Policies and Practices

Policies and Procedures

This page features important information for you.

SLS 1101 College Success is a three-credit course that offers students assistance with study techniques, test anxiety, time management, information literacy skills, and a host of other topics.

There's a great deal of information on this website. If you're a new instructor, your mentor will be happy to help you become acquainted with PCC's policies and practices. And I am always available for help.

The teaching materials on this website are suggestions only. (Many of these activities are available on a computer disk, ready to print. Ask Jean Reynolds for a disk if you haven't already received one.)

PCC's commitment to academic freedom guarantees you the right to use your own ideas and materials as long as you meet the four required outcomes for the course. If you develop materials of your own that others might enjoy using, please consider sharing them!

CONTACT INFORMATION
Please call or email me--Jean Reynolds, Academic Coordinator for College Success and Prep Writing--whenever you have a question or problem, no matter how trivial you think it is. Leave a message and state your name and phone number clearly twice. If I don’t know the answer to your question, I’ll connect you to someone who can help. Please call!

Home phone: 293-8496 Call between 7:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Calling me at home is the best way to reach me--or leave a message at both my work and home numbers.
My office phone: 297-1010 X5304
Email at home: ballroom16@aol.com (another good way to reach me)
Email at PCC: jreynolds@polk.edu (not always available)
Fax: 863-297-1037
Courier Station: #8

Other useful telephone numbers:

Sally Kreiner, Administrative Assistant 297-1025 or X 5025
Sherri Davis, Administrative Assistant 297-1025 or X 5273
Emergencies: 7-911. Stay on the line: The operator won't know whether you're in Lakeland or Winter Haven. After you've talked to the 911 operator, call Security (see below).
Security: 297-1059 or X 5059
These are important phone numbers. If an emergency causes you to be late, someone from security will go to your classroom to tell students you're coming. Security will also pick up found items in your classroom and deliver them to the Information Desk in Student Services.

I welcome your calls and questions. I’m available for classroom visits, and I’ll be glad to help in any way I can. Let me know what I can do. (And remember that I was an adjunct for several years before I became fulltime faculty. It might also reassure you to know that I taught in the prison system for three years. Nothing surprises me!)

TEACHING THE COLLEGE SUCCESS COURSE

Please be prepared to do the following:|

Read the BCI and distribute it to your class.
Cover the four required outcomes this semester.
Document the outcomes in a Faculty Report Form at the end of the semester (Note: This form is for statistical reports only. It will not be used to evaluate you. All adjunct and full-time faculty MUST submit this form.).
Place your students into cooperative base groups.
Make collaborative activities a significant part of the course.
Work closely with your mentor if you're a new instructor.
If you're an adjunct, schedule 1 hour of office time per week. Many instructors do 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after the class. You may use any spot on campus for this as long as students know where to find you.
Set up an email address for students to use. (The Division Office will assist you with this.)
Keep up to date with your email--important for communication with me and with PCC
Unfortunately no refreshment funds are available for the Spring 2005 semester, so you won't be able to hold a class party.
Follow (in general) the topic schedule as you teach the course.
Invite a speaker from Financial Aid to visit your class during the first three weeks of the course (see the topic schedule for details).
Invite a tutor from the TLCC to make an informal presentation to your class about free TLCC services (297-1033 WH, 297-1044 Lakeland)
Work with library personnel (X 5040 in Winter Haven, X6203 Lakeland) to schedule class visits (48 hours' notice is requested: You must be in the library with your students). Call ahead!
Use active-learning strategies to teach basic information literacy skills. The "Countries" assignment is fun and a great way to get students started learning basic library skills. The librarians will be happy to help you plan your visit. Department policy discourages formal orientations for college success students.
As appropriate, follow the topic schedule, which suggests a step-by-step plan for teaching students about information literacy, and there are many resources here for you.
As appropriate, use some of the print and video resources available to PCC instructors (your choice).
No final exam is required. You may devise an exam (some instructors use group exams) or other activity worth 10% of the final grade.

COMMUNICATION

If you're an adjunct teaching in Winter Haven, your station number for campus mail is #8.

ATTENDANCE POLICIES FOR STUDENTS

You MUSTstate your attendance policy in the BCI you distribute. You are welcome to design your own attendance policy. Many instructors permit students three hours of excused absences with no documentation required. (Students should understand that these hours are for emergencies.) Be sure to drop students promptly when they've exceeded their excused absences. PCC must pay large financial penalties when students on financial aid aren't dropped promptly.

Students who exceed the three hours and are dropped can be reinstated. It's your call. Students may petition for readmission if the instructor refuses.

Many instructors (includng me) count tardies under 10 minutes as half an absence.Tardiness of 10 minutes or more counts as a full absence. I encourage students to come to class even if they're unavoidably late, with the understanding that the tardiness will be counted as an absence.

REFRESHMENTS FOR STUDENTS

PCC's Foundation will pay up to $50 per class for refreshments. Please don't eat in the classrooms. In Lakeland, you can eat in the large room outside the cafeteria. In Winter Haven, you can reserve a quiet room in the Student Center. Call 297-1010 X 5050 or email Sharon Bevis to make the reservation.

You can eat off campus, bring refreshments yourself, or have Chartwells (PCC's food service company) do the catering (highly recommended!). Call Dan (he's at the Winter Haven Student Center) at 297-1078 (X5078 in-house).

Here is the official procedure:

The total of funds available from the Foundation is $1,000 per year. The maximum allowance for a single event is $50. This limit will apply even if more than one faculty member is involved in the event.

Notify the Foundation office ahead of time by phone (X5263) or by email about your plans. The Foundation office will let you know if money is available. If Chartwells is doing the catering, let the Foundation know--they will help you with the paperwork.

After the event, send your receipts to the Foundation office (Station 6). You must state the course # (SLS 1101) and sign the back of the receipt. Add a note stating your own name and station number (#8).

Anything over the $50 limit can be approved by the Faculty Senate President.

COMPUTER CLASSROOMS

Consider reserving a computer classroom to teach students about such topics as word processing, composing on a computer, making PowerPoint presentations, and accessing library materials.

WLR 317 is a computer classroom in Winter Haven. You can pick up a key to unlock this room in the TLCC (second floor, LR Building). Try the key several times: Sometimes it sticks.

Computer classrooms in Lakeland include LLC 2225, 2226, 2228, and 2229.

Reserve these rooms through Sharon Bevis (297-1010 or X 5050).

TECHNOLOGY

Most classrooms are equipped with computers, projectors, VCR's, DVD players, and screens.

You'll need to warm up the equipment before an image will appear on the screen. The remote control works best if you aim it UNDERNEATH the projector hanging from the ceiling.

For computer projection: Use Input 1 on the remote control. The password for classroom computers is instructor or bunker.

To show a video or DVD: Use Input 3 on the remote control. Be sure the Master button in the bunker is turned on--it controls the speakers.

Click the Off button on the remote twice to turn off the ceiling projector.

Use the remote control to set the volume when you're showing a video. There's a "black screen" button that will darken the screen when you don't want to project an image.

Call the TLCC (297-1033 Winter Haven, 297-1044 Lakeland) if you're having difficulty with the equipment.

The technology staff is eager to assist you. You can have pages posted on the college website for your classes. Many classrooms are equipped with computer projectors and VCR's. Call Jim Rhodes (Lakeland, X 6261) or Charles Fox (Winter Haven, X 5439) to find out about the technology available to you.

PCC's libraries have software that you can borrow free of charge to install on your home computer: Gradequick, Office Suite, and many others.

PCC has several excellent study skills videos that are listed in the library catalog: Reserve them through the library. To find the titles, go to Basic Search in the Catalog and use "study skills" as the subject and click on Audio-Visual in the Format box.

YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME

If you’re teaching in Winter Haven, you’re welcome to use my office (WLR 253) for storage, phone calls, and office hours. Ask to use the master key in the TLCC. There's no need to notify me first. Purses and wallets can be kept in the desk or filing cabinet, and there’s shelf and drawer space for you. I don’t keep anything personal in the office—feel free to check the desk and shelves if you need anything. (I’m returning the favors extended to me by faculty when I was an adjunct and needed space and supplies.)

AND...

Best wishes for a great semester! Always remember—you are important to PCC and to your students. We’re glad you’re here.

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