CAMPUS SERVICES
The Campus
Volunteer State Community College’s main campus is located on 110 acres on Nashville Pike (Hwy 31-E) in Gallatin, the county seat of Sumner. The campus is approximately 10 minutes from Hendersonville, about 12 miles from the Davidson/Sumner county line northeast of Rivergate.
Sixteen buildings are located on the campus, including the Hal R. Ramer Administration building, the Thigpen Library, the J.H. Warf building, the Wesley Pickel Field House, the Randy and Lois Wood Campus Center, the Noble Caudill Hall, the Fine Arts Building, the Joseph C. Watlington Science Field Station, the E. G. Mattox Business building, the John B. Wallace Health Science Building, the J.T. Fox Maintenance Building and 5 buildings on the East Campus. The Livingston Campus in Overton County is served by two buildings owned by the College. Highland Crest in Robertson County is served by one building owned by the College. The Cookeville Campus is encompassed within the Cookeville Higher Education Center. Public school facilities serve other teaching sites in the VSCC 12 county service area.
Audio Visual Services
The Audio Visual (A/V) department provides complete audio visual services and Smart classroom services to all areas of the college. The department supplies and maintains classroom instructional equipment for the main campus and all extended service locations, and assists community groups using the campus for special events.
Bookstore
The Campus Bookstore (operated by Follett), for the convenience of its students, faculty, and guests, is located in the Campus Center. In addition to textbooks and school supplies, the bookstore also stocks imprinted clothing, backpacks, and reference books. The bookstore accepts personal checks, cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express. Any check written should be made for the amount of purchase only. Purchases can also be made on-line at www.vsccshop.com or www.volstate.edu and click on the “Bookstore” tab. Textbooks may be returned for a 100% refund within seven (7) days from the official first day of classes. Books must be returned in the same condition as purchased. Students must provide a cash register receipt. Students may elect to sell books provided the books have current market value. The Bookstore offers a “Daily Buy Back” program offering the current market value for books. During final examination periods the Bookstore offers up to 50% of the purchase price for books needed for stock in the Bookstore. If a particular title is not needed by the Bookstore or the Bookstore has purchased the maximum quantity of a title, students will be offered the current market value. The campus bookstore also offers a Rent-A-Text program. Students can rent their books & save more than up to 50%. Additional information can be found at www.vsccshop.com. The bookstore also offers textbooks in a digital format available through www.brytewave.com.
Office of Career Services and Community Engagement
Career Services
The Office of Career Services and Community Engagement assists students, graduates, and alumni with their employment needs. As a FREE service, it attempts to match the needs of employers with those of the student or graduate and provides employment guidance: Development of career skills and job search strategies, networking, employer research, letter and resume preparation, interviewing, job offer negotiation, and making the most of your employment. The Office does not operate as an employment agency nor does it guarantee employment.
Students may also participate in the College’s CAREER ALUMNI NETWORK by connecting with College alumni already in the workforce. Students may seek career counsel from these alumni, participate in a mentor or career shadow experience, and develop important professional contacts for future employment. Students may learn more or register to participate by visiting the Office or going to http://www.volstate.edu/careeralumninetwork.
The Office of Career Services and Community Engagement offers a user friendly, interactive website affording employers a FREE listing of job announcements as students seek employment. Employers may list job announcements 24/7, 365 at http://www.volstate.edu/areajobs.
Work Based Learning
Work Based Learning is another focus of this Office. Work Based Learning is a partnership between the College and the employment community. The combination of academic studies at the College and on the job work experience affords the Co-op student with added real world career insight and credentials to compete favorably in the job market. Students may apply for entry into the program by meeting the following criteria:
1. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 and the successful completion of the first semester within the students major field of study.
2. Present work experience in a field related to the student’s major.
In order to register for Co-op (BUSN 2395 - 3 hour credit course), the student should confirm this decision with their academic advisor. Then, the student will notify the Office of Career Services and Community Engagement prior to registering for that course. Students should expect to pay for these academic credits since they are a part of an academic program of study. Grades for the co-op work experience are based on the successful completion of a paper of reflection, predicated upon appropriate Student Learning Outcomes established between the student and the Director of Career Services and Community Engagement. Additionally, students must complete and submit a work agreement form, learning outcome forms and a current resume to the Director of Career Services and Community Engagement and submit them to the Director of this office in advance of registering for the course.
Students are required to complete all documentation, work a minimum of 90-120 hours during that semester, and communicate with the Director of Career Placement, Cooperative Education, and Service Learning three times. Two performance evaluations will also be used in consideration of final course grade.
Service Learning
As a part of our mission at Volunteer State Community College, Service Learning combines community service/civic engagement with academic instruction, focusing on:
* Critical Thinking
* Values clarification
* Social and personal development
* Civic and community responsibility
* Global, cultural and inter-generational scope.
Students may also engage in community/civic service via the Service Learning Club (see special interest student organizations).
The National and Community Service Act of 1990 defines Service Learning with a set of five criteria:
1. Make Friends and explore real world experiences.
2. Under which students learn and develop through participation in thoughtfully organized service experiences that meet actual community needs and that are coordinated in collaboration with the school and community;
3. That is integrated into the student’s academic curriculum or provides structured time for a student to think, talk, or write about what the student did and saw during the actual service activity;
4. That provides students with opportunities to use newly acquired skills and knowledge in real-life situations in their communities, and;
5. That enhances what is taught in school by extending student learning beyond the classroom and into the community and helps to foster the development of a sense of caring for others.
Goals and Benefits of Service Learning include:
1. Realize academic learning objective while involving students in the community.
2. Prepares students for future careers.
3. Empowers students with local issues and needs.
4. Offers students greater responsibility for their learning.
5. Exposes students to inequality and injustice in societies, while allowing them to make a difference.
6. Students connect theory with experience and thought with action.
7. Provides global, cultural, and inter-generational scope.
8. Campus/community collaboration and partnerships are increased.
9. Encourages students with positive values, leadership, citizenship, and personal responsibility.
10. Sanctions students as learners, leaders, achievers and teachers.
To engage in Service Learning or see photographs and videos of Service Learning projects at the College, please contact the Office of Career Placement, Cooperative Education, and Service Learning, East Campus, Building 100, call 615-230-3307, or go to www.volstate.edu/servicelearning. Students may also join the Service Learning Club by registering on line at http://blogs.volstate.edu/servicelearningclub. Service Learning activity may be followed on YouTube or Twitter.
Information Technology Resources
Information Technology resources at Volunteer State are available to all faculty, staff, and currently enrolled students. It is the responsibility of Information Technology to provide an environment for all users to accomplish their necessary tasks and at the same time provide security for all computer systems.
All Information Technology users will be governed by all federal, state, and Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) laws and policies, which include (but are not limited to) the Tennessee Computer Crimes Act of 1983 and the General Policy on Student Conduct and Disciplinary Sanctions (TBR Policy 3.02.00.01, and V:02:19) )and the VSCC Computer Use Policy.
In addition, regulations defining the user’s responsibilities towards the use of Information Technology resources are outlined in the Student Handbook. www.volstate.edu/StudentHandbook
The IT Help Desk is available for student assistance in the event of access issues (problems with usernames, PIN/passwords, logging into various systems including MyVolState, e-mail) and can be reached by calling 615-230-3302 or 866-451-5469. The IT Help Desk cannot assist with personal computer problems.
Thigpen Library
The mission of the Thigpen Library is to furnish informational resources in support of instructional programs; to provide research resources in support of student, faculty, administration and staff needs; to supply recreational and non-classroom resources for the college and the community at large; and to offer a pleasant learning environment in which these materials may be used. Thigpen Library houses a collection of over 42,000 print books and over 170,000 electronic books accessible through the Library’s online catalog. More than 100 databases provide access to magazine, journal and newspaper articles as well as streaming videos. Additional resources include 3,000 reels of microfilm, 3,200 DVDs/videos and a collection of popular bestseller books and audiobooks. The online catalog, electronic books, databases and other resources are available through the library’s web page - www.volstate.edu/library – and are accessible to students, faculty and staff from off campus. Research assistance is offered through email, chat, text, on the telephone and in person.
Group study rooms, a silent study room, a practice presentation room, photocopy machines, laptops, and personal computers are just a few of the amenities available to students, faculty and staff. The Library is open Monday through Friday, with evening hours Monday through Thursday, and Saturday mornings and afternoons when classes are in session.
Media Services
The Media Services Department provides video and other media production services to all areas of the College. The department produces video and audio programs for Distributive Education courses, for curriculum support and for promotional materials for the College. The department also operates Comcast Channel 19 in Gallatin and U-verse Channel 99. In addition, our television studio and editing suites serve as laboratory space for the Communications Department’s classes in television production.
The Learning Commons
The Learning Commons supports the College’s credit and co-requisite alternative learning support and basic skills instructional program. The Learning Commons provides computer-based and one-on-one instruction in co-requisite learning support and basic skills reading, writing and math to help students upgrade basic skills for success in college-level courses. The Learning Commons accommodates co-requisite learning support math credit courses and supports learning support reading, writing, and math faculty. The Learning Commons staff provides:
- Assessment of current academic skill levels
- Individualized, self-paced instruction
- Counseling and advising to help determine academic needs and goals
- Flexible hours to accommodate work and family schedules
Students may come to the Learning Commons at any time during the semester. The Learning Commons staff is available to meet the basic skills needs of the community at-large. Area high school students may enroll in Continuing Education courses in the Learning Commons to enrich their basic skills or to prepare for the ACT/SAT test. For further information, contact a member of the Learning Commons staff.
Technology Learning Center
The Technology Learning Center (TLC) is designed to assist VSCC full-time and adjunct faculty with the integration of technology into the teaching and learning process. Located in Room 172 of the Ramer Administration Building, the TLC is equipped with the latest computer-related equipment and is staffed by qualified support personnel. The Center provides the opportunity for faculty and staff to learn, in a hands-on environment, the technology tools needed for instruction. Training sessions on the latest hardware and software are available in small groups or one-on-one sessions.
The TLC is open from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and nights and weekends by appointment only.
Computer Equipment:
- Networked computer systems
- Monochrome & color laser printers
- Scanners
- CD-ROM/DVD duplication
- Presentation equipment
- Wireless networking (Mac/PC)
Training For:
- Hardware (Mac, PC, mobile devices)
- Software (Adobe, Office 2007, SoftChalk)
- Internet
- Beginning, intermediate and advanced sessions
- Small group
- One-on-one sessions
Assistance With:
- On-line Web course design & technical assistance
- Electronic slide show presentation (PowerPoint)
- Scanning (Photo and Text)
- Brochures
- Newsletters
- Grading spreadsheets
- D2L course work
- E-Mail accounts (OWA)
The Randy and Lois Wood Campus Center
The Randy and Lois Wood Campus Center is the hub of student activities because it houses a food services area, dining rooms, bookstore, Campus Police Department, Student Government Association and student club offices and the Division of Student Services. The building also houses student publication offices, faculty and administrative offices, classrooms and conference rooms.
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