IV. Student Support Services

OVERVIEW

The college serves students of all ages in a primarily residential experience, with supportive programming for students with off -campus living arrangements. Bethany emphasizes interactive, personalized learning by supporting and encouraging multiple modes of teaching and learning including mentor relationships, experience-based education, and online learning as supplements to traditional classroom settings.

The college seeks to enhance the experiences of all students by intentionally encouraging interaction of intergenerational, cultural and ethnic populations both inside and outside the classroom.

Bethany College also offers programming for continued cultural, intellectual and religious learning in service to its students, the city of Lindsborg and surrounding communities. As a demonstration of our global awareness, the college sponsors events and programs with national and international relevance.

Bethany has exchange and cooperative agreements with three international universities – Karlstad University in Karlstad, Sweden; Harlaxton College in England; and Linnaeus University in Sweden. These partnerships allow students the opportunity to study abroad during their time at Bethany.

Equal A c c e s s A s s i s t anc e

Bethany College has a firm commitment to ensuring equal access to college programs for students, employees, and guests with disabilities. Individuals with special needs are requested to provide to the Equal Opportunity Officer in the Human Resources Office advance notice of their intention to attend an event or class requiring auxiliary aids such as sign language interpreters, special equipment, mobility assistance, or reserved parking for individuals with a valid handicapped parking permit.

St u de nt Suc c e s s C e nt e r ( SSC )

The SSC provides many services and resources which promote the success of any student. It provides an informal setting where students can study and have access to assistance when they need it. There is plenty of room for group work. Calculators and audio equipment are also available. SSC staff have expertise in advising, teaching students study skills, identifying goals, and developing habits for college success. The SSC is located in Wallerstedt Library, rooms 116 through 124. The director of the SSC can be reached via email: wickscl@bethanylb.edu.

A c ade m i c A c c om m odat i ons , A c c e s s i bi l i t y, a n d D i s abi l i t y Se r v i c e

Bethany College wants to assist you in performing your best. Student Accessibility and Disability Services on campus are coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs located in the lower level of Pihlblad Memorial Union. The Student Success Center supports in administration of various student accommodations. Before admission, students with disabilities may talk or meet with the disability services director to discuss any questions or concerns about disability accommodations or services needed.

Registered students with disabilities who need academic accommodations or disability-related support services are asked to make their needs known and to submit a timely request to the Office of Student Affairs. Staff will verify your status and work with you to determine appropriate academic accommodations and inform your instructors of accommodations granted. The needs of each student seeking accommodations are different and the strategies implemented in order to serve students will vary.

A c ade m i c A l e r t s

A student’s grades, attendance, or conduct may prompt an instructor to issue an Academic Alert. Alerts are initiated whenever instructors are concerned about a student’s progress or if they feel that there is an issue with a student that merits the attention of others.

Instructors initiate alerts through a designated form available in eSwede. Students who have received such an alert will be notified by their instructor. The instructor will indicate the nature of the concern and begin working with the student to develop a plan to resolve said concern within one week.

The SSC staff can become involved with alerts when deemed appropriate by the director of the SSC. Most notably this occurs when an instructor determines that sufficient resolution to the alert has not been reached or SSC services are required to implement the resolution plan.

Subj e c t T ut or i ng

The SSC provides subject tutoring services for students free of charge. Student tutors are selected by the Director of the SSC in conjunction with relevant department chairs. These tutors engage in training and follow up with relevant SSC staff.

Tutors are equipped to help students throughout the semester with coursework. This may include—but is not limited to— assistance with reading strategies, lecture note review, preparations for tests and exams, and practice with oral presentations.

All subject tutoring is done on demand and can be scheduled through eSwede. In general, the SSC recommends scheduling sessions of 30 or 60 minutes for tutoring appointments.

F i r s t Y e ar A dv i s i ng

The SSC provides advising services for all first-year students regardless of prospective major. Navigating the first year of college can be difficult for many students, and these advisors can help direct students to appropriate services on campus, especially when students might not know those services are available or how to access them.

The SSC also coordinates all first-year student enrollment. Academic advising services have been organized by the SSC staff in conjunction with department heads from across the campus. All recommendations for courses made by SSC staff are based on the needs of each student’s prospective major course of study, a commitment to the aims of a liberal arts education, and an assessment of a student’s admissions information in order to help develop a plan for long-term success at Bethany College.

All first year academic advisors are available for appointments that can be scheduled through eSwede. In general, first-year students can expect to meet with an advisor on a monthly basis unless an alternative plan has been developed by SSC staff.

Wr i t i ng Ce nt e r

Every writer needs an interested reader, and the Bethany Writing Center offers free, skilled peer feedback to student writers.

The Writing Center can help at any point in the writing and revising process. Trained student tutors representing several majors, along with an English professor, are available to work with students who need help with brainstorming, organizing, thesis development, revising for sense and meaning, or surface issues of spelling and grammar. We welcome students with questions about all kinds of writing – professional emails, reports, research papers, creative work, and any other writing they do while at Bethany.

The Writing Center believes that writing is a process and each friendly consultation is based on cooperative learning. The center is not a drop-off editing or proofreading service, but a place to learn more about writing and to focus on a specific written assignment.

The Writing Center also offers workshops and clinics throughout the year in a variety of subjects. The center maintains a library of writing assignments and grading criteria from many professors in most areas of study that may be consulted on site. The center offers handouts and examples of three academic citation styles: APA, MLA, and Chicago.

Drop-ins and appointments are available Monday through Thursday from 12:00pm-1:00pm or 6:00pm-9:00pm in Wallerstedt 118. Contact the center via email at writinghelp@bethanylb.edu. The Writing Center is a service of the English, Theatre Arts, and Communication department.

I nt e r nat i on al St u de nt Se r v i c e s

Support and advising for international students are offered by the Admissions Office. Services offered are tailored to the individual student’s needs with emphasis on adjustment to the campus and surrounding areas, academic success, and the intricate procedures and federal regulations relating to international student’s non-immigrant status.