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Elliot Center
The Elliot Center houses a collection of offices most of which are designed specifically to address a broad set of student needs. The offices include the National and International Exchange Center, Center for Health and Wellness, Counseling Center, Admissions, Student Financial Services, Registrar, Helpdesk, Academic and Career Advising, Office of Disability Services, Academic Support Services (Aspire), Information Technology, Alumni and Parent Relations, Continuing Education, College Relations, Child Development Center, Student Development Office, the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs, and the Assistant Vice President for Academic Services.
Academic and Career Advising (ACA)
The major objective of Academic and Career Advising is to assist student growth in the following areas: self-awareness and intellectual potential, the ability to identify realistic academic and career goals and to devise a program of study to achieve them, and the awareness of life beyond the College experience.
Orientation Advising. ACA also conducts the College's Orientation programs, where new first-year students have the assistance of faculty, student, and/or staff advisors during orientation advising. These advisors introduce the College's academic advising system, explain Integrative Studies Program requirements, provide an overview of major requirements for those students who have identified an intended major, and assist students with the advising/course selection process.
Undecided Advising. Students who are undecided about their major are advised by the ACA staff. The staff can assist students in exploring academic and career options and utilizing the tools available to them, such as the academic information in their MyKSC accounts and program planning sheets.
Students must formally declare a major by the time they have earned 60 credits. Transfer students with more than 60 credits have one semester before they must declare their major. Once they have indicated an interest in a specific major, they are advised by faculty in their discipline.
Major Advising. Department chairs or their designees are responsible for assigning advisors to students who have officially declared their major or have indicated an intended major. The faculty advisor is available to assist with program requirements, long-range planning, career opportunities, and professional recommendations.
Students who are undecided about their major are advised by the ACA staff. The staff can assist students in exploring academic and career options and utilizing the tools available to them, such as the academic information in their MyKSC accounts and program planning sheets.
Students must formally declare a major by the time they have earned 60 credits. Transfer students with more than 60 credits have one semester before they must declare their major.
Career Advising. The ACA staff also assist students with career issues, including career exploration, resume development, and job search and interviewing skills. Students are encouraged to work with faculty in their disciplines to develop internship and cooperative education opportunities as well as plans for post-graduation employment and graduate school.
Aspire
The Aspire program is a federally funded program designed to provide academic assistance to Keene State College students. One compoent of the Aspire Program is a peer-tutor program. Tutors are available for many of the 100- and 200-level courses offered at the College. Aspire also coordinates the Supplemental Instruction (SI) Program, which provides peer-facilitated group assistance. Aspire's Tutor Program and SI Program are available to all students.
However, many students are eligible for additional services. Eligible students are those who meet income criteria, are the first in their families to go to college, or have a documented disability. Through the Aspire Program, students meet individually with a member of the professional staff to improve study skills, organize their time, set goals, and work to their full potential. Aspire staff also work with students to explore additional funding sources, academic majors, careers, and graduate school. Workshops on study skills, time management, and other topics of interest are offered throughout the academic year.
Assessment of Non-College Learning
Students whose independently acquired knowledge and/or skills are equivalent to those normally gained in an undergraduate college program may attempt to earn college credits through assessment of non-college learning. There are two options available: credits by examination and credits by portfolio assessment. The following criteria must be met:
1. The student is admitted to Keene State College.
2. Credits do not duplicate credits from other sources which have been applied toward Keene State College degree requirements.
3. Keene State College will accept up to 60 credit hours in a four-year program and up to 30 credit hours in a two-year program.
4. Credits may be applied toward Integrative Studies Program requirements or elective credits, or may replace major requirements if approved by the faculty of the major discipline through the course substitution process.
Credits by Examination. Testing programs recognized by Keene State College include the following: the College Level Examination Program (CLEP), American College Testing Proficiency Examination Program (ACT/PEP), and formally approved discipline examinations. The student must score at or above the 50th percentile in order to be eligible for credit.
The CLEP General Examinations may be taken by any student who has not enrolled in or completed a college-level course in the discipline covered by the examination. Credits earned may be applied toward Integrative Studies Program requirements or open electives.
The CLEP Subject Examination may be taken by any student who has not enrolled in or completed an equivalent or more advanced course in the discipline covered by the examination. For ENG 101, Essay Writing, a student must (1) pass the CLEP "Freshman College Composition" Examination and (2) write an acceptable essay supervised by the Coordinator of English Composition.
The ACT/PEP examination may be taken by any student who has not enrolled in or completed an equivalent or more advanced course in the discipline covered by the examination.
Academic disciplines may offer opportunities for students to demonstrate competence through approved standardized examinations or faculty-designed assessment instruments. Such examinations must be approved by the faculty of the discipline and the appropriate dean. Disciplines that offer such examinations will provide students with a written policy regarding the administration of the assessment instruments, the standards of expected performance, the procedure for evaluation, and the process for awarding credit.
Credits by Portfolio Assessment. It is possible to seek credit for learning derived from work and life experience through documentation of acquired knowledge and/or skills.
The decision to award credits is made by the chair of the department associated with the credits being sought. The department chair reviews the completed portfolio and recommends to the Registrar the number of credits to be awarded in the assessed areas. A $50 per credit fee is charged per credit attempted.
Further information on opportunities for assessment of non-college learning may be obtained in the Elliot Center.
Cooperative Education
The Cooperative Education Program allows students to earn elective credits and valuable work experience in paid and unpaid positions related to their academic programs. To qualify, students must be matriculated undergraduates who have earned at least 24 credits with a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average.
Students may research their own cooperative education position or apply for positions posted in their departments.
Students are responsible for recruiting a faculty member from the appropriate discipline to sponsor their cooperative education experience. It is very important that the student establish a solid working relationship with the faculty member before accepting a position.
When a student is hired for a cooperative education position, a Learning Agreement is developed in consultation with the faculty sponsor and the employer. This agreement specifies all expectations/requirements for the position. The Learning Agreement and all accompanying forms must be submitted to the Registrar's Office before the student begins the cooperative education position.
Cooperative education positions must be new learning experiences for the student and must last a minimum of 10 hours per week for at least 12 weeks within an academic semester. Credit for the cooperative education experience is determined by the department.
Students may register for cooperative education experiences in the fall, spring, or summer semesters; the credits are paid for in the same manner and at the same rate as other courses.
Once students are registered, they may not drop or withdraw from a cooperative education course. Grading is pass/fail and is assigned by the faculty sponsor, based on satisfactory completion of all requirements.
Note: Not all disciplines offer Cooperative Education; check the Courses of Instruction section of the Catalog by discipline for course numbers 294 (Cooperative Education) and 494 (Advanced Cooperative Education).
Selected resources about possible cooperative education opportunities are available within certain departments and at the Academic and Career Advising Center.
The Math Center
The Math Center is a relaxed and comfortable place for learning mathematics. Our peer tutors, peer course assistants (PCAs), and course-specific assessment exams can help students succeed from the very beginning of their math study at Keene State.
Tutoring at the Math Center is a drop-in service for students who have questions about quantitative concepts taught in math classes or classes with a quantitative component. Students may come in with specific questions to ask the tutor, or to just do their work and know that the tutor is there to help.
Special review sessions for the math portion of the PRAXIS I exam are held at the Math Center before each testing date on campus during the fall and spring semesters. Specific tutors are also available during the regular tutoring times to help review for the exam.
PCAs are students who are assigned to specific 100-level mathematics courses to provide support for the students. They aid the instructor during the class and outside of class by holding approximately 3 hours of study sessions per week. The availability of PCAs varies from semester to semester, depending on the needs of the instructors.
The Math Center staff administers exams and quizzes for individual faculty members within the mathematics department as well as proficiency and assessment exams for individual courses. Students who need to take an exam or quiz at the Math Center may contact Barbara Yardley at 603-358-2023 to make an appointment.
For more information, visit www.keene.edu/mathctr or stop by at 88 Winchester Street.
The Center for Writing
The Center for Writing assists students with all phases of writing, from brainstorming a project to the actual completion and editing of final drafts. The faculty at KSC acknowledge that writing is a shared responsibility that crosses all departmental majors; they therefore work closely with the Center to support students' writing in every discipline. Often faculty require that all class writing projects be read and discussed with a Center tutor before final submission. Tutors, who are selected from a pool of recommended students, are required to participate in ongoing training sessions on the teaching of writing to help them become competent and comfortable with one-on-one tutorial sessions.
The Center is located at 81 Blake Street, behind the Student Center and next to the Mathematics Building. Students are welcome at any time, but appointments are recommended. In addition to tutoring sessions, the Center also serves as a resource for handouts and current information about research methods, academic honesty, and plagiarism, as well as skills work. For more information or to make an appointment, call 603-358-2412. The Center for Writing also has helpful tips and useful information at www.keene.edu/wtf.
National and International Exchange
Keene State College encourages students to consider a semester or a year on exchange. Specific program information is available from the National and International Exchange Center in Elliot Center.
Program options include:
National Student Exchange (NSE). The NSE offers students the opportunity to attend one of 175 colleges and universities within the United States, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. A domestic alternative to study abroad, NSE is a chance to study cultural diversity within the United States, to search directly for graduate and job opportunities, and to take courses not offered at KSC.
KSC International Exchange Programs. KSC has direct exchange programs established with colleges and universities in Ecuador, England, France, and Canada. A student is eligible for an exchange during the sophomore, junior, and senior years, and can go more than once to the same or different places.
Non-KSC International Programs. If you are interested in studying in a country outside of the KSC international exchange options, the Exchange Center can help you find a program that fits your academic and personal needs. Keene State has membership in a number of international consortial programs, including the University of Wollongong in Australia, the Center for International Studies, and the Cross-Cultural Center in Seville, Spain. Keene State also belongs to the College Consortium for International Studies, which offers more than 60 study-abroad-programs throughout the world. Especially popular consortial destinations are Australia, Costa Rica, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and New Zealand.
The Application Process. The minimum grade point average required to participate in programs is 2.5, with a few exceptions. Some programs require a higher grade point average. Students must apply in advance and be approved to participate in study-away programs in order to receive transfer credit. Applications and information on selection criteria are available at the National and International Exchange Center.
Costs for study away. All KSC students studying away are assessed a study-away fee. The fee for KSC programs is $500, and $750 is assessed for approved non-KSC programs. A nonrefundable deposit is required at the time of application. The cost of study-away programs varies with each program. Some programs, but not all, cost only slightly more than attendance at KSC. In most cases, financial aid recipients can apply their aid toward approved study-away programs. Information on the cost of programs is available in the National and International Exchange Center.
Students interested in an international experience on campus can request an international roommate and/or join the International Friends Club, a student organization comprised of international and KSC students interested in international affairs.
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