Lifelong Educator — SE dean still helping community at almost 80 | Page 4
Wednesday, August 28, 2024 – Volume 38 • Issue 2
@tccthecollegian • collegian.tccd.edu
Board gives employees 3% salary raise Trustees approve other measures including lab kits for Connect students FOUSIA ABDULLAHI
editor-in-chief fousia.abdullahi@my.tccd.edu
The TCC board of trustees, in its Aug. 22 meeting, approved a salary increase for all employees. Chief financial officer Pamela Anglin said some critical investments are being implemented, one of which is the 3% salary increase. “Our key priorities this year as we’ve worked on the budget — recruitment, retention and completion support,” Anglin said. This increase, estimated at $7 million, applies to everyone working as of May 31. This 3% increase aligns with the compensation plans of some other Texas colleges and the consumer price index, which reports how prices have changed in food, housing, energy, transportation, and
other factors that impact employees, Anglin said. Employees have been waiting for another salary increase as the cost of living increases. “Anything helps, but even with a 3% increase, that averages to like 50 cents,” NE administrative assistant Krista Carson said. “It’s kind of chump change across the whole district when we know there’s a lot of money floating around, but that would only bring us up to the 25th percentile of administrative assistants.” The concern for staff is that while this is welcome, they feel there is room for improvement, especially when employees like Carson have to pick up extra jobs to fill the gap occasionally. “I think the 3% increase as a baseline is a good starting place. However, last year’s raises were not the same as what faculty received,”
I think the 3% increase as a baseline is a good starting place.
Krista Carson
NE administrative assistant
Carson said. “Entry-level administrative assistants start at $16.90, below the statewide average of $17.65 and the national average of $19 an hour.” Casey Mitchell, NE instructor/counselor for college readiness, welcomes the pay increase. “A 3% increase is what I think we were all kind of hoping for,”
Mitchell said. “Of course, I could always wish for more. Three percent is what we have been getting, I think, for the last few years on average, and hearing that it’s still a steady thing is good enough for me.” The board meeting also approved many other proposals, such as increasing fees of $160,000 for outside legal counsel due to a legal case regarding terminating a vendor, which has also been approved. The board also approved continuing memorandums of understanding between schools, both within and outside of the State, such as Texas Woman’s University and the University of Oklahoma. The board also approved purchasing lab kits for the Connect campus and weekend online classes for biology and chemistry from Barnes and Noble for 2024-25 for $500,000.
District celebrates Toro’s birthday
Fousia Abdullahi/The Collegian
Chief financial officer Pamela Anglin addresses the board at its Aug. 22 budget meeting.
Writing lab helps improve skill sets REBECCA CHAMPLIN
staff reporter collegian.editor@tccd.edu
Alex Hoben/The Collegian
NE students Gabriela Muñoz and Asuzena Flores start to make their stuffed bulls. Flores said she would have loved a TCC shirt for the bull. This was one of many events across multiple campuses honoring Toro’s birthday.
Career advisers aim to boost student success ADRIAN SCOTT
staff reporter collegian.editor@tccd.edu
For many TCC students, the path to success can be confusing, scary, and anxiety-inducing. Seeking guidance from advising and counseling services can help remedy the situation. Every student is assigned an advisor at the start of the school year. According to Harold Macias, a Career Adviser at TR campus, each adviser is assigned to approximately 350 students. The primary way advisors help is by using the guided pathways program, which is a nationwide program designed to help all students explore, choose, plan, and complete programs aligned with their career and education goals efficiently and affordably. TCC started using this program around four years ago. “Knowing where you’re going is beneficial...now you know why you’re taking the classes you’re taking. Once you have that goal in mind, school becomes a lot easier.” said Macias. What if you don’t know what you want to do, but you know college is important? Macias was in the exact same boat with his parents, his mother encouraged
Fousia Abdullahi/The Collegian
NE student development specialist Roger McGill helps student. college but he had no guidance or idea as to what he was there for. Tiniya Bonner, a student at TR campus struggled in finding what she wanted for herself in the future, she already knew what her parents wanted of her. “My mom heavily encouraged me to go to college to make money…I wanted to be a social worker, but the pay just kind of strayed me away from it. ” said Bonner. Upon telling Macias about similar stories, he pulled up the
Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. This handbook gives in depth details on any job you might be interested in, regarding how to get the job, what the job entails and pay, as well as any information regarding the job you are interested in. “Please don’t focus on the pay.. Think about it this way, if I paid you a million dollars to scrape gum and trash off the bottom of chairs, would you be happy? No, right?” Macias said. “Money does
not equate to happiness. Finding something that you enjoy doing is like never working in your life. It’s fulfilling.” Wade Richards, a student at TCC, had no idea about the Occupational Outlook Handbook, but admits he doesn’t communicate with his advisor as much as he feels he should. “This handbook is insane to me. I had no idea something as useful as this was as easy to get to…Damn, I need to visit my adviser more,” Richards said. “With so much going on in my college life, I kinda forget about them.” Macias would like more students to reach out and schedule appointments, but recognizes their busy schedule, in and outside of school. He encourages students to try and come on their own accord, especially with fall registration going on right now. “It’s important to sign up for classes early, it gives students the most options for their classes. Some students tend to wait until the last moment to register,” said Macias. “they are typically discouraged by the low amount of options they have available. That’s why we send out emails and reminders. Being proactive will help you thrive.”
TCC writing centers help students improve grades by teaching different success skills. Shawn Stewart, a senior Learning Commons associate and former English professor at TCC, said students can do that by visiting the Writing Center. “It’s no brag to say that we can easily help you earn 10 to 20 points on a paper, minimum,” said Stewart, “and that’s one to two letter grades if you count out a point per mistake, like me.” The first step is admitting that you might need help and admitting that you can improve, Learning Commons associate and TCC graduate Decha Cullen said. “Education is re-wiring a person’s brain so that they can think bigger, challenge themselves more, and keep going,” she said. Senior Learning Commons associate Kathleen Rice said writing tutors work with people of all different skill sets. “Whatever level they come in at, we can meet them at that level,” she said. The Writing Center does more than just help with papers, Senior Learning Commons associate Gail Williams said. They’re there to help students write scholarship essays, resumes, cover letters and speeches. Williams said she was recently able to help a student who was writing her first resume, and it gave the student a sense of accomplishment. “I feel good when they feel good, and they feel like they accomplished something,” Williams said. She said a lot of nursing students come in for help with their cover letters and resumes. “Students will ask, ‘Y’all are here to help us?’ And we say, ‘Yes, this is our job,’” Williams said. While tutors help with a lot of things, there are also a few things that the Writing Center will not do for students. “Come in with something on paper,” said Williams. “We will not do the work for the students. It’s their work, so they have to own it,” she said. Williams said the biggest fear she has regarding the use of AI is that the students will use it inappropriately and that it could impact them in a negative way. See Writing Center page 2