October 2012
Coastal Bend College
New GED Test Coming in 2014 Page 5 Meet the CBC Foundation Executive Director Page 6 An Inside Look at the Financial Aid Office Page 10 NISOD Excellence Award Recipients Page 14
Volume 7, Number 2
CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399
CBC
NEWS & EVENTS
Early Alert Program Coastal Bend College through the Title V Cooperative Grant “Celebrando Educación” has developed an Early Alert Program that supports our commitment to the success of our students. The Early Alert Program allows us to identify students having difficulties in class and to provide support services to retain students and improve their academic performance. For more information regarding the program and the submission of referrals please visit us on the web at http:// www.coastalbend.edu/EarlyAlert/ Student Loan Sessions The Coastal Bend College financial aid office will be offering fall 2012- spring 2013 loan sessions on all campuses. These loan sessions are mandatory for any student who will be obtaining a student loan from CBC during the 2012-2013 academic year. Sessions last approximately one-hour. For further information about student loan sessions, please call (361) 354-2238 or visit http://www.coastalbend.edu/ DirectLoans/
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10/12
Coastal Bend College is now offering Reservations are on a first-come, firstyou another option to take the first step served, paid reservation basis. For more information, contact Roberta and earn your associate’s degree. Kreis – Testing Coordinator at (361) Anyone interested in enrolling in 354-2244 or kreisr@coasalbend.edu Weekend College is invited to stop by or visit http://www.coastalbend.edu/ at anytime to speak one-on-one with BAccuplacer/ representatives from the program. Study Socials For more information about how you Students are invited to attend free can jump start your education with study socials at all CBC campuses: Weekend College, please contact Danny Garcia, Every Other Weekend Alice: College Coordinator, at (361) 354- October 24, 9 a.m.-11 a.m., LAC 2570 or toll free at 1-866-722-2838 ext. 2570. Information is also available at Beeville: October 24, 3 p.m.-7 p.m., V-102 www.coastalbend.edu/weekend CDL Truck Driving School Coastal Bend College now offers CDL Truck Driving School in partnership with Excel Driver Services. This was started to meet the demands of the current oil boom of the area. For more info, got to www.coastalbend.edu/ce.
Kingsville: October 24, 12:30-3:30 p.m., Rm. 102 Pleasanton: October 25, 1 p.m.-5:30 p.m., Rm. 130
For more information contact the tutoring coordinator at (361) 3542272 or toll-free at 1-866-722-2838 Basic Motorcycle Safety Class A basic motorcycle safety class will be ext. 2272 held the following weekend: Continuing Education Instructors October 12-14, 2012 Coastal Bend College is expanding Dates: the course offerings in continuing The course is on Friday from 6-9 October 8 @ 3:30 p.m. education to include a wide variety p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from October 26 @ 10:00 a.m. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. The course is $195 and of classes to meet the needs of the motorcycles and helmets are provided. community. There is a need for Loan Session Room Numbers: For more information, contact Nora more qualified instructors. If you can Beeville Campus: E115 teach courses such a cake decorating, Cartwright at (361) 362-2633. Alice Campus: A205 cooking, dancing, music, art, healthKingsville Campus: K131 related topics, contact the Customized Accuplacer TestingBeeville Pleasanton Campus: P139 These are the remaining Accuplacer and Continuing Education office at exam sessions at the Beeville Testing (361) 362-2633. Weekend College If you have ever considered getting Department: Want your news featured here? Contact a bachelor’s degree but your life’s Wednesday, November 7, 2012 Monica Cruz, Public Relations Officer, Wednesday, December 5, 2012 schedule has not allowed you to take via email at mcruz@coastalbend.edu courses during the week or at night,
CBC Forum is a publication of Coastal Bend College, Office of Institutional Advancement, 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, Texas. View this and previous issues online at www.coastalbend.edu. Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. For more information about Coastal Coastal Bend Bend College, visit the website at www.coastalbend.edu or call toll free (866) 722-2838.
College
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www.coastalbend.edu
CBC Forum
CBC Forum
Now Published Quarterly
The Coastal Bend College Office of Institutional Advancement is excited to announce that the CBC Forum is moving to a quarterly publication schedule. The new format will include articles about the college and its faculty, staff, and students. The CBC Forum will also showcase what we’re doing in the community. The first quarterly issue will debut in January 2013 to kick-off the spring semester. To view past issues of the CBC Forum, visit our archive: http://issuu.com/Coastalbendcollege/docs
Want to be involved on campus? Are you a leader? Have ideas about improving CBC? Want to make new friends?
Join the Student Government Association! Build leadership skills, build friendships, and build a better CBC. Contact Vanessa Adkins at 361.354.2538 or stop by the counseling center to learn how you can put your ideas into action by joining SGA.
All students regardless of major are welcome to join!
Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age or disability.
CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399
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Student Rights & Responsibilities At Coastal Bend College, students have rights and responsibilities with which they should familiarize themselves. For example, students have many rights including the right to file a complaint (page 55 of the 2012-13 CBC catalog) or to appeal a grade (page 44 of the CBC 2012-13 catalog). Students also bear many responsibilities including helping to keep CBC drug and alcohol free (page 62). Others may be found in the college’s policy manual and in the catalog which contains the student handbook. The housing handbook also provides housing rights and responsibilities. These rights are provided to assure students are treated fairly and responsibilities are necessary for a safe and productive learning environment. For assistance in understanding or initiating any of the processes described, please contact the Dean of Student Services at 361-354-2304.
November 8, 2012 Coastal Bend College 1411 Bensdale Road 10 am - 2 pm
Learn more about what Coastal Bend College and our Pleasanton Community Partners can do to help launch your career and education to the next level. Representatives from area Fire Departments, EMS and Methodist AirCare, as well as instructors from all certified programs and courses offered, will be on hand to answer all your questions.
YOUR FUTURE BEGINS HERE. AND NOW. For more information, contact Terry Villanueva, Pleasanton Campus Coordinator, at 830.569.4222 or toll-free at 1.866.361.4222 ext. 1201.
Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.
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www.coastalbend.edu
CBC Forum
Current GED Exam Expires in December 2013
CBC GED Graduates Students who have taken portions of the General Education Development (GED) exam, but have not completed the entire test only have until the end of 2013 to do so according to an announcement made by the GED Testing Service earlier this month. The current version of the test, the 2002 Series GED Test, is set to expire at the end of 2013. Also expiring at that time would be any incomplete test scores. Currently, the GED test is made up of five sections that can be taken separately, but must all be passed in order to receive a high school credential. Test takers who have started sections, but have not finished and passed all of them, have until the end of 2013 to get all sections finished and passed. After that, the student would have to start all over again in 2014 since their scores would have expired. To receive a GED an individual needs to have 410 or better on each of the five exams and have a total
score of 2250. Both conditions have to be met. The new 2014 GED test will be delivered solely on the computer and offered only in official testing centers. The exam will include new national and state standards as well as a career and college readiness assessment tool, per the GED Testing Service. Coastal Bend College is committed to helping people in the community finish their GED exam. Completing and passing the GED exam opens up opportunities for students to enroll in higher education and advance in the workforce. Whether you need to pass a few more sections or even if you need to get started, CBC offers a variety of tools, classes, and support regardless of your current education level. For more information, please contact Roberta Kreis, Testing Coordinator, at (361) 354-2244 or toll-free at 1-866-722-2838 ext. 2244.
Christy Lansford, Coastal Bend College’s new Foundation Executive Director, looks forward to rebuilding the CBC Foundation from the ground up.
A
s the first person in her family to obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, Christy Lansford, the newly appointed Coastal Bend College Foundation Executive Director, realizes the importance of education. One of her first jobs out of college was as a 4-H extension agent in New Mexico where she helped guide youth towards a more successful path. She did this by helping them build leadership skills and participate in programs that provided them better opportunities. That first job helped pave the way towards a career where she strives to help others succeed every single day she goes into work. “I want to be surrounded by students and help them be successful. I can be a great advocate for those students, and I can advocate for what they need to succeed here at Coastal Bend College,” Lansford explained. Lansford brings with her to CBC over a decade of experience working for non-profit organizations and helping youth gain skills and confidence to succeed in life. Her experience spans from being the Chief Executive Officer of Youth Programs for the American Quarter Horse Association to being the Administrative Director for the Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas. She also
holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Arts degree from New Mexico State University. Now in her new role as the CBC Foundation Executive Director, she looks forward to rebuilding the foundation from the ground up and improving its reputation and impact on the college and the community it serves. “With each step of my career, I feel like I have grown and helped that association or company be better than it was when I got there. And that’s my goal anywhere I am working. I want to help CBC grow and succeed.” The purpose of the CBC Foundation is to help promote and further CBC’s mission, goals and values by directly supporting the college through fundraising for student scholarships, faculty development and improvement programs. Lansford has hit the ground running by meeting with CBC administration, faculty and staff, as well as community members to hear their ideas for improving the CBC Foundation. She is also working alongside the very dedicated members of the CBC Foundation Board of Directors to begin laying out a strategic plan for the next year and beyond. Also on her to-do list is to organize the Foundation’s first fundraiser with her as Executive Director. When asked where she sees the Foundation a year from
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now, Lansford stated that she hopes the Foundation will have clear, measureable goals and objectives to work towards, as well as at least one successful fundraiser completed. However, in order to be a viable Foundation and make an impact on student success and the community, the Foundation relies heavily on monetary donations to help fund student scholarships and events. Lansford is dedicated to making sure all donors know what is happening with their money at all times.
www.coastalbend.edu
CBC Forum
own a ranch in South Texas. Agriculture is something she and her family are very passionate about and active in. But lately what’s she most passionate about is the potential that she sees in the CBC Foundation, and the warm welcome she’s received from all the faculty and staff at the college.
“The staff here has student success squarely in front of them, and to me that says a lot about the quality and caliber of the employees here. They have ideas and are passionate about bettering the institution. Dr. Espinoza, the CBC President, “I want to make sure that everything the Foundation does is has been extremely supportive in growing the foundation, transparent and that we are held accountable to the donors and she’s extremely focused on accountability, too,” and to the school. I don’t ever want there to be a question Lansford said and then added, “What I want everyone about what we’re doing or where the money is to know is that anyone can play a role in the going or where the money has been going. success of the foundation.” I want to be very forthcoming with the business of the foundation.” To see how you can help the All donors, from here on out, will receive reports about their donations directly from Lansford, and donors can also specify which program they’d like to see their donation go towards such as vocational programs or athletics. Since the Foundation is being rebuilt under new leadership, this is a great opportunity for anyone in the community to get involved. There are a variety of ways to help the CBC Foundation—monetary donations of any size, sponsorships, volunteer work and simply spreading the word about the Foundation are good ways to get involved and make a difference on the lives of all those who attend classes at CBC. Overall, Lansford is excited about taking this opportunity at CBC and making the move to Beeville with her family. Her husband, T.R. Lansford, is a veterinarian and has worked for the state of Texas his entire career. They have a 2-year old son named T.R “Buddy” Lansford IV, and also
CBC Foundation, or if you’d like more information, contact Christy Lansford, Foundation Executive Director at (361) 354-2447 or toll-free at 1-866-7222838 ext. 2447 or you can visit her at the CBC Beeville Campus on 3800 Charco Road inside the Robert J. Beasley, Jr. Administration Building, office A-139B.
October is
National Dental Hygiene Month All dental hygiene services are FREE the entire month! CBC Dental Hygiene Hours:
Mondays: 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Office: 361-354-2555
Services Offered:
Teeth Cleaning, Fluoride Treatments, Dental X-rays, Site-specific Antimicrobial Placement and Pit/Fissure Sealants Placement
(361) 354-2555
CBC Visual Arts
The Nature of South Texas: A Photographic Perspective Simon Michael Art Gallery Frank Jostes Visual Arts Bldg. Closes: October 17, 2012
Featuring the Work Of: Cissy Beasley Karen Benson Robert Benson Sylvia Garcia-Smith George Gilchrist James Hunt Jimmy Jackson Frank Klein Al Past
CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399
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f you asked Coastal Bend College Financial Aid Director Nora Morales how many days in a row she worked without a day off over this past summer, her answer would be more than 30. As the financial aid director she works primarily from the Beeville campus, but she also serves as the Alice financial aid representative. Her staff of financial aid advisors, Candy Fuller in Beeville, Estella Gonzales in Beeville, Rosie Streicher in Beeville, and Yvonne Tamez in Kingsville, would tell you that Nora is a workaholic and very student oriented. However, the advisors work almost as much as their director. During peak periods of enrollment, most of the financial aid advisors can often be found on campus on nights and weekends processing financial aid applications. Without financial aid, many students do not have means to afford higher education. What takes so long to process the student applications? A brief overview of the financial aid process is on pages 12-13, but Morales points out that the reason she and her staff work such long hours during the summer isn’t because they work slowly.
help alleviate the summer influx of applications. It didn’t. It’s important to note that the FAFSA application goes live on January 1 of every year. This gives students ample time to submit their financial aid application before the May 1 priority deadline, and definitely well before August rolls around. Yet year-after-year, despite many efforts to curb this trend, the financial aid office still receives the most applications a few weeks before classes start.
For the current year, the financial aid office has awarded over $11.6 million in financial aid to students.
“Students apply at the last minute because they think it’s a quick process. We have a priority deadline of May 1, but students still submit their FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) 2 weeks before school starts. When lots of students do that, and when they have to pay for classes and books, it doesn’t leave us much choice. Bottom line is that we want to help the students, so we work evenings and weekends to accommodate the students,” Morales explained. Coastal Bend College used to have a priority deadline of April 1, but for the 2011-2012 school year decided to push it forward to May to see if the extra month would
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“I think students wait until summer to apply because they know we will work crazy hours to get their file processed. We literally go through this every single school year. I sacrifice time away from my family in order to help students who have no other means to pay for their education,” Fuller said.
Ideally, students and their families should fill out the FAFSA after filing their taxes—technically no later than April 15. What many incoming students might not know is that filling out the FAFSA online is only the first step of the process. Furthermore, while the Department of Education provides preliminary eligibility status, ultimately the financial aid office of the college or university the application is sent to reviews the application and awards the student aid. The financial aid office, by law, has to review every application selected for verification by the Department of Education—and lately, that’s about 3 out of every 5 applications, roughly 60-percent. Applicants selected for verification must submit paperwork to support the data they input into the FAFSA. Being selected for verification can add weeks onto the financial aid process because the student and/ or their parent have to provide a tax transcript that must
be ordered from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Other common verification documents include W-2’s, child support statements, proof of marital status, and all official college transcripts from other colleges. Per the Department of Education, financial aid cannot be awarded until all documents have been verified and the FAFSA has been corrected by financial aid staff to ensure eligibility and award amounts. On top of all that, financial aid staff has to calculate the number of hours the student has attempted to make sure the student’s course completion rate is higher than 67-percent, and that they have enough hours of eligibility to be awarded aid. Students must also have a certain grade point average (GPA) in order to remain eligible for aid, and new federal law states that a student can only receive the Pell grant award for a maximum of six, fulltime equivalent academic years. That maximum includes any aid they received at other institutions, regardless of how long it’s been. That’s a lot of information that has to be checked for every single application, even if the student is not selected for verification. Also, all of those rules are Department of Education guidelines that apply to all students regardless of where they’re enrolled. Morales said that the most common misconception is that it’s all an instantaneous process, “Students get upset because at the end of the FAFSA it tells them they qualify, but we tell them otherwise. People need to realize that there are numerous factors that determine whether or not a student gets aid. Many of those factors are out of our control,” she added. Students on financial aid, whether grants or student loans, are made aware of the satisfactory progress guidelines that they must meet in order to continue receiving aid. Each student receives a packet of paperwork after they submit their FAFSA to CBC that clearly outlines all of the eligibility requirements stated above. Students even have to sign stating they have read
and understand all of the guidelines regarding GPA, completion rate, and hours. Should the financial aid staff not work on evenings or weekends, students would be without the financial aid they need to buy books, pay for classes, and overall, would be without the means to get a higher education. Setting up a payment plan with the CBC business office may be difficult for students who did not budget for the cost of higher education and are relying on financial aid. For the current academic year, the financial aid staff has awarded over $11 million to students, and that number will rise with the upcoming spring and summer semesters. The CBC financial aid office continues processing applications every day. “We’re constantly processing applications, answering phones, helping students that come into the office, doing presentations in classes, submitting federal and state reports, conducting loan sessions, holding appeal meetings, and reconciling aid for the previous academic year. We’re a small staff, we are lucky to have a great assistant (Sarah Weischwill), and we’re just doing our best,” Fuller said. Faculty and staff can help the financial aid office by encouraging all students to apply early and observe the May 1 priority deadline. Historically, students who apply before the priority deadline have the best chance of being awarded additional state aid that runs out quickly. The entire process can take anywhere from 2-3 weeks, but can take longer if a student doesn’t submit all required paperwork. Applying early is beneficial to the student and their families. What does Morales hope will happen next summer? “Well, I’d love to actually have Fridays off next summer!” Morales said with a smile, “But the students will always come first. That’s why I do what I do.”
CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399
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THE LIFECYCLE OF A FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION
Step 1: Student submits their FAFSA (free application for federal student aid) online. The Department of Education (DOE) takes 3-5 days to process it before sending it off to the school.
If file is complete, award student. If not, go to step 3 & repeat.
Step 2: Every morning the financial aid office (FAO) downloads applications from the DOE, and each application is reviewed. Every student is mailed a packet of paperwork requesting basic information, and about 3 out of every 5 students are selected for verification and require further paperwork than the standard packet.
Step 5: After a correction is submitted to the Department of Education, it takes about 1-2 days to get a response and proceed with awarding. If after a correction the file is complete, aid will be awarded, if applicable. If after a correction the file is still incomplete, it gets filed until the student turns in all missing paperwork.
AID RECIPIENT
TOTAL AID AWARDED
FEDERAL/STATE GRANTS & STUDENT LOANS 11-12 12-13
75% 72%
25% 28%
Is everything correct & complete, and does the student qualify for aid?
NO
YES
Step 3: Once the student submits their paperwork to the FAO, it is put in line to be processed. Usually it will take about 3-5 days until it gets to an advisor’s desk. During peak periods, it can take up to 2 weeks or longer. The advisor then checks to make sure all necessary data and paperwork has been submitted while processing the application.
Why Not? Step 4: If the student is missing paperwork, an advisor sends them back a request for the additional paperwork. Until the paperwork is received, the student’s file cannot be awarded aid. If everything is turned in, but the student didn’t fill out the FAFSA properly, corrections must be submitted to the Department of Education. If a student does not qualify due to income, suspension status or if they’re out of hours of eligibility, proper paperwork is sent out to notify the student.
Award Financial Aid
CBC Forum 3800 Charco Road, Beeville, TX 78102 361.354.2399
What’s Happening
@CBC
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Former Coastal Bend College Board of Trustees member Jessy Garza presented Dr. Beatriz Espinoza, Coastal Bend College President, a Flag of Honor to commemorate the 11th anniversary of September 11, 2001. The stripes on the Flag of Honor are made up of all the names of those who lost their lives on September 11.
NISOD
Excellence Awards
Dr. Bruce Exstrom, Dean of Instructional Services, presented the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award to the following CBC faculty members: Kelly Rea, right, Psychology and Sociology Instructor on the Beeville campus; Dr. Kevin Behr, left, Division Chairperson for the Technology, Professional and Public Services division; and Anna Green Hazelrigg (not pictured), English Instructor on the Pleasanton Campus. The NISOD Excellence Award honors teaching and leadership excellence in institutions of higher education. Winners are determined by student nominations, and they were honored at an awards ceremony in Austin, Texas this past summer. Nominations are currently open for the 2012-2013 NISOD Excellence Awards! Faculty and students will need to submit letters of nomination to the committee through Blackboard. Every student and instructor has access to the 2012-2013 Teacher of the Year Award course shell. Click inside the course shell for specific instructions on how to submit your letters of nomination. For questions, please contact this year’s Teacher of the Year Award Committee chair Anna Green Hazelrigg at agreen@coastalbend.edu.
Kevin Behr
Kelly Rea
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CBC Forum
Alice Beeville Kingsville Pleasanton
Senator Judith Zaffirini will visit the Coastal Bend College Beeville campus on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 2 o’clock in the afternoon. During her visit, CBC will host a forum for students, faculty, staff, and board members to provide her with an overview of CBC. More details will be released soon about her upcoming visit.
Coastal Bend College would like to thank all the contributing photographers for the 2013 Wildlife Calendar. The beautiful photographs in the calendar would not be possible if it weren’t for these talented photographers: Cissy Beasley, Robert Benson, John Breidenbach, Sylvia Garcia-Smith, George Gilchrist, Alex Kibler, Steve Kotzur, Carla Meyer, Sara Schirmer, Roberto Tanguma, Bobbie Waldron, Jan Webb, and John West. The calendars will be available in December.
Come learn more about what CBC has to offer at our annual community tailgate!
Live Music Food Arts & Crafts Vendors Dance Performers Games Mariachis
CBC will be collecting non-perishable items to donate to the Alice Food Pantry Coastal Bend College
Alice Campus Parking Lot 704 Coyote November 8, 2012 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information contact Dr. Patricia Candia at 664-2981 Ext. 3030
Coastal Bend College does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, or disability.