Student Services

Faculty Handbook

STUDENT SERVICES

700 OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE PROVOST

700.1 ADMISSIONS OFFICE

700.2 FINANCIAL AID

700.2 (A) WORK-AID AND WORK-STUDY PROGRAMS

700.3 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

700.4 RECORDS OFFICE

700.5 VETERANS' SERVICES

710 DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE

710.1 ACADEMIC ADVISING AND STUDENT REFERRAL

710.2 CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT OFFICE

710.25 INTERNSHIPS

FACULTY/ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORS TO STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS'

1 COUNCIL

710.4 SPECIAL NEEDS

715 STUDENT ASSISTANCE CENTERS

715.1 DEPARTMENTAL TUTORING

715.2 OPEN COMPUTER LAB

715.3 SCIENCE/MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT LEARNING CENTER

715.4 WRITING CENTER

715.5 READING CENTER

720 STUDENT RESIDENCE CENTER

700 OFFICE OF THE ASSOCIATE PROVOST

The Associate Provost's Office has responsibility for overseeing the function of the Admissions, Records, Financial Aid, and International Student Offices. In addition, this office administers specific Columbia College scholarship programs, such as the Academic Excellence Award, the Presidential and Transfer Student Scholarship programs, and the Residence Center Scholarship program. The Associate Provost's Office is located in room 601 of the 600 S. Michigan building.

700.1 ADMISSIONS OFFICE

Columbia's admissions policy reflects a fundamental cornerstone of its educational philosophy and mission. It provides access and opportunity to high school graduates or those who have earned a GED (General Equivalent Diploma), who have the potential to do college level work in an arts and communications curriculum.

The activities of the Admissions Office include:

1. Establishing strong contacts with high school and community college counselors form metropolitan Chicago, the suburbs, and nearby states;

2. Providing information about the College and its educational programs to all interested candidates;

3. Representing Columbia College in various college fairs set up for prospective students;

4. Coordination individual and group tours with the departments.

The Admissions Office also promotes on-campus events in which faculty are expected to participate. Some of these events are the College-wide open houses (in fall, spring and summer) for potential students. Prospective students and their parents have an opportunity to meet with the faculty and discuss courses, programs, and the overall academic environment. Faculty participation is therefore essential in this important recruiting activity. Other events include transfer-student days and open houses for high school counselors. Faculty are encouraged to refer interested students to the Admissions Office.

700.2 FINANCIAL AID

The financial aid program administered by the College includes a broad range of federal, state, private and institutional grant, loan, and scholarship programs. Eligibility requirements for these programs and for other forms of financial aid vary. Faculty are advised to direct students with questions regarding financial assistance to the Financial Aid Office, Room 303 in the 600 S. Michigan building.

The mission of the Columbia College Office of Financial Aid is to eliminate financial barriers so students can attend Columbia College and fully participate in the educational experience.

Columbia College participates in federal aid programs such as: Pell Grant, Educational Opportunity Grant, Work-study, and the Family Educational Loan Program. There are financial aid programs offered to residents of Illinois, chief among these is the Monetary Award Program (MAP). The College also participates in private scholarship, grant, and stipend programs.

In the Financial Aid Office students will find a brochure entitled Financing Your Education at Columbia. Included in the text is a detailed description of federal aid programs and other awards available at Columbia. Loan programs and eligibility are also discussed with an in-depth definition of need-based and non- need-based awards. This publication is updated yearly.

700.2 (A) WORK-AID AND WORK-STUDY PROGRAMS

Work-Aid

The Columbia College Work-Aid Program is designed to provide temporary part-time College job opportunities to Columbia College students so that they may apply their earnings towards the cost of their education. The participating academic and administrative departments of the College, Career Planning and Placement, and Payroll Departments administer the program. The program is designed for continuing students to help them meet their college expenses and to provide the opportunity for the students to enrich their educational experience by working with and for Columbia College.

To be eligible for participation in the Columbia College Work- Aid Program, a person must be enrolled as a full-time student and maintain a minimum 12 credit hours during the Fall and Spring (summer six credit hours) terms at Columbia College; and must have a GPA of at least 2.0. Students with a Bachelor's Degree are not eligible. For detailed information on the Work- Aid Program, contact the Career Planning and Placement Office.

Work-Study

The Columbia College Work-Study Program is a need-based form of financial aid designed to provide part-time job opportunities to Columbia College students. It is funded by the federal government and awarded to students by the Financial Aid Office. The program is designed primarily for continuing students to help them meet their college expenses and to provide the opportunity for the students to enrich their educational experience by working with and for Columbia College. The Financial Aid Office, the employing department, the Payroll Office, and the Career Planning and Placement Office administer the program.

To be eligible for participation in the Columbia College Work- Study Program, a person must be enrolled for at least six credit hours during each term at Columbia College; must have a current and complete financial aid record on file with the Financial Aid Office; must have a GPA of at least 2.0; and must be certified as making satisfactory academic progress. For detailed information on the Work-Aid Program, contact the Career Planning and Placement Office.

700.3 INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

The Assistant Dean of International Student Services Office provides assistance to international students on issues regarding housing, health insurance, and immigration matters. The office also is responsible for coordinating campus and community services available to foreign students, providing a liaison with sponsoring agencies and foreign governments, and promoting interaction between foreign students and the College and local community.

700.4 RECORDS OFFICE

The Records Office is located in Room 611 in the 600 S. Michigan building. It is the office responsible for registration, grade changes, attendance verification, drop/withdrawal procedures, photo ID's transfer evaluations, and student permanent record maintenance.

A variety of necessary services are rendered for students and faculty alike.

Faculty Services

1. Grade change processing

2. Origination of grade rosters

3. I-F conversion and P/F processing

4. Academic information on students (ID required)

5. Faculty ID processing

6. Policy Information

Student Services

1. Provides official and unofficial transcripts

2. Graduation applications

3. Transcript Request Forms (from Columbia College)

4. Grade Reports

5. Processes requests for verification of attendance or loan deferments.

6. Processes requests for change of name/address

7. Provides Independent Project, Credit Equivalency, and Pass/Fail forms.

Refer students to the Records Office when they are in need of any of the above-mentioned services.

Faculty only: For policy clarification or other information relating to faculty services, please contact Raymond McMillan, ext. 7227.

700.5 VETERANS' SERVICES

The College maintains a service office for veterans and dependents of veterans, in which a staff member is available to help those students receive the educational benefits to which they are entitled. Columbia College awards credit for military service and for certain areas of training. For additional information, see the Veterans Coordinator in the Admissions Office.

710 DEAN OF STUDENTS OFFICE

The Dean of Students Office is responsible for a variety of services and programs designed to assist our students. They include: the Academic Advising Office; the Career Planning and Placement Office; the Hokin Student Center; Orientation; the Student Life and Development Office, and Fresh Start and year One Discovery Programs. The Dean of Students acts as an advocate for students and is responsible for enforcement of the Student Code of Conduct.

710.1 ACADEMIC ADVISING AND STUDENT REFERRAL

The Academic Advising Office provides information, guidance, and referral assistance to students on both academic and personal matters related to their college career. Because the goal of Academic Advising is to give academic direction to Columbia's students, active faculty involvement in the advising process is encouraged. It is important for faculty to get to know both the Advising Office and the Advisor assigned to his/her department for both referral and consultation purposes. However, faculty members are reminded of their advising responsibilities (as described in 330 FACULTY RESPONSIBILITIES).

Academic Advising is located on the 3rd floor of the 623 S. Wabash building, and is open from 9am - 7pm, Monday through Thursday, and 9am - 5pm on Friday.

Advisors, assigned by major, have current information on course content, academic requirements, and trends and developments in the fields represented by Columbia's professional programs. Advisors pay particularly close attention to students who are experiencing academic difficulties, as well as those on probation.

The Office of Academic Advising offers the following services:

1. A walk-in system that allows students to see an Advisor immediately to deal with any questions or concerns they may have, whether academic or personal. The range of those concerns may include: selecting a major, planning a curriculum, relating academic decisions to career information, addressing and remedying academic difficulties, discussing personal concerns, and handling stress. In the event of sensitive problems of a personal or academic nature, Advisors are available to make referrals where appropriate wither within or outside the institutions;

2. The availability of Advisors to consult with faculty on student development issues. They are also available for brief classroom presentations on issues of academic and personal development;

3. A Resource and Referral center that provides information on a variety of subjects of interest to students: trends and development in the art and communication fields, graduate school, study abroad, scholarship opportunities, day-care, medical, legal, and psychological services.

The office conducts the official graduation audit for every student who applies for graduation.

710.2 CAREER PLANNING AND PLACEMENT OFFICE

The Career Planning and Placement Office helps make real the promise that vital career exploration and vigorous career preparation will be part of a Columbia education. Using the standards and expectations of the workplace as a guide, the advisors help students and alumni to assemble essential resources, materials, and strategies. The office conducts workshops throughout the year on such topics as interviewing, resume writing, and portfolio development. The office also serves as a liaison with industry professionals to create information channels and develop job opportunities in the arts and communication fields to which Columbia students aspire.

A comprehensive Career Resource Center includes computers with Internet access and a group printer, trade journals, magazines, directories, and up-to-date information on pertinent professional associations. Also, several thousand job leads are posted annually on the job boards in the Career Resource Center.

Company representatives frequently come to the campus to interview students and alumni for full-time and part-time jobs. Notices of all career activities are posted throughout the College, and are published in the College newspaper and on the office's web page. Faculty are often requested to inform their students about the services of this office.

The Career Planning and Placement Office also coordinates the College's Work-Aid/Work-Study Program to help students finance their educations through on-campus employment.

710.25 INTERNSHIPS

The Internship Program offers students an opportunity to gain practical work experience in the area of their academic concentration. Students receive academic credit from the College.

Applicants to the program must be currently enrolled students in good standing with a minimum 3.0 GPA, and must have successfully completed two semesters at Columbia. Internship coordinators have the option to grant an internship to a student having less than a 3.0 GPA if, in the opinion of the coordinator, extenuating circumstances exist, e.g., if the evidence of performance in the concentration involving the planned internship is present. Moreover, the two semester attendance requirement may be waived if a transfer student applying has specific skills or experience. Most department s at the College have specific requirements relating to internship projects. Students accepted in the program enroll for credit and pay tuition as they would for any other course. To apply, students must contact departmental internship coordinators or the chairperson of the selected department. In the absence of such authorized person, students may contact the Career Planning and Placement Office to be steered to the appropriate internship coordinator or department representative. (Most departments have a designated faculty member responsible for internships. In some cases the chairperson has assumed that responsibility.) In any case, final approval of all placements must be secured from the department chairperson prior to registration.

FACULTY/ADMINISTRATIVE ADVISORS TO STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS'

2 COUNCIL

All recognized student organizations are required to have a faculty and/or staff advisor. Advisors must be members of the faculty, administration, of full-time professional staff of Columbia College (part-time staff or faculty may be considered as advisors). Any individual enrolled as a full or part-time student who is also a member of the faculty and/or staff cannot be an advisor.

Student organizations should seek advisors who will, by virtue of interest, expertise, or experience, be both acceptable and beneficial to the group's mission. No advisor may advise more than two groups. A student organization and/or the Student Organizations Council may initiate a change of advisors for reasons such as incompatibility or failure to fulfill responsibilities. An advisor's decision to decline or withdraw their voluntary services must be submitted in writing to the Student Life Office and to the student organization.

Advisors serve in a voluntary capacity; they will be the College official that the Student Life Office will call upon regarding any major issues pertaining to the group. They are expected to advise their student organization regarding programming, usage of facilities, budget preparation, fiscal responsibilities, and other policies and procedures. And advisor is to be aware of, and involved in the organization's activities, and available for questions and consultation with the organization and the Assistant Dean of Student Life.

Advisors must sign all proposals before they are presented at the allocations meeting. Logistics of major events such as conferences, fundraising, or travel are handled by the advisor. They must attend major events sponsored by their organization at the request of the Student Life Office. If they are unable to attend, they must identify a representative who is a Columbia College staff or faculty.

710.4 SPECIAL NEEDS

An Academic Advisor, assisted by the Library's Special Needs coordinator, has responsibility for providing special services for disabled students. The College library is equipped with a Visual-tech machine, special microfiche equipment, a text reader, magnifying lenses, tape players/recorders, magnifying lamps, and a voice dictionary for the purpose of assisting disabled students. Upon request the College will provide note takers, readers, and interpreters. Services to disabled students are provided without charge. If you have a student with a disability which requires a special facility or service, please notify the Special Needs Coordinator at ext. 7762. Columbia complies with federal regulations regarding access and reasonable accommodation for those with disabilities and/or special needs.

In addition to specialized in-house equipment and facilities, Columbia College has access to the Chicago Hearing Society, the Department of Rehabilitation Services, Recordings for the Blind, Blind Services, and the CTA Special Services Department for assistance when needed.

Individual academic departments are notified during the second week of each semester as to special needs population registered for any of their specific courses. The Academic Advisor who coordinates special needs services keeps supporting documentation (i.e., medical records, LD testing results, etc.) regarding a student's disability.

It is each student's responsibility to let the College and/or the Advisor for Special Needs Services know about special needs.

715 STUDENT ASSISTANCE CENTERS

715.1 DEPARTMENTAL TUTORING

Several academic departments offer course-specific tutoring for enrolled students. The Journalism Department Tutoring Center provides assistance to students having difficulties in their writing and reporting classes. The Fiction Writing Department has an extensive tutoring program addressing basic Fiction writing skills. Academic Computing offers tutorial assistance for the foundations of Computer applications courses and Introduction to Computer Graphics courses. The Television Department offers tutoring in the following areas: switches, camera, audio, lighting, graphics, and editing. There is specialized assistance available to music students studying basic theory. The management Department provides learning assistance for students enrolled in Accounting I and II. In addition to these services, several departments offer assistance on an as-needed basis.

715.2 OPEN COMPUTER LAB

Room 203 in the 600 S. Michigan building is an open lab. Any Columbia student, faculty, or staff member with a valid ID can use this lab. The lab contains advanced Macintosh and Windows computers, laser printers, scanners, and zip drives. A variety of productivity software is available including: Microsoft Office, FileMaker Pro, Photoshop, PageMaker, and Netscape. This lab is connected to the Internet.

Lab 410 in the 623 S. Wabash building is an open advanced imaging lab. Any Columbia student, faculty, or staff member with a valid ID can use this lab. The lab contains advanced Macintosh and Windows computers, laser printers, scanners, and zip drives. Software for this lab includes: Photoshop, Director, Premire, Fractal Painter, Illustrator, Freehand, and Authorware.

There is a charge for laser and color printing. Students may purchase a print card at the cashier's office. Print cars cost $5.00 (100 laser prints, 5 color prints) and $10.00 (200 laser prints, 10 color prints).

The labs are open when classes are in session. Generally, the hours are: Monday - Thursday 9am - 9:30pm, Friday 9am - 7pm, and Saturday 9am - 5pm. Other computers can be reserved for use by your classes and students on a one-by-one basis. Call Rebecca Courington, ext. 7334, or Bill McMahon, ext. 7944 in advance to arrange times.

715.3 SCIENCE/MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT LEARNING CENTER

The Center offers assistance in the areas of science and mathematics, course related and otherwise. The service is available free of charge to all students both on a drop-in basis and by appointment. The tutorial staff is composed of faculty (both full and part-time) and professional tutors who specialized in working with non-science majors, and in some cases, peer tutors. It is equipped with TV/VCR and a computer lab with connections to the Internet and various interactive software programs in support of science and mathematics course offerings. The Center is located at 623 S. Wabash, room 511 and is open Monday - Thursday 9am - 7pm, and Friday 9am - 5pm. Appointments outside of the regular open hours may be arranged with the Center Director, ext. 7548.

715.4 WRITING CENTER

MISSION: It is the mission of the Columbia College Writing Center to provide a supportive, student-centered, and instructional environment where students work closely with qualified writing consultants to strengthen writing and reading skills. The center is a place of learning, and the collaborative component inherent in the session serves to empower students and writing consultants alike. Our peer, graduate, and specialist writing consultants can offer the kind of support and guidance to students that makes their exploration of the college experience more accessible and rewarding. The center is open to all students -- the only requirement is a desire to enrich language skills and become more confident writers.

SERVICES: Students can receive assistance for writing and reading assigned in all courses offered at Columbia, as well as for related non-academic writing such as resumes, business letters, and creative projects. The center provides guidance in every stage and element of the writing process: finding ideas, focus, development, organization, logic, paragraphing, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation, revising proofreading, etc. Special assistance is offered for learning disabled students (LD), non-native speakers of English (ELS) and students with reading difficulties. The center has a library of writing and grammar books, reference materials, and computers for tutorial use.

HOW TO USE THE CENTER: Students can utilize the center in three ways:

Weekly, for credit: Students may sign up for TUTORING IN LANGUAGE SKILLS 52-1152-01 for 1 hour of credit, 52-1153-01 for 2 hours of credit. This method guarantees a weekly writing consultant and a session plan tailored to individual writing needs. To receive credit, students must sign up during Registration or during Add/Drop. Students attending sessions for credit receive a grade based on effort, improvement, and attendance.

Weekly, non-credit, (52-1152-01): Students who want assistance on a regular weekly basis may, for 1 hour of credit, sign up at any time during the semester to see a writing consultant at an appointed time each week.

Drop-In: Drop-in hours will be posted, and students may come into the center at any time during business hours. Availability of consultants is not guaranteed on a Drop-in basis, so students should come in at least three days before assignments are due.

SERVICE: Writing consultants include students from all majors at the college, as well as specialists with advanced degrees and/or experience in ESL, LD, and Reading. Undergraduate writing consultants have received excellent grades in Composition I and II and complete a semester-long Writing and Consultant Training course.

715.5 READING CENTER

The Reading Center is administered and supervised by the English Department and provides reading-related tutorial services for Columbia College students. The Reading Center is located on the 1st floor of the Congress building, in the back of the Writing Center. Tutorial services are primarily dedicated to students taking Introduction to College Reading and College Reading courses. Services are available to students throughout the College, though this is contingent upon the number of tutors available.

The Reading Center complements the Introduction to College Reading and College Reading courses through one-on-one tutorials. Tutorials focus on the application of those reading and note-taking strategies presented in reading courses for the reading requirements of concurrent reading in the Columbia disciplines. Tutorials also focus on individual student's diagnosed needs in reading skills areas. Services to non- College reading students focus on the immediate reading concerns presented by students, but also promote student's adoption of positive reading an study strategies.

Students taking Introduction to College Reading are required to register for 1 credit hour of Tutoring in College Reading. College Reading students are encouraged to sign up for weekly tutoring services, with or without the credit that accompanies Tutoring in College Reading. Minimum attendance standards are factors of a pass/fail grade. As of this writing there are no single-session drop-in services available. Students must agree to minimum attendance standards.

The Writing Center and Reading Center are located on the 1st floor of the 33 E. Congress building (entrance at 506 S. Wabash). Hours are: Monday - Thursday 9am - 8pm, Friday 9am - 4pm.

720 STUDENT RESIDENCE CENTER

The Student Residence Center is located in the culturally and historically recognized 'Printer's Row" of Chicago's south loop, at 731 S. Plymouth Court. Built at the turn of the century by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw, the building has emerges as one of the most dazzling restoration pieces in the city.

It blends the best of the part with technologies of the present to include fully-furnished loft apartments featuring numerous special amenities such as air-conditioning and kitchens replete with major appliances.

Residents have access to computer and study rooms, music practice rooms, drawing and painting studio space, a fitness room, as well as recreational and party spaces, plus a complete laundry area.

The residence hall extends the supportive philosophy of the College. This well-secured facility is staffed by a live-in director and Assistant Director of Residence life and seven (7) highly-qualified resident advisors, who generate a variety of living and learning opportunities to support and enhance students' academic prowess.