Use Language Carefully When Discussing Placement Scores

One of the challenges we sometimes create for ourselves in advising relates to the language we use when discussing placement scores with students. For example, we may tell a student who scores a 4 on the writing placement that he or she is “one point away” from English 101. In reality, that statement is misleading. A student with a 4 on the writing placement is “one score” away (actually about 13%), not one point. Using the language “one point away” could create the impression that by simply adding a sentence, by avoiding a missed comma or a misspelled word, or by using a few better words that the student could create the “bump” needed to reach college level.

A similar issue relates in math placement scores, too, particularly since questions are weighted differently. Thus, being one point or two points away from the “cut score” for the next higher class level doesn’t necessarily equate to getting one or two more questions correct.

Therefore, the suggestion in all placement discussions is to tell a student that he or she is “very close” to the next higher class level and to encourage re-testing for all the benefits related to placing higher. It would also be wise to arm students with the resources to help them prepare for re-testing. Therefore, we'd recommend that you suggest studying with help from the College Board's free Accuplacer app or other resources linked on our placement webpage. 

Transfer Updates -- Temple University

An update to our agreement with Temple effective Fall 2017 outlines how students who complete particular degrees are eligible for the general education to general education transfer of credits:

AA Degrees:
Architecture
Biology
Business Administration
Chemistry
Communications
Environmental Science
Mathematics
Pre-Dietetics
Physical Science
Psychology

AS Degrees:
Computer Information Security
Pre-Health Professions
Engineering
Math/Computer Science

Nurse Aide Cost Increase

The cost for taking nurse aide coursework is going up effective today. 

The tuition is being updated today (May 18) in BANNER to $1098.  Those students that are already registered (before May 18) for Nurse Aide classes starting in July will have their accounts adjusted by $200 by Amy Beth Martin after they begin class. If the student transfers classes they will be required to pay the additional $200.

Since the increase has been applied in Banner, from this point on any student registering for a Nurse Aide class will be charged the $1098 tuition. 

May Graduation Eligibility -- A Reflective Clarification

Due to some confusion resulting from who can participate in graduation ceremonies and whose name ends up in the graduation program, I want to refer you to the graduation website link.

Students are permitted to participate in the May commencement if they are planning on completing in the spring or summer semesters.

Anyone participating in the May commencement must meet the March 1st application deadline or his or her name will NOT be included in the commencement program. Therefore, if a student is borderline for graduating, it is recommended that he or she apply by the deadline, regardless.

Additionally, please know that we, just as most other colleges around the country, do sometimes have students walk in graduation who have not yet met the graduation requirements. A student's official "graduation status" is determined by the records office, not by participation in the ceremony.

FS 101 Courses -- Fall 2017

This link will take you to a flyer for FS 101 courses being offered in the fall semester at all campuses. Please remember that FS 101 can be used to satisfy the 1-credit FYS requirement.

Summary of Plans for KTI Students

With the closure of KTI recently, academic affairs and student affairs staff have outlined this synopsis of how to help KTI students who may wish to transfer in to HACC.

Commonly Accessed Banner Forms

This document outlines some commonly accessed Banner forms. I share it with you as a cheat sheet and a reminder to be used as needed.

Toledo Exam -- Placing in to CHEM 101

Advisors are reminded of the process for students to take the Toledo Exam in order to place into CHEM 101.

Note: The Toledo Exam applies for students who have not taken CHEM 100 and/or who have not taken high school academic chemistry and earned a C or better.

Workforce Development Phone Tree

This workforce development (WFD) phone tree may be helpful if you are directing students to WFD and they have questions other than those relating to registration/payment.

ALL QUESTIONS RELATING TO REGISTRATION OR PAYMENT FOR COURSES CAN BE DIRECTED TO OUR CAMPUS ENROLLMENT SERVICES OFFICES. 

If you transfer a student to WFD , please direct them to x212324 AND give them the student/customer 780-2324 number. 

ENGL 056ST Placement Update

After further discussion, the English department has decided NOT to change the placement scores that determine eligibility for ENGL 056ST.

Therefore, ENGL 056ST will still have the following qualifying scores:

• Reading -- a score between 47 - 57
  
• Writing  -- a score of 1 or 2

New Internship Course -- INTN 291

INTN 291 is a general internship seminar course – 3 credits- The requirement for the onsite internship hours is 135 hours.  (In addition, the coursework will average about an hour and a half a week.)

      INTN 291 is meant for a students who are exploring an area and want a hands-on experience or for students who know what they want, but their program or area of interest does not offer an internship.

      It is always important to review the student’s goals and major to see that this course will fit within their program.

      The pre-requisites for INTN 291 are 18 college level credits and a GPA of 2.5 or higher. (These requirements are based on the idea that the student is mature and academic enough for an internship.)

      The course is never to be a replacement for other internships, co-ops, etc. within a specific program (RE-BUS 291)

      Some wonderful things about this course include the following:

§  The student will work on professionalism, self-awareness, networking, LinkedIn, social media awareness, company, corporate and career research, develop a resume and utilize an e-portfolio.

For the process, the student will always need to contact Wendy Gillman before enrollment.  In addition, we will direct students to College Central Network for an internship and we will look to identify internships that can meet course qualifications for INTN 291. 

INTN 291 Flyer  (You must be logged in to myHACC to view it.)

Minutes -- 4/21/17 College-wide Counseling and Advising Meeting

Please see the minutes from the 4/21 college-wide counseling and advising meeting.

Note: You may need to be signed in to your myHACC account to view these minutes. 

ENGL 056ST Qualification Change

From Patricia Bright...

English 056ST is being run as a pilot this semester for students who placed into English 002 and English 050 (scored 1 or 2 on the writing). This morning, I received the following information from Lise-Pauline Barnett, the Chair of the English Department, about a change to the pilot this Fall on the Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York Campuses: 

This spring we noticed a low number of enrollees. After some conversations with Cindy Doherty, faculty, and some of the deans, the faculty who are teaching English 056St asked if we could place students in the course who score into English 002 & a score of 2 and 3 on the writing placement. Since, we are running this as a pilot, we want to make sure we are gathering the appropriate data to make a decision in the future about the course.

To clarify, students who place into English 002 and who score a 2 or 3 on the Writing placement are now eligible for English 056ST.  Students scoring a 1 on the Writing placement should not be placed into English 056ST.  Please let me know if you have questions for Lise-Pauline.

Updates: Reading and Math Placement, Repeat Process

Please review this document for information about updates to the Reading and Math Placement scores and process -- as well as for updates to the Repeat Process.

Dual Enrollment/CHS Transition to HACC Process

High school seniors who are current HACC Dual Enrolled High School students and wish to register for Summer or Fall semesters must change their major prior to registering for classes.  Consult with the financial aid office for clarification, if necessary, to determine eligibility for financial aid during the Summer term. Remember: If the student's major is not changed prior to registering, they will not be charged the appropriate tuition and fees.

Transitioning DEHS students must:

• Change their major program of study prior to registration. The form can be completed prior to or when meeting with an advisor.
• Complete any additional placement testing, if necessary.
• Attend a New Student Orientation session, if they have not previously done so.
• Meet with an advisor and receive their Advising Code to register.

Welcome Center Staff must:

• Process the change of major program of study form prior to expiring the PR hold in SOAHOLD.

Note:As always, we encourage all students to talk with an advisor prior to changing their major so that they can make a fully informed decision. This could occur at New Student Orientation.


Current High School Graduate Applicants and May Start Summer Courses
High school seniors with a current academic year graduation date who submit an application with the intention of enrolling in Summer courses should be admitted as “General Admit” students. These students should be advised to take Part of Term 8 (8 week) and/or Part of Term 9 (second 6 week session). Earlier starting classes may conflict with their graduation date; however, they should still be admitted as "General Admit" students.


Additional details for the DE/CHS process are available at this link. (You may need to be logged in to myHACC to gain access.

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Additionally,  this link will take you to the letter that is shared with dual enrollment/CHS high school students, inviting them to transition into becoming a student at HACC after high school.

Summer Virtual FS 101 Course

Check out this document to learn about a summer virtual FS 101 class.

It would be a great option for students who are not sure about their career or major. Plus, remember FS 101 is now eligible to meet the 1-credit FYS requirement.

Workforce Development to Credit Articulations

Review this document for a list of WFD to credit program articulations.


Please note: You will need to be signed in to your myHACC portal to view this document. 

Early Educational Panel Discussion -- April 5th

Please see the attached document for information about an Early Educational Panel Discussion that is open to all staff and students on April 5th. Advisors working with education students are encouraged to attend the event, which is offered via compressed video at all campuses. Advisors are also encouraged to forward this information to any students who may benefit from hearing about careers in education, tips for finding employment in that sector, and other important elements of working in education.

Note: You will need to be signed in to your myHACC portal to view the document linked to this blog post.

Temporary Advising Leadership Changes

Due to my interim dean role on the Gettysburg Campus, which is slated to run until July 1, the following changes are temporarily in place:

• Advising Concerns or Issues
• While I can certainly help with some of the issues relating to advising, please direct most of your concerns to Angela Campbell or Christine Nowik.
  
• Advising Blog Updates
• I will continue to handle updates for the advising blog, so please send them to me at tpbarshi@hacc.edu.
  
• Navigate and Advising Clusters
• I will continue to "own" these two big projects because it doesn't make sense to hand them off to someone else for 3-4 months. Please forward questions relating to advising clusters or Navigate to me.
  
• Career Services
• While I'm in Gettysburg, Ricole Jayman will be doing several Career Services projects for me. You can also direct large-scale career services questions to her at rajayman@hacc.edu.
  

Interfaith Panel Discussion -- Harrisburg Campus

Please see the flyer for the Interfaith Panel Discussion on the Harrisburg Campus on March 29th.

Articulation of Credit -- Public Safety Center Programs

Below is a listing of the current academic credits that are awarded/articulated for the specified programs in Workforce Development.

Police Academy (21 total credits toward Police Science and Criminal Justice)

-          CJ 104 Patrol Operations – 3 credits

-          CJ 201 Criminal Investigation – 3 credits

-          CJ Elective credits – 12 credits

-          PE elective credits – 3 credits

Emergency Medical Technician (6 credits to Paramedic Degree and Certificate)

-          EMS 131 – 3 credits

-          EMS 132 – 3 credits

Towards the Fire Science Degree

-          Pro board certifications:

o   Fire Instructor I and II = Fire 207, Educational Methodology

o   Fire Officer I and II = Fire 209, Fire and Emergency Services Admin.

o   Firefighter I and II = Fire 101, Principles of Emergency Services

o   Fire Inspector I and II = Fire 102, Fire Prevention

o   Fire Investigator I = Fire 204, Fire Investigation I

o   Hazardous Materials Technician = Fire 202, Hazardous Material Chemistry

-          Fire Academy Certificate = Fire 101 (Principles of Emergency Services) and EMS 131 and EMS 132

-          EMT certification (as above) = 6 General Elective Credits (EMS 131, 132)

Virtual Learning Newsletter #4

This link will take you to the Virtual Learning Newsletter, Issue #4.

MATH 202 Transfer Update

Counselors, Advisors and Faculty Advisors: 

Thank you for your patience in waiting for the confirmation of this math transfer update, but after obtaining approval from the math department, science department, and nursing department, I can finally offer this information.

When a student transfers in MATH 202, is able to take any course at HACC that would have the same (MATH 051) prerequisite. Examples in the Math department would be MATH 103 and 104. The student should also be allowed to register for any math class with a lesser prerequisite, such as MATH 100 or 111. (Please note: The Math department recommends that students intending to take MATH 103 or 104 should take placement tests to ensure they are ready for the rigors of that coursework.)

Likewise, the Nursing department has approved the transfer of MATH 202 to meet the minimum math requirements for that program. The Science department has also agree to let these students register for courses that have a MATH 051 pre-requisite (such as CHEM 100 or PHYS 105). 

Please note that in some cases, helping the student register for these courses will require you to process an override.

Virtual Learning Newsletter #3

Follow this link to view the most recent Virtual Learning student newsletter and any relevant announcements that may inform your advising and work with students.

Women's Leadership Conference

Registration is now OPEN!

What is the Women’s Leadership Conference (WLC)? – Our HACC female students will attend breakout sessions given by HACC professionals and community leaders to offer information on leadership related topics. Students will network and be empowered about being a leader at HACC and beyond. This initiative is funded by the HACC Foundation.

Who should attend? – Our currently enrolled female students! Any student who attends the WLC will benefit and have a great experience at a professional event at HACC! Students who register must attend the entire event from 9am-1pm

What about faculty/staff? – The keynote speaker, Mykee Fowlin, will give a powerful presentation at 9am that is OPEN to ALL HACC students, faculty and staff. Register to attend here. Female faculty and staff can also attend the networking session at 12pm to mingle and network with our student attendees. Register here.

When and where is the event? – Friday, March 17, 2017, 9am-1pm – HACC Harrisburg campus, Rose Lehrman Arts Center

Thank you in advance for sharing the information with your students and encouraging them to attend! Any questions or more information, please be in touch.

Best,

Ricole Jayman

#haccladieslead

Linked Documents

WLC flyer

WLC Agenda

Staff are encouraged to attend the keynote address by Mykee Fowlin, who one HACC staff member has described as "inspirational and moving"--and all faculty and staff are asked to encourage female students to attend the entire event. The slate for this day is impressive!

eTranscripts

eTranscripts are now available at HACC.

Please follow this link for more details.

Enology and Viticulture Program Inactivation

From Michelle Myers, Department Chair of Business Studies

We are inactivating the Enology & Viticulture AAS and Certificate, effective Fall 2017 based on the findings of the program review.   Current students have been notified via e-mail and “snail mail,and Michele Kieff and I created a teach out schedule for the current students based on the CAPPs.   The teach out schedule is designed for the college-ready, full time student and runs until Fall 2019.  You will notice on the teach out schedule that I left Fall 2019 open because I want to work with the deans to develop the schedule on actual student needs at that time.   The teach out schedule lists the courses each term, the adjunct faculty usually assigned, whether it’s online or blended, and the academic dean responsible for scheduling. 

I will be sending your assigned CAPP’s with the teach out schedule so you can help your students get through the program.  I have or will do the following:

1)      I will submit a blanket course waiver for HRIM 100 (currently CULI 100) – The World of Wine  - 1 credit for those students who have not taken the course yet.  The 1 credit course duplicates what the students learn in ENVI 183 – Sensory Evaluation I and was deemed superfluous by the current adjunct faculty.  This course is only taught on the Harrisburg Campus and may be a hindrance to completion and the 1 credit waiver will help expedite completion.  (I hope!)

2)      I have identified the students who have taken fewer than 9 credits in ENVI courses and those who have not matriculated at HACC for at least two years.   You will see my notes on the CAPP’s and you may want to contact those students to determine whether they intend to complete or present them with other options.   Michele: you have the bulk of them and I only separated yours, but did not write individual notes on the CAPP’s. 

3)      The ENVI program will move to Workforce Development (WFD) with a tentative start date of Fall 2018.  If students ask, the program will continue in the current online/blended format, hopefully with the same instructors, and the curriculum will be modified to be more flexible to accommodate those who wish to take the courses for personal enrichment only.  I am working closely with WFD to ensure that the content of the program does not sacrifice academic integrity or rigor.  The overlap between credit and WFD implementation  is intentional to allow those students who were not able to enroll in all of their credit courses when they were scheduled to take them on the WFD side and articulate them back into their credit programs.   In the future new students will be able to articulate a WFD certificate into the Business AAS program (details still in progress).

     

    Teach out schedule for Enology and Viticulture 

     

Applying for Graduation

Students who are potential graduates in May or August should apply to graduate by the March 1^st deadline. Students who are expected to complete in August will attend the May commencement ceremony.

Potential August graduates will receive correspondence regarding remaining course requirements via email once registration begins. 

For any questions, contact Ragin El-Shater at (717) 736-4147 (Internal: X214147)

Clarifying Roles in Counseling and Advising

This document helps to outline the vision and direction we have for the various roles in Counseling and Advising.

Please note that you may be prompted to sign in to myHACC to view the document.

Veterans and GI Benefits -- Online Remedial Classes

As per Dean Myers, Director of Veteran's and Military Affairs for HACC:

"Veterans who are using GI Bill benefits cannot take online remedial courses (the VA will not pay for those); veterans have to take remedial courses on campus. We tell veteran students this point during their brief they get with us, but it seems they forget or overlook the fact when registering for classes with their advisor."

Clarifying the FYS Course Requirement

There has been some confusion over the past few semesters about FYS courses as a graduation requirement. After discussion with the Associate Provost and the Dean of Student and Academic Success, our stance regarding FYS courses and graduation should be as follows:

1. FYS courses are required for graduation, a point that is outlined in the SGP attached to this email.  (See 1.e under “Policy” on Page 2 of the “Shared Governance Policy…”.)
   
2. The FYS requirement is essentially a “hidden pre-requisite” (similar to developmental classes) rather an explicit requirement, so it will not be captured in a CAPP report, but it is required nonetheless.
   
3. The application of an advising code to students who don’t meet the FYS requirement is our only current “control” to ensure that students meet the FYS requirement.
   
4.  If students ask us if the FYS course is a graduation requirement, our answer should be “Yes, as per college policy, the FYS course is a graduation requirement.
   
5. ”If the student persists in asking why he or she needs to take the course, I suggest you use the attached handout “Why Do I Needto Take an FYS Course” or share this video with the student to help him or her understand the need for completion of the FYS requirement: https://youtu.be/LJAhclnRCX4.
   
   
   Remember that the FYS required courses will be included as an explicit graduation requirement (and in CAPP reports) beginning in all degree programs in Fall 2018, but, until then, I recognize that this situation is less than ideal for our work with students. However, data that we’ve collected – and the available national-level data – very much supports the benefits of student success courses for college students. Therefore, it is essential that we continue to advocate for and require students to take the courses. 

Registration Portal Updates Video

This short video is meant to accompany the previous post and exemplify the recent registration portal updates. 

myHACC Registration Portal Changes

I am writing to update you on some important changes that are being made to the myHACC course registration portal. These changes are the result of your feedback and your desire to streamline the path to success for our students. The overarching purpose of these changes is to improve the search functionality in the myHACC registration portal and to enable students to find classes more easily.

Therefore, it is important to outline these changes and to make the following points clear to you as faculty and staff who support the registration/enrollment process.

1) We are removing the individual search field for “Course Number.” This field will be replaced by the combined “Subject and Course Number” search field.  As students begin typing the subject (e.g. English), a dropdown menu of all available choices in that subject will appear, including those courses that have the suffix of ST or H.

2) Students can still choose multiple subjects/courses for the search:

3) Students can still do a search by subject alone to list all course offerings for that subject:

4) Finally, we have also added the Attribute search field. This functionality will allow students to search for courses based on an assigned attribute (e.g. Core A, Core B, Core C, Diversity). Students may also choose multiple search criteria for this field as well.

These changes, as previously noted, reflect feedback that you’ve given to us about the myHACC registration portal. We believe these changes will benefit our students and enable easier searching and registration for classes.

Thank you for your continued patience as we refine this registration tool.

Additionally, special thanks are extended to Crystal Scheib and Christina Dietz for making these changes to improve the portal!

 

General Education Core List -- Fall 2017

The updated General Education Core List of classes for Fall 2017 is now available at this link.

Please note that you may be prompted to sign in to myHACC to access the list.