Student Services Program Review-Spring 2010 - Shasta College

enrollment at Shasta College. Early identification and provision of services toundeclared students, basic skills students and students with barriers is importantand requires a proactive approach to providing services. This approach, however,can also increase the demands on certain counselors. Meanwhile, someprocedures have been altered to reach these students early and to develop a moreeffective counseling relationship with the student.The recent state budget cuts have forced the discontinuance of outreach bycounselors at each of the college‘s feeder high schools. Typically, these visits haverequired more than 150 hours of counselor time. Instead, four on-campusInformational Nights have been developed to communicate the matriculationprocess to incoming high school seniors. Career Technical Education (CTE)departments will be asked to participate by showcasing their programs at thevenue. Aware that transportation to the college campus can create a barrier forsome students, similar Informational Nights at each of the Extended Educationcampuses are also being developed. Results of the Informational Nights will beevaluated and improvements will be made where warranted.Through Spring 2009, counselors have continued to provide outreach,assessment, orientation and counseling to the Freshman Fast Track (F.F.T.) andUTRAC (formerly ―University Express‖) population during the spring prior toenrollment. A portion of this population has demonstrated college success skills bymeeting program deadlines and exploring career and educational options prior toenrolling in college. These students self-identify and meet the matriculation stepsduring the spring semester of their senior year in high school and are thus eligibleto register earlier than other new students. Those FFT and UTRAC students whohave established clear goals will meet with a counselor to develop an educationalplan sooner than their counterparts. Those students who are uncertain of theireducational goals will receive information about the career decision process, a listof possible classes to take their first semester and instructions to make a follow upappointment in the fall in order to continue with the career counseling process.Regardless, each student places additional demands on the services of theCounseling Center.A significant number of FFT students wait until the last make-up orientation whichcreates problems in terms of seating availability and in scheduling counselingappointments. In an effort to mediate these problems, priority registration timeshave been assigned based on which orientation FFT students attended. This washelpful in promoting early orientation attendance. In 2010 we will also require FFTstudents to make an appointment for orientation if they choose to attend a make-upsession. This is similar to orientations conducted at each of the ExtendedEducation campuses.Because of the drastic cuts in funding, revisions will be made to the way we offermatriculation services to incoming high school students during the Spring 2010semester. Individual half hour appointments will no longer be offered. If fundingfor part-time counselors can be acquired, we will use the summer orientation modeldescribed below except that students will not be able to register for classes sincethe schedule will not be available in March when these orientations take place.- 8 -