Category Archives: Student Services

04.08.15

Request for feedback – proposed changes to Associate in Arts/Associate in Science degree requirements

To: LLCC Faculty, Staff, and Administration
Re: Request for feedback – proposed changes to Associate in Arts/Associate in Science degree requirements

Dear colleagues,

A workgroup was created by the Academic and Admissions Standards Team to review the current Associate in Arts and Associate in Science degree requirements at the college. A review of degree requirements has not been completed in more than 10 years and, in that span of time, a greater focus on completion rates and financial aid accountability has become vital. Attached you will see the workgroup’s charge Original Charge (please refer to the AA and AS Workgroup section) from the Standards Team as well as a clarification of the charge Clarification of Charge from Dr. Lesley Frederick and Dr. Eileen Tepatti.

The workgroup reviewed the General Education Core Curriculum requirements that are set by the Illinois Articulation Initiative (IAI) and the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB). You will see those requirements listed below. The requirements listed are for both the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science degrees and are pulled directly from the IAI website: (http://www.itransfer.org/IAI/gened/).

Comm Icon Communication: Three courses (9 semester credits)
Select a two-course sequence in writing (6 semester credits, C grade required) and,
Select one course in oral communication (3 semester credits).
Invisible Dot
Math Icon Mathematics: One course (3 semester credits)
Invisible Dot
Science Icon Physical and Life Sciences: Two courses (7 to 8 semester credits)
Select one course from Physical Sciences.
Select one course from Life Sciences.
OR Select two interdisciplinary science courses. (If choosing interdisciplinary courses, students should take both an LP 900 or LP 900L course and an LP901 or LP901L course.)
Select at least one laboratory course. (IAI laboratory course numbers end with L. {e.g., P1 905L})
(Students with the appropriate preparation may substitute an initial course designed for science majors for a more general course.)
Invisible Dot
Hum & Fine Art Icon Humanities and Fine Arts: Three courses (9 semester credits)
Select one course from Humanities,
Select one course from Fine Arts and
Select one course from either Humanities or Fine Arts.
Invisible Dot
Soc & Beh Icon Social and Behavioral Sciences: Three courses (9 semester credits)
Select three courses from at least two different disciplines (e.g., no more than 2 courses from, for example, psychology).

In addition to the workgroup’s charge and the clarification of the charge, attached you will find a document titled “Proposed Degree Changes” Proposed Degree Changes which provides an outline of the catalog requirements for the A.A. and A.S. degrees with markups reflecting the proposals made by the workgroup. Below you will find an explanation of the changes proposed for each group in the “Proposed Degree Changes” document. If you compare this document to the IAI standards listed above, you will notice that the A.A. and A.S. degree requirements currently in place at LLCC differ from the minimum standards set by IAI and ICCB in groups 2, 3, 4 and 5.

The proposed changes to groups 3, 4 and 5 all fall within the requirements set by IAI and ICCB, and many of these areas more closely align with IAI minimum requirements. Of these four groups with requirements not explicitly aligning with minimum IAI requirements, group 2 (Social Science) is the only section that the workgroup did not vote to amend.

We ask that you please review the proposed changes and provide feedback to the support person for this workgroup, Amy Williams. Amy’s email address is amy.williams@llcc.edu. All responses should be made by 5 p.m., Friday, April 17, 2015.

Group 1- Communication
The group voted to leave this section as it currently stands. LLCC currently aligns with the minimum IAI requirements.

Group 2- Social Science
The group voted to leave this section as it currently stands. LLCC currently requires one Political Science course (POS 101 or POS 201) and two additional Social Science courses from two different areas (e.g. one course from Psychology and one from Economics). IAI requires three courses from at least two disciplines without Political Science being a separate requirement, but rather one of the discipline options.

Group 3- Humanities & Fine Arts
The group voted to merge the Humanities A and Humanities C sections into one group to be named “Humanities.” Humanities B would be renamed “Fine Arts.” HUM 112 would move from the Humanities B (Fine Arts) section to the new Humanities section, as the course description suggests it is better suited to that section and IAI allows the college the freedom to make it either a Humanities or Fine Arts.

The current LLCC requirement is one course from each of the three Humanities sections (A, B and C). The new requirement will be one course from Humanities, one course from Fine arts, and one course from either Humanities or Fine Arts.

Group 4- Science & Mathematics
The group voted to change the required semester hours from 11 for the A.A. and 14 for the A.S. to 10 semester hours for either degree.

The group voted to change the Mathematics requirement to 3 semester hours for both the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science degrees. The current requirement is 3 semester hours for the A.A. and 6 semester hours for the A.S.

The group voted to change the minimum number of semester hours in the Sciences to 7, rather than 8 as it currently stands. All other Science requirements remain the same, including the necessary one course from Life Science and one course from Physical Science with at least one having a lab. Astronomy 101 is a 3 semester hour course but is an acceptable IAI Physical Science. Changing the minimum semester hours to 7 allows Astronomy 101 to be an option for students without them then needing to take another Physical or Life science to meet the remaining one credit.

Group 5- Electives
The group voted to change the requirement from 22 semester hours for the A.A. and 19 semester hours for the A.S. to 23 semester hours for either degree. This change reflects the proposed changes in each of the other groups.

The workgroup will reconvene to discuss the feedback that you provide. Once feedback has been reviewed and discussed, a final recommendation will be made to the Academic and Admissions Standards Team regarding proposed changes to the degrees.

We thank you in advance for your time and feedback.

Sincerely,
Tim Maricle, chair, AA/AS degree review workgroup

Workgroup Members: Gerry Dalano, Claire Gordon, Elaine Guthals, Chris McDonald, Jennifer Ramm, Leslie Stalter, Colin Suchland, Cara Swafford, Jason Waddell

03.25.15

Outstanding Graduate nominations due Friday!

The office of the Vice President of Student Services is seeking nominations for Outstanding Graduate for Commencement 2015. All nominations must be returned to room 1255 in Menard Hall by noon Friday, March 27. Nominees must have completed graduation requirements at the end of summer term 2014, fall semester 2014 or be candidates for graduation at the end of spring 2015 or summer term 2015. If you would like to nominate a graduate, an application along with instructions and a current listing of students who have applied for graduation can be obtained by contacting Linda Cunningham, linda.cunningham@llcc.edu.

02.26.15

College Prep Summit Thursday, March 5

LLCC Retention & Student Success is partnering with District 186 and the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) to host the third annual College Prep Summit Thursday, March 5 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. in the Trutter Center. College-minded juniors and seniors from local high schools who identify with groups that have been historically underrepresented or disadvantaged in higher education are invited to attend this special event. The program consists of a keynote address, small group sessions, campus tours, a student panel and lunch. Topics covered include information about getting ready for college, enrollment steps, getting through college and overcoming obstacles in their college career.

02.20.15

Forums next week on First-Year Experience course

Chris Barry, director, retention and student success will hold two more campus forums on the First-Year Experience course. The forums will be held on Monday Feb. 23 at 3 p.m. in Menard 1177, and Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. in Sangamon 2212.

The topic of these forums will be “The First-Year Experience Course as a Requirement.” Some questions to consider are: How would another requirement affect academic programs? What is the best way to incorporate the First-Year Experience course into our curriculum? How can we help students through the FYE 101 course and still pursue other student success initiatives such as reducing numbers of credit hours to earn degrees?

If you are interested in these conversations but cannot make it to the forums, please email Chris Barry at christopher.barry@llcc.edu.

01.06.15

Student Empower course being offered

LLCC has partnered with Workplace Answers to offer a Student Empower course. The message below went out to all LLCC students the week of Dec. 15, and will also be sent to students again the week of Jan. 12. The course is open to faculty, staff and students. Although it is designed specifically for students,  faculty and staff can also learn from the interactive content and activities. Feel free to check it out and then encourage some of your students to do so as well.

Message to students

Lincoln Land Community College is committed to providing a welcoming, safe and supportive environment. In this regard, we have partnered with Workplace Answers to provide you with an opportunity to learn about how you can join us in this effort. Below, please find a link that will take you directly to a registration page so you can start the Student Empower course.
http://slate.workplaceanswers.com/lincolnlcc/

What to expect:
• The Student Empower course reviews topics such as sex, alcohol, sexual violence, positive relationships and your rights.
• There is a pre-test and a post-test to gauge your knowledge of these topics.
• The course allows you to work at your own pace and you can stop/start whenever you want.
• All students completing the post-test with a 85% or higher are eligible to print out a certificate of completion.

12.04.14

Faculty: Grade changes due Dec. 12 for spring & summer 2014 “Incomplete” grades

Grade changes for an “Incomplete” assigned during the spring or summer 2014 semesters are due in the Records office by Friday, Dec. 12. If no grade change is submitted by this deadline, the student’s grade will automatically roll to the grade specified on the original “Incomplete” form or an “F” (if grade area was left blank). Contact Student Records at 786-2424 if you have questions.

12.03.14

Register and Relax campaign coming to a classroom near you!

Student Services and Public Relations and Marketing have teamed up to encourage current students to register for spring classes with the Register and Relax campaign. The campaign includes a sign at the entrance to Register & Relaxcampus, a display in A. Lincoln Commons, postcards to current students, posters, lapel pins, digital signs and a web banner. Off-campus locations are participating also.

Soon, you will see “Register and Relax” written on classroom blackboards and whiteboards, along with mirrors in bathrooms (all with Facilities Services approval of course!)

We ask that you encourage students to register now for spring classes so they can relax on their holiday break, knowing their spring schedule is in place. Advantages to registering now are a greater selection of classes and a more flexible payment plan.

If students have questions, please refer them to the Enrollment Services hallway in Menard or to ESA staff members, who are eager to help them Register and Relax!

11.14.14

Forum being held TODAY about First-Year Experience course

Are you interested in participating in a college-wide initiative? Chris Barry is facilitating several discussions about developing a First-Year Experience course at LLCC. The second discussion will take place TODAY from 9-10 a.m. in Menard Hall, room 1177 . This is a great opportunity to provide your insight on what a course designed for all new students at LLCC should seek to accomplish. If you are interested in participating in the initiative but cannot attend, contact Chris at christopher.barry@llcc.edu or ext. 6-2410.

10.20.14

Financial aid certification program–professional development opportunity

A Financial Aid Certification Program seminar is being held Wednesday, Nov. 12 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Montgomery Hall 1143/1144 by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC). The formalized annual certification series gives professionals a detailed understanding of financial aid programs and systems.  All sessions are offered at NO COST to staff, counselors, mentors and members of the general public.

For more information or to register, click HERE.