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Comprehensive Standard 3.9.3

The institution employs qualified personnel to ensure the quality and effectiveness of its student affairs program. (Qualified staff)

aCompliance ___Partial Compliance ___Non-Compliance

Narrative:

Lawson State Community College employs qualified personnel (Administrators Credentials) (Support Staff Credentials) to ensure the quality and effectiveness of its student affairs program. The student affairs unit is organizationally aligned under the Vice President for Administrative and Student Services. (Organizational Chart) The Student Services Division is committed to assisting students with admissions, advisement, counseling services, registration, orientation, academic support services, special needs services, student activities, and career planning. Professionally trained staff are available to assist the individual student in evaluating his or her potential for success as he or she selects a program of study. The long range goals of the unit support the college's overall mission and goals and its quest to meet the needs of the students:

1. To aid students in developing their full potential

2. To help students develop decision-making abilities which aid them in their personal and academic planning.

3. To help students achieve an understanding and acceptance of themselves.

4. To provide financial services and options to students.

5. To provide orientation, counseling and academic support services that promotes student success.

6. To support academic advising for all students.

7. To coordinate student retention measures.

8. To provide a dynamic student life experience enhanced by social, cultural, service and athletic activities.

Student services assistance is provided on both campuses and electronically via the College’s website. The division is comprised of several units, each staffed with qualified and experienced professionals dedicated to supporting the mission of Lawson State Community College. To ensure that employees are qualified, job descriptions and minimum qualifications for the jobs are reviewed and updated periodically prior to advertising new or open positions.

Administratively, the Student Services Division has the Dean of Students and the Dean of Student Life. Units under the Dean of Students include admissions and records, recruiting, student financial services, and counseling/assessment services. Units under the Dean of Student Life include student activities, career services/job placement, housing and residential life and athletics. Job descriptions are available for all positions within Student Services (Administrators Job Descriptions) (Support Staff Job Descriptions) Personnel in the Student Services Unit are evaluated annually to ensure acceptable job performance and evaluate and encourage professional growth. (Personnel Evaluation) All job descriptions, resumes and personnel evaluations are maintained in secured files by the Human Resources Office.

The administrative unit of the Dean of Students is composed of three full-time employees. The Dean of Students (Anthony's Resume) has over 18 years of experience in varying levels of leadership within student services. The Administrative Assistant (Bates Resume) provides administrative/secretarial and programmatic support to the Dean and other members of the unit. A Clerical Assistant also provides clerical support throughout the unit. The Dean of Students reports to the Vice President for Administrative and Student Services. The administrative unit of the Dean of Student Life is composed of two full-time employees. The Dean of Student Life (Cook Resume) has over 30 years of experience in student services leadership. The Dean of Student Life reports directly to the Vice President for Administrative and Student Services. The Administrative Assistant (Finch Resume) provides clerical and secretarial support to the Dean and other employees under Student Life. Each student services department is lead by qualified directors who are assisted by competent and dedicated support staff. All directors and coordinators have a minimum of a Masters’ Degree in an appropriate discipline.

The Admissions and Records unit has 11 full-time employees, including an Assistant Dean, Director of Admissions and a Registrar. (Allen Resume, Shelley Resume, Chisem Resume) This unit is responsible for implementing policies and coordinating procedures related to admissions requirements, processing of admission applications, and student records functions. Support personnel within the unit are responsible for enrollment and records management while others provide secretarial and clerical assistance. (Job Description for Enrollment Manager, Records Manager, Secretary)

Student Financial Services has 6 full-time employees. The Director and Assistant Director provide supervision for the Office of Student Financial Services (Byrd Resume, S Williams Resume). This unit is responsible for Federal Title IV resources related to financial aid for students. The unit also has the responsibility of overseeing Veterans Assistance, scholarships, and other financial resource programs for students. Support personnel provide one-on-one assistance to students with a focus on helping students secure financial resources to pay educational expenses.

Counseling and Assessment Services has 5 full-time employees. (J. Williams, Orange, Herndon, Suggs Resumes) This unit is responsible for coordinating assessments, advising prospective and current students, providing personal, social and academic counseling to students, and coordinating services for students with disabilities. A full-time secretary provides support and assistance to students and Counseling and Assessment personnel. (Job Description for Secretary)

The Student Recruitment unit is comprised of 4 full-time Recruiters (Job Description Recruiter) and one part-time Recruiter who report directly to the Dean of Students. Recruiters are responsible for performing a variety of recruitment activities to maximize student enrollment.

Career Services/Job Placement has one full-time employee. (Rankin Resume) This unit is responsible for providing career, employment and job placement services to students.

Housing and Residential Life has two full-time employees and one part-time employee. This unit is responsible for overseeing the living/learning/residential facility located on the East campus of the Birmingham Campus. The Interim Director (Smith Resume) is responsible for general oversight of the unit. A Housing Manager (Job Description for Sonya Williams) is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the residential facility.

Athletics has two full-time employees. The Athletic Director (Pitts Resume) is responsible for providing general oversight for all athletic programs. The Athletic Director is also a faculty member. The Administrative Assistant (H. Mitchell Resume) is responsible for providing secretarial and clerical support. Athletics also has a men’s basketball coach, a women’s volleyball coach who also serves as the women’s basketball coach and a baseball coach. With the exception of the women’s sports coach, the primary employment of coaches is as faculty. Cheerleaders and dance teams are also available for students to participate in. The cheerleaders are coordinated by a part-time employee. The Dance Team is coordinated by a staff member.

The Dean of Student Life coordinates Student Activities with assistance from college personnel throughout various units. This function is responsible for campus events such as the Student Government Association, Coronation, Homecoming, special programs, and student groups and organizations.

Health services are also provided by a part-time nurse. The nurse reports directly to the Dean of Student Life. Discipline is also under the auspices of the Dean of Student Life with assistance from the governance committee structure.

Federally funded programs such as Upward Bound and Student Support Services are also housed under the Dean of Students. The Upward Bound program has 1 full-time employee (Crawford Resume) and 2 part-time employees. The Student Support Services program operates on the Birmingham and Bessemer Campuses. The Student Support Services Director (E. Anthony Resume) is responsible for the total program. Four full-time employees including qualified faculty in discipline specific areas (see faculty roster for Frances Stewart and Larry Williams credentials) are employed. The other employees include a full-time Counselor / Tutor Coordinator (M. Bailey Resume) and a full-time secretary. The Birmingham Campus Student Support Services unit has a coordinator (Howard Resume) a full-time counselor, (Hudson Resume) a full-time secretary along with a Tutor/English Instructor (Tutor Job Description) and a math instructor (see faculty roster).

Personnel in the Student Services Division stay abreast of best practices within their respective areas through participation in the college-wide workshops, webinars, in-service activities, etc. that are held on campus throughout the academic year. They also participate in local, regional, state, and national organizations to stay abreast of compliance and issues. The College spent $25,338.00 on professional development for Student Services personnel during the fiscal year 2007-2008. The college has memberships in the following student services professional organizations.

· Alabama Dean of Students Association (ADSAA)

· Alabama Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (AASFAA)

· Alabama Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (ALACRAO)

· American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)

· Alabama Association of Education Opportunity Program Professional (AAEOPP)

· Southern Association of Educational Opportunity Program Professional (SAEOPP)

· Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO)

· Southeastern Association of College Student Affairs (SACSA)

· National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA)

· National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)

· National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA)

Documentation:

Documentation	Location
Student Services Divisional Organizational Chart	Organizational Chart
Student Services Administrative Credentials Chart	Credentials Chart
Student Services Support Staff Credentials Chart	Support Staff Credentials
Student Services Administrative Job Descriptions	Administrators Job Descriptions
Student Services Staff Job Descriptions	Support Staff Job Descriptions
Personnel Evaluation	Personnel Evaluation