Athens State University (ASU) provides student support programs, services, and activities that are consistent with its mission and goals and which are designed to promote student learning, enhance personal development and growth, and promote student welfare. Student support programs and services are offered in several areas, but the focus of support efforts are driven by the University’s mission and organization. As the only upper-division university in the Alabama Community College System (ACCS), the University’s mission acknowledges a primary commitment to serve ACCS transfer students as well as students from other accredited institutions of higher education. The support services offered by the University reflect this commitment, and also reflect the organization of the institution as a non-residential campus serving commuting and distance education students, and as an institution with no intercollegiate athletics program.

Consistent with the institution’s goals, all administrative and academic departments work together to furnish the services necessary to promote and enhance student learning experiences and promote the individual welfare of students. In particular, the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (henceforth Academic Affairs) and the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services (henceforth Student Services) oversee and coordinate the primary academic and non-academic student support services offered by ASU.

As an upper-division university, ASU offers no freshman orientation courses. However, student services orientation describing the support services and programs offered by ASU are provided to students via the University website.

Student Support Services – Academic/Extracurricular

The Accounting Lab: The Accounting Lab offers specific course tutoring for students enrolled in any Accounting courses offered at Athens State University and provides materials and computers for students to use in completion of assignments. The lab is staffed by students identified as knowledgeable accounting majors by the faculty supervisor. The student staff provides personal tutorial assistance to students in person and through email, fax, or telephone. The scheduled hours of operation for the Accounting Lab total about 25 hours per week.

The Office of Admissions and Records: The Office of Admissions and Records supports the mission of the institution by following policies and practices that provide admission and course registration to qualified students. The Office also serves as the official University steward of academic records. Through managed processes, information technology resources, and personal services, the Office conducts a wide range of activities aimed at meeting University enrollment and retention goals, facilitating the seamless transition of new students to the University and the timely achievement of academic goals for all students. In addition, the Office ensures the accuracy, integrity, and security of student academic records. In conducting its activities, the Office collects, maintains, preserves, and distributes academic data in compliance with institutional policies and all applicable state and federal regulations.

The Center for Instructional Technology: The Center for Instructional Technology supports the mission of the institution by providing support for distance education courses, thus expanding the educational opportunities for students who are unable to attend traditional on-campus courses. The Center provides support for students and faculty in order to improve both learning and teaching, and to provide greater student access to the degree programs offered by the University. The Center serves to support the institutional goal of providing flexible course delivery methods that support student learning in a manner equivalent to that of traditional courses. The services provided by the Center aim at providing faculty training and support in the use and implementation of distance education technology, and support and assistance for students registered in all courses that rely on the technology.

The Library: The ASU Library provides materials, resources, and services that support academic programs and enhance the learning experience of students. The qualified Library staff excels in meeting the educational and personal needs of students, faculty, and other Library patrons. Library orientation is provided to students through individual or scheduled group sessions, and a variety of informational handouts are available. A tutorial is available on the Library webpage for students who do not attend on-campus classes. In addition, Library faculty members may serve as “embedded librarians” for courses offered in all Colleges. The embedded librarian serves as a teaching assistant in the primary instructor’s Blackboard course container, and is available to answer student inquiries via electronic mail or the course discussion board.

Additional information on Library resources and services can be found in the narratives for Core Requirement 2.9 and Comprehensive Standard 3.8.

The Math Lab: ASU maintains a Math Lab designed to meet the mathematics learning needs of all students enrolled in ASU mathematics courses. The lab is staffed by knowledgeable mathematics majors selected by a Faculty Director from the Mathematics Department. Math Lab personnel assist students by offering individual or small-group tutorials, providing access to technology, such as computers with mathematics software and Internet access, DVD’s or other audio-video systems of supplemental instruction, and providing access to reference materials. The Mathematics Lab is open each academic term with a variety of day and evening hours for the convenience of the student. In addition, peer tutors are available by telephone during g hours of operation to provide assistance for distance education students.

The Office of Testing Services: The Office of Testing Services supports the mission of the University by providing a blend of personal service and customized technology to accommodate student testing needs. The Office provides proctored exams in both individual and collective settings for students enrolled in ASU courses, including distance education courses. In addition, the Office offers services for many standardized tests such as the Proficiency Profile Test (formerly MAPP), the Miller Analogies Test (MAT), and for required degree-specific exams such as the Praxis Series I and II and degree program exit exams. The services offered by the Office of Testing Services are also available to members of the community.

The Transfer Advising Center/Academic Advising: In 2006, Athens State University established the Transfer Advising Center (TAC). Individual academic advising begins in the TAC where transfer counselors, one for each College, assist new students in making their transition to ASU as seamless as possible. Since all students entering ASU transfer from a community college or another accredited college or university, the TAC counselors have vested authority, in coordination with the Office of Admissions and Records, to determine whether any course taken at another institution is acceptable to satisfy a general education requirement in a particular ASU degree program. In addition, TAC counselors assist entering students by developing initial plans of study which provide a framework for subsequent advising from faculty advisors, and by assigning faculty advisors in the student’s chosen degree program. Faculty advisors in each College then assist students in developing specific plans of study for the professional course requirements in their chosen degree program.

Off-campus site managers may also provide information on transfer services and requirements to students who visit one of the University or Distance Learning Centers.

The Writing Center: The Writing Center provides a supportive learning environment aimed at assisting all ASU students to meet writing goals and objectives as set forth by their various Colleges and increase their confidence and competence in their composition skills. The Center operates under the direction of a Faculty Director from the English Department. The Center is staffed by knowledgeable English majors who are selected by the Faculty Director. Located in the ASU Library, the Center is open at convenient hours for students each semester. In addition, students may obtain assistance from tutors via e-mail.

Student Support Services – Non-Academic

The Office of Career Services: The Office of Career Services provides resources and services to assist students with choosing and preparing for careers, and developing job-searching skills to find employment. The Office includes an information center with resource materials, graduate school information, and employer information. The Office sponsors or promotes career fairs throughout the year to increase both student and community awareness of career opportunities. The Office also offers Cooperative Education Programs that are designed to give students the opportunity to integrate classroom and academic experience with practical work experience in their major field in order to assist students in their progress toward personal, academic, and career goals.

The Office of Counseling Services: The Office of Counseling Services supports the educational mission of the University through a series of mental health support services aimed at enhancing opportunities for academic and personal success. Through confidential counseling sessions by a licensed professional counselor, the Office assists students with stress management, time management, study skills, test anxiety, mixed or overwhelmed feelings about returning to school, personal relationships, personal loss, career decisions, or job skill development. All services are provided with strict guidelines mandated by institutional and regulatory policies to ensure student confidentiality.

The Office of Disability Services: The Office of Disability Services ensures that all academic programs, student services, and facilities are accessible to persons with disabilities. The Office advances equal opportunities for students with disabilities by providing full support for those students in a welcoming and accommodating environment, and assures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Office supports the University’s mission by providing services that strive to retain students with disabilities, and assist them at completing degree programs at levels consistent with those of non-disabled students.

The Office of Student Activities: The Office of Student Activities supports the University mission by enhancing the social, cultural, and intellectual development of students by providing programs and activities that offer recreation and enhance opportunities for personal growth. The extracurricular activities offered by the Office strive to foster a sense of campus community while recognizing the organization of the institution as a non-residential campus serving commuting and distance education students.

The Office promotes student representation in University governance by supporting the Student Government Association (SGA). Through the SGA, students are involved in all levels of University decision-making. The University organizational structure provides for and encourages democratic student involvement in the affairs of the University by including student representation on various academic, planning and support service committees, and on campus focus groups. In addition, the Office supports the development of student leadership skills by sponsoring leadership seminars and involving students in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs and activities.

Numerous student clubs and organizations are facilitated and coordinated thr ough the Office in order to provide opportunities for students to expand their intellectual, social, and cultural horizons if they so desire. More than twenty clubs and organizations are available to students. However, some honor societies may require certain criteria in order for students to be eligible for membership. Information about clubs and student organizations is available to University students at the University website and in the Student Planner and Handbook. The Office also sponsors and supports the student newspaper, The Athenian, and The Gyre, an annual publication devoted to student creative writing. Activities sponsored by clubs are frequently highlighted in special features published in The Athenian.

The Campus Calendar highlights dates for campus activities in addition to important dates for academic matters such as registration and final exams. Many social and cultural activities are offered for students, faculty, staff, and the community on a recurring basis. These activities include programs sponsored by the Athens State University Foundation Livingston Concert-Lecture Series, special events for Black History Month and Women’s History Month, and various student activities including “welcome back” cookouts and seasonal pageants.

The Office of Student Financial Services: The Office of Student Financial Services supports the University mission by assisting qualified students in the achievement of their educational goals with financial aid from grants, scholarships, and loans, and work-study from federal, state, and private sources. The Office is committed to providing financial assistance for students who otherwise could not attend the institution and to maximizing funds available for Athens State University students to meet their costs of attendance. In providing its services, the Office ensures compliance with federal, state and institutional regulations and policies governing student financial aid services. The Office also strives to maintain funding sources by ensuring program integrity. This is achieved through ongoing staff training and continuing education, external audits, and self evaluations that help to ensure the Office is providing quality financial assistance services effectively and efficiently.

The Office of Student Recruitment: The Office of Student Recruitment supports the University’s mission by promoting the educational opportunities offered by the University to qualified prospective students through a carefully designed outreach program. In cooperative and coordinated efforts, primarily with institutions in the ACCS, the recruiters assist prospective students in matching their educational goals, interests, and community college preparation with the degree programs offered by the University. The Office also supports the University’s diversity initiatives by pursuing the recruitment of qualified students from traditionally under-represented groups.

The Office of Veterans’ Affairs: The Office of Veterans’ Affairs supports the institutional mission by providing information about veterans’ educational assistance to military veterans and their eligible family members, thus ensuring their access to the educational opportunities offered by the University. In coordination with academic advisors, the Office assists students in planning and progressing through an approved course of study based on the rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Student Support Services – Administrative

In addition to the support services overseen by Academic Affairs and Student Services, several administrative units of the University offer important auxiliary services for Athens State University students. Some of these services are overseen and coordinated under Student Services, while others fall under the purview of the Office of the Vice President for Financial Affairs (henceforth Financial Affairs).

The Bookstore: The ASU Bookstore, operated by Follett, supports the University mission by providing on-campus and online textbook services for University students. Students may receive assistance from Bookstore staff by telephone, e-mail, or at the on-campus Bookstore. Textbooks and other course material can be ordered online and delivered to students by mail or reserved for pick up on campus. Bookstore personnel work closely with faculty and staff to provide educational materials, computer products, and supplies necessary to support classroom instruction and enhance student learning experiences. In addition, the Bookstore supports campus and community life by offering University apparel and various convenience store items.

The Office of Campus Security: The Office of Campus Security supports the institutional mission by working to maintain a safe and secure environment that is conducive to effective learning and the welfare of students, faculty, and staff. A professional core of Security Officers provides protection of persons and property through a variety of activities and services. In addition, the Office and University provide and coordinate electronic emergency alert systems to notify students concerning weather-related cancellations or other situations requiring timely notification.

Information Technology (IT): The IT Department (IT) is dedicated to providing technology and information support services that support the mission and goals of ASU. Course management technology, such as electronic mail and Blackboard, are maintained by IT staff in order to support the traditional and online components of all courses relying on the technology. Members of the IT department work closely with the Office of Admissions and Records to maintain the integrity of electronic student records and facilitate the evolving nature of technology. In addition, members of the IT staff maintain open student computer labs in several strategic locations on campus and at University and Distance Learning Centers. The IT staff also provides support for classroom computers and other classroom technology.

The Office of Printing and Publication Services: The Office of Printing and Publication Services supports the educational mission of the University by providing printing and mail services to faculty, staff, and student organizations in a professional and timely manner. The Office also offers post office boxes to students free of charge.

Assessment of Student Support Services

Ongoing assessment and improvement, whether through unit-based evaluation or university-wide assessment, are integral elements of all student support services at Athens State University. Continuous assessment and improvement is sustained for each unit through the annual University assessment cycle. Like all academic and administrative units, student support units identify and assess objectives and goals as part of their annual assessment, and also identify and assess program operational outcomes, which measure productivity outcomes that help to evaluate the impact of student support services. In addition, support units employ indirect methods such as Point of Service (POS) surveys and the Graduating Senior Exit Surveys (GSES) to assess services offered by each unit. POS surveys are provided for consumers either on a unit’s web page or at the time of service. Graduating seniors are required to complete an online GSES before completing the online graduation application. The GSES asks each student a variety of questions about student support services, academic programs and services, and other University services, and the responses capture overall student satisfaction with University life and student support services. Results of any POS surveys and the GSES are compiled and incorporated with other performance indicators in each unit’s annual assessment report and action plan.

Additional information on student support service assessment can be found in the narratives for
Core Requirement 2.5 and Comprehensive Standard 3.3.