Mesa Legend - ARCHIVES - Vol. 38, Issue 14


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Volume 38, Issue 14.
May 8, 2001

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‘One-stop service’ to aid students with advisement

BY BECKY RASMUSSEN
MESA LEGEND
Submitted May 8, 2001

Sara Code/MESA LEGEND

Sherman Forbes, program adviser and MCC student Brendan Fleming make use of the new advisement and transfer center.

Wouldn’t it be great to apply for school, be advised, register and pay for your classes all in one place?

With the remodeling of MCC’s advisement and transfer center it’s now possible.

This new program is advisement’s answer to "one stop service."

As a result of several student surveys, the Maricopa Community Colleges District board allocated significant funding to all 10 of the District’s community colleges to benefit transfer and advisement services.

The award of $423,500 was distributed as needed among the colleges to implement the Course Applicability System (CAS), which is a web-based application to provide a transfer-planning tool to ensure students are successful in reaching their objectives at the community college, while planning to transfer to a university.

In order for students to access CAS, MCC purchased 24 new computers for the advisement and transfer building

"Due to the large population at MCC the administration chose to use our funds to remodel the advisement center and buy computers," said Boots Hunt, coordinator of the transfer center at MCC. "Many other campus only chose to purchase computers."

"Students can utilize our new computers anytime, while waiting to see an adviser or between classes," said Judy Taussig, director of instructional support services and student development at MCC.

"Now students will be able to apply for financial aid and even access and apply to any university in the United States."

There was also a demonstrated need at MCC to improve the ratio of advisers to students and a need to enhance advisement services through the establishment of a transfer center.

MCC was awarded an additional amount of $231,158 for the improvement and expansion of advising services for students.

A combination of five new positions have been filled between the advisement and transfer departments.

Along with the remodeling, permanent offices have been designated for visiting university representatives.

The addition of a cashier in the advisement and transfer center will be a great convenience for students, eliminating the hike to the current cashier office.

Computerized sign-in is probably the most drastic change, accompanied with the paging system, allowing students the freedom to wander over to the Kirk Center or bookstore while waiting to see an adviser.

"The remodeling has done wonders to the advisement center," said MCC student Brian Brewer.

"It has a much more modern, professional atmosphere and the wait didn’t seem quite as long."

However, there is one downfall to this great-new advisement center–no more indoor waiting area.

MCC already has found their solution, with a recognized need for students to have an improved, attractive waiting area.

A new awning has recently been added, along with landscaping, seating, as well as misting and heating systems on the south-side of the advisement and transfer building.

"The governing board’s goal is to facilitate transfer and that’s what we are trying to do here," said Taussig. "We want to make it easier for students to transfer."