Counseling Services
As a service to students, the College maintains a staff of Academic Counselors who assist students in making decisions regarding their educational, vocational, and career plans. As a part of this assistance, students have access to career exploration tools through the Virginia Education Wizard, the Career Services page under Student Support on the college website, and through the College Success Skills (SDV 100 ) course. Occupational/educational information, as well as financial assistance and employment data, are also available at no cost to CVCC students. Academic Counselors make referrals to appropriate community agencies when a need exists that can be better met by another agency. All academic counseling sessions are confidential, and students may request services from the Academic Counselor of their choice.
Recruitment and Retention
Students in our area high schools and the community are kept informed of the offerings of CVCC through a variety of channels. We offer college tours, participate in high school visits, attend college fairs and community events, as well as host open house events on campus and at the off-site centers. Academic Counselors on the main campus are available Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Off-site Center counselors are available during varying times. Please contact the chosen Center for their hours of operation.
CVCC places the utmost importance on supporting and retaining our entire student population. The primary focus of retention services is to increase each student’s chances for academic success leading to the student’s academic or career goals. Academic Counselors work collaboratively with the campus community in support of its focus. Programs such as Brainfuse (online tutoring), Navigate early alert system, and various workshops throughout each semester are in place to enhance retention efforts.
Faculty Advising
An academic advising system is an important element in providing individualized attention that many students require. A faculty member may be designated as a student’s advisor to provide educational advice in the student’s field of specialization. Faculty advisors assist students in planning their academic career at CVCC. Students planning to transfer to four-year colleges are advised by Academic Counselors in the Counseling Department. Faculty advisors will refer students to an Academic Counselor for concerns outside the advisor’s expertise. Students assigned to a faculty advisor should consult with them before enrollment and are encouraged to confer with them frequently regarding academic matters. Students who are not assigned a program specific faculty advisor may meet with any Academic Counselor of their choice to assist with academic advising and enrollment planning.
Career Services
CVCC provides advising and career services to promote student success by helping students identify career and educational goals, develop plans to reach those goals, and connect with college and community resources that can help them achieve success. Services are provided for students in both transfer and occupational/technical programs to promote student retention, completion, and successful transition to the workplace or to transfer to a four-year college. These services are available to all students on campus and at the off-site centers.
Learning Commons
The Bedford Hall Learning Commons is an area dedicated to your academic success. The Library, Writing Center, Math Achievement Learning Lab (MALL), Distance Education - online learning, and Student Success Center - tutoring and proctored testing are all located in the Learning Commons.
College Success Program
The college success program acquaints new students with the policies and resources of the College. Orientation to college life begins before enrollment when the student meets with an Academic Counselor to discuss their educational interests, provide placement test and/or multiple measures interpretation, and information on career exploration for the undecided student. The student will also meet with an Academic Counselor to plan their academic program. If the student is interested in a selective admissions allied health program, the Academic Counselor will assist the student through the referral process.
All curricular students placed in at least one developmental education course must take the student success course (SDV 100 , SDV 101, SDV 106, or SDV 108) in their first semester of enrollment at the community college. All curricular students, except those in career studies certificate programs, must enroll in SDV 100 , SDV 101, SDV 106, or SDV 108 within the first 15 credit hours of enrollment. The requirement may be waived for students who hold an associate degree or bachelor degree from a regionally accredited institution. Other requests for a waiver may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Services for Students with Documented Disabilities
Consistent with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA), the VCCS guarantees that no qualified individual shall by reason of disability be denied access to, participation in, or the benefits of college. Each qualified person shall receive appropriate, reasonable accommodations upon request to ensure full and equal access to educational opportunities, programs, and activities.
Documentation Required by the Virginia Community College System (VCCS)
In order to provide appropriate, reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities who seek them, colleges should require:
- Documentation from a qualified professional that includes a full clinical description and current functional limitations
- Documentation should also include information about the methodology used to make a diagnosis
- Specific results of the assessments used
- Specific assessment scores based on adult norms
- Having such additional information will assist colleges in engaging in a deliberative and collaborative decision-making process that considers each student’s unique situation and experience, but not where requesting such information becomes overly burdensome to a student
Educational Access
- Students are responsible for self-identification to Student Accessibility Services (SAS)
- Documentation based on adult norms is required
- An Individual Education Plan (IEP) is not accepted as the main source of documentation
- Academic adjustments may include, but are not limited to:
- Education auxiliary assistance
- Assistive technology
- American Sign Language Interpreters
- Text materials
Procedure for Requesting Accommodations
- The student will apply online by completing the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Application for Services
- Please refer to the website for Guidelines for SAS Documentation and Services
- The student will schedule an appointment with SAS to review documentation provided and assist in determining appropriate college accommodations
- Early consultation regarding accommodations is essential
- Requests for Fall accommodations begin in February
- Requests for Spring and Summer accommodations begin in October
- Late requests will be honored to the best of our ability but could result in a delay
- Accommodation letters for student-specific accommodations are prepared each semester for the student to give to each of their faculty members/instructors
- If there are concerns related to the process, the student is to contact SAS immediately
Temporary Disabilities
Surgeries, hospitalization, and accidents may cause temporary disabilities. SAS works with individual students to find solutions to best suit their academic needs. Student contact is essential in planning or working with an emergency situation.
Students who believe they have been discriminated against based on disability may seek relief through the ADA Grievance Procedure.
Additional information may be found on the College’s Student Accessibility Services (SAS) website.
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