Mar 10, 2011 (42.8)

Page 1

Froyo Earth PG. 6

Rethinking Education PG. 3

March 10 - April 27, 2011

spokanefalls.edu/communicator

No more one-stop admission for new students The New Student Entry Center to cease providing all entrance services in single location Stephen Artman

The Communicator This academic year, what was formerly the New Student Entry Center (NSEC) has changed to simply the Testing Center. Previously, the NSEC provided many services for new students, such as new student orientation and academic advising after students completed their placement testing. Connie Sullivan, who is currently an office assistant with the CCS District Office, but previously worked in the NSEC, credited Chrissy Davis with being a driving force in bringing the change about. “I think the changes Chrissy is making [are] better for the students,” said Sullivan. Potential SFCC students will find themselves undergoing a different process from that past. As with previous years, the first step is to apply for school. After being accepted, students will receive their student

Tulip Festival

number. Students will then need to go to the Testing Center (formerly the NSEC) to take their English and math placement testing. The next step after testing will be participating in a college success event. No more than 80 new students will be at any given college success event. According to Gayle Smith, Program Coordinator for the testing center, the most recent event had approximately 40 students. According to Debby Hoyt, Program Support Supervisor in the SFCC testing center, the college success event lasts for approximately four to five hours. During the event, students attend several sub-meetings called breakout sessions. These sessions cover topics including financial aid, college success, college knowledge, and college technology. Students will also meet with advisers during the event and register for classes for the upcoming quarter. In previous years, students would not attend a four- to five-hour event. Instead, students would attend an orientation. Any given orientation could NCES | Page 2

PG. 4

Volume 42 | Issue 8

SFCC Admission process Apply Applications can be submitted online via spokanefalls. edu. Financial Aid Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at fafsa. ed.gov. Placement Testing All incoming students are required to take placement tests prior to registering for any math or English courses. Register Contact the counseling department at 509.533.3525 to make an appointment and register for classes. Source: spokanefalls.edu

Frosting

PG. 6

with flair

Project DEgree helps struggling college students succeed Stephen Artman

The Communicator

Britney Locati | The Communicator

Second-quarter student Joanna Murphy, 20, said that Project DEgree is a great resource for people who are struggling in school.

For more information on Project DEgree: Project DEgree provides students with individualized academic and social supports, offers a project-based curriculum within a learning community, and helps students structure their lives so

INDEX

they can build and maintain the momentum necessary to complete a college credential. Source: spokanefalls.edu/ projectDEgree

CULTURE

NEWS................................2 PERSPECTIVES...................3

Glen Cosby Project DEgree Coordinator glenc@spokanefalls.edu 509.533.3576 spokanefalls.edu/ProjectDEgree

PG. 9 No Vacancy: an art community set for spring

FOCUS PG. 5 Tattoo trends in Spokane

FLAVORS........................... 6

The Communicator

509.533.3602

Project DEgree helps students who are struggling academically pursue college success. “It’s been incredibly helpful—incredibly resourceful,” SFCC student Jaime Nesdahl said. “If it wasn’t for Project DEgree, I would probably be out of school now.” According to Josh Westermann, Project DEgree Academic Success Coach, the program aims to get 50 students every fall and started with 54 students this fall. “We had 44 of those students start with us in winter, which is well above the college average for the same type of population,” Westermann said. Project DEgree was created through a $25,000 grant from Gateway to College National Network (GtCNN), a Portland, Ore.-based nonprofit designed to help lowplacing students move on to college-level courses. There are currently nine different colleges in the United States which have received these grants, with SFCC and Portland Community College the only two colleges on the West Coast to have received such grants. To be eligible for Project DEgree, students must be between the ages of 18 and 26. They must have a high PROGRAM | Page 2

SIDELINES

PG. 11 The art of kendo

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