2002-2004 Catalog - St. Charles Community College

St. Charles Community CollegeOUTCOMES ASSESSMENTSCC is committed to the assessment of collegeprograms and services to improve and maintain theirquality and effectiveness. Classroom and programactivities, including surveys and focus groups, will beused to assess the outcomes of college education.Students who complete career-technical programswill be enrolled in a capstone course. Thesecourses bear the prefix of the individual departmentand the number 199. These 1-credit-hourcourses are the culminating course experience forthe program completers. You will be assessed onyour mastery of essential occupational skills andgeneral education knowledge. The method ofassessing these skills will vary by discipline. Someof the methods used by the programs will be portfolios,culminating projects, field specific nationaltests, and tests developed by the program. Mostprograms will assess general education knowledgeusing multiple modules from ACT-WorkKeys. Thenursing program uses the ACT-CAAP Critical Thinkingmodule to pre- and post-test students. Theresults of these assessments will be used to modifythe curriculum as needed to assure program completersare ready to proceed to employment in theirchosen field or to further their education.Students who complete the 42-hour Associate ofArts-General Education transfer block will beenrolled in COL 299 Sophomore Portfolio Assessment.This 1-credit-hour course is the culminatingcourse experience for the general education blockcompleters. You will complete activities fromseven different areas (see catalog course description)and journal your experiences. A comprehensivestandardized test will complete the courserequirements. The results of these assessments willbe used to modify the general education curriculumas needed to assure students are prepared toproceed to further their education at a four-yearinstitution.CASHIER AND REGISTRATIONStudent registration and payment of all tuition,fees, and fines can be made at the walk-up windowsin the main hallway of the Administration Building.For more information, see page 22.CAREER SERVICES CENTERSelecting a major and choosing a career arevery important decisions that require carefulthought and planning. For assistance in the selectionprocess, you can call upon the career centerstaff for personal interviews and help sessions. TheCareer Services Center maintains a job informationservice and provides consultations in career planning.In addition to these services, you are encouragedto visit with the division dean, program coordinator,or faculty members for more advising inyour major pathway of study.The Career Services Center offers computerizedcareer guidance systems, interest inventories, andaptitude testing with the help of a counselor. Thesetools are available by appointment to help youmake career decisions and choose a major. Thecenter supplies career and college information thatyou can access without an appointment. Undecidedmajors may wish to consider taking a career development(COL 110) course to help learn moreabout themselves and the courses or majors thatclosely match their interests, values, and aptitudes.SCC will help you develop job search skills,including resume preparation, networking skills,interviewing, and other aspects of the job searchprocess. In addition, the Career Services Centermaintains a weekly listing of current job openingsand offers referrals for part-time, full-time, andseasonal employment.ACADEMIC SUPPORTLibraryThe library, located on the first and secondfloors of the Learning Resource Center, contains acollection of books, periodicals, audio-visual materials,and electronic databases specially selected tosupport the college’s programs of instruction.During fall and spring semesters, the library is open72 hours a week. For people who are looking for aplace to study, the LRC contains small group studyrooms as well as plenty of quiet study space.The library is fully automated, and all computersare networked to provide easy access.Resources available in the LRC include approximately55,000 books, 2,000 videos, and 350 printperiodical subscriptions. Subscription databasesprovide access to the full text of another 7,000periodicals, and a high-speed Internet connectionlinks the library to Web resources throughout theworld. SCC’s participation in the MOBIUS consortiumprovides access to 14 million volumes ownedby Missouri’s institutions of higher education.Books from MOBIUS libraries are delivered in 2-3days.Library staff members are dedicated to helpingyou succeed in your library research. Classes areoffered to explain how to use the library and itsresources, and trained librarians are available to34