Student Support Services & Student Life

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Support Services

The College offers a comprehensive program of student services designed to meet the needs of part-time and full-time students. Commitment of College personnel to the concept of total student development involves extending traditional teaching/learning experiences beyond the classroom into other out-of-class teaching/learning situations, which may or may not involve typical classroom activities. While student development is a College-wide priority, the primary responsibility for developing and coordinating student development services lies with the Vice President, Student Affairs.

In an effort to facilitate total student development, Student Affairs staff will provide students with learning opportunities to meet their intellectual, academic, personal, social, cultural, and physical needs; help with making realistic career choices; help in developing a greater sense of self-worth, self-confidence, and responsibility for their own behavior; assist with becoming more open, honest, and trusting in their relationships with others; and assist with developing the life skills necessary to live productive and fulfilled lives.

TRiO Student Support Services Program

Student Support Services is a TRiO Program funded through a grant from the U. S. Department of Education for students who are first generation college students, low income eligible and/or have a documented disability. The Student Support Services Program provides opportunities for academic improvement and mastery of basic college skills, as well as activities that motivate and propel students toward a successful completion of their post-secondary education. The program offers academic monitoring, co-advisement, career and personal counseling, tutoring, study skills, and educational/cultural enrichment experiences. The Student Support Services Program seeks to increase college retention and the graduation rates of its participants as well as to encourage transfer to a four-year institution. For more information, contact the Student Support Services Office, located in the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center, second floor, room 202.

Specific program services include:

• Academic, career, and personal counseling
• Supplemental financial assistance for eligible students
• College transfer advisement and assistance
• Individual tutorial services
• Monitoring of classroom progress
• Workshops for academic career, and personal success
• Financial literacy information and workshops
• Assistance with completing the FAFSA and college applications
• Space for homework and tutoring
• Opportunities to visit colleges and participate in cultural activities

How to apply to the program:

1. Obtain an application from the Student Support Services Program (SSSP) website under the Division of Student Affairs or come to the Student Support Services Program Office located in the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center, second floor, room 202.
2. Complete the application and schedule an appointment with the Program Director.

Office hours for SSS are Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Phone number 336.249.8186, extension 6799.

Disability Services

Disability services are provided by the Disability Services Counselor, located in the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center.

The College is committed to providing access to facilities and reasonable accommodation in the instructional process, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Both require institutions of higher education to “provide equal access to educational opportunities to otherwise qualified ‘persons with disabilities.’” It is the responsibility of the student with a disability to provide documentation of the disability. The documentation must certify that the disability creates a substantial limitation of a major life activity in order to establish eligibility for protection under the law. This documentation may include results of medical, psychological, or emotional diagnostic tests, or other professional evaluations to verify the need for adjustments or aids. Requests for information and assistance should be directed to the Disability Services Counselor or the Director, Student Services, on the Davie Campus.

Career Development

The Career Development Office is located on the first floor of the B. E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building in the Student Success Center. Career Counselors provide assistance with choosing a college major and career path, employment outlook for occupations, job search resources, resume and cover letter writing, interview preparation, and access to a wealth of career related information. Job search resources are available to help students and alumni develop job seeking, resume writing, and interviewing knowledge in order to make a successful transition from college to employment. Services include classroom workshops and one-on-one career counseling, a free Web based job bank, a list of current job search engines, an online resume and cover letter builder, and interview coaching and video recorded mock interviews. Contact the Career Development Office for an appointment by calling 336.249.8186, extension 6245, email cs@davidsonccc.edu, or visit www.davidsonccc.edu to access a wide range of career resources online, including Career Coach.

Bookstore

A College Bookstore is provided on campus as a service to the student body, faculty, and staff. Textbooks, school supplies, and other course-related materials are available. The Bookstore also provides opportunities for students to sell and buy used books. Hours of operation are posted on the DCCC bookstore website.

Child Development Center

In 1981, the College opened a Child Development Center on the Davidson Campus. The purpose of the CDC is to provide a hands-on laboratory site for students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education degree program by offering exemplary care and education for pre-school children. The center offers students of the College opportunities to learn about the development and education of children by observing and interacting with young children under the supervision of qualified teachers and staff. In addition, the center serves as a collaborative partner with local childcare providers and community agencies committed to enhancing the quality of care and education for young children.

The CDC enrolls children from infancy through five years of age and operates with a five-star license. Awarded by the N.C. Division of Child Development, which regulates licensed early care and education facilities in the state, the five-star rating is the highest granted under the state licensure system. Operational hours for the Davidson Campus CDC are 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Nurse and Mental Health Counselor

Through agreement with the Davidson County Health Department, a nurse is available for consultation on Monday and Tuesday mornings in the B. E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building, room 230b. Through agreement with Davidson County Family Services a mental health counselor is available for assessment, counseling, and referral in room 230b several days each week. Hours are published on the College website.

First Aid

The location of the College is such that the campuses are easily accessible to medical attention and hospital care at the hospitals of Thomasville, Lexington, and Davie County. Public ambulances are available on a 24-hour schedule. First-aid supplies are also available to students in all shops and laboratories, in the Student Success Center located in the B.E. Mendenhall, Jr., Building and at the campus receptionist area on the Davie Campus. In the event of accident or medical emergency at any DCCC campus location, call 911.

Davie Campus Services

The College makes every effort to provide access to Student Services for students at the Davie Campus in Mocksville. Students may request assistance with services indicated in this catalog by contacting the Davie Campus or the Davidson Campus. Davie Campus personnel will assist students in obtaining information or receiving help from campus services housed at the Davidson Campus.

Food Services

Food service is available in the Storm Cellar on the first floor of the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center on the Davidson Campus. Hot meals are available from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Vending machines with snacks, beverages, confections, etc., are available in most buildings on both campuses.

Student Life

Student activities are viewed as an important dimension of each student’s experience while attending Davidson County Community College, and the College encourages student involvement in all aspects of student and campus life. Students gain enjoyment, friends on campus, leadership skills, and experiences that are valued by both employers and four-year universities.

Athletics

Davidson County Community College offers an intercollegiate athletic program to enhance the college experience for students. Women’s volleyball and men’s basketball programs are available to students. Each program is committed to providing a comprehensive and well-rounded athletic experience in support of the College’s educational initiatives.

The College is a member of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). The teams compete in Division III, Region 10. Division III teams do not offer scholarship support to players. In accordance with DCCC’s open door admissions policy, students admitted to the College who plan to participate in intercollegiate athletics must meet all admissions criteria set forth in the College General Catalog/Student Handbook. Player eligibility includes standards established by DCCC and NJCAA. Student-athletes must be enrolled each semester as a full-time student with 12 or more semester hours and maintain a grade point average of 2.0 or higher to meet eligibility.

Student Organizations and Activities

The College encourages student involvement in all activities of student and campus life. Student activities are viewed as an important dimension of each student’s learning experience while attending DCCC. Student organizations and activities at Davidson County Community College are open to all students regardless of race, national origin, religion, age, sex, or disability.

The area of Student Activities is committed to educating and challenging students to reach their full potential and operates with the belief that all students are potential leaders of society and the world. To that end, student development in some form serves as the major point of emphasis in the services and programs provided.

Through student organizations and activities, students enhance their leadership, intellectual, cultural and personal development, establish lifelong friendships by participating and working with others who share the same interests, and gain experiences valued by both employers and four-year colleges and universities.

Students have the opportunity to participate in activities such as Fall Fest, Spring Fling, International Night, Halloween Extravaganza, formal dances, service projects, and membership in any of the more than 30 campus clubs and organizations.

Student Government Association (SGA)

The purpose of the Student Government Association (SGA) is to serve as the voice of the student body by promoting campus involvement, fostering leadership development, and overseeing and assisting in the development of student clubs and organizations, and by acting as a liaison between student organizations and campus administration.

All students, full-time or part-time, are a part of the Student Government Association and can attend SGA Council meetings and participate in all activities sponsored by the SGA.

Ambassadors

Ambassadors are students who have excellent interpersonal skills, strong academic records, and a strong commitment to Davidson County Community College. By an application process and recommendations from faculty or staff members, these students represent the College at special events, give tours, and generally act as representatives to the community. Ambassadors receive leadership development training to assist them with their responsibilities.

Civic Engagement/Service Learning

Davidson County Community College is committed to developing our students, both inside and outside the classroom. The Civic Engagement initiative is the product of a campus community effort to provide our students with meaningful experiences, leadership skills, and a sense of civic responsibility through structured curricular and co-curricular activities.

Curricular Emphasis - Service Learning

Service Learning engages students in organized activities that address community needs while strengthening their academic skills. Faculty will provide students opportunities throughout the semester to reflect on their service and how it relates to their course objectives.

Co-curricular Emphasis - Service Projects

Working in conjunction with Student Affairs, service projects will allow students to participate in service activities and reflections without having to be affiliated with a specific course. By bringing together students, faculty, staff, and alumni for a common goal, co-curricular service projects will allow greater opportunities for the campus community.

Fitness Centers

The Fitness Center on the Davidson Campus is a state-of-the-art workout facility in the North Carolina Community College System. This Center provides faculty, staff, students, and alumni the opportunity to stay fit and healthy. The equipment includes Cybex pin-select weight training machines, treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, stationary and spin cycles, and a full free weight training area. A certified aerobics instructor and personal trainer are on staff to assist anyone in meeting their fitness goals. Group exercise classes are also offered free of charge to all students and staff throughout the week.

The Davie Fitness Center is located in the Health and Technology Building. The equipment includes new Cybex pin-select weight training machines, treadmills, elliptical trainers, stair climbers, stationary and spin cycles, and a full free weight training area.

Hours of operation are posted each semester.

Student Lounges

In an effort to help meet the needs of commuting students, the College provides informal student lounges in the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center, Gee, Finch, and Sinclair buildings on the Davidson Campus and in the Davie Community (Classroom) Building on the Davie Campus. Students are encouraged to use these areas for relaxation and study between classes. For a quieter environment to study or do homework, students are encouraged to make use of study rooms in the Learning Commons and Library in the Edward Love LRC building.

Publications

The D-Triple-C Dispatch is published at the beginning of each semester and provides back-to-school information students need to know.

Campus Security and Safety

Last Updated: Jul 1 2015

Davidson County Community College is committed to providing the best possible education for all its students and a good working environment for all its employees. In striving to achieve this goal, it is important to assure the physical and emotional safety for all students, faculty, and staff. All College employees and students are responsible for taking safety seriously, preventing and/or reporting any unsafe conditions, and continuously practicing safety while performing any work or using any College facilities. Members of the campus community are encouraged to immediately report safety concerns of any kind to the following individuals:

• Campus Resource Officers, Davidson and Davie Campuses
• Security Personnel, Davidson and Davie Campuses
• Director, Campus Safety and Community Standards
• Director, Human Resources
• Vice President, Student Affairs
• Any supervisor of an academic program or campus service

Confidential crime reports may be made to the Davidson and Davie Campus Resource Officers.

The College’s safety program includes the following:

Security and Personnel:

• Director, Campus Safety and Community Standards - The Director is a full-time staff member in the Student Affairs division of the College responsible for all campus safety efforts, student conduct resolution, and leading the DCCC CARE Team. The Director, in collaboration with Campus Resource Officers, prepares the annual disclosure of crime statistics for the College.
• Campus Resource Officers - Two Davidson County sheriff’s deputies serve as Campus Resource Officers (CRO) on the Davidson Campus and are on campus from 7:30 a.m.-10:00 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Friday. A Davie County sheriff’s deputy serves as a Campus Resource Officer for the Davie Campus from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. All Resource Officers are sheriff’s department employees authorized to carry weapons and make arrests. Resource Officers can provide information about registered sex offenders.
• Security officers - assist with building security and administering campus safety plans.
• Mental Health Counselor - assists students with personal and campus situations which may interfere with academic achievement or personal safety. The Counselor is an employee of Family Services of Davidson County and follows agency procedures for confidential crime reporting.
• The DCCC Care Team - comprised of faculty and staff with expertise in working with students and responding to emergency situations. The primary responsibility of the Care Team is to provide early assistance to students in distress in order to ensure well-being and safety and help prevent situations of concern, either before or after a conduct violation has occurred, from becoming more serious. When needed, the Care Team will conduct a threat assessment to determine the best, most appropriate ways to help students.

Facilities: Video cameras are installed in select buildings and exterior locations to assist security personnel with identifying unsafe situations and mitigating property loss.

Notification Systems:

• Calls to 911 Emergency are automatically routed to Davidson and Davie county first responders, and the campus phone extension and building location are automatically identified in the call.
• Panic buttons that automatically dial 911 are located in all classrooms and main office locations of the Davidson and Davie campuses and education centers.
• An all-building audio mass notification system and a text, email, and phone notification system serve to quickly disseminate emergency messages across campus.
• Emergency messaging is communicated to the community via the College’s website.

In the event of an emergency that may affect the safety of individuals, property or the continuity of college operations (Clery), the campus community will be notified in a timely manner through the following means, in the order listed:

1. An alert will be disseminated to the campus via an all-building audio mass-notification system. A phone message will also disseminate through this system to all campus phones.
2. An email, voice message, and text alert will be disseminated to the campus community via Blackboard Connect, a second mass notification system used by the College.
3. Emergency messaging will be displayed on desktop and mobile device versions of the College’s website. Messaging will appear on every page of the website.

Note: All forms of emergency messaging will contain the same information and directives for faculty, staff and students to follow. Messaging in all forms will be updated every half hour during an emergency.

Policies:

• Behavior Intervention/Threat Assessment Policy - assists faculty and staff with determining responses to potentially threatening situations.
• Student Code of Conduct - assists faculty and staff with resolving student behavior concerns.
• General Complaint - assists faculty and staff with resolving complaints.
• Administrative Withdrawal - provides a way for the College to involuntarily withdraw a student who demonstrates potential for harm to self or others or who cannot function in the campus environment due to substance abuse.
• Readmission Policy - provides a structured process for suspended students to return to the College. Students seeking readmission following a suspension must complete an Application for Readmission and meet with faculty and staff.

Planning and Response: DCCC is committed to emergency preparedness and has engaged in response planning and practice emergency response drills. The College’s emergency plan is based on the National Incident Management System model. All employees have access to the College’s Emergency Response (make this a hyperlink) Handbook to assist with managing an emergency. Additionally, designated employees in each building assume leadership for building safety in the event of an emergency, and Maintenance staff members are assigned to buildings to assist during emergencies. These individuals receive training every August prior to the start of fall semester classes. The College’s emergency response procedures are tested and evaluated at least twice per year through practice drills facilitated by an external agency in the field of emergency preparedness. Additionally, the College’s evacuation building procedures are tested once per year through planned fire drills.

Disclosure:

Twice per year, the College’s safety and emergency response procedures and crime statistics are disseminated to students, faculty and staff via email. Campus Resource Officers on the Davidson and Davie Campuses keep records of crime statistics and make these records available to the public upon request.

Education:

The Director, Campus Safety and Community Standards, Campus Resource Officers and/or other community professionals conduct safety, crime prevention, and sexual assault prevention seminars open to all members of the campus community twice per year.

Behavior Intervention Team Policy

Mission:

The Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) is a multidisciplinary proactive campus behavioral intervention team committed to maintaining the overall safety of the campus community. BIT is designed to provide a method for communication, assessment, early intervention and management of behaviors exhibited by individuals of the College community that could pose a threat to the health, safety and well-being of the campus community. This process provides the College community with a tool and conduit with which to alert campus officials of concerns about a student’s behavior.

Purpose:

The BIT serves as a centralized coordinating body focused on addressing the needs of students who are experiencing significant behavioral disturbances or have engaged in harmful or disruptive behaviors. The BIT has been created to:

• Identify individuals of concern, gather and assess information from faculty, staff, and  students, and intervene early.
• Assess potential disruptions, levels of threat and risk and determine the most appropriate response to ensure safety for the individual and the campus community. The team will use the NaBITA Risk Assessment Tool to determine if a threat or risk exists and will develop an appropriate plan of action.
• Provide guidance to faculty, staff, administration and students in assisting individuals of concern.
• Connect individuals with needed campus and community resources; monitor ongoing behavior of students of concern.
• Coordinate follow-up. Ensure that services, support, and resources are deployed effectively.
• Serve as the centralized reporting place for information that addresses a spectrum of risks from a position of care and concern.

BIT Members

The BIT is composed of representatives from critical areas of the campus community and includes:

• Director of Campus Safety and Community Standards, chair
• Vice President of Student Affairs
• Dean of Student Success
• Disability Services Counselor
• Faculty Member
• Mental Health Counselor

As Needed Members

In addition, the Team may call upon others, as needed, to share unique perspectives of the individual in crisis.

BIT Referral Protocol

The BIT will meet every two weeks to address new issues or updates. When a report is deemed urgent the team or a subset of the team will meet immediately to develop a plan of action.

Reporting

Anyone can report a concern about an individual. Faculty, staff, administrators, students and community members are encouraged to use the Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report link on the College website or to contact the Director of Campus Safety and Community Standards at 336-249-8186 ext. 6130, or via email. If the Director is not available, reports can be made to any member of the BIT.

• A report is submitted through the Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report and immediately enters a secure database. Automated notification is sent to Director of Campus Safety& Community Standards.
• Director of Campus Safety & Community Standards reviews the report and decides how to respond and whether the BIT needs to meet immediately. If the review identifies a need for immediate BIT intervention, the BIT will be called to evaluate level of risk using a NaBITA Risk Assessment Tool (Appendix A) and develop a course of action.

Information Gathering

To thoroughly evaluate a report and determine a course of action, the Director of Campus Safety & Community Standards and/or BIT will interview

• the reporting party,
• the individual alleged to have displayed concerning behavior,
• individuals identified as potential targets of concerning behavior, and
• other individuals relevant to the situation,

and may request and review the following information:

• the student’s academic and disciplinary history,
• information from law enforcement regarding the student’s criminal history, and
• information from prior colleges the student has attended.

The individual of concern is notified in writing of a BIT or Code of Conduct investigation. Feedback to the reporting party throughout the process is provided when appropriate and in keeping with FERPA laws addressing confidentiality.

Note: This process follows formalized due process guidelines listed in The College’s General Catalog and Student Handbook.

Potential Outcomes

Once the BIT has gathered information and conducted a full assessment, the following courses of action may be determined:

• No action recommended, pending further observation or monitoring.
• Code of Conduct violation is determined and due process is initiated.

*Note: If the code of conduct process results in a decision to expel the student, DCCC may notify the local sheriff’s department.

• Assist faculty, staff, or students in developing an action plan to manage concerning behaviors.
• Refer the student to existing on-campus or community support resources.
• Recommend the student use a medical withdrawal from classes.
• Require the student to administratively withdraw from classes for a defined period of time.
• Once a student leaves the College for mental health reasons, his/her return may be contingent upon the recommendation of a health professional or other criteria. A health professional recommendation should indicate whether or not the student is able to handle the stressors of a learning environment and will be considered along with any additional documentation attesting to the readiness of the student’s return to campus.

The individual of concern is notified in writing of the results of a BIT or Code of Conduct investigation which includes procedures for appealing decisions.

The BIT will regularly update the College President regarding investigations.

Student Response:

• Accept and comply with actions determined by BIT.
• Appeal actions following the College’s General Complaint Policy.
• Non-compliance with actions determined by BIT (results in referral for disciplinary action, which could result in suspension).

Follow-up

• Establish and follow a plan for monitoring student.
• Reporting party is notified of outcomes, when appropriate and with regard to FERPA regulations.
• Coordinate support services for victims if needed.
• When a student wishes to return to campus
  • Request the student to complete an Application for Readmission and follow the readmission process.

The Behavioral Intervention Team Model works within all current College policies.

Campus Education

College community members will be aware of the BIT, how it functions, and how to report student behaviors of concern:

• The Director of Campus Safety and Community Standards will provide professional development opportunities concerning the Behavioral Intervention Team and its functions.
  • Training format will consist of:
    • Informational presentations
    • Professional development workshops
    • Information session facilitated at New Employee Orientation.
    • A Faculty & Staff Referral/Action Guide for responding to disruptive and threatening behaviors given to all new employees at orientation
    • On-going professional development for the BIT

Identifying At-Risk Students

The following is a guideline for determining the severity of student behavior situations.

Mild Risk Behavior Examples:

• Consistent disruptive behavior
• Excessive use of profanity
• Argumentative
• Lack of cooperation when requests are made
• Unwelcomed sexual comments, gestures, or innuendoes
• Negative attitude toward the rules
• Inappropriate display of anger
• Hostile or aggressive behavior
• Acts motivated by hatred or discrimination

Recommendations:

• Review behavioral expectations with student; if this does not work, file a Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report on College website.

Moderate Risk Behavioral Examples:

• Overt, covert, or indirect threats
• Attempts to instigate fights
• Open defiance of the rules
• Inability to communicate clearly (garbled, slurred speech; disjointed thoughts)
• Violent notes or written references to violence sent to others
• Stalking or harassment of a faculty member or student
• Indirect expression of suicidal thoughts
• Emotionally erratic, physically acting out of anger
• Comments about having weapons or stories of harming others
• Threatening, aggressive, or hostile verbalizations or correspondence (long ranting emails, texts, voicemails, social media posts, etc.)
• Belief that others are conspiring against them or persecuting them; sees injustice
• Frequent state of alcohol or drug intoxication (bleary-eyed, hung-over, smelling of alcohol)

Recommendations:

• Make referral to BIT through Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report on College website.

Elevated/High Risk Behavior examples:

• Clear, expressed intent to harm or kill (emails, texts, voicemails, social media posts, writings)
• Physical assault of another individual
• Intense anger
• Showing a weapon or telling about the location of a weapon
• Clear, expressed suicide thoughts (suicide is a current option)
• Loss of contact with reality (seeing/hearing things that are not there; beliefs or actions at odds with reality)

Recommendation

• Call Campus Resource Officer
• Make referral to BIT through Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report on College website.

Academic Signs of Risk

• Deterioration in quality/quantity of work
• A negative change in classroom performance
• Excessive absences, especially if the student has previously demonstrated consistent attendance
• Unusual or marked changed patterns of interaction, i.e., avoidance of participation, excessive domination of class discussions, etc.
• Continual seeking of special provisions (e.g., late papers, extensions, postponed exams, and projects)

Recommendations:

• Make referral to BIT through Care Report/Code of Conduct Incident Report on College website.

Campus Resources

• Campus Resource Officer 336-249-8186 ext. 6729 | Cell 336-479-0181
• Campus Security 336- 249-8186 ext. 6274 | Cell 336-240-4215
• Director of Campus Safety 336-249-8186 ext. 6130 | Cell 336-692-9640
• Campus Nurse 336-249-8186 ext. 6111
• Mental Health Counselor 336-249-8186 ext. 6175
• Disability Services 336-249-8186 ext. 6342
• Minority Male Mentoring 336-249-8186 ext. 6186
• Learning Commons 336-249-8186 ext. 6787