Academic and Personal Counseling
Students sometimes struggle to achieve and/or maintain academic or personal success. While circumstances and reasons vary for individuals, they commonly include, but are not limited to:
- Challenges with understanding how to best balance college, work, and personal life
- Difficulty with effective goal setting, self and time management, study habits
- Personal life obstacles and barriers, relationship issues, or lack of personal support system
- Anxiety, unmanaged stress, or other mental health concerns
Counseling Services offers confidential, non-clinical counseling support while helping students learn new strategies and coping skills that along with their own self-commitment and hard work, can lead to higher levels of success. Based on the scope and intensity of student’s needs, Counseling Services may refer students to local community or mental health services/providers.
Additional information is available on the college website. Students can request Counseling Services in-person at any campus location, or self-schedule for an appointment using the Counseling Services portal on Qless.
Services for Students with Disabilities
Services are provided in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Rehab Act), Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), and state law to provide equal access to education for students with disabilities. South Piedmont Community College (SPCC) is fully committed to ensure that no qualified student shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any course, program, or activity.
Counseling Services facilitates reasonable accommodations and services for individuals with documented disabilities, chronic medical conditions, or pregnancy complications resulting in difficulties with accessing learning opportunities. Counseling Services reviews each Disability Services application and determines accommodations based on a student’s uniquely documented needs. Through an interactive process, counselors collaborate with the student, faculty members, and providers to ensure an inclusive experience and equal opportunity at SPCC. The application and review process helps to ensure that appropriate accommodation, assistive technology, and/or auxiliary service are in place for students. Counselors also serve as a resource to faculty in helping them understand how to provide equal access. While the college strives to expedite every application for disability services accommodations, new students or any student seeking modications to their accommodation are strongly encouraged to apply for accommodations at least 30 days prior to the beginning of their first semester of enrollment. Early communication of special needs assists the college by providing time to arrange for services and/or the procurement of equipment the student may need.
Note the following:
- Applicants or students must provide official, supporting documentation describing the disability. This documentation must be from an authorized professional(s). Federal regulations obligate the applicant or student to provide information on identifying appropriate and effective auxiliary aids. This documentation is held confidential for five (5) years after enrollment and will be destroyed after that time. To renew accommodations after the five (5) year period, new documentation must be provided. Documentation for learning disabilities should be no more than three (3) years old. Documentation provided for any disability must indicate the applicant’s or student’s current level of functioning.
- Each request will be evaluated by Disability Services, who will recommend reasonable accommodations to faculty.
- Students will be responsible for delivering accommodation information to each faculty member for discussion of how accommodations will be provided in each class.
- Students who do not feel that they are receiving agreed-upon accommodations should contact Disability Services for clarification.
- Applicants or students who are not satisfied with the accommodations that they are receiving from the College should contact the Director of Student Advocacy and Accountability or Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.
Reasonable Accommodations: The following are considered reasonable accommodations to be made for students with disabilities:
- Determining what is reasonable requires one to balance two important rights: the student’s right to be provided equal access and the College’s right to protect the integrity of its services and programs.
- The process must be an interactive one involving “a reasonable reciprocal effort” on the part of both parties.
- The College may not make a unilateral decision regarding the existence of a disability or in determining whether the accommodation is necessary.
- What is “reasonable” involves a detailed analysis of the specific circumstances of the case in question. Broad generalizations are not acceptable. An “individualized assessment” of the student’s request, situation, and provided supporting documentation is required.
- The College is not required to provide accommodations in the specific or preferred manner requested by the student and may provide effective alternatives.
- The College retains the right to decline provision of accommodations, auxiliary aids, and services that are determined not to provide equal access or found not be effective.
- The College must be given a reasonable amount of time to evaluate requests and to offer necessary accommodations.
More information, including the application for accommodation, is available on the college website. Students may request Disability Services in-person at any campus location or self-schedule for an appointment using the Disability Services portal on Qless.
Career Services
SPCC’s Counseling Services provide comprehensive assistance to help students and graduates prepare for a successful transition to the world of work. Counselors can help students:
- Explore and decide upon a career and academic major
- Consider options and alternative approaches to their education and occupation
- Identify and prioritize factors to consider in making career decisions such as required education level, salary, working conditions, skills, certification or license requirements, 5 to 10 year job projections, etc.
- Assist in providing guidance for developing an individualized education and career plan
Prospective and current students may utilize Take a Career Assessment at SPCC Career Coach and other online tools and assessments that help relate their personalities, interests, and values to various career fields. The world of work may be explored through a wealth of online and hard-copy resources. Career development is a life-long process. Once students learn the steps of the process, they can utilize them whenever needed throughout life.
More information is available at Career Services on the college website. Students may request career services in-person at any campus, or self-schedule for a meeting using the Career Services portal on Qless.
Student Orientation
Students attend orientation in person or online. Information about Student Orientation can be accessed by visiting the website. The purpose of the orientation is to acquaint students with the campus, academic services, and student support services, as well as to discuss policies and regulations of the College. Orientation will provide information concerning:
- Campus regulations and policies
- Financial aid
- College support services, i.e., Counseling, Career Services, Disability Services, Learning Supports (tutoring and technology help)
- Academic policies to include drop/add, withdrawal, and change of program procedures
- Library Services
- Student Life, Engagement and Leadership
Library Services
Library services are available at the Horne Library on the L. L. Polk campus in Polkton and the Library Learning Commons on the Old Charlotte Highway campus in Monroe. Students may visit https://spcc.edu/libraries/ to check for current library hours, useful tools, and instructions on using and accessing the online catalog and electronic databases.
Library Instruction and Information Literacy
The library is a fundamental part of students’ learning experiences, and library staff routinely support students in their educational endeavors. Librarians offer information literacy workshops to introduce students to library resources and how to research for papers, projects and other assignments. Librarians also offer workshops about subjects such as creating citations, paraphrasing/summarizing, and annotated bibliographies.
Services to Students: Each library has computers, laptops, and printers available for student use. Wireless access and quiet study areas are also available. The library staff can provide a wide variety of services such as assistance with using the computers, formatting papers, searching the internet, and answering research questions. Librarians also provide a variety of workshops, including Information Literacy classroom instruction that will help students find appropriate sources for assignments. Students coming to campus or attending courses online can find a variety of tutorials, links to resources, and other helpful information by going to the library website: www.spcc.edu/libraries.
Library Resources: Students have access to books, newspapers, desktop computers and laptops, iPads, graphing calculators, and library staff. The libraries also offer a variety of online databases that have eBooks, journal articles, videos and newspaper articles, which are available to students whether on campus or online.
Library Card: The SPCC College ID also serves as a library card. Every student should have a current College ID, which can be obtained in Student Affairs on either the L.L. Polk or Old Charlotte Highway campuses, or the Tyson Family Center for Technology. Once students obtain an ID, a library account can be created, and library materials may be checked out.
NC LIVE is an electronic resource of over 85 databases available to students, faculty, and staff. It is an excellent and reliable resource for full-text magazine and journal articles and offers a wealth of specialized databases in many subject categories. Audio and eBook databases are also part of the collection. Access is available at https://www.nclive.org. Accessing the site off-campus requires use of the student’s SPCC log-in credentials.
Learning Supports
Learning Supports provides academic intervention and enrichment for all students, all courses, and all pathways. Services are available to the entire spectrum of South Piedmont’s learners to increase and aid in their success, including:
- Prospective or admitted students who are seeking remediation in the reading comprehension, writing, or math portions of placement assessments
- Students enrolled in college-level curriculum courses who seek course or skills tutoring
- Students enrolled in non-credit courses who seek remediation in study skills, math, reading, or English
The supports offered are differentiated and personalized to meet the immediate and individual needs of each student through the Academic Support Centers and the Technology Commons.
The Academic Support Centers are certified through the College Reading and Learning Association to assist students in strengthening academic skills, while the Technology Commons offers one-on-one and group support on the various technologies used for learning at the College. These support services are available virtually and in person on the L. L. Polk, Old Charlotte Highway, and The Tyson Family Center for Technology locations.
Academic Support Centers
The Academic Support Center tutors can help students gain the foundational skills they need to succeed academically, regardless of the course they are taking. Skills tutoring is offered in the following areas:
- Reading comprehension
- Written Skills
- Foundation Math Skills
- Study Skills
- Test-taking strategies
Additionally, many Academic Support Center tutors have earned advanced degrees in various disciplines and provide course tutoring and supplemental instruction based on this experience. Course tutoring is available in courses ranging from Accounting to Spanish, while supplemental instruction is offered in English and math courses.
Other available services include:
- Internet access
- Computer usage
- Printing and copying access
- Study rooms/areas
- Skills remediation using computer-based software
- ReadMe research paper review
- Test preparation
Technology Commons
The Technology Commons offers student password reset and digital literacy skills building in the following learning technologies:
- Aviso
- Canvas
- Textbook/Materials (BibliU)
- Office 365
- Etrieve
- SPCC Go! Account (Self-Service)
- Honorlock
- Taskstream
Technology
Students at South Piedmont utilize many different technologies in their studies. Canvas, TaskStream, go.spcc.edu, and Office 365 are the main technologies required. Students will be more successful as they understand the functions of each system and how to use them.
Aviso is a robust online system that allows students to connect and engage with the college for academic success. Students use Aviso to view their academic advisor and maintain communication related to academic goals.
Canvas is the learning management system used for all SPCC courses. To get to SPCC’s Canvas site, go to https://online.spcc.edu.
BibliU is an online platform that houses electronic textbooks and materials required for courses.
Taskstream by Watermark is a web-based system that helps measure learning and how effectively SPCC supports learning. Students interact with Taskstream by uploading assignments for review and assessment. New Taskstream accounts will be created for students by the Department of Institutional Effectiveness. New students or those who have not used Taskstream should check their SPCC email account for a welcome email from Taskstream by Watermark. Many courses do not include Taskstream assignments. For those that do, course instructors will give students detailed information on assignments to be submitted in Taskstream.
SPCC Go! Account allows students to access online registration, grades, advising, financial aid, class schedules, college updates, and more.
Etrieve houses electronic forms for students to access and fill out. Students will access Etrieve by going to Etcentral.spcc.edu and signing in with their SPCC credentials.
Office 365 allows access to email accounts and Microsoft applications for use at SPCC. These accounts are free and are available in accordance with SPCC’s Microsoft agreement. The email address will be username@student.spcc.edu. (e.g. John Doe with student ID 0001234 email address would be jdoe1234@student.spcc.edu).
SPCC Navigate is an App created to help SPCC students find most of what they need to access on a daily basis in one place. Students can use Navigate to access their email, Canvas, make appointments through QLess, find answers to questions via Navi, explore upcoming events on campus, stay up to date with new information, and receive push notifications regarding campus closures, class cancellations, and much more. Students can access and download SPCC Navigate via the App Store for iPhones and Google Play for Android devices.
QLess is a queueing software used at SPCC by various departments. Students can use QLess to get in line and save their spot or make appointments to ensure they can meet with areas like Financial Aid, Advising, Counseling, and others, on their own schedule. Students can access QLess via SPCC Navigate (College app available in the Apple App and Google Play stores) or the kiosks available on campus outside of Student Services. These links can also be used to make appointments:
Navi is the College’s Chabot that helps answer questions about SPCC. Students are able to access Navi twenty-four hours a day and seven (7) days a week via the College’s website, www.spcc.edu, or through SPCC Navigate, the College’s app (available in Apple App and Google Play stores). Whenever possible answers will be provided and if a question cannot be answered, the student’s information will be collected and a representative of the proper department at SPCC will follow up to ensure an answer is given.
Passport is the ID system at SPCC. Students and employees are encouraged to upgrade their ID cards, which can be used to pay for items on campus (at the Café, Bookstore, and vending). Beginning in 2023 these new ID cards will be required to track attendance for on campus and in person classes, access buildings, unlock offices, and much more as the College continues to expand how the IDs are used at SPCC. New IDs are available on the L.L. Polk and Old Charlotte Highway campuses, as well as the Tyson Family Center for Technology, via the Admissions Department for students and Human Resources for all employees.
Student Government Association
The purpose of the Student Government Association (SGA) is to enhance the College through the representation of the student body in matters affecting student life. Moreover, the SGA promotes and supervises student organizations and activities to enhance educational, personal, social, and cultural growth for all South Piedmont Community College students. All enrolled full-time and part-time students who pay the student activity fee are members of the SPCC SGA.
The SGA Senate consists of seven (7) members who are elected each spring. The Executive Board consisting of seven (7) members provides leadership, representation for all students of SPCC, and coordination for all student-sponsored activities and events. The Executive Board leads committees to organize and conduct activities throughout the year and provides a vital communication link to all students at SPCC.
Clubs and Organizations
Active student clubs and organizations are the cornerstone of quality student life programs and events. South Piedmont sponsors clubs which allow students to fellowship with others with like interests and benefit from the diversity and talent within each club and organization. Some are program related, such as Sonography Club, Medical Office Administration Club, Associate Degree Nursing Club, Machinery Club, and Medical Assisting/Medical Laboratory Assistant Club. There are also special interest clubs, such as Art Club, Bible Study Club, Guitar Club, National Society of Leadership and Success, Phi Theta Kappa, Poetry Club, Outdoor Adventure Club, and many others that are active on campus. A complete list of clubs can be found on the College’s app, SPCC Navigate, under Groups and Clubs.
College IDs (known as SPCC Passport)
SPCC curriculum students may obtain a College ID free of charge in Student Affairs on the L.L. Polk and Old Charlotte Highway campuses or the Tyson Family Center for Technology. Students must be currently enrolled prior to receiving an SPCC Passport (ID). The SPCC Passport will also serve as a student’s library card. Students can obtain a replacement ID for a fee of five (5) dollars. If lost or stolen, please contact Student Affairs at 704-290-5100.
College Transfer Information
Throughout the academic year, South Piedmont hosts a College Transfer Fair and several co-admissions visits for students, alumni, and community residents who wish to obtain their bachelor’s degree. Representatives from various four-year colleges and universities attend these important events. Additionally, transfer information and resources are available in the Academic Advising Center locations at each campus.
ePortfolio Assistance
The Director of Academic Enrichment Programs and ePortfolio assistants are available to support students in the creation and development of their ePortfolios. Information on the ePortfolio can be found at https://spcceportfolio.wixsite.com/website-1. Appointments can be made by emailing tfrailly@spcc.edu or calling 704-290-5208.
Voter Registration
Students and employees who have not registered to vote may pick up a Voter Registration form in the Student Life, Engagement, and Leadership area at the L.L. Polk and Old Charlotte Highway campuses or the Tyson Family Center for Technology. Forms are available throughout the semesters; however, the deadline to register in order to participate in an election year is twenty-five (25) days prior to the Election Day. Any individual with a disability who needs help completing the voter registration form should ask for assistance from a member of the Office of Student Life, Engagement, and Leadership. The Office of Student Life, Engagement and Leadership is available to deliver completed voter registration forms to the Board of Elections in the college’s service area of Anson or Union County, or the individual may take the form to the Board of Elections. Individuals living outside the college’s service area may take the completed forms to their local county Board of Elections.
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