We are starting a new semester and a new year. It always seems that the most difficult part of this transition is adjusting to writing a new year when I date a document. I’ve already slipped up a couple of times, but find that folks are very happy to correct me.
While many of us were taking a break during the holidays, NCTC’s student services, facilities, and information technology employees were hard at work. Today, I will focus on them.
Student Services
Several weeks ago, I talked about the new efforts Northland was taking to encourage greater levels of student success. This included requiring students to obtain access codes from an advisor prior to registering for spring semester. This process ensured that all students would talk with someone who could help them assess their progress, their time management abilities, and their likelihood of ending fall semester in good academic standing. We believe that all of these good outcomes occurred –student success for fall semester will be analyzed after the spring semester is underway.
In addition to this, federal and state definitions of what “satisfactory academic progress” means changed during the last semester, requiring the college to suspend more students. Suspended students have the opportunity to appeal this action, by providing information to an appeals committee, of factors that will insure a better outcome in subsequent semesters.
Unlike “normal” semester starts, we had a greater number of students filing appeals – many of them successful. This required a considerable amount of time on the part of committee members who read the files and/or talk with student petitioners. The staff must organize all of the documents to be considered by the committees.
There were a lot of last-minute registrations. Before registering, new students must take the assessment tests to assure they take courses appropriate to their academic skills. And, there was no end of activity for our financial aid people.
We have GREAT, committed, and passionate student services employees at both of our campuses. Each one has a personal commitment to assuring that each student has his or her concerns addressed. Please take the time to acknowledge their work.
Facilities
At the same time that we were working so hard to get students situated for the new semester, our facilities staff members at both campuses were taking advantage of slower traffic to get a lot of things done. I have been on both campuses in the past week. Floors have been washed, shampooed, and waxed. Summer-time capital improvement projects got the finishing touches – including a new glass-in entry to the Automotive Tech program at Thief River Falls. The employee lounge in East Grand Forks was relocated and classrooms were recarpeted.
I think we all appreciate the cleanliness of our campuses. There is a pride of ownership that shines through and is noticed by people in our communities.
Information Technology
The absence of students for two weeks also gives the IT employees the chance to update all student-oriented computers on our campuses and get them ready for the new semester. This is not a small job, considering that we maintain nearly 500 student computers.
Upcoming College Events
January 12 – NCTC Foundation Spring Semester Scholarship Ceremony – TRF Campus
January 13 – Pioneer Basketball at Vermilion Community College
January 14 – Pioneer Basketball at Mesabi Range Community College
January 16 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – No Classes – College Closed
January 17 – Health Fair – TRF Campus
January 17 – NCTC Foundation Spring Semester Scholarship Ceremony – EGF Campus
January 18 – Pioneer Basketball vs. Rainy River Community College
January 21 – Pioneer Basketball vs. Hibbing Community College
February 1 – TRF Campus Open House
My schedule for this week:
Mon., Jan. 9 – St. Cloud and St. Paul – meetings
Tues., Jan. 10 – St. Paul – Leadership Council
Wed., Jan. 11 – TRF All-Employee meetings
Thurs., Jan. 12 – EGF All-Employee meetings
Fri., Jan. 13 – TRF – FBM meeting
Have a wonderful week.
