Barton Community College staff are gearing up for the fall semester, starting with one last early enrollment session at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Learning Resource Center.
These programs, which were offered every Wednesday in July, provide a one-stop service that includes more than enrolling in classes, said Beth Keeley in the Admissions Office.
"It’s really for new students coming in," she said. They can meet with their advisers, take a campus tour, and finish any details related to testing, housing and financial aid. For more information contact Barton’s Admissions Office, 620-792-9286 or 1-800-722-6842.
The college, which has been operating on a summer schedule that includes being closed on Fridays, will resume regular hours on Monday. The hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Next week the faculty and staff will attend professional development workshops, and on Thursday, Aug. 11, the college will conduct Parents Orientation from 1:30-3 p.m. in the Student Union.
According to Diane Engle, Director of Student Life, close to 100 parents took advantage of the program last year.
"We give them a touch of what parents might expect during the school year," Engle said. After a welcome from Barton President Dr. Carl Heilman, parents will see skits and receive information on everything from unexpected pitfalls to the Family Education Rights of Privacy Act. A Parent Information Fair at 2 p.m. will allow parents to speak one-on-one with people who can answer questions about such topics as registration, financial aid, student health and support services.
Student Housing also opens on Aug. 11, and New Student Orientation will be held at noon Friday, Aug. 12, in the Fine Arts Auditorium.
For their orientation, students will attend breakout sessions and learn about health services, counseling, career center services, the student handbook, student activities and campus safety. They’ll also get some words of wisdom about alcohol awareness and illegal downloading.
At 1 p.m., they’ll be treated to a fashion show by The Buckle, followed by a program by C.L. Lindsay, founder of the Coalition for Student & Academic Rights (CO-STAR), and author of "The College Student’s Guide to the Law: Get a Grade Changed, Keep Your Stuff Private, Throw a Police-Free Party, and More!" Lindsay, a nationally recognized speaker who has come to the Barton campus for several years, talks about what not to do on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and he’ll also talk about plagiarism.
There will be a Student Information Fair from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Aug. 11 in the Student Union; featuring representatives from area businesses. Students can get information about financial services, health, telecommunications, religion and Barton Student Support Services.
Regular registration for the fall semester will start that evening at 7 p.m.
