Student Support Services - South Piedmont Community College

Student Support Services 35 

The mission of the Student Success Division is to provide systematic support services to help you reach 

your educational and career goals. These services support the instructional programs and are in keeping 

with and complement the philosophy of South Piedmont Community College. 

Counseling 

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES 

The College provides counseling services to help you succeed in your educational program. Counselors 

can also help you with more personal problems that might affect your progress. Requests for these 

services can be made at the Student Success Office. NOTE: Personal counseling may be referred to 

local mental health facilities based on the intensity of the student’s needs. 

Services for Students with Disabilities 

SPCC recognizes its responsibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans 

with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) to provide equal access to education for students with disabilities. 

Support services are available to individuals with learning, hearing, visual, and other health impairments. 

Brochures containing self-referral forms are available to all applicants and students. Note the following: 

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Applicants or students who feel that they need accommodations due to a disability should contact 

the Disability Services Provider in the counseling office at South Piedmont Community College. 

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Applicants or students must provide official, supporting documentation describing the disability. 

This documentation must be from an authorized professional(s). Federal regulations obligate the 

applicant or student to provide information on identifying appropriate and effective auxiliary aids. This 

documentation is held confidential for five (5) years after enrollment and will be destroyed after that 

time. To renew accommodations after the five (5) year period, new documentation must be provided. 

Documentation for learning disabilities should be no more than three (3) years old. Documentation 

provided for any disability must indicate the applicant’s or student’s current level of functioning. 

•• 

Students who have identified themselves as having disability may request accommodations from the 

Disability Services Provider. New students should make such requests at least 30 days prior to the 

beginning of their first term of enrollment. Early communication of special needs provides the time 

needed to arrange for services and/or the procurement of equipment that the student may need. 

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Each request will be evaluated by the Disability Services Provider, who will recommend reasonable 

accommodations to faculty. 

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Students will be responsible for delivering accommodation information to each faculty member for 

discussion of how accommodations will be provided in each class. 

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Students who do not feel that they are receiving agreed-upon accommodations should see the 

Disability Services Provider for clarification. 

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Applicants or students who are not satisfied with the accommodations that they are receiving from 

the College should see the Vice President of Student Success. 

Reasonable Accommodations: The following are considered reasonable accommodations to be made 

for students with disabilities: 

•• 

The process must be an interactive one involving “a reasonable reciprocal effort” on the part of both 

parties. 

•• 

The College may not make a unilateral decision regarding the existence of a disability or the 

accommodation that is necessary. 

•• 

What is “reasonable” involves a detailed analysis of the specific circumstances of the case in question. 

Broad generalizations are not acceptable. An “individualized assessment” of the student’s situation 

must be conducted.

36 Student Support Services 

•• 

The College is not required to provide specifically what the student requests. An alternative 

accommodation may be provided if it is effective. 

•• 

The College does not have to provide accommodations that are not effective. The College has a right 

to refuse to provide auxiliary aids and services that do not, in fact, provide equal access. 

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The College must be given a reasonable amount of time to evaluate requests and to offer necessary 

accommodations. 

•• 

Determining what is reasonable requires one to balance two important rights: the student’s rights to be 

provided equal access and the College’s right to protect the integrity of its services and programs. 

SPCC Career Development Services 

Career Development Services provides comprehensive career exploration and preparation services to 

students, alumni, and the general community. Individual career counseling, informative career development 

workshops, and access to career libraries and computers on both campuses are all included in this 

valuable set of services. A variety of interest, aptitude, and personality assessments is available. Along 

with supportive counseling, these assessments can provide helpful guidance for making well-informed 

career decisions. Information about the area job market, educational programs, financial assistance, 

and other special programs is also available. Career Development Services on both campuses maintain 

updated libraries with books and resources focusing on career exploration and personal development. 

Effective resume writing, job searching, networking, and interviewing skills can all be learned through 

Career Development Services, individually and through regularly offered workshops. 

SPCC counselors and the area Employment Security Commission JobLink Centers work together to assist 

students, alumni, and area residents in gaining employment. As part of that effort, SPCC joins with the 

Employment Security Commission JobLink Centers, the Department of Social Services, and other local 

service agencies, in hosting an annual career fair that brings job seekers and local employers together. 

All SPCC students, alumni, and the general community are encouraged to utilize the Career Development 

Services as much as necessary to ultimately achieve career goals and aspirations. 

College Days and Transfer Information 

During the fall semester, SPCC hosts a College Day for students, alumni, employers, and community 

residents who wish to obtain their bachelor’s degree. Representatives from four-year colleges and 

universities attend this important event. College materials (catalogs and admissions applications) 

and transfer information are available in Career Development Services. SPCC counselors can answer 

questions about the transfer process. 

Voter Registration 

Students and employees who have not registered to vote may register in the Student Success Office at 

either the L. L. Polk campus or Old Charlotte Highway campus. Students and employees may register 

throughout the semester; however, the deadline to register in order to participate in an election year is 

twenty-five (25) days prior to the Election Day. Any individual with a disability who needs help completing 

the voter registration form should ask for assistance from a Student Success staff member. 

Student Orientation 

All new students are required to complete the online orientation located at www.spcc.edu. The purpose of 

the orientation is to acquaint you with the campus, academic services, and student support services, as 

well as to discuss policies and regulations of South Piedmont Community College. The online orientation 

will provide you with information concerning:


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Campus regulations and policies 

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Financial aid 

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College support services, i.e., counseling, career services, disability services, tutoring services 

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Academic policies to include drop/add, withdrawal, and change of program procedures 

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Library services 

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Student activities 

Services to Continuing Education Students 

The following support services are available to continuing education students: 

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Curriculum admission and program information 

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Placement testing 

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Personal counseling 

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Reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities 

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Career guidance through assessments, inventories, and resume tools 

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College IDs for students requiring off-site program identification 

Academic Support Labs/Tutoring 

Academic Support Labs are available at both the L. L. Polk campus and the Old Charlotte Highway 

campus to assist you in strengthening your academic skills. Students are directed to these labs through 

faculty referrals. 

Tutoring is available to students needing help in a specific course of study. Tutors provide individual and/or 

group help to build stronger understanding of course material outside of regularly scheduled classes. If 

a tutor is desired, contact the Academic Support Lab. 

Developmental Education Courses 

Students placing into developmental education courses as determined by the College Placement Test 

(CPT) are required to take these courses first, prior to any other curriculum courses (exceptions may 

exist). Required developmental education courses include English, reading, math, and computers. These 

courses are instrumental in building the foundation for the curriculum-level courses. 

Library Services 

SPCC has libraries in two locations: The Horne Library at the L. L. Polk campus in Polkton and the 

Carpenter Library at the Old Charlotte Highway campus in Monroe. 

Services to Students: Each library has computers, laptops, and printers available for student use. Wireless 

access is also available. The library staff is happy to assist you and provide a wide variety of services 

such as assistance with using the computers, formatting papers, searching the Internet, and answering 

your research questions. Librarians also provide a variety of workshops including Informational Literacy 

classroom instructions that will help you find appropriate sources for assignments. Library orientations on 

how to use the library’s resources are provided at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters. Students 

coming to campus or attending online can find a variety of tutorials, links to resources, library orientation, 

and other helpful information by going to SPCC’s website and clicking on “Libraries.” 

Library Resources: You have access to over 25,000 items in the libraries. Resources include books, 

magazines, newspapers, videotapes, and DVDs. The libraries also offer several online databases including 

NC Live. NC Live offers over 60 databases, 25,000 electronic books, and over 500 audiobooks to meet 

your needs whether you are on campus or at home online.


Library Card: The SPCC College ID also serves as your library card. Every student should have a current 

College ID, which is obtained in the Student Success Division. Once you obtain an ID, it should be brought 

to the library so your library account can be created and library materials can then be checked out 

Technology 

Students at SPCC utilize many different technologies in their studies. Moodle, TaskStream, go.spcc.edu, 

and Gmail are the main technologies required. The better you, as a student, understand the functions of 

each system and how to use them, the more successful you can be. 

Moodle is a course management system used by all of SPCC’s curriculum online, blended, and webenhanced 

courses. It stands for Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment. To get to 

SPCC’s Moodle site, go to http://online.spcc.edu. 

TaskStream is a web-based system for electronic portfolios, academic assessment, and reporting. Tools are 

on-demand and students interact with TaskStream via the Internet to access tools, resources, workspaces, 

and their own files whenever or wherever. To get to TaskStream, go to http://www.taskstream.com. 

SPCC students have access to online registration, grades, advising, financial aid, class schedules, college 

updates, and more. To get to this website, go to http://go.spcc.edu to sign in. 

Gmail allows access to email accounts and Google applications for use at SPCC. These accounts are 

provided to you free and are available in accordance with our Google agreement. To access Gmail, go to 

http://partnerpage.google.com/students.spcc.edu. Your new email address will be username@students. 

spcc.edu. 

Student Government Association 

The purpose of the Student Government Association (SGA) is to enhance the College through the 

representation of the student body in matters affecting student life. Moreover, the SGA promotes and 

supervises student organizations and activities in order to enhance educational, personal, social, and 

cultural growth for all South Piedmont Community College students. All enrolled full-time and part-time 

students who pay the student activity fee are members of the SPCC SGA. 

The SGA Executive Board consists of six (6) members who are elected annually. The Executive Board along 

with the SGA Senate serve to provide leadership and coordination for all student-sponsored activities and 

events at SPCC. The SGA Senate is comprised of two (2) delegates from each of the academic programs. 

Delegates are selected by academic program advisors and serve a term of one year. Delegates serve on 

committees to organize and conduct activities throughout the year and to provide a vital communication 

link to all of the students at SPCC. 

Clubs and Organizations 

Active student clubs and organizations are the cornerstone of quality student life programs and events. 

Clubs allow students to fellowship with others with like interests and benefit from the diversity and talent 

within each club. SPCC sponsors clubs for students. Most are program-related, but there are general 

interest organizations such as Campus Crusade for Christ, Extreme Players Club, and Japanese Culture 

Club. A complete list of clubs and organizations is available on the SPCC website, www.spcc.edu. Click 

on Future Students, Student Life, Student Clubs and Organizations.


College IDs 

SPCC curriculum students should obtain a College ID free of charge at either the L. L. Polk campus or 

the Old Charlotte Highway campus. You must present an official registration form to Student Success 

prior to receiving the ID. Your SPCC College ID will also serve as your library card. 

Class Rings 

SPCC class rings are available to all students. Students wishing to purchase rings should check with 

the Student Success Office to find out when to order. A ring sales representative will be available during 

specific times that will be announced in advance. 

Health Services and First Aid 

SPCC recognizes the correlation of health and academic productivity. Health information is provided that 

addresses the health and well being of individuals. SPCC’s student activities provide on-campus health 

services opportunities to students, alumni, and employees through local community outreach programs 

at SPCC events. 

Emergency First Aid kits are maintained throughout the campuses of SPCC. Injuries requiring more than 

minor first aid will be referred to local physicians. In case of an emergency, a physician and/or ambulance 

service may be called at your expense to provide necessary medical services. 

Drugs and Alcohol Policy 

South Piedmont Community College, through its policies and programs, is dedicated to providing an 

atmosphere that encourages: 

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The reinforcement of a positive, drug-free lifestyle. 

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Respect for laws and rules prohibiting the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of alcohol. 

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An understanding of the effects of drugs and alcohol on personal health and safety. 

It is the policy of SPCC that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of 

a controlled substance or alcohol, is prohibited while in the workplace, at any official function sponsored 

by the College, on all college premises, or as part of any college-sponsored activities (except in those 

college facilities approved for renting to the public for functions and where the distribution and use of 

alcohol have been approved for the rented facility). Any employee or student violating this policy will be 

subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion and referral for prosecution. 

Refer to the current Student Handbook for more details. 

Firearms or Other Dangerous Weapons Policy 

South Piedmont Community College will provide a safe environment for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. 

Therefore, any unauthorized possession of a firearm or any other dangerous weapon, as defined in the 

North Carolina General Statutes 14-269.2, will result in the following actions: 

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The College will file charges under North Carolina General Statutes 14-269.2. 

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Any student who violates this provision will be expelled from the College for a period of not less 

than one year. 

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Violation of this provision by any employee will be considered a breach of the terms and conditions 

of employment. 

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Action will follow in accordance with the College’s personnel or student due process procedures. 

Authorized possession of any firearm or dangerous weapon is restricted to recognized law enforcement 

officers.


Student Conduct 

Students at SPCC are expected to conduct themselves as adults in accordance with generally accepted 

standards of behavior and decency at all times. Student rights, responsibilities, and procedures are 

outlined in the current Student Handbook, which can be obtained from the Student Success Office and 

online at www.spcc.edu. Any student subject to dismissal from SPCC for disciplinary reasons is entitled 

to due process, including the right of appeal as outlined in the Student Handbook. 

Inclement Weather 

SPCC will follow the closings of Union County and/or Anson County Public Schools. The College (all 

campuses/sites) will be closed or open depending upon the announcements of the county schools. If the 

county schools open late, SPCC will open on time. 

Students, staff, and faculty should use care and caution in traveling to and from campus during periods 

of inclement weather. 

SPCC administration will announce closings via television stations and the SPCC website, www.spcc.edu. 

The same schedule of notices will apply with any other emergency situations that may occur. Television 

stations that will carry announcements of closings are WBTV (3) Charlotte and WSOC (9) Charlotte. 

Children on Campus 

South Piedmont Community College, as an adult educational institution, does not maintain child care 

facilities on campus and is not equipped or authorized to maintain such facilities. Therefore, students, 

faculty, and staff of the College may not bring children to class, to work, or leave children unattended 

on campus. The College assumes no responsibility for supervision of children. Students, visitors, and 

employees who fail to comply with this policy may be asked to leave the campus. 

Tobacco Policy 

Smoking and the use of other tobacco products are prohibited in all South Piedmont Community College 

facilities and vehicles. Smokers are required to use designated smoking areas outside each building 

where smoker stations are provided. 

Campus Housing 

SPCC does not have dormitory facilities. The Student Success Office may assist in obtaining information 

about area rentals when available.

Student Support Services - South Piedmont Community College

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