STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Academic Counseling – Academic Counselors assist students who need to strengthen their basic skills in reading, writing and/or math, and students who are English language learners. Academic Counselors are available at Fort Omaha, Elkhorn Valley, Sarpy and South Omaha. Academic Counselors and faculty teaching basic skill courses establish partnerships to help students succeed. Academic Counselors provide intervention or professional community referrals to students experiencing personal problems and/or crisis situations. All MCC students are encouraged to contact an academic counselor for assistance with various needs including academic advising, career counseling, study skills and general resource information. 

Assessment Services – A basic skills assessment program is available on each MCC location. Students participate in basic skills assessments in reading, English, science and mathematics. Academic Resource Centers (ARCs), math centers and writing centers provide assistance and preparation for placement tests. Assessment results are provided to new students working with academic advisors during the first term of classes.

Career Centers – A wide range of career, employment and support services are available at the  Elkhorn Valley, Fremont, Fort Omaha and South Omaha through the Career Centers. The Centers provide assistance to students in making career decisions, obtaining employment and upgrading skills to retain employment through friendly, individually-tailored services.
The Career Centers provide no-cost services to MCC students and to any person in the community seeking career services. Services offered include career planning, career assessment tools that help match interests and skills with specific occupations, career exploration through Internet access, résumé tools and resources, job search resources and career counseling.

Career Connection – An online center allowing MCC students and alumni to connect with local, regional and national job opportunities and provide employers with a user-friendly means to connect with MCC students is available at http://www.mccneb.edu/careercenter/careerconnection.asp
The center provides:

• Electronic job management with online profiles, résumés and resources
• A database of employers interested in hiring MCC students and alums
• Listings of internship hosts and volunteer opportunities

Single Parent Homemaker Services – Located at Fort Omaha, Single Parent/Homemaker Services provide a wide range of workshops and personal assistance to single parents, single pregnant women and displaced homemakers. Referral to other College offices and relevant outside community agencies is also available.

Disability Support Services – Disability Support Services (DSS) Counselors are available at Elkhorn Valley, Fort Omaha, Sarpy and South Omaha. DSS counselors are responsible for assuring all of the benefits available at MCC, including curriculum and facilities, are accessible to qualified students with documented disabilities. Educational adjustments/accommodations may include but are not limited to one or more of the following:

• sign language interpreting
• note taking
• textbooks in alternate format
• test accommodations
• readers/scribes
• access to adaptive equipment

Student Retention Services – Specialized Student Retention Services counselors are assigned to each campus to provide assistance and support to students from low-income, first generation, disabled or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Program objectives help the student address educational deficiencies and overcome barriers of higher education. The counselors provide career/academic/personal counseling, tutorial services, college transfer counseling, skills building experiences and cultural enrichment activities.

Academic Resource Center
The College’s Academic Resource Centers provide resources, technologies and services to support the learning needs of students in various areas of the College’s curriculum. Students have access to state-of-the-art equipment, including laser printers, microcomputers and specialized software. The Academic Resource Centers are located at Elkhorn Valley, Fort Omaha, Fremont, Sarpy and South Omaha. Services are provided free to currently enrolled students.

Math Center Services – Math Centers are located near the Academic Resource Centers and are available to students taking MCC math classes.  Math Centers provide drop in assistance, solution manuals and tutorial software, instructional videotapes, graphing programs and assessment test preparation.

Writing Centers – Writing Centers, staffed by experienced English teachers and writing consultants, provide professional assistance, writing workshops, Teacher Talk sessions and assignment design feedback to help students and faculty with written communication across academic disciplines and beyond. Simply stated, it is a place where writers invite other writers to dialogue about writing. Writing Centers are available at all college locations. For more information, visit www.mccneb.edu/writingcenter.

Tutoring –Tutoring is available to students enrolled in credit courses for selected subjects. A student experiencing academic difficulty may request assistance through Tutor Services located in the Academic Resource Centers. Other eligibility requirements may apply. For more information, contact the Academic Resource Centers at (402) 457-2677 or visit www.mccneb.edu/tutorservices.   

LEARNING COMMUNITIES

Learning communities are a cohort group — a group of students who share interests and take classes together. The goal of these communities is to provide student and course connections that make classes and learning more interesting and students more successful. Benefits include:

• learning in a cooperative environment
• individual advising/counseling
• direct contact with quality instructors
• making new friends
• small class size
• better chance for academic success —increasing the likelihood of staying in college.

Courses that are part of a learning community are indicated on the online course search. New learning communities are continually being developed. For complete details, visit www.mccneb.edu/learningcommunities.
Examples of current learning community opportunities include:

AIM FOR SUCCESS-– AIM (Academic Improvement for Success) for Success is a learning community program designed for students who need to develop their reading and writing skills to achieve proficiency at the college level. AIM is offered in a block schedule and requires students to enroll in reading and writing courses for completion of 10.5 credits during the one-quarter program.
For more information about the AIM program or to register, students should call a Student Services Office.

Passport Program – The Passport Program is a learning community for students interested in starting their degrees at MCC and then transferring to a four-year institution. The learning community includes 25 students who will complete their first academic year of college together. Students attend full-time during the day, taking three courses each quarter, completing a total of 40.5 quarter credits (27 semester) that will transfer to a four-year institution.
Students have the opportunity to attend seminars and tour four-year colleges and universities. An academic advisor is assigned to the Passport group to help ensure student success. For more information visit www.mccneb.edu/passport.

Paired Learning – Paired learning courses emphasize the relationship between two subject areas by providing students with the opportunity to learn about common topics from different points of reference.  Instructors organize curriculum around projects and problem-based instruction.

TE@M–Teacher Education @ Metro is an opportunity for students who are interested in starting education courses at MCC and transferring to the University of Nebraska–Omaha’s College of Education to become teachers. MCC has developed three transferable education courses cooperatively with UNO that introduce students to the education profession. The opportunity to complete education courses while still enrolled at MCC helps students to decide if teaching is the career path for them. Students complete all three courses together over two or three quarters. The application can be found at www.mccneb.edu/team.

Bridge to Success –The Bridge to Success program is an opportunity for African American, Native American and Latino/Hispanic students in the Omaha Public School district to take college courses while in high school. The courses are designed to promote student success by enhancing study skills and exposing students to college curriculum and resources. Classes are offered during MCC's Winter and Spring terms.  Additionally, students may take an optional course during the Summer session. Visit http://www.mccneb.edu/learningcommunities/bridgetosuccess.asp

CAMPUS SERVICES

Bookstores -- The College contracts with Follett Higher Education Group to manage and operate the bookstores. The bookstores located at the Elkhorn Valley, Fort Omaha, Sarpy and South Omaha are open throughout the term. Hours, which vary during peak times, are prominently posted at each store.
Fremont has temporary bookstore services available on site at the start of each quarter. Off campus course and online textbooks must be purchased at South Omaha.
The Applied Technology Center also has a temporary bookstore available on site at the start of each quarter. Questions regarding the ATC Bookstore can be directed to the Fort Omaha Campus Bookstore.
For further information, contact any bookstore:

• Elkhorn Valley
  (402) 289-1208
• Fort Omaha
  Bldg 10
  (402) 457- 2308
• Sarpy Center
  (402) 537-3850
• South Omaha
• Connector
  (402) 738-4508

Campus Dining – Campus dining is available at Fort Omaha Campus, Bldg 10, in the BrickHearth Café. Breakfast and lunch is served Monday through Friday while classes are in session. In addition, Blissful Blends Café, is located at the Elkhorn Valley Campus providing a wide array of beverages, snacks and sandwiches. South Omaha offers daily vendors for peak time dining options. Hours of operation may vary by location.
Libraries --The MCC libraries provide research materials and instruction in support of the College’s curriculum. Staff members are available to assist students with their research assignments and other reference questions. Libraries are located at Elkhorn Valley, Fort Omaha and South Omaha. Current students, faculty and staff are also welcome to use the City of La Vista Public Library at the MCC Sarpy Center.  
Each campus library houses a collection of print and audiovisual materials including books, journals, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, videos, CD-ROMs and audiobooks. The library’s web page includes links to more than 40 databases providing access to online books, journals, magazines, newspapers and reference sources.  Off-campus access to the databases are available for current students, faculty and staff.
Other resources available to students include:

• Library orientations/instruction
• Computers equipped with Internet access as well as Microsoft Office products (Word, Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher)
• Interlibrary loan to obtain materials not available through MCC's libraries
• Photocopiers and microform reader/printers
• Audiovisual equipment including DVD and VHS players
• Reciprocal borrowing agreements with Omaha Public Library, the City of La Vista Public Library and other college libraries in Nebraska

        In addition to serving MCC's students, faculty and staff, the three campus libraries also provide library service to the residents of the College’s four-county service area (Dodge, Douglas, Sarpy and Washington counties).
For more information about library resources and services including hours, locations, telephone numbers and policies visit the library’s web page at www.mccneb.edu/library or contact a campus library:

• Elkhorn Valley (402) 289-1206
• Fort Omaha (402) 457-2306
• South Omaha (402) 738-4506

Public Safety -- Public Safety's primary objective is to provide a safe environment that enhances the learning environment and the College's educational mission. The department is responsible for providing security, responding to medical and fire emergencies and traffic accidents, enforcement of campus rules and regulations and various other services. Some of these services include:

• Patrolling campus property
• Assisting students, staff and the general public with information and directions
• Assisting students and staff with automotive problems such as jump starting and opening vehicles when keys are locked inside
• Providing escorts for staff, students and visitors as requested

Annual Security Report – Metropolitan Community College Public Safety prepares the Annual Security Report to comply with the Jeanne Clery Act. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by MCC; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from MCC campus locations. The report also includes policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning reporting sexual assault and other matters. The full text of the report can be located at www.mccneb.edu/asr.pdf. 

To reach Public Safety, call (402) 457-2222.

DISTRIBUTION OF LITERATURE

Student groups, staff members or organizations may not distribute written material on campus or on vehicles without prior approval of the campus dean.

SPECIALIZED TECHNOLOGY AREAS

To enhance the student learning experience, MCC provides state-of-the-art equipment and up-to-date software at numerous locations throughout the College. A dedicated IBM iSeries lab is located at the Fort Omaha Campus, and networking labs are located at the Fort Omaha Campus and Sarpy Center. Visual Arts Technology and AutoCAD labs can be found at the Elkhorn Valley and Fort Omaha campuses. Remote access is available to all students learning Linux, AIX and Oracle technologies.

PARKING AND TRAFFIC

All motor vehicles used by students and staff must be registered with the College. Each campus has parking zones and traffic signs prominently displayed. A traffic rules and regulations guidebook is available from any Student Services Office. There is no charge for parking permits at the College, but all rules and regulations must be observed. Parking permits are issued through any Student Services Office.

STUDENT IDENTIFICATION CARDS

Picture student identification cards are available for all students. You may obtain your student ID card at any Student Services Office.