web site for this activity.

A current challenge for Registration and Records is to decide how to offer credit for courses which have been subdivided into competencies and may award .25 credit hours or less. With the advent of workforce development, where students need to acquire job skills in a hurry and may not need all of the skills contained in a 15 week course, it is imperative that the college provide a way to offer credit (and financial aid) for smaller units of credit. Another challenge is to address articulation agreements with high schools and provide some credit for classes which college instructors have deemed equivalent, at least in part. In some instances, high school classes provide some but not all of the skills provided in similar college courses, but the students do not want to repeat the skills they have already mastered. How should credit be allocated? Year round registration has been under discussion for some time at the college and can be handled without difficulty by the registration area, which already registers for spring, summer and fall at the same time. As soon as the academic divisions can arrange for appropriate courses and sections, students will be able to register for them. Details regarding payment plans, refund dates, add/drop periods and other considerations can be entered into the current student system without delay.

Definite, acknowledged strengths of Registration and Records are the experience and expertise of the staff in registering students, answering questions, and maintaining accurate records. A concomitant weakness, however, has been the tendency for the computer to become very slow (or occasionally to stop altogether) during the periods of heaviest registration activity. To address the problem, Information Systems tries to run other reports during the evening and to limit non-registration activity, but a larger and faster computer is sorely needed.

Better communication is also necessary between the registration area and the counseling and advising areas, the branch campus in Fenton and the extension site in Lapeer, so that all students are getting the same information. For example, if a snow day occurs during the middle of the first week of classes, decisions regarding extensions of add/drop periods and refund periods should be immediately conveyed to advisors, counselors, and others. Fortunately, the widespread availability and use of e-mail by faculty and staff is making rapid communication a reality.

An Evaluation of Services Survey conducted in January, 1998 during the heaviest registration period of the year indicated that a majority of the 184 respondents were satisfied with services received. In the survey, 89 percent stated that they were served promptly, 96 percent said that hours of service were adequate, 85 percent said policies and procedures were explained in a professional manner, 95 percent said transactions were handled accurately, 96 percent said the staff was courteous and friendly, 86 percent said questions were answered, and 76 percent said records were accessible. Comments included: ‘get computers running more quickly,’ ‘open more windows,’ ‘have Express line for payments,’ ‘get self-registration computers up and running,’ and ‘have person roam floor to answer questions and to help.’ These comments have been heeded and the area has added temporary help, opened an express line, got self-registration working, and stationed an employee in the waiting area to answer questions and help with forms.

Cashier’s Office

The Cashier’s Office was combined with Admissions and Records in 1993 in an effort to move toward ‘One Stop Shop’ services that enabled students to register and pay at one location. This move has been largely successful, although students who come to the area just to make payments, to request transcripts, or to seek reimbursement for coins stuck in a vending machine, sometimes complain about long waits. Designating a separate window as an Express Window during busy registration periods, frequently canvassing the waiting area for students with check and credit card payments, and diverting transcript requests to the Student Information window, has helped to alleviate complaints of this nature.

The Cashier’s Office handles payments of tuition and fees as well as incoming checks, and all other cash handling for the college. Billings, bank deposits, petty cash, adjustments to student accounts, reserve cash funds, returned checks, late payment fees, loan checks, refunds, tuition appeals, delinquent payments, and monthly payment plans are responsibilities of the office.

In 1997, the college selected Tuition Management Systems to offer a monthly payment plan for students. With the advent of payment plans, however, students who dropped their classes before the end of the semester were more apt to stop paying and delinquency rates subsequently have increased. To address this challenge, a schedule of late payment fees was approved by the Board of Trustees, beginning in 1999. This action is meant to encourage prompt payment by students.

Other challenges for prompt collection of tuition and fees have included the GM-UAW employee benefit plan and the College in the Workplace deferments. The GM-UAW employee dependent benefit plan provides $1000 each calendar year for each dependent. The cashiering staff placed signs and notices everywhere, encouraging GM employees to apply promptly for the benefits. Because this is a new benefit, however, many students believed it would automatically be applied to their outstanding balances, and their accounts subsequently appeared as delinquent. Only when a voucher finally arrives at the college does the Cashier’s Office know who qualifies for the benefit. By working closely with the Financial Aid and Accounting offices, billing in a timely manner, and crediting accounts before they become delinquent, this problem should soon be under control. College in the Workplace students, meanwhile, are allowed to attend college while deferring payment, because their employers have agreed to pay for their classes. These accounts frequently become delinquent when employers do not pay in a timely manner.

The Cashier’s Office is seeking ways to expedite refunds for Pell recipients, loans, dropped or cancelled classes already paid, changes in residency codes, and other student account adjustments. A new Assistant Registrar and two new cashiers with strong banking backgrounds are reviewing current practices and making recommendations for improved customer service and transaction rates.

The School-to-Work and Tech Prep programs and activities at MCC are designed to improve transitions for students from secondary to post-secondary education and to the workplace. Funds for school-to-work and tech prep have been used in collaboration with local K-12 districts and area employers to strengthen academic and vocational programs, and build transitions between K-12 systems, higher education, and the workplace. Mott’s focus has been on articulation agreements, career awareness and exploration activities for K-12 students and teachers at Mott, faculty job shadowing, service learning, simulation training, and preparing students for work in the 21st century.

A major goal for the School-to-Work/Tech Prep programs is to improve linkages with K-12 schools. Contacts with high school counselors and the use of Educational/Employment Development Plan (E/EDP) instruments for tech prep students will increase outreach efforts to students eligible for articulation at Mott. Other goals include increasing the numbers of Mott faculty who have job shadowing experiences with local employers, improving linkages between business services teachers across Genesee County, and providing training and support for Mott faculty in using active learning strategies in their courses.

Articulation Agreements

Mott has signed articulation agreements with high schools in Genesee, Lapeer and Shiawassee counties. Agreements with the Genesee Area Skill Center (GASC) Technology Center include ADN/Practical Nursing, Auto Tech, Communications 2000+, Culinary Arts, Drafting/Cad, Machining, Medical Terminology, NAPP Careers in Health, Office Information Systems and Robotics/Fluid Power. Other agreements include:

The convenient calendar and day-planner include important information already printed on the dates of occurrence, such as refund dates, registration dates, beginning and end of semester dates, graduation, spring break dates and other events and deadlines. The handbook provides general academic information, new student enrollment procedures, information regarding student services and instructional support services and resources. It contains emergency telephone numbers, campus maps, and detailed explanations about college policies and procedures including the student code of conduct and student rights and responsibilities.

Students praise the size and design of the handbook, and report that the information is useful. A better way to advertise and distribute copies needs to be explored, however, since many new students no longer attend orientation sessions. Announcements are periodically made in the student newspaper, and perhaps the InfoChannel should carry reminders about the handbook.

Code of Conduct

The Student Code of Conduct, along with information about student discipline, students’ rights and responsibilities, academic integrity, academic complaint procedures, and other college policies and procedures are included in the Student Handbook. The Code of Conduct was completely revised in 1997 to incorporate academic integrity provisions, to clarify due process for students, to specify appropriate sanctions, and to provide for an appeal process.

The Student Handbook is available in the NCA Resource Room, Curtice-Mott 2130.

The Student Life office oversees all student clubs and organizations including Student Government and the MCC Post, which is the student newspaper. The goal of Student Life is to complement and enhance the academic programs of the college and contribute to the growth of the individual student. A variety of activities and events are offered in fulfilling this goal, including career related activities, peer education, cultural activities, programming boards, publications, service learning, intramural sports, and public interest programming. Quality cultural, social and recreational programs related to students’ academic interests are offered that are responsive to the needs of the community college student. Opportunities for leadership skills development which can be both entertaining and educational, provide the student with a feeling of fun and belonging and can be a positive factor in encouraging that student to return to Mott.

With so many non-traditional students who have family and job commitments, however, it is often difficult to attract memberships and involvement for student clubs. Many students are unaware of events and activities. Student clubs and organizations were given a new lease on life in 1996 when the Board of Trustees approved a resolution that earmarked $5 of every student’s fees each term to create more campus activities and enhance the quality of campus life. A Campus Life Enhancement Fund (CLEF) committee, composed of club representatives, Student Government members, faculty and student services administrators, was formed to address applications for funding from clubs and student organizations and determine whether or not to approve requests, which average 25 to 30 each year. The goal of CLEF is to support a wide variety of programs and activities that are well designed, organized, and of benefit to the student body. Funds have been used to pay for travel for club members to national and regional conferences, leadership seminars, computers for student club use, speakers, spring fests, concerts, dances, food, and furniture for student lounges. Each club that is recognized by the Student Government is awarded $300 a year for expenses. During one year, the Hispanic Club traveled to Mexico City, the LERN Club went to Las Vegas, PTK members went to Nashville, and Student Government members went to Washington, D. C. All of these trips combined educational benefits with fun and excitement for the students.

Student clubs and organizations that are seeking recognition from the Student Government present documentation to the Student Government of by-laws, membership lists, officers, budget and planned activities for the upcoming year. Clubs which have been awarded recognition in recent years include Phi Theta Kappa, Dental Assisting, Student Occupational Therapy Association, Black Leadership Awareness Coalition, Foreign Language, Cheerleaders, Biology, Law Enforcement Resource Network, Respiratory Therapy, Social Work Technicians, Transitions Cosmetology and Nail Care, Travel , Nursing, Physical Therapy Assistants, Intervarsity, Art, Connoisseurs, Environmental, Veterans, and Para-Legal.

One CLEF award in 1997 was for the purchase of the InfoChannel. The purpose of the InfoChannel is to improve communication between students, faculty and staff. Large color monitors in each building scroll announcements, deadlines for registration and refunds, upcoming student activities, sports, and other campus events. There are plans to expand this information source to the local television channel that is operated by the college so that local residents can view information about the college and be apprised of upcoming events.

Examples of activities and programs sponsored by the Student Life Office include the zany Main-Stage Production Packages in 1998 that attracted more than 1700 students to the Virtual Reality Rollercoaster, Blizzard of Bucks Game Show, Ultimate Imaging Interactive Video and Laser Tag. In 1999, a concert and artist series has highlighted Mott’s own musical talent, with a monthly jazz ensemble in the South lounge and teaching packets from the Indianapolis Museum of Art that feature items of display from Japan and Africa. Community outreach efforts have included a Halloween party for area children offered in conjunction with the mayor’s office, an afternoon with Santa and an Easter Egg Hunt for community children sponsored by PTK.

A City Wide Minority Awards program each spring recognizes minority students at six local colleges who are graduating or maintaining a high grade point average. Two students are selected each year for "Outstanding Community Service Awards," and Mott students are frequently selected for one or both of these awards. Mott hosts this event periodically, which allows the Student Life director to showcase opportunities for minority students at Mott.

The MCC Post is the student newspaper. Operating within administrative regulations and under the supervision of a faculty advisor, the newspaper staff reports, writes and edits the publication. Staff members learn practical experience in news writing, headline writing, composition, layout, proofreading, advertising and business management. Student may enroll in a journalism practicum to earn college credit while working on the Post. The newspaper is published biweekly during fall and winter semesters and displayed on racks located in various places on campus. For many years, the faculty advisor was a full-time professor who taught journalism and English. This retired faculty member has not yet been replaced. Lately the newspaper advisor has been a part-time instructor and during the last year, a Flint Journal reporter, which has brought professional experience to the newspaper. This reporter introduced the first issue with color photographs in 1998-99.

The Student Life director also serves as the Ombudsman, and assists in achieving fair settlements and helps students receive fair and equitable treatment within the college system. The Ombudsman will not make decisions for students, change rules, provide legal assistance, or go to court with a student. The Ombudsman will serve as a general information center for students about their rights and responsibilities, and on what procedures to follow in order to pursue whatever business or complaint a student may have.

Student Government

Student Government represents the students of the college and provides an important voice of the students to the administration and faculty. Members serve on the College Professional Study Committee, the Student/Faculty Judicial Board, the Campus Life Enhancement Fund committee, and other committees and focus groups. Student clubs and organizations must apply to the Student Government for recognition and budgets. Student Government members consider special problems presented by other students and make recommendations to the administration. Examples of special problems tackled in recent years include bus shelters for disabled students, Sunday library hours, parking and child care. Members also arrange for speakers to come to the campus, for dances, spring fests and other campus events.

To become a member, students enrolled in 6 credits or more with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher may complete an official petition and apply for membership. In 1997, members completely revised the Constitution and by-laws and changed the name of the organization from Student Congress to Student Government. The Student Government has always enjoyed a high degree of respect and attention from the administration and faculty, but it has been difficult to attract busy college students to Student Government on an ongoing basis, and to maintain adequate membership. Charismatic leaders during some years have been able to publicize the organization and bring issues of current interest before the student body, but these leaders graduate and move on to the university or the workforce and may not be immediately replaced. A discouraging statistic in the 1998 student satisfaction survey was that an overwhelming majority of the student respondents did not know anything about Student Government.

A goal of the Student Life Director is to involve current officers in the American Student Association of Community Colleges and to enable students to attend the National Legislative Conferences in Washington, D.C. On-going relationships with other colleges, a leadership program, community based volunteer programs, and other ideas and activities are being pursued to keep Student Government viable and important to students.

Strengths

Excellent strides have been made in improving college intake services and enhancing enrollment management. The recommendations of the PERSIST committee which have been approved by the College Professional Study Committee and the president are now being implemented.

Where practicable, student services have been consolidated into one location in the middle of the campus along with adjacent parking and huge signs on the roof of the building proclaiming that ‘New Students Start Here.’

Technological advances have placed many traditional services such as registration, orientation, admissions and other services on the Internet. New Internet capabilities are becoming available every year along with interactive computer software that allows personal, private advising and counseling for distance learning, branch campus, and extension site students.

Evening services are available and touted in an Evening Services brochure regularly mailed to all students enrolled in evening classes by the evening administrator.

Weaknesses

A perception remains that students are not treated in a courteous, friendly manner by employees, both student employees and full-time staff, in many student services areas. Every student satisfaction survey elicits negative comments about rudeness on the telephone or in person, being given the runaround and/or being transferred to several offices to get information being sought, long waits, lack of service, and even incorrect information.

Retention rates remain the number one area of concern for all student service areas. The majority of responses on the Fall 1998 Student Survey were, "I have never used this service," or "I didn’t know about this service," which is a clear indication that students are unaware of the range of services that are available at no charge. So many new students enroll each semester that efforts to disseminate information about available services must be continual and widespread.

Computer equipment has not kept up with the need as technological advances keep pushing the envelope. More computers, greater speed, fewer glitches, and minimal malfunctioning are clearly demanded. Students constantly request that "computers should be up and running," or "computers should be faster."

There seems to be a perennial shortage of trained temporary staff during periods of heavy registration. Incentives for early registration are needed to alleviate the last minute crunch every fall and winter semester.

Opportunities

The number of articulation agreements MCC has signed with high schools and four-year colleges enhance opportunities for seamless transitions for students from high school to Mott to the workplace and/or university.

Funding of more than $100,000 a year for student activities and clubs provides huge opportunities for events and speakers on campus, student travel, computer equipment, improved recreational facilities, and other educational, social and cultural benefits for students.

Plans such as the Kearsley Park Project, formed in conjunction with the City of Flint and Flint Public Schools, offer expanded athletic and recreational opportunities for Mott students and for the community,

Threats

Pending legislation proposes educational time limits for welfare recipients and, if passed, may negatively affect enrollment of older female students and those with dependents receiving assistance.

Financial Aid staff is concerned that the rapidly increasing demand for student loans will increase the default rate and endanger future federal awards.

The turnover of students each semester makes maintaining a stable enrollment a daunting task. During 1997-98, 5339 new students were enrolled, but head count remained nearly even.

Recommendations

Continue to use advances in technology to improve student services, particularly for the increasing numbers of distance learning students and for students at the branch campuses. Install adequate hardware and software to meet burgeoning computer needs.

Focus on customer service improvements, using ‘easy to do business with’(ETDBW) or some similar slogan as a constant reminder that students are Mott’s only business and must be treated courteously and professionally even during periods of heaviest demand.

Improve retention rates. Far too many turnovers occur each year as students come for a semester or two, stop out, resurface one or two years later, and then drop out. As each student enters the institution, determine whether the intention of the student is to seek a degree or certificate, acquire specific skills to get a job, take some courses and then transfer to another institution, or simply take a course. Provide student services, such as advising or counseling for those students who need it, and provide instructional support for struggling students. Follow-up with telephone calls and surveys and collection of course and program completion data to find out whether students are successfully completing courses and programs and whether they are meeting educational goals.

Continue to provide a variety of student life opportunities and activities. Improve advertising of upcoming events with posters, flyers, newspaper articles and InfoChannel announcements. Suggest that faculty consider sponsoring clubs in their own subject areas, such as the highly successful biology and nursing clubs. Encourage interaction with other community colleges and attendance at national and regional conferences. Let students know that funds are available for travel, speakers, and new equipment.

Use the business plan currently under development in the food services area to provide adequate, cost effective food services for day and evening students on at least a break-even basis so that the general fund does not have to continue to subsidize these services.

Continue the use of the advisory committee to address bookstore concerns.