Student Development

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Gainesville State College believes that a college education takes place both inside and outside the classroom. The Division of Student Development and Enrollment Management provides opportunities and challenges for students to develop skills and knowledge needed for success in college and beyond. The Student Development and Enrollment Management Office coordinates programs and services of an educational, social, and recreational nature which occur outside the classroom. It also supports classroom activities by providing various services to both students and faculty members. The Student Development and Enrollment Management Office provides coordination for the units under its supervision. The office is located in the Student Center at the Gainesville Campus and the Administration Building at the Oconee Campus.

The Gainesville State College Admissions Office processes applications and supporting documentation based upon policies established by the faculty and administration of the College. Application and document deadlines are always posted on the Gainesville State College website at www.gsc.edu. A full description of the Admissions Office can be found in Section II of this catalog.

The Student Development and Enrollment Management Office maintains a housing list for students that provides local rental information as well as a listing of students looking for roommates. This listing is provided as a service to students and all housing arrangements are handled individually between the student and the landlord. The College does not recommend students to prospective landlords, nor does the College officially approve housing for students. This listing is located on the Gainesville State College website under Prospective Students/Area Housing.

Counseling and Career Services offers students a variety of services including personal and career counseling, college survival workshops, transfer information, and job listings. Counseling and Career Services is located in the Student Center on the Gainesville Campus and in the Administration Building on the Oconee Campus.

PERSONAL COUNSELING

Short-term personal counseling is offered to students who are experiencing any of the following: testing anxiety, depression, grief, indecision about personal or academic matters, crises, self-exploration, interpersonal conflicts, sexuality issues, or addictive behaviors. Also, some students come for advice because they are worried about other students, friends, or family members. All personal counseling is provided in a supportive and confidential atmosphere and is free of charge to Gainesville State College students. If individuals prefer not to see a college counselor or need to see someone for medication or long-term counseling, referrals can be made to off-campus psychiatrists, therapists, and evaluation services.

CAREER SERVICES

Counselors are available on both campuses to assist students with their decisions regarding career choices and in the development of plans to meet their goals. A computerized career decision-making program, various personal/career assessment instruments, and one-on-one counseling are available to aid students in selecting their career paths.

Both campuses maintain up-to-date information on career trends, job outlook, salary projections, information on state and national colleges/universities, transfer information, and ways to improve job skills. In addition, workshops are held each semester to provide career information to students and assist them in building job-seeking skills. An annual transfer fair is held on both campuses to help students who wish to pursue a four-year degree to learn more about colleges and universities in the region. On the Oconee Campus, counselors assist students by locating non-credit internship programs. Students may avail themselves of career related services on either campus.

COLLEGE SURVIVAL COUNSELING AND WORKSHOPS

A list of scheduled workshops and other offerings sponsored by Counseling and Career Services is available at the beginning of each semester and throughout the year. Topics typically include study skills, time management, college transferring, communication skills, interview skills, and resume-writing skills. Students with test, math, and general anxiety related to academic or personal factors are assisted by individual counseling and workshops that take a holistic approach and may include nutrition, sleep-deprivation, thought-stopping and replacement techniques. In addition, the campuses use unique ways of increasing concentration and relaxation through various forms of biofeedback training. The Oconee Campus uses Heartmath to promote concentration and relaxation among other techniques. The Gainesville campus utilizes computer assisted biofeedback games, Donna Eden and David Feinstein’s Energy Medicine techniques, Gary Craig’s Emotional Freedom Technique and other energetic means of increasing concentration among students with dyslexia and attention deficit disorder, reducing obsessive thought patterns, and strengthening the body’s overall energies.

JOB LISTINGS (Electronic Job Board)

Counseling and Career Development maintain a web-based listing of off-campus area employment opportunities for students seeking seasonal, full-time, or part-time positions. The Job Board is located on the GSC website at http://www.gsc.edu/about/employment/sjb/Pages/default.aspx. The Job Board is updated daily.

WELLNESS AND PERSONAL EXPLORATION

The Gainesville Campus has a new Wellness Center with biofeedback games, DVDs and books on an assorted variety of wellness topics (depression, anxiety, addiction, alternative modes of healing, qi gong, tai chi, positive thinking, Energy Medicine, eating disorders, nutrition, and relationship issues) that can be used at the Center or loaned out. The Gainesville Campus also has a full spectrum light to help with seasonal affective disorder, a small trampoline for “jumping your anxieties out”, and other equipment to teach about the interaction between mind/body/and the energy field. For a free tour on how to best use the Wellness Center, call 678.717.3660 and then come on over.

OTHER SERVICES

Counseling and Career Services sponsors a Job/Recruiting Fair during Fall and Spring Semesters in the Student Center at the Gainesville Campus. Students seeking employment now or after graduation will have the opportunity to network and meet Human Resource Managers to discuss employment opportunities at the Job Fair. On the Oconee campus, individualized assistance is provided to students to help them locate and network with local employers.

Gainesville State College is committed to providing educational opportunities for all students and assisting them in making their college experience successful and positive. Disability Services at Gainesville State College provides program accessibility and reasonable accommodations for students defined as disabled under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Disability Services at Gainesville State College insures access to all aspects of the educational experience by creating an accessible academic, social, and physical environment for students with disabilities. Students requesting special academic accommodations need to submit their documentation to the Coordinator of Disability Services for the appropriate campus in a timely manner. The Coordinators will conduct the review process to determine eligibility for accommodations.

Gainesville State College offers a comprehensive program of grants, scholarships, loans and campus employment through its Financial Aid Office. The College uses federal, state, local, and Gainesville State College Foundation funded programs in an effort to best meet the educational needs and personal circumstances of each student. A full description of the Financial Aid program can be found in Section IV of this catalog.

The Office for Minority Affairs (OMA) and Multicultural Programs is located in the Student Activities Building at the Gainesville Campus. The office is staffed by the Director for Minority Affairs, the Coordinator of Hispanic Outreach, and the Coordinator for International Students.

The goal of the office is to serve the diverse student body through programs that focus on issues to meet the needs of our college students. OMA wants all students who utilize the office to be LEADERS in all of their endeavors.

The OMA is guided by a commitment to excellence! The OMA assumes a special responsibility for teaching students about the history and culture of diverse people worldwide. The OMA seeks to develop young men and women with disciplined minds, emphasizing the continuing search for truth as a liberating force.

The OMA prepares its students for leadership and service through instructional programs and extra-curricular activities that:

• develop skills in oral and written communications; 
• increase analytical and critical thinking; 
• enhance interpersonal relationships; 
• foster an understanding and appreciation of the elements and evolution of various cultures and the nature of the physical universe; 
• foster understanding and appreciation of the specific knowledge and skills needed for the pursuit of professional careers and / or graduate study; and, 
• cultivate the personal attributes of self-confidence, tolerance, morality, ethical behavior, humility, a global perspective, and a commitment to social justice.
   

The Registrar’s Office maintains official academic records for each student in accordance with federal and state regulations. The Registrar’s Office provides students’ enrollment verification letters for insurance or loan purposes and official copies of students’ academic transcripts. Additionally, the Registrar’s Office coordinates registration activities and the commencement exercises.

OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE AT THE GAINESVILLE CAMPUS

The Office of Student Life works to provide a variety of opportunities designed to help students “Make Connections” to GSC. The mission of the Office is to contribute to student success in college and beyond by providing student services, coordinating a variety of challenging programs (cultural, educational, recreational, and social), and promoting leadership.

The Office of Student Life also administers the Student Life Fee Budget once it is allocated by the Student Life Fee Budget Advisory Committee and approved by the Vice President for Student Development and the President. Examples of areas funded are: student clubs and organizations, dramatic productions, the intramural athletic program, entertainment events, speakers, cultural programs, and special events.

OFFICE SERVICES

The Office of Student Life provides many services for the student population: social, cultural, educational, and recreational programming; leadership and community service opportunities; new student orientation; support for student clubs and organizations; services and programs for non-traditional students; co-curricular transcript tracking and information; Honors Day; the Game Room and Cyber Cafe; AJC campus readership program; ID cards and parking permits; and the GSC Student Handbook and Planner.

STUDENT ROLE IN DECISION MAKING

Gainesville State College operates as a community and input is sought from all appropriate constituencies in the decision-making process. The Student Government Association is the representative body for all students. However, any student should feel free to offer suggestions or feedback to any administrator or SGA representative as the need or desire arises.

Students nominated by the Student Government Association President and appointed by the Vice President for Student Development and Enrollment Management, are members of all College standing and most ad hoc committees. The Student Activity Fee Budget Advisory Committee consists of faculty members and students, with students having the majority in membership. All authority at the institution ultimately rests with the College President.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION

The Student Government Association (SGA) is the voice of the student body at Gainesville State College. The President and Vice President are elected while other representatives and officers are selected through an application process.

The organization’s mission is to further the welfare of the student body at Gainesville State College. It provides advice to the administration on matters of individual and group student concern.

A student must have and maintain a 2.00 cumulative average and carry at least three (3) hours of classes to be a member. In order to be considered for elective office in SGA a student must have a 2.25 GPA. Other requirements are listed in the Student Government Association Constitution which is available in the Student Life Office upon request.

CAMPUS ACTIVITIES BOARD (CAB)

The Campus Activities Board plans and carries out programs such as musical groups, comedy acts, magicians, recreational trips, cultural events, and other programs. Students interested in planning and organizing these kinds of activities should contact the Coordinator of Student Life.

STUDENT ORIENTATION

The Student Orientation, Advisement, & Registration (SOAR) Program is designed to connect new students and their families to life at Gainesville State College. During this program, new students learn about resources, policies, programs, and procedures that are important for success. Additionally, students learn about academic requirements, meet with an advisor, and register for classes.

NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENT SERVICES

Students whose graduating class completed high school at least five years ago are identified as non-traditional. Support services for this important population are coordinated through the Office of Student Life, 678-717-3622. Non-traditional students are encouraged to join the activities of Second Wind, a club geared to providing support and services for these students.

STUDENT CENTER

The Student Center is the hub of student activities. It houses the cafeteria, bookstore, meeting rooms for student organizations, a game room, Cyber Café, the Financial Aid Office, the Office of Student Life & the Student Government Association and Campus Activities Board (CAB), the Minority Affairs office, the Academic Advising Center, the Admissions Office, the Student Development & Enrollment Management Office, Counseling and Career Services, and the Registrar’s Office. Meeting rooms can be reserved through the Office of Student Life.

STUDENT CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Student clubs and organizations serve an important role in the process of educating students outside the classroom. Each student organization at the Gainesville Campus exists in accordance with a constitution approved by the Director of Student Life and under the supervision of an advisor who must be a faculty or staff member. Advisors must follow the policies and procedures set forth in the Student Club and Organization Handbook, which may be obtained in the Office of Student Life.

The Office of Student Life, located in the Student Resource Center, coordinates all the activities outside the classroom for students at the Oconee Campus. Professional staff members assist students in planning and implementing a comprehensive program of events that can be cultural, educational, social, or recreational. Most of these programs are funded through student activity fees. The Office of Student Life also assists in the development and training of clubs and organizations on the Oconee Campus according to the Student Club and Organization Handbook. The student body at the Oconee Campus is represented by the SGA in the role of decision-making. SGA executive officers are elected each academic year and lead a group of SGA members that are students interested in representing the student body. Student activity fees are allocated by a Student Activity Fee Budget Advisory Committee, which consists of faculty members and students at the Oconee Campus, with students having the majority in membership. All authority at the institution ultimately rests with the College President.

The Office of Student Life also offers special discount rates for student memberships at the local fitness center in Watkinsville, The Core. For more information about rates and services, please contact the Office of Student Life in the Student Resource Building at the Oconee Campus.

STUDENT CONDUCT

Every community must have standards of acceptable behavior. These standards for Gainesville State College are published in the “Student Conduct Code” which can be found in the Student Handbook and online. It is also available as a separate publication in the Student Development & Enrollment Management Office at either campus.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Gainesville State College hosts an “Honors Day” program at both campuses in the Spring Semester each year. During Honors Day, students receive recognition for outstanding achievement in various academic disciplines, as well as for outstanding service to various student organizations. The students designated for the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, Who’s Who Among Students in American Junior Colleges, SPIRE (non-traditional student honor society), the Clark-Theodore Outstanding Non-Traditional and Traditional Students, and in addition, the Ann Matthews Purdy Outstanding Faculty members for both Campuses and the Outstanding Academic Advisors, are recognized.

The Gainesville State College co-curricular transcript is an official document that records verifiable student activities which occur outside the classroom. This valuable instrument can be given to future employers or scholarship committees to provide a more complete view of the student’s experiences and development while enrolled at Gainesville State College. Co-curricular transcripts can be requested by accessing the Gainesville State College website or by stopping by the Office of Student Life at the Gainesville Campus or the Student Life Office at the Oconee Campus.

STUDENT PUBLICATIONS

Student publications at Gainesville State College are designed to meet specific informational, promotional, and aesthetic needs of the College community. All student publications are edited by a student who is supervised by an appointed faculty advisor in accordance with the Gainesville State College Statutes. The direction comes from the Student Affairs Committee, which is a faculty/student committee appointed by the Committee on Committees in accordance with College policies. As in all College actions, the policies of the University System Board of Regents serve as the official guidelines.

The College newspaper, The Voice, is sponsored by the Student Life program on the Oconee Campus, the journalism program, and other departments on campus to provide a campuswide communications medium for students, staff, and campus organizations. Students working on the newspaper staff gain valuable journalism experience and earn college credit in JOUR 2000 (Newspaper Practicum), a one semester hour course.

Service awards in the form of scholarships are awarded each year to staff members with significant responsibilities. Interested candidates should contact the Humanities and Fine Arts Division or the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Hoi Polloi (which translates from Greek as “the common man” or “the man in the street”) is Gainesville State College’s newest student publication. Hoi Polloi is published annually by the English Club. The magazine is devoted to presenting the best in student non-fiction. Essays on pop culture, social and political issues, literature, and history are considered for publication. Work on the magazine begins in the Fall Semester, and the magazine is distributed during Spring Semester.

Chestatee Review is a creative arts magazine published by the Humanities and Fine Arts Division to encourage the arts among students, faculty, and friends of the College. Some of the works published are the creative products of art and writing classes; others are contributions from friends of the creative arts. Poems, short fiction, essays, line and charcoal drawings, photographs, musical compositions, and short plays will be accepted for consideration during Fall Semester for publication each spring. Students should submit all written work (in typed form) and all photography, music, and art to the appropriate faculty sponsor. Chestatee Review is funded by Student Life funds.

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS

Identification Cards are issued in the Office of Student Life at the Gainesville Campus as well as the Oconee Campus. The card is valid for the entire time the student attends Gainesville State College. A five dollar ($5.00) fee will be charged to replace an I.D. Card. Student I.D.’s are needed to check out Library and ACTT Center materials, use the Fitness Center, attend drama productions for free, and to receive student discounts at selected area businesses. Students are required to show their Student Identification Cards to any College Official upon request.

The Gainesville State College Testing Center is a member of the Consortium of the National College Testing Association (NCTA) and the following eight testing programs are administered through the Testing Center: CLEP, COMPASS, Independent Study Exams, Learning Support Exit Tests, LSAT, Math Exemption Test, Regents’ Test, and TOEFL.

CLEP

The College Level Examination Program (CLEP) is a national program of credit by examination that allows students to obtain recognition for college-level achievement. Interested individuals should review the Gainesville State College CLEP website at http://www.gsc.edu/academics/testing/Pages/CollegeLevelExaminationProgram(CLEP).aspx and then contact the Testing Center to schedule a testing appointment.

COMPASS - Placement Test

COMPASS is the computerized placement test given to those students whose SAT or ACT scores and transcripts indicate a possible need for enrollment in Learning Support. New students must take the Placement Tests if they are directed to do so in their acceptance letter. Test registration is done on-line through the Gainesville State College webpage at www.gsc.edu. Placement testing and retesting must be completed before students may register for courses. One Placement Test Retest is now permitted.

GEORGIA ASSESS ON-LINE

This is a computer delivered assessment that allows education majors, with a score of 175 or higher, to exempt a required technology course

INDEPENDENT STUDY EXAMS

Independent Study Exams are administered as a community service. The majority of these exams involve course work completed through The University of Georgia as well as the e-Core program.

LEARNING SUPPORT EXIT TESTS

Learning Support Exit Testing is conducted during the final exam schedule. Students completing ENGL 0099, MATH 0099, READ 0099, ESLW 0075, and ESLR 0085 must earn a minimum score on the computerized exit test to fulfill the requirements of completing the course.

LSAT

The Law School Admission Test is administered four times a year as a community service.

MATH EXEMPTION TEST

The Math Exemption Test is administered as a service to the Mathematics Department. The purpose of this departmental exam is to allow students the opportunity to exempt college algebra and/or precalculus.

REGENTS’ TEST

The Regents’ Test is an examination to assess the competency level of students in reading and writing. Passing the Regents’ Test is a requirement for graduation in all Gainesville State College degree programs.

Students are required to take this test if they are enrolled in ENGL 1101 unless they are also enrolled in READ 0099. Students are also eligible to take the test when they have completed the freshman English requirements (ENGL 1101 and ENGL 1102 with a grade of C or better) or thirty (30) semester hours of credit.

Students who have not taken the Regents’ Test by the time they have earned forty-five (45) semester hours of credit MUST enroll in the RGTP 0199 course, a one-hour Regents’ Test Preparation course, MUST successfully complete this course and be approved to take the Test by the instructor, and MUST take the Test that semester.

The Regents’ Test is administered each semester. Students must register for the test online through the Banner Web component of the Gainesville State College home page before the registration deadline. Those students who are repeating the Test must also register online. However, students whose “mother-tongue” is not English or who are transients or who have special accommodations through Disability Services MUST register with the Director of Testing.

TOEFL

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) samples a prospective student’s ability to comprehend both spoken and written English. An overall score is computed from the three sub scores of listening comprehension, structure and written expression, and reading comprehension. Students must meet or exceed the Gainesville State College cutoff score to qualify for admission to Gainesville State College.

FREE SPEECH POLICY

As an academic community, Gainesville State College is an open marketplace of ideas, including openness to discussing perspectives on various issues, sometimes referred to as intellectual diversity. It is also guided by appropriate state and federal laws and regulations such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Georgia Open Meetings and Open Records Laws, and the Constitutions of Georgia and the United States. The “free speech” rights of students, faculty members, and staff members are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America. These rights are recognized by Gainesville State College along with its responsibility to provide an environment in which it can carry out its stated mission. The College reserves its right and responsibility to restrict the time, place, and manner of speech and other expression in order to carry out its stated mission. Students are referred to the Student Conduct Code and other policies found in the Gainesville State College Student Handbook and the Gainesville State College Catalog. Faculty and Staff members are referred to appropriate sections of the Faculty Handbook and Staff Handbook respectively. Others are referred to the Public “Free Speech” Permit Request available in the Student Development and Enrollment Management Office on either campus.

TRAFFIC REGULATIONS

Campus parking is by permit only for students, either full- or part-time. All students who park on campus must register their cars with either the Public Safety Office located near the Plant Operations Maintenance Building on the Gainesville Campus or in the main office of the Administration Building on the Oconee Campus.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER

To determine if the College is closed during inclement weather, tune to one of the following stations:

Metro Atlanta		CBS 46, WGCL-TV ATL
		WXIA-TV 11 Alive ATL
		WSB - TV, Fox 5 - TV, WXIA - TV
		WSB Radio Group - AM 750, B-98.5 FM
		KISS 104.1 FM,
		95.5 The Beat, and 97.1 Jamz
		WGST-Radio 640 AM, 105.7 FM
Athens/Gainesville		Southern Broadcasting - WLET 106.1 FM,
		103.7 FM, 102.1 FM, WGAU 1340 A, and WIFC 960 AM
Commerce		WJJC 1270 AM
Cornelia		WCON 99.3 FM and 1450 AM
Gainesville		WDUN 550 AM, WGGA 1240 AM
		MAGIC 102.9 FM, and WNEG-TV 32

Please do not call the Public Safety Office at these times as these calls then hamper their ability to respond to emergencies which may arise. If the College is closed, a message will be placed on the College Information Line at 678-717-3639 and on the Gainesville State College web page at www.gsc.edu. The College does not announce openings - only closings. Please note that closings are campus specific for the Gainesville Campus and Oconee Campus.

RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

It is the policy of Gainesville State College to respect the religious beliefs of the members of the College community while not promoting the beliefs of any religion. As such, no student shall be penalized for failure to participate in a given activity (class attendance, registration, quiz, exam, etc.) that occurs on a documented religious holiday, when to do so would be a violation of the creed of that particular faith. A student should be allowed to register for classes or take a test or examination without penalty, at a time when that activity would not violate the student’s religious creed. Such requests should be made, in advance, directly to the person responsible for administering the activity. Assignment due dates should not be affected by this policy unless the time to complete the assignment is less than three times the length of the holiday in question (i.e., three days to complete an assignment when one of those days is the holiday in question).

Reasonable common sense, sound judgment, and the pursuit of mutual goodwill should result in the positive resolution of scheduling conflicts. The regular campus appeals process applies if a mutually satisfactory arrangement cannot be achieved.

PETS ON CAMPUS

Safety considerations and liability concerns make it necessary to prohibit dogs and other pets on campus. Service animals accompanying persons with disabilities are permitted.

Distance learning includes on-line courses and classes taught at off-campus sites. These students have access to academic advising, financial aid information, and some Counseling & Career services through phone and e-mail. The College’s contract with the Educational Testing Services does not permit the College to put the System of Interactive Guidance and Information, Plus (SIGI Plus), on our website. The Student Life Office will make student identification cards for students at off-campus sites at announced times. Counseling services are normally provided only on the Gainesville and Oconee Campuses, though arrangements can be made for a counselor to visit with a student at an off-campus site if a visit to the campus is not possible for a student. Student Life and Intramural Athletics programs are normally provided on the Gainesville and Oconee Campuses. As a commuter institution, the College does not provide a direct health service since such services are readily available in the community. Health education is provided through the required Personal Health/Wellness Class (PHED 1020).

The Gainesville State College Fitness Center on the Gainesville Campus is operated through the Division of Education, Health, and Wellness. The Fitness Center and other facilities in the Hugh M. Mills Physical Education Complex are open to students during hours posted in the building. Students must show a current student identification card for entrance. A towel is required in the Fitness Center. Cardiovascular equipment, weight machines, and free weights are available. Services include aerobic classes, fitness testing (by appointment), body fat analysis, and blood pressure screening.