Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

Advising Tools: Advising Worksheets  Academic Calendar  Academic Regulations College Catalog (current)  College Catalog (archived) Curriculum Updates  Forms for Students General Education Program  GPA Calculator Courses with no Assessment Levels/Prerequisites    Reading/English Course Sequence   Math Course Sequence

Below is a helpful guide for Academic Planning.  Remember your Counselor/Faculty Advisor is available to help you stay on track and reach your goals.

First Year/New Students

Begin to understand your responsibilities as a college student

Locate and use campus support resources.

Establish a connection with a Counselor/Faculty Advisor.

Review your academic plan in Starfish.

Complete an academic orientation (MAP/eMAP, IMAP).

Meet with a Counselor/advisor to create an academic plan in Starfish.

Review Academic Advising Syllabus (PDF) Enroll in an FYE Seminar (e.g., STSU100 or

STSU101). Read the Student Insider’s Guide. Review the College’s regulations and procedures. Explore campus resources and academic support

centers.

By about15 credits

Identify your interests, skills, and values to assist you in formulating goals.

Make a tentative educational plan.

Make an appointment with a Counselor or Faculty Advisor ( Rockville Campus -Advising Directory,Takoma Park/Silver Spring-Advising Directory) in your major.

Create a tentative educational plan. Enroll in STSU110 (Study Habits) and/or STSU120

(Career Development). Update your academic plan.

By about30 credits

Identify a major that is compatible with your interests, skills and values.

Review and modify your educational plan, as needed.

If appropriate, access information to help you plan for transfer to a four-year college/university.

Declare a major with Admissions and Records. Make an appointment with a Counselor or Faculty

Advisor in your major to go over your educational plan.

If appropriate, attend Transfer Day and review the Montgomery College Transfer web site.

Update your academic plan.

By about45 credits

Define an exit plan from Montgomery College (graduation, employment or transfer).

Run a degree audit, available under the Quick Links menu in MYMC.

Schedule an appointment with a Counselor or Faculty Advisor in your major to review your graduation requirements.

Apply for graduation with Admissions and Records. Apply to transfer institutions by deadlines. Visit Student Employment Services to prepare for

the job search. Update your academic plan.

By about60 credits

Make the transition out of Montgomery College.

Take steps toward your transitional goal (graduation, employment or transfer).

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Transfer Work Completed Outside the U.S.

All students who wish to transfer credit earned outside of the United States to Montgomery College must have an evaluation of their transcript completed by a credential evaluation service.

Montgomery College does not accept transfer credit for English from institutions outside the U.S. Students must take the appropriate placement test.

The Office of Admissions and Records will accept evaluations from World Education Services and AACRAO only.

World Education Services

www.wes.org

Bowling Green Station

P.O. Box 5087

New York, New York 10274

Tel: (212) 966-6311

AACRAO International Education Services

ies.aacrao.org

One Dupont Circle, Suite 1B-7 NW

Washington, DC 20036

Tel: (202) 355-1041

Fax: (202) 822-3940

E-mail: ies@aacrao.org

Direct the evaluation service to send your official course by course review to the Transcript Evaluator on the campus you plan to attend:

Germantown Campus

Admissions & Records

Carlos Smith

20200 Observation Drive

Germantown, MD 20876

Rockville Campus

Admissions & Records

Phuoc Dang

51 Mannakee Street

Rockville, MD 20850

Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus

Admissions & Records

Ivy Devers

7600 Takoma Avenue

Takoma Park, MD 20912

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Disability Support Services Contact Information by Campus

Germantown Campus

Sciences & Applied Studies BuildingRoom 18920200 Observation DriveGermantown, MD 20876240-567-7770                                                                 240-567-7839 (FAX)

Call or email individual counselors for availability.

Counselors:Harry Zarin, CounselorRoom SA189240-567-7767240-449-3452 (Video Phone)

Dr. Harvey Stempel, CounselorRoom SA189240-567-6967

Jacy Hildreth, Counselor (part-time)Room SA189A240-567-1992

Gillian Reid-Nelson, Student Support Services SpecialistRoom SA189D240-567-7873

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Rockville Campus

Counseling and Advising BuildingRoom 12251 MannakeeRockville, MD, 20850240-567-5058240-567-5097 (FAX)

Mon.-Fri: 8:30-5:00; Evening hours by appointment.

Counselors:Sue Haddad, Department ChairRoom CB122B240-567-5087

Shalawn Childs, Counselor(For Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students)Room CB122C240-567-5061301-637-5009 (Video Phone)

Brandon Fowler, CounselorRoom CB122D240-567-5070

Katie Kirk Haag, CounselorRoom CB118240-567-5054

Natalie Martinez, WDCE CounselorRoom CC204240-567-4118

Dr. Melissa Scarfone, CounselorRoom CB120240-567-5077

For information email us at: dss@montgomerycollege.edu

Staff:Chanel Riley, Program AssistantRoom CB122240-567-5058

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Jodi Robertson, Administrative AideRoom CB122240-567-5058

Julie Rogers, Interpreter Scheduler(Sign language interpreter for all campuses)Room CB119240-567-4177301-637-2947 (Video Phone)

Academic Support Center:Lori Kaufman, Learning Center CoordinatorRoom CB116240-567-5060

Jillian Pfau, Assistive Technology CoordinatorRoom CB116240-567-5224

Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus

Student Services BuildingRoom 2337600 Takoma AvenueTakoma Park, MD, 20912240-567-1480240-567-3922 (FAX)

Call or email individual counselors for availability.

Counselors:Dr. Edward Muchene, CounselorRoom ST242240-567-1477

Dr. Cathy Wilson, CounselorRoom ST243240-567-1475240-821-5974 (Video Phone)

John Rouse, Counselor (part-time)Room ST250A240-567-3921

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Academic Support Center:

Renee Gisriel, Student Support Services SpecialistRoom ST227240-567-1610

Julia Nation, Instructional Associate (part-time)Room ST227240-567-1610

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Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

College & Career Readiness & College Completion Act (CCRCCA)

SB 740, or College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013, establishes a number of requirements aimed at increasing college readiness and completion in the State. The bill is a compilation of individual higher education initiatives from across the nation rolled into a single piece of legislation. The details are listed below and more information can be found on this website

As you advise, make sure to provide the following information to your students and perform the legally required components to keep Montgomery College in compliance with the law.

Degree Plan

A degree plan must be developed in consultation with an academic advisor in the student’s degree program or, if an academic advisor is not available in the student’s degree program, any academic advisor at the institution. The degree plan must also follow a pathway to a degree as described below.

Pathways to a Degree

Each public institution of higher education in the state must:

Develop a pathway system whereby public institutions of higher education establish graduation progress benchmarks for each academic major and for the general education program for students who have not declared a major

Require the pathway for each first - time degree - seeking student to include credit - bearing mathematics and English courses in the first 24 credit hours; and

Require the pathway for each degree - seeking student enrolled in a developmental course in mathematics, reading, or English concurrent with or in the semester immediately following completion of the developmental course.

The benchmarks established shall specify the credit and course criteria that indicate satisfactory progress toward a degree.

Students falling behind the program benchmarks shall be required to consult with an academic advisor before registration.

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Academic Regulations, Appeals & Withdrawals

Academic Regulations

You can find the full Academic Regulations section of the College’s Policies and Procedures at http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/pnp/

Academic Regulations frequently discussed in advising:

Catalog year policy Academic Standing (Good standing, Academic Alert, Academic Restriction, and Academic

Suspension) If you meet with student who is not in good standing, please refer them to meet with a counselor.

Academic Appeals Academic Dishonesty/Sanctions Transferring in of credits from another institution The grading system Full time and part time status

Students are permitted to appeal the following academic regulations through the Academic Appeals process. Please see the Academic Appeals website for forms and dates https://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/edu/department2.aspx?id=20080

9.217B - Allow Credit by Examination to stand in place of course taken at MC, or any other institution, in the last five years

9.32 - Program requirements for graduation (time limit only). 9.411D - Extend the deadline for an “I” beyond four weeks of the following semester. 9.613 - Extend the deadline to change from credit to audit. (Petition Campus Registrar, in

writing, to extend the deadline to change from audit to credit. Do not submit this form for audit to credit changes.)

9.62A - Attempt a course for the fourth time (Audit excluded, Department Chair approval required).

9.644 - Extend the deadline to withdraw. 9.723 - Course substitution(s): You must file an appeal for substitution of more than nine

semester hours or for substitution of non-similar courses (e.g. lower-level for higher-level or different designators). This does not apply to General Education Requirements. Attach the Course Substitution form.

Involuntary Withdrawal

If a student has the following hardships happen during the semester, an involuntary withdrawal form should be submitted to the campus registrar. An involuntary withdrawal is processed IN PLACE OF an academic appeal. Students should only submit the academic appeal form to withdraw if they DO NOT meet one of these hardships.

a. Called to active military duty via enlistment, activation, or deployment.

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b. Illness of the student or in the immediate family of the student. Immediate family includes a child, parent, spouse, or other regular member of the individual's household.

c. Death of the student or in the immediate family of the student.

d. Involuntary transfer/change in work hours by the student's employer which precludes continued attendance. Military branches of service are considered employers under this section.

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Transfer

Transfer Agreements

You will find a comprehensive list of the partnerships created by MC Faculty, Staff and Administrators at the following website http://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/agreements/

Each agreement was designed so MC students could seamlessly continue their education and reach their academic goals.

Click on the yellow 'View Agreements' button to see Transfer Pathways and to read about the benefits of each agreement.

MCTransfer Times

This blog is updated regularly and covers a variety of transfer topics. It is an incredibly useful tool.

http://mctransfertimes.blogspot.com/

On Line Resources

MC TRANSFER WEBPAGE - www.montgomerycollege.edu/transfer MC transfer information page includes a wide range of advising, transfer and scholarship information and resources. MC Transfer Times MC Transfer News Blog Transfer Agreements

Guaranteed Transfer Partnerships

ARTSYS - http://artweb.usmd.edu/ – details which MC courses are recommended for specific majors to Maryland schools, course equivalencies and a search for majors.

To view courses recommended for transfer select the RECOMMENDED TRANSFER PROGRAMS • Select Montgomery College as the “TRANSFER FROM” INSTITUTION• Select a “TRANSFER TO” INSTITUTION• Select Show All RTPs• Click on “SUBMIT” then click on “NEXT”• Click on a major, which is highlighted in redCourses appearing in black are courses in the major that can be taken at MC. Clicking on the red highlighted course areas provides a list of MC courses, which meet that requirement. At the bottom of the page are notes relevant to that particular program.

To search for a school offering your program select SEARCH FOR MAJORS • Enter the major • Select an institution from the drop down box• Select to show or not show related majors• Select of the degree level • Click on “GO”

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A list of schools with that major will appear. Click on schools to go directly to that schools home page.

To view course MC course equivalencies select KEY WORD SEARCH • Select Montgomery College as the “TRANSFER FROM” INSTITUTION and select a “TRANSFER TO” INSTITUTION• Click on SUBMIT• Type a COURSE ID into the box for either institution. (Example PY102 for General Psychology)• Click on GOInformation will appear regarding how the course transfers and the requirement it meets at the transfer institution.

COLLEGE SOURCE - www.collegesource.org – Search colleges by alphabetical listing, country, criteria (tuition, enrollment, major), and geographic location.

CRITERIA SEARCH - SEARCH FOR MAJORS DIRECTIONS

1. Go to www.collegesource.org/home/asp. 8. Select STATE up to four.

2. Select SEARCH at the top of the home page.

9. Select TUITION RANGE (optional).

3. Select CRITERIA SEARCH. 10. Click on SEARCH.

4. Select Specific Category of Degree from the drop down box.

11. The search results will appear.

5. Select DEGREE LEVEL.Select DEGREE(S) up to four.Select INSTITUTION MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE OR ALL OF THE DEGREES SELECTED.

12. To get a profile page of the school you have selected click on the white and blue icon.

Contains information regarding:Address/phoneAdmissionsEnrollmentCostDegrees

6. Select ENROLLMENT RANGE – (optional).

13. To go to the web site of the school you have selected click on the globe icon.

7. Select INSTITUTION TYPE up to four.

14. To view the catalog of the school you have selected click on the red and white icon.

You can also do an alphabetic search, geographic search and search by country.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND PRE TRANSFER ADVISING - www.transferadvising.umd.edu/ - This University of Maryland, College Park Pre Admission

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Transfer Advising Program offers advising to students interested in transferring to UM at any point prior to submitting and admissions application.

UNIVERISTY OF MARYLAND LEP WEBPAGE http://www.lep.umd.edu/ - Limited Enrollment Program Requirements including Engineering.

UNIVERISTY OF MARYLAND TRANSFER CREDIT - http://www.tce.umd.edu/TCE/ Provides course equivalencies for most institutions for UM courses.

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND TRANSFER WEBPAGE - http://www.transferfaqs.umd.edu/ - . General information is for students transferring to UM.

UNIVERSITIES AT SHADY GROVE - www.shadygrove.umd.edu – Information on programs at USG including STEM Biology UMCP.

Transfer Basics – Advising Points

General Education courses are the most transferable.

Courses will transfer if comparable ones are offered at the transfer institution at the 100 or 200 level.

Introductory courses in a major usually transfer.

Most schools require 30 transferable credits including a college level English and math course with a 3.0 gpa to transfer (some majors require a higher gpa for transfer).

You can transfer to a Maryland state school with 56 credits or an AA degree with 2.0 gpa or AA degree.

Unique Exceptions to Note

UMBC requires completion of a foreign language to the intermediation 201 level of all students for graduation regardless of major.

UMBC requires two activity courses prior to graduation (unless 30 or older, exempted based on a qualified physical disability or a military veteran).

UMCP Engineering and Biological Sciences majors at main campus are Limited Enrollment Programs which have gateway course requirements specifying grades required and limits students to one repeat of a gateway course for any program.

UMBC has competitive admission for Computer Science and Engineering and identify gateway courses which specify a require grade for admission.

Important Recommendations

Recommend students complete MC General Education requirements before transfer.

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If planning to transfer to UM apply to MTAP (Maryland Transfer Advantage Program).

For students planning on transferring to UMCP USG recommend applying to TTP (Terp Transfer Partnership Program).

Recommend students make an appointment with a counselor or faculty advisor each semester to be sure they are on track.

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General Education Program at Montgomery College

General Education Program Website

https://cms.montgomerycollege.edu/GeneralEducationProgram/

General Education Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the General Education program, a student will be able to:

Demonstrate an awareness of discipline specific inquiry and methodology to acquire foundation knowledge in content areas.

Apply integrative thinking across disciplines in order to solve complex problems through collaboration and the synthesis of knowledge.

Apply the principles and methodologies of a variety of disciplines to consider the ideas, history, values, and/or creative expression of various cultures within the global community.

Demonstrate an awareness of the skills needed to become self-confident, independent, lifelong learners, in order to meet the mental, physical, and ethical demands of personal and professional life.

Demonstrate an understanding of leadership skills that foster an active commitment to civic and social responsibility.

Contact Information for the Co-Chairs of the General Education Committee:

Prof. Sharon AnthonyDepartment of English and ReadingGermantown campusPK/137240-567-7769Sharon.anthony@montgomerycollege.edu

Dr. Anestine Theophile-LaFondDepartment of AELP, Linguistics, and Communication StudiesRockville campusMT 426240-567-4373Anestine.theophile-lafond@montgomerycollege.edu

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Overview of Starfish and Banner

There are two main database systems used in advising students at Montgomery College. Starfish Retention Solutions, known as "Starfish" is how advisors track interactions with students and how both students and advisors access information discussed in advising sessions. Banner is a software program where we house all of our student records and where we can access different forms (screens) to provide guidance along with providing certain permissions or restrictions for students. Desktop Banner is a more robust system than the Internet Banner within MyMC. To effectively advise students, you will need to become proficient with Desktop Banner and with Starfish.

Starfish Retention Solutions software

This web based software is used both by students and by faculty and is accessed by logging onto MyMC and clicking on the Starfish icon in the upper right corner.

Students are expected to use Starfish to make and manage appointments with faculty for advising and to review their academic plan each semester.

Faculty advisors should to use Starfish to:

record the outcomes of advising sessions, to make referrals, and to create, access, and/or maintain a student's academic plan.

Banner by Ellucian

Banner is only to be used by employees trained in both Banner and the FERPA law (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). The system is typically accessed through an icon on your desktop which the IT department provides.

Banner is used to:

View a student's academic record such as GPA, course history, and academic standing, View student's personal information such as their address, date of birth, veteran status, etc., View past and present registration information, Provide overrides, Manage academic and non-academic holds, and to View each semester's course schedule.

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Advising Terminology

Academic Coaching for Excellence (ACE)-  This is a Germantown program geared towards students on academic restriction and academic alert.  Students who are not in good standing may be referred to this program to work with a counselor both individually and as part of the STSU 122 (Success Group) course. 

Academic Alert- Part of the Academic Regulations (9.502) for the College. A student who has a cumulative grade point average below 2.0 and is not on academic restriction or suspension is on academic alert. Such students are encouraged to meet with a counselor/adviser.

Academic Orientation- otherwise known as:  MAP, e-MAP, or IMAP or Montgomery Advising Program or Mandatory Advising Program.  This is currently separate from New Student Orientation.  Academic Orientation is facilitated by Counseling & Advising and is where students learn about academic policies at the college, how to navigate the catalog and curriculum, how to search for courses, how to register, when they should meet with an advisor, what an Educational Plan is, and what their placement scores mean.  Although this is a mandatory part of a new student's experience, there is currently not a hold in place to enforce it.  There are three types currently, a MAP is given face to face with students in a group setting, an e-MAP is web based and students should print out the certificate at the end and set up an appointment in Starfish to meet with a counselor, and the I-MAP is a face to face group session specific to students who took the ESL accuplacer.  Academic Oriention falls under the purview of College-wide Dean for Student Success/Rockville Dean of Student Services.

Achieving Collegiate Excellence and Success (ACES)- is a student support program that provides Montgomery College (MC) academic coaches to targeted high school students in ten Montgomery County Public High Schools (MCPS). When ACES students graduate from MCPS and come to MC, there will also be an academic coach to assist them while at MC and on to Universities at Shady Grove, if the student selects to attend there. ACES is a collaboration by Montgomery County Public Schools, Montgomery College, and the Universities at Shady Grove.

The coaches will provide both academic and student support, using a case management approach. Coaches meet individually with students and provide test preparation, tutoring, assistance with college applications and financial aid/scholarship applications, and college visits. ACES is an intrusive approach to student success by identifying and neutralizing barriers that may prevent an at-risk student from graduating with a bachelors degree.  Karen Callender is the Director of the program 240-567-1839.

ARTSYS (Articulation System for University System of Maryland)- ARTSYS is a computerized system meant to enhance your transfer to any college or University in Maryland. You can get to ARTSYS from this link: http://artsys.usmd.edu/ or you can search for ARTSYS in Google. Then you can look up suggested 2-year transfer programs for engineering for any college or university in Maryland. Be aware that ARTSYS is maintained by USM (University System of Maryland), not by the individual colleges or universities or by the particular department or curriculum at the transfer institution. So, while the information about transferable courses and credits is useful as an overall guide, it is not necessarily accurate and/or up-to-date. ARTSYS will tell you exactly which programs are available at any of the transfer institutions in Maryland.

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So you can look for engineering programs at the University of Maryland, College Park or the University of Maryland, Baltimore County or Morgan State University. When you look for details about a particular program, ARTSYS translates the course numbers at the 4-year school to Montgomery College course numbers for your convenience. Obviously this process (using a matrix of courses) works well if the courses are almost exactly the same in content, credits, and pre-requisites.

AP (Advanced Placement)- Montgomery College awards credit for certain scores on the Advanced Placement Exams typically given after a student completes an Advanced Placement course in the high schools.  Advanced Placement is a program developed by The College Board.

Academic Plan-  Academic planning is the process of setting educational goals and determining the best path to meet them. It is critical for students to play an active role in this process from start to finish.  This can also refer to the official plan that advisors must fill out in Starfish with the students in order to comply with the law (CCRCCA).  Students are also able to access their Academic Plan in Starfish although they cannot edit it on their own at this time.  In order to edit and change an Academic Plan, students should meet with a counselor or advisor.  The term "Academic Plan" is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "Educational Plan."  

Academic Restriction- Part of the Academic Regulations (9.503) for the College. Students on Academic Restriction have a hold placed on their record which Counselors can remove.

Students who are on academic restriction (see 9.50 Academic Status) are subject to the following requirements:

A. Such students must consult with designated counselors/advisers for prior approval of all course registration.

B. Such students are limited to enroll in no more than two college-level classes per semester and/or will be required to undertake a program designed to remedy academic deficiencies.

C. The academic restriction status will be removed when either of the following two conditions is met:

        1. The student achieves a cumulative grade point average of 1.75 or better.

        2. The Dean of Student Services or designee certifies that the student has successfully completed the program designed to remedy academic deficiencies.

 

Academic Suspension-Part of the Academic Regulations (9.504) for the College. Students on Academic Suspension have a hold placed on their record which Counselors can remove under some circumstances.  Once the hold is lifted, students are typically placed on Academic Restriction status and can only register for two approved courses.

Students placed on academic suspension (see 9.50 Academic Status) are prohibited from attending classes at Montgomery College for an entire fall or spring semester. To be removed

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from academic suspension, the Dean of Student Services or designee must certify that the student is prepared to resume an academic program. Students who return from a period of suspension will be placed on academic restriction for at least one term. Students may appeal academic suspension to the Dean of Student Services.

Accuplacer- Montgomery College uses the Accuplacer and ESL- Accuplacer tests to assess students to determine their reading, English and math skills. Placement scores help counselors and academic advisors recommend courses that are appropriate.

Advising Questionnaire-This is a required (by registration hold) step before students are able to register just like the New Student Orientation (NSO).  Currently, there is no way for counselors/advisors to view the results of the questionnaire although aggregate data is collected in Starfish and has been analyzed as a whole.  Eventually, individual responses should be available and viewable both by students and counselors/advisors to help facilitate initial conversations about a student's goals at MC and to support the academic planning process.  The Advising Questionnaire is a function of counseling under the direction of the collegewide Dean of Student Success/Rockville Dean of Student Services.

Advising Worksheet- Also called "Degree Audit Worksheet". These degree planning forms have been developed by Counseling & Advising and are meant to help students keep track of what courses they have completed and which courses are left to complete for their program/major.  Currently, the forms are housed on the website and can be printed or filled out electronically and uploaded to Starfish.  Although these forms are extremely helpful in advising students, they are not a replacement for the Starfish Academic Plan for the purpose of complying with CCRCCA.

Banner- The Banner System comprises the College’s administrative database used by faculty and staff to perform various administrative, organizational, and academic functions and services. Some of these include: Student Admissions & Registration, Student Academic History & Transcripts, Student Financial Aid, Course Catalog & Class Schedules.

It is the policy of Montgomery College to protect and promote secured access to its academic and administrative data. An approved access request form and the completion of Banner Navigation training are necessary to receive credentials for the system.

BIT (Behavioral Intervention Team)-  The purpose of BIT is to maintain a healthy, safe, and secure environment, free of intimidation and harm, by systematically addressing behaviors of concern. The BIT is comprised of two types of teams: campus-based and college-wide.

 CAP (see "Degree Audit")

  

CCRCCA (The College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013, formerly known as Senate Bill 740)-A comprehensive state law designed to increase completion of higher education degrees in the State of Maryland.  Aspects of the law include, but are not limited to definitions of when students need to complete college level English and mathematics courses,

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advising, pathways to completion in each degree program, and dual enrollment.  The College continues to reassess the efficacy of our efforts to comply and meet standards of this law.

CLEP (College-Level Examination Program) gives students the opportunity to receive college credit for what they already know by earning qualifying scores on any of the 33 exams that are offered. These exams test knowledge in the areas of Composition and Literature, Foreign Languages, History and Social Sciences, Science and Mathematics, and Business. You can find out which exams will transfer for credit at Montgomery College by viewing CLEP Exams & MC Equivalencies or contacting the transcript evaluator on your campus. See Admissions and Records for contact information for the transcript evaluator on your campus.

CE (Credit by Examination)-  Students can earn credit by examination for courses listed in the Course Catalog with the identification of "CE" after the course title. If the course is available for credit by examination at a particular campus, the course will be designated by "CE-G" for Germantown, "CE-R" for Rockville, and "CE-T" for Takoma Park/Silver Spring. To sign up, students should:

Print the Application for Credit by Examination form. Contact the Department Chair on the campus where the credit by examination option is

available for more information and to get necessary approval(s). Pay the fee. After obtaining appropriate signatures on the Application for Credit by

Examination form, students go to the Campus Cashier to pay the fee. The fee for credit by examination is 40 percent of the in-county tuition rate. This fee is charged based on the number of credit hours the course has, and must be paid before taking the exam.

After the exam has been completed, a grade of P (pass with C or higher) or U (unsatisfactory) is added to the form by the department and is submitted to the Office of Admissions and Records at the campus where the test was taken. Once Credit by Exam grades have been processed by Montgomery College, students will be notified through MC email.

Catalog Year Policy-part of the Academic Regulations for the College (9.32)called "Program (Graduation) Requirements for the Associate's Degree"

A. Students may elect to graduate from a curriculum by meeting the curriculum requirements as outlined in any catalog in effect during their enrollment provided they graduate within seven years of the catalog chosen.

B. Readmitted students whose period of non-enrollment at Montgomery College (excluding summers) is two consecutive academic years must select and complete a curriculum as specified in any catalog in effect during their subsequent enrollment, in accordance with A above.

C. Since courses and programs may be discontinued at the discretion of the College, without prior notice, the college and administering academic department will provide all students affected by such decisions with assistance in choosing appropriate courses and programs for completion.

D. The time limits of this regulation may be appealed as set forth in 9.901.

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Chemistry Placement Test-  The purpose of the Chemistry Placement Test is to ensure that students are sufficiently prepared with the background knowledge and skills needed to succeed in CHEM131. The CPT is on material that students should already know from high school chemistry. To better prepare for the CPT, please review basic mathematical skills and chemical concepts found in the CHEM099 Introductory Chemistry textbook or the first 3-4 chapters of any college-level general chemistry textbook.

This test is a 30-minute, computer-based test, and use of a scientific, non-graphing calculator is allowed. It is recommended that the Chemistry Placement Test be taken at least one week before the student plans to register. The student will know their test results immediately following the test. If they pass, they will get an automatic override in Banner, enabling them to register for CHEM131 the following day. If they fail the test, they will be informed that they should register for CHEM099.

Combat2College-(C2C) provides college-wide academic and social opportunities, as well as support services for veterans, and active/reserve service members. Joanna Starling is the interim veterans program manager 240-567-7103.

DSS (Disability Support Services)  empowers, supports, and advocates for students with disabilities to achieve their goals by providing equal access to the education and programs offered at Montgomery College.  Services including reasonable accommodations are provided in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 2009.  Each campus has designated DSS counselors with whom students can make an appointment to discuss what services and accomodations they may be eligible for and what documentation is necessary.

Degree Audit Worksheet (see "Advising Worksheet")

Degree Audit- the process by which an advisor helps determine what credits a student has and has not completed towards a degree, certificate, or letter of recognition program.  Although the College has an automated system called "CAP" to complete degree audits, significant errors persist when running CAP reports.  Therefore at the present time, it is more accurate to do an audit by hand.  An official degree audit is done by the Office of Admissions and Records once a student applies to graduate.

 

Developmental Advising- There are many interpretations and definitions of developmental advising. Thus, a myriad of models of developmental advising exist in higher education with a vast array of theoretical bases. 

The Developmental Advising Model at Montgomery College remains an evolving process as needs, personnel, resources, etc continue to be identified.  Here is an excerpt from the Developmental Advising Model document, adopted by the SVP of Student Services at the College:

"The Academic Advising Program is designed to assist students in establishing goals, minimizing barriers, and encouraging self-sufficiency now and into the future. With this in mind,

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Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

students will not get “prescribed” answers, but will be encouraged to design and adapt plans which reflect their emerging interests, knowledge and goals. Students will be encouraged to make informed academic decisions and consider potential consequences of their decisions."

Dream Act- The Maryland Dream Act became law on December 6, 2012, and applies to all future semesters, starting with the 2013 winter session and beyond.

The law allows Maryland high school graduates who are undocumented immigrants the opportunity to qualify for the lowest tuition rates at their public colleges and universities upon meeting certain eligibility requirements and submitting required documentation.

The law applies in all 24 jurisdictions within the state of Maryland - every county in the state of Maryland, plus the city of Baltimore.

Dual Enrollment-Dual Enrollment (formerly Early Placement) is available to advanced high school students admitted to Montgomery College (MC). Select students are enrolled in college courses while still attending high school, providing an educational experience beyond what is available at the secondary level. High school juniors and seniors who meet the College's Dual Enrollment (DE) standards may enhance their schedule with college course work and experience the independence of college-level study while also earning college credit. Akima Rogers is the Associate Director of Academic Initiatives and Dual Enrollment Manager.

Educational Plan- An Education Plan is your student's guide through their academic program/curriculum and career development while at Montgomery College. It provides your student with a roadmap to their desired destination- whether it's an associate's degree, transfer to a four-year institution, personal enrichment, or employment- wherever they would like to go and whatever they would like to do.  The term "Educational Plan" is sometimes used interchangeably with "Academic Plan."

FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act)-  (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children's education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are "eligible students."

General Education-Montgomery College’s General Education Program provides students with the foundations for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in life-long learning in a continually changing world. Students have opportunities in all classes to develop communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills appropriate for an educated person.  The General Education Program prepares students to face the issues and responsibilities that arise from living in a culturally diverse, globally interdependent world.  The General Education Program is going through a multi-phase redesign starting in the 2015-16 academic year, with implementation taking place over the course of approximately two years.  The redesign is driven by the Maryland Higher Education Commission's modifications of standards on General Education.

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Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

Guaranteed Admissions Program- These are agreements between Montgomery College and a list of Maryland four-year schools which guarantee admission as long as students meet certain requirements such as GPA, college credit earned, etc.  Some of the programs also offer scholarship and experiential opportunities as well.  Please see Montgomery College's Transfer webpage for more information.  Some of our guaranteed admissions programs include: MTAP (Maryland Transfer Advantage Program through UMD-College Park), Alliance through UMUC, TTP (Terp Transfer Partnership through UMD-College Park at Unversities at Shady Grove).

Starfish- Starfish Solutions is the web based database used to house the scheduling of Counseling & Advising appointments. Starfish also has many other tools such as referrals for different services, academic planning, ability to create appointments and communicate with one’s class, the ability to send kudos to students, and an early alert feature to help flag students struggling at the beginning of the semester for intervention.  There is currently a small Starfish Team comprised of counselors and administrators collegewide who have been working on implementation.  This team's work is under the purview of the Collegewide Dean of Student Success/Rockville Dean of Student Services.

On Time Registration- begins in the fall 2015 semester. Students must register for classes by 11:59 pm on the day before the class is scheduled to start. Students who ask to register for a class that has already begun will be directed to register for a class that begins at a later date. Under limited circumstances, students are allowed to change or add courses after the class has begun. Exceptions will be granted and approved by the Dean or designated Department Chair for the discipline in consultation with the course instructor. Refer to the On-Time Registration “Frequently Asked Questions” for additional information on exceptions.

MAP, eMAP, IMAP (see "Academic Orientation")

MC-PASS- MC-PASS stands for Montgomery College Programs for Adult Student Success. MC-PASS was formerly called the G.O.A.L. (Germantown Options for Adult Learners) program, but we recently changed the name to reflect our one-college approach to student services. It is a student academic and social support program designed to meet the unique needs of adult students at Montgomery College. MC-PASS focuses on helping adult students navigate college processes, connect with one another and locate resources to make the MC experience a successful one. For more information about MC-PASS, please contact Amanda McIntosh at (240) 567-6976.

New Student Orientation (NSO)-  Is designed to help students acclimate to the college environment and have a successful start at Montgomery College.  New Student Orientation is available in a very limited "In-Person" format on each campus and an interactive "Online" format. New Student Orientation is mandatory for all new degree-seeking students.  A NSO hold is placed on a student's record until they have completed either an in person NSO or the online NSO. Questions about NSO should be directed to the College-wide Dean of Student Engagement/Takoma Park/SS Dean of Student Services under which NSO is housed, Dr. Clemmie Solomon 240-567-1469.

PACE (Program for the Advancement to College English)- The PACE program helps new students earn college-credits in ENGL 101 their first semester.  Students who placed into college level reading (reading exempt) and placed into ENGL 001 or 002 who are interested in PACE must take a writing sample at one of the Assessment Centers. Members of each campus's English

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Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

department assess the writing sample and then contact the student if they meet the criteria for enrolling in a section of ENGL 101 involved in PACE.  The English department walks students through the next steps.  Currently, Rebecca Eggenschwiler is the college-wide PACE coordinator.

Priority Registration- Priority registration started during the enrollment period for fall 2015 classes. Continuing students with 30 credit hours have the first week of the early fall registration period to register for their classes, ensuring they receive priority for classes they need to complete their academic programs. Students are notified if they qualify for priority registration.

Response Center- Has some of the functions of Admissions and Records and can be a good place to call to gather information or complete some overrides for students.  240-567-5000

SAP (standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress)-   Adherence to academic standards is required by federal and state regulations governing academic progress toward the completion of a college degree or certificate. These standards apply to all financial aid applicants and recipients. The Montgomery College Office of Student Financial Aid evaluates SAP for aid applicants once a year at the end of the spring semester for most students. Students not meeting the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress who have been terminated from financial aid eligibility and want to appeal are required to meet with an advisor in your major or counseling faculty to develop, review or if needed reevaluate your Academic Plan. To make an appointment with your major advisor or counselor, you should contact your department or campus counseling office. Counseling Office SAP appointments are available in October, March and June.

SB 740 (see "CCRCCA")

 

TEAS- The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a timed computer-based multiple-choice assessment used by the Health Sciences Institute & Center at Montgomery College to evaluate the academic preparedness of entry-level health sciences students in: reading comprehension, math, science, English language and usage. Montgomery College administers the TEAS, Version V. The TEAS consists of four content areas that have corresponding sub-content areas.

Transcript Evaluator- The Office of Admissions and Records on each campus has 1 employee who reviews transcripts submitted to Montgomery College from other institutions of higher education for possible credit.

Transfer agreement- These are partnerships created by MC Faculty, Staff and Administrators. Each agreement was designed so MC students could seamlessly continue their education and reach their academic goals.  Please see Montgomery College's Transfer page on the website for more information.

Universities at Shady Grove (USG)-The Universities at Shady Grove offers 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs from nine respected institutions within the University System of Maryland at one central location in Montgomery County. USG provides daytime, part- and full-time, evening and weekend programs to meet the needs of its students.  Montgomery College has

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Level 4 Advising Tool Kit

a very strong partnership with USG as many of our students choose to pursue baccalaureate degrees at their participating institutions.

Welcome Centers- Each campus houses a Welcome Center which helps students with the following services: admissions, registration, and MyMC online tools, financial aid applications (FAFSA and MC financial aid forms) and payment information, textbooks and pricing, steps to complete MC placement tests or submit test scores, information on the mandatory Montgomery Advising Program: MAP, IMAP, or eMAP, referrals to student support services, and general campus information. The Welcome Centers are under the purview of the Collegewide Dean of Access/Germantown Dean of Student Services.

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