AMBASSADORS
This prestigious student organization was established to serve the SCC Foundation, President’s Office and the college in an exciting way as student hosts and representatives of SCC at social, alumni and recruitment events. Members help in student recruitment through activities on and off campus; meet and greet campus and community leaders at college events; make contact with alumni leaders; and hone leadership skills. Members go through an application and interview process. Membership drive begins early in spring semester.

BOOKSTORE
New and used textbooks and school supplies are available in the college bookstore located on the third floor of the Balsam Center.

Southwestern maintains a contract with College Bookstores of America to operate the bookstore. Hours of operation typically are 9 a.m. until 2 p.m., Monday through Friday.

» Bookstore home

CAREER CENTER
Your Key to the Real World…
The mission of the Career Center is to educate students and alumni to prepare them for successful job searches and to develop and maintain rewarding relationships with a diversity of employers and SCC faculty and staff.

Career Services provides a broad range of resources. With so many career possibilities available and a lifetime of work ahead, the Career Center encourages students to invest time in planning to achieve academic and career success. We encourage students to take advantage of the Career Center early in their college careers so they are prepared for job search or transferring to another college.

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Students are encouraged to form clubs and organizations focusing on special interests or curriculum programs. Although clubs have membership requirements, no organization at SCC discriminates on the basis of race, color, sex, age, disability, religion, nationality or political preference.

The Club Council, under the direction of the Student Life Committee and the Dean of Student Services, has established requirements for forming and operating student clubs and organizations. These regulations are outlined in the Student Handbook. Student organizations must have official college recognition to use SCC’s facilities or to conduct activities on campus.

Active clubs at the time of this catalog’s printing include:
• Car Club
• Choral Club
• Criminal Justice/Cybercrime Technology Student Association
• Culinary Arts Club
• Electronics Club
• Epsilon Sigma Pi EMS Professional Society
• Health Information Technology (HIT) Club
• Latent Image Club
• National Technical Honor Society (NTHS)
• Native American Society
• Nursing Club
• Outdoor Leadership Club
• Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
• PTA Club
• Recycling Club
• Respiratory Therapy Club
• Surveying Club


» More about Clubs

CONDUCT STANDARDS
Southwestern Community College is committed to maintaining a safe and orderly educational environment for students and staff. Therefore, when in the judgment of college officials, a student’s conduct disrupts or threatens to disrupt the College community, appropriate disciplinary action will be taken to restore and protect the sanctity of the community.

Students are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with generally accepted standards of behavior, scholarship and morality. The purpose of these standards is not to restrict student rights, but to protect the rights of individuals in their academic pursuits.

Students are responsible for knowledge of college rules and regulations. The Standards of Student Conduct are published in the Southwestern Community College Student Handbook and are available in Student Services.

INTERNET ACCESS
Cyber-LINK
Southwestern Community College is among the first colleges in the nation to offer free Internet access from home for its students. Cyber-LINK is available to all full-time students, students enrolled in Distance Learning courses, staff and faculty.

Every enrolled student (no credit hour requirement) is given an e-mail account through our college web-mail access which allows 24-hour access to instructors and advisors. Students need to check this account regularly as they will be receiving important information from the administration and their instructors at this address.

Additionally, users have access to NCLive, an online catalog service sponsored by the State of North Carolina. NCLive provides electronic access to a core group of reference and research materials in addition to access to full-text indexes and digital documents and state government information.

The student must provide a working home computer. However, the college will provide the Internet browser software and the necessary technical support to assist the student with the dial-up connection to the College’s data network. Additionally, an online support site is available to assist the student with any issues related to Cyber-LINK. Technical support is available on the web at www.southwesterncc.edu/support, via email at workorder@southwesterncc.edu, or phone support is available at 828.586.4091, ext. 424.

Southwestern Community College is proud to offer Cyber-LINK as a key support tool for enhancing the teaching and learning process.

For more information about the free Internet access at Southwestern, contact the Network Services Specialist at 586.4091 or 800.447.4091, ext. 409.

LEARNING ASSISTANCE CENTER
The Learning Assistance Center (LAC) is a professionally staffed facility offering tutoring, exam proctoring, and workshops on effective learning strategies and other topics. Students are encouraged to take advantage of over 50 hours per week of individualized instruction from professional learning consultants and specialized instructors. The LAC also provides a modern facility for the nationally certified peer tutoring program provided by Student Support Services.

The LAC area features a 16-station computer lab, six enclosed study carrels (four with computers) for individual study and tutoring, a group-tutoring area, two 24 computer-station classrooms, a lounge, and a resource library. The library includes text and video resources, available for checkout, in the areas of reading, writing, literature, business and law, history, math, sciences, and “life skills,” focusing on vocabulary and spelling, study skills, test preparation, and career choices. Novels also are available for checkout. Instructors are invited to use resources as well and to recommend resources. They are also welcome to use the LAC’s exam proctoring service for the occasional makeup exam. Our proctoring service fully supports online classes.

LAC services and workshops are available to all SCC students and instructors free of charge. Most services are provided on a walk-in basis to ensure that students are able to obtain the help they need at the times that are most convenient for them. However, appointments may be made by calling the LAC coordinator at ext. 325. Schedules are posted on campus and provided online each semester for specialized services, such as advanced math, advanced computer and sciences assistance. Tours of the LAC are available on a drop-in basis for individuals as well as by appointment for classes.

The LAC is open from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Friday during fall and spring semesters. It is closed during fall and spring breaks, as well as for holidays. These and any unusual closings—due to illness, for example—known beforehand are posted to the LAC web page. Summer hours vary according to staffing. For additional information, contact the LAC Coordinator at ext. 325, stop by Oaks Hall 101, or see the LAC website.

» Learning Assistance Center Home

LIBRARY The Holt Library in the Pines building is an 11,000-square foot facility that includes capacity shelving for 40,000 volumes and seating space for 120 people. The building houses not only the book collection, periodicals, audiovisuals and 24 computer workstations, but also a conference room and other College offices. The Library’s home page at www.southwesterncc.edu/library is an excellent starting point for learning about services and resources available at the Library.

The Holt Library provides various types of print and non-print media for students, faculty and staff, and currently has a collection of approximately 30,000 volumes that relates directly to academic offerings. The reference collection contains a variety of specialized resources including many legal references. A varied collection of fiction and books of general interest is also provided. Easy access to materials is provided with an open-shelf concept and through the use of an online catalog and circulation system. The online catalog can be accessed from the Library’s home page. The Library participates in an on-line system with other community college libraries across North Carolina. Faculty, staff and students may borrow materials from those libraries and receive them in approximately one week. Nationwide interlibrary loan services are also available.

The Library subscribes to more than 200 magazines and newspapers. Internet access as well as access to Microsoft Office are available on the computers in the Library. NC LIVE, a collection of online electronic information resources including magazine articles, national and local newspapers, professional and business journals, research articles, publications and reference sources, is accessible through the Library’s website. NC LIVE offers indexing for more than 25,000 journals and reference materials and full-text journal articles for approximately 16,000 periodical titles.

Included in the collection are bound volumes of magazines and microfilm of approximately 170 periodical titles.

Many types of audiovisual materials are available through the Library. The audiovisual media includes audio tapes, slides, video tapes, CD-ROMS and DVDs. These materials may be used in the Library conference room or in a classroom.

Staff members participate in teaching and working closely with faculty in planning student orientation to the Library. Research assistance for the individual student or faculty member is always available.

All library materials must be returned by the end of each semester and accounts cleared before students will be allowed to register, graduate or receive a transcript.

The Library is open from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday, and from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday. The facility provides services to community residents as well as the staff, faculty and students at SCC.

» Library Home

ORIENTATION
All students enrolling for the first time at Southwestern Community College are required to participate in an Orientation Program. The program is designed to acquaint new students with the important polices, resources and services available at Southwestern and provide valuable information needed to facilitate academic success.

Prior to the start of fall and spring semesters, a live orientation session is conducted at the Jackson Campus. It is strongly recommended that students attend this campus orientation. An online version of the program is also offered for new students who enter during fall, spring and summer terms. Students are not permitted to register for the next semester of study until they have completed the Orientation Program.

» See Online Orientation

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION / LIBRARY CARDS
ID/library cards are required for all students and cost $1 per year. These cards are the property of the College and must be shown on request of a representative of the College. Students are required to be in possession of their ID cards at all times and are prohibited from loaning their ID cards to any other person for any reason. It is prohibited to use any other card except College-issued cards. ID Cards are issued in the Business Office, located on the first floor of the Balsam Center. Replacement cards may be obtained for a $5 charge.

STUDENT LIFE
Student Life is coordinated by the college’s Student Life Committee. The committee, whose members include students, faculty, and staff, is responsible for 1) planning, coordinating and sponsoring campus-wide student activities, educational and cultural events; 2) assisting student clubs and organizations with resources and training; 3) coordinating events and programs of student clubs through the Clubs Council; and 4) allocating the student activity fee funds for programs and services that benefit students and student club activities.

Student Life events include Welcome Back, Constitution Day, Veteran’s Day, special events, throughout the year and Spring Fling.

Student Life sponsored programs and services include 1) support for the campus literary magazine – Milestone, 2) diploma covers for graduates, 3) refreshments for student orientation events and career fairs and 4) student club events and travel.

The student Clubs and Organization Council coordinates club activities and events and sponsors educational and leadership development workshops for club and organizational leaders. Contact Student Services for more information.

» See Student Activities & Event Calendar, Clubs & Organizations

STUDENT POLICIES
The following policies affect all students and are published in the SCC Student Handbook and Planner. Students are responsible for obtaining a copy of the Handbook and becoming familiar with these policies.

STUDENT INFORMATION
Southwestern Community College respects the privacy and confidentiality of student information consistent with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which regulates the release of student information. Therefore, the primary communication regarding student information occurs with students. However, the college recognizes and appreciates that family and others have a role in supporting students and may have an interest in a student issue. With the student’s permission, academic information may be released to a third party, or a support advocate may be present with the student and participate in a productive conversation related to an issue in question.

STUDENT RIGHT-TO-KNOW INFORMATION
Southwestern Community College is committed to informing enrolled and prospective students about the probabilities of success in each program as well as current job market information. The United States Department of Education requires that each institution of higher education publish completion rates for individuals who entered as full-time students and who completed their curriculum programs within one-and-one-half times the time allowed for the program in the academic catalog. The average rate of persistence toward degree completion of students in each curriculum at Southwestern is available from the Registrar. The Career Assessment and Testing Services can provide current job market information and job-placement data for each academic program. Campus security can provide campus crime statistics. All information is available at www.southwesterncc.edu.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
The College is funded for a Title IV educational grant for students in need of academic and personal support services. The Student Support Services (SSS) Program assists first-generation, income eligible students or students with documented ADA disabilities to meet their educational and personal goals through academic co-advising, career advising, scholarship exploration, supplemental grant aid, workshops, tutoring, personal counseling, motheread/fatheread, civic and community enrichment, laptop loan program, educational support plans, referral to community services and cultural enrichment programs. The program also includes an initiative to assist students who want to transfer to a four-year institution.

A variety of assistive devices for individuals with documented disabilities are available through Student Support Services, including screen enlargers, zoom text, dragon naturally speaking, JAWS, wrist supports, ergonomically designed chairs, the Kurzweil personal reader, tape recorders, electronic spell checkers and dictionaries. The level two nationally CRLA certified tutoring program has a wide variety of software to supplement the one-on-one and group tutoring sessions, including anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, chemistry, biology, spanish, accounting, algebra and geometry. Also available to students is a large resource area equipped with two open, Internet-connected computers and a wide variety of course ready, job ready and resource ready materials in video, text and software mediums.

Students wishing to participate in the Student Support Services program must complete an SSS application and participate in an intake interview.

SUPPORT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Southwestern Community College provides equal access to education for persons with disabilities. However, it is the responsibility of the student to make his or her disability known and to request academic adjustments. Requests should be made in a timely manner and submitted to the Director of Student Support Services. Every reasonable effort will be made to provide services.

In order to establish the student's eligibility for services, documentation of disability is required of all students who request academic accommodations or modifications. Documentation should be submitted to the Director of Student Support Services and may include results of medical or psychological tests or other professional evaluations that verify the existence of an ADA-recognized disability. Students with learning disabilities should provide a current psycho-educational evaluation that states the specific learning disability and the functional limitation within the learning environment. All documentation and records provided will be maintained in a confidential manner as outlined in the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974.

On-campus facility modifications designed to accommodate individuals with disabilities include a sound enhancement system for the hearing impaired and a designated seating section for wheelchair-users in Myers Auditorium.

Facility modifications, when deemed reasonable and necessary, will be made to a structure or ingress/regress route in order to accommodate the needs of a person(s) with disabilities. Requests for facility modifications or other accommodations involving ingress/egress to a building should be directed to the director of Human Resources and Facility Development.

TOBACCO USE
Southwestern Community College prohibits the use of tobacco products in any college building. Tobacco use is allowed on College grounds in designated locations (gazebos) with proper receptacles.

TUTORING
Nationally certified through the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) at Level I and Level II, the tutoring program is available to students who would like additional help with their academic subjects. Advanced students who have excelled in a subject area are assigned to students desiring assistance. Applications to obtain a tutor or to serve as a tutor are available in the Student Support Services Office on the first floor of the Oaks Hall. Tutoring assistance is available at no cost to all SCC students. Students requesting free tutoring at Southwestern Community College will be allotted a maximum of five tutoring contact hours per week. Students may request tutors for more than one course; however, the total hours per week for each student will not exceed five hours. Online tutoring is available through Smarthinking.com. Interested students should contact the Tutor Coordinator at 828.586.4091, ext. 420.

» Back to Student Services Home