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NEW STUDENT ORIENTATION
Welcome to South Piedmont Community College (SPCC)! We proudly serve both Anson and Union Counties in North Carolina. To ease your transition onto our campuses we have compiled some useful information below. We invite you to navigate through this information and use the many embedded hyperlinks to further explore our college.
All new students complete New Student Orientation in hopes that when you need something here at SPCC you know where to find it. You will always have access to this information.
Students at SPCC are governed by the College Catalog as well as the Student Handbook. Students are encouraged to review the Student Handbook which is designed (in conjunction with the SPCC College Catalog) to give you the information you need to be successful. Please take a few minutes to look it over. You will be glad you did. We highly encourage students to specifically pay attention to Section 7 which covers Student Rights, Responsibilities and Procedures Policy, including information on Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).Virtual New Student Orientation Spring 2021
- Did you miss our Spring 2021 New Student Orientation? No worries, we have a recording for you to watch: New Student Orientation
- New Student Orientation PowerPoint File PDF document
ADMISSIONS AND TESTING
New students are urged to complete the admissions process at least two weeks prior to registration and apply for financial aid at least eight weeks prior to registration. Students interested in pursuing a program of study/major MUST complete all admissions requirements prior to first-time enrollment. Once all admission requirements are complete, the student will be moved to his/her program of study and may receive financial aid if eligible. SPCC has rolling admissions for general admissions - this means that students may apply at any time throughout the year. Program specific admissions may have deadlines and/or additional requirements.
Enrollment Process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EsCRdzrwgk&feature=youtu.be
What does admissions need from me: https://spcc.edu/admissions-procedure/
In-state Residency: https://ncresidency.cfnc.org/residencyInfo/home
Testing: https://spcc.edu/testing-center/
TECHNOLOGY
Students at SPCC utilize many different technologies in their studies. Moodle, GO! Student Portal, AVISO and SPCC Office 365 are the main technologies required. If you understand the functions of each system and how to use them, the more successful you can be.
The following videos below can help walk you through beginning to explore and use some of these systems.
This video shows students how to log into the Go Portal for the first time, including how to update a temporary password.
This video introduces new students to Moodle, including how to log into the system and when classes will be visible.
This video shows students how to navigate Moodle, view instructor information, review the Course Syllabus, how to submit start-up activity, and more!
This video informs students on how to log into their Office365 account for the first time in order to access their SPCC student email.
FINANCIAL AID
Please note that a completed Admissions Application must be on file with SPCC before we can process any Federal Pell or State Grant information. Students wishing to utilize the Financial Aid available are strongly encouraged to apply at least eight weeks prior to registration. Due to FAFSA Regulations, a new application must be submitted every academic year.
SPCC processes Federal Pell and State Grants for students enrolled in degree granting programs. SPCC does not participate in the Federal Stafford Loan Program. Information on available scholarships is on our website. To aid our staff in processing your information as quickly as possible interested students are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA prior to meeting with our team. There is no charge to complete the FAFSA application and, by doing so, the student will be considered for all types of federal and state financial aid. You can apply electronically from any computer by visiting the FAFSA website.
Upon completion of applications for Financial Aid, the Financial Aid team will be in contact with you. Additional forms may be required. For more information or for additional assistance please reach out to our team by visiting our website.
South Piedmont Community College students have access to a wide range of endowed and local scholarships.
- Endowed scholarships are awarded from permanent funds established by benefactors and invested by the SPCC Foundation.
- Local scholarships are available from various local sources.
- Both endowed and local scholarships are awarded on the basis of financial need, academic performance and other criteria as directed by the donors.
Apply for scholarships.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
Academic Advising at SPCC educates and empowers students to achieve academic and career success through intentional advising partnerships, meaningful learning opportunities and purposeful self-discovery. We have a center located on both the Monroe (OCH) and Polkton (LLP) campuses with trained staff to assist you. New students will begin with the Advising Center and then after successful completion of nine (9) credit hours will be assigned to a program advisor who will be a full-time faculty member in the student's program of study.
Learn more about Distance Advising: http://spcc.edu/register/distance-advising/
For more information visit Academic Advising online
How to Contact Us
Email: advising@spcc.edu
Call: 704.290.5213
This video informs students how to connect with their Academic Advisor and/or Success Coach using Aviso's scheduling and messaging options.
This video shows students how to log in to Etrieve for the first time.
This video shows students how to submit a Change of Program Request in Etrieve.
This video shows students how to navigate their profile in AVISO.
This video shows students how to create an Academic Plan in AVISO.
BUSINESS OFFICE
The Business Office handles the billing of students, accepts payments for items such as tuition and fees, transcripts, graduation, and testing, and distributes yearly 1098-T to students for tax purposes. The Business Office also assists in the processing of refunds to students.
Any students needing to make payment need to adhere to the following deadlines:
Fall Semester - Due by July 30th, but payments cannot be accepted before July 1st
Spring Semester - Due by December 1st
Summer Semester - Due by May 15th
For more information visit the Business Office online.
BOOKSTORE
There are convenient SPCC Bookstore locations on both the Monroe and Polkton campuses. The Bookstore in Monroe is located in the Braswell Building and can be reached online or via 704.290.5848. In Polkton the Bookstore is located in the Martin Tech Building, Room 205 and can be reached online or via 704.272.5376.
The SPCC Bookstore works closely with Academic Affairs and Financial Aid to help students get the books that they need. In addition, the SPCC Bookstore buys back books year-round and has an incredible price match policy. For hours of operation, to figure out what books you need, or to find some great SPCC swag visit us online or stop by your closest campus location today.
Shop and purchase your texts books online!
LIBRARY
SPCC has two libraries to serve our students including the Horne Library on the Polkton (LLP) Campus and the Carpenter Library on the Monroe (OCH) Campus.
Services we provide:
- Quiet study rooms with:
- Whiteboards for group collaboration
- 42" Monitors that allow you to project your laptop
- Laptops for in house use as well as off campus use (off campus laptops can be borrowed for a week or a semester).
- Graphing Calculators, Clickers, iPads, GoPro Hero 4 and disc golf discs are available for check out
- Reset GO, Email, and Moodle Passwords
- Provide help with Research and Citations
- Checkout DVD’s and Bestsellers (in addition to materials for your classes!)
- Make ID’s and give out Parking Passes
- Printing, Scanning and Faxing
- Wi-fi
- Coffee, we sell coffee for $1
We have a limited supply of textbooks on reserve for checkout for in house use only. Please inquire to the library to see which textbooks are available.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT CENTER
Each campus has an Academic Support Center available to all students at no cost. Tutors in the Center are able to assist students with subjects such as biology, chemistry, communication, computer information technology, English, ePortfolios, math, physics, Spanish, and writing. The Centers have areas where students may study independently or in groups and computers with internet access for homework. The Centers are a fun and friendly place to seek assistance with no judgment passed.
These services are completely FREE for any and all students including Continuing Education students.
COUNSELING
At SPCC our counseling services provide basic college information to helping students overcome significant barriers to their academic success. Please know that you are warmly invited to utilize our counseling services at any time that you need them to enhance and support your success at SPCC! To find out more and learn about confidentiality to these services, please visit us online.
Academic/Personal Counseling:
Students sometimes struggle to achieve academic success while trying to balance life roles outside of school, difficulty with goal setting or time management, or relationship issues. We offer encouragement and support while helping students learn new strategies and coping skills that, coupled with their self-commitment and hard work, can lead to higher levels of success. In addition, our Counselors offer academic probation/intervention counseling, assist with course withdrawals, and provide referrals to various community resources.
Career Counseling:
We provide comprehensive services to prepare students and graduates for successful transition to the world of work. Services include individual career counseling, interactive workshops, digital career development resources and career assessments, all designed to help students at any point during their career development. If you are undecided about your career path, contact us today to set up an appointment to begin exploring your career options. You can learn more about Career Services online.
Disability Services:
The responsibility of Disability Services is to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to educational opportunities at SPCC. Our counselors are the official contact for students who request accommodations to participate in college programs and services. Disability types can include but are not limited to physical, mental/emotional and learning. Students must voluntarily self-disclose their disabilities through an application process and must provide official documentation of the disability in order to become eligible for services. To learn more about Disability Services, including access to our form, or to start the process of getting assistance, visit Disability Services.
EPORTFOLIO
As a learning college that promotes and celebrates learning as it changes and improves lives, SPCC’s focus is to provide students with high impact experiences that prepare them for success in their careers or as university transfer students. The fall 2014 implementation of the ePortfolio graduation requirement for Associates in Arts, Associates in Science, and Associate’s in Fine Arts students illustrates the college’s commitment to this philosophy. As a framework to showcase students’ educational, personal, and professional experiences while at the college, the ePortfolio offers a versatile, mobile venue to archive students’ best works. The collection can then be shared with multiple viewers such as faculty, administrators, prospective employers, scholarship committees, family, and friends.
The SPCC ePortfolio is used for a variety of purposes: to demonstrate summative student learning to faculty and the students themselves, to facilitate employment, scholarships, internships, and other student awards, and to assess the General Education Core Skills and the Program Outcomes for the Associates in Arts, Associates in Science, and the Associates in Fine Arts degree programs.
ePortfolio is created in ACA 122, College Transfer Success toward the beginning of their program. It includes a welcome page to introduce the student and his or her learning story, a personal introduction that functions as a reflective narrative, a goals page for educational, professional, and personal short and long term goals, a Core Skills page that includes Core Skill artifacts and reflections, a Program Outcomes page for the Program artifacts and reflections, an Additional Educational Experiences page for learning experiences outside the classroom, and a resume page. The ePortfolio is completed and submitted in HUM 115, Critical Thinking, which serves as the capstone course for the transfer programs.
SPCC’s Director of Academic Enrichment Programs and ePortfolio assistants provide students with support on the L.L. Polk and Old Charlotte Highway campuses. Students can attend workshops or meet with the director or ePortfolio assistants in the Academic Support Centers on either campus.
ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT
Global Scholars of Distinction is an academic program that provides SPCC students with global competencies and skills needed for success at universities that focus on global education and for employment in the 21st century work place.
SPCC’s Global Scholars of Distinction Program follows UNC Chapel Hill’s model for community college global programs. As a member of UNC’s World View program, NC Global Distinction Initiative, SPCC faculty participate in professional development workshops, global leadership training, global course development, and advisory groups. The UNC program is designed to help community colleges globalize the curriculum and increase faculty and student involvement in global issues. Students will develop global competencies and skills needed to succeed at universities and in the workforce.
To successfully complete the program, students take five courses with a global or intercultural focus, participate in eight Passport activities, complete 30 hours of experience by studying abroad or by domestic service experiences and research, and create a capstone presentation for the Global Scholars of Distinction Capstone Symposium held each spring semester.
Student in any SPCC degree program may participate. Students who complete the program earn the “Global Scholar of Distinction” honor on their academic transcripts and honor cords at graduation.
The SPCC Honors Program, sponsored and administered through the School of Arts and Sciences, provides an intellectually challenging curriculum for high achieving students. Honors designated courses enrich traditional college coursework by offering additional opportunities for critical thinking, communication, information and technology literacy, academic integrity, and social responsibility. The Honors Program is open to SPCC students in any degree program. Students in transfer programs may be able to transfer honors courses to their four-year destination, allowing them to complete university level honors.
Students who wish to enter the SPCC Honors Program during their first semester at the college may do so if they are graduates of an NC high school and meet one of the four following requirements: a high school GPA of at least 3.7 on a 4.0 scale, Hhigh school rank of 10% or higher, an SAT score of 1875 or higher, or an ACT score of 30 or higher. Students who wish to enter the SPCC Honors Program after their first semester must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher with at least 12 college credit hours completed. Career and College Promise students, Union County Early College, or Anson County Early College students who wish to enter the SPCC Honors Program may do in one of two ways: If before completion of 12 hours of college coursework, the student is eligible for the honors program by meeting any one of the high school graduate eligibility requirements. If after completion of 12 hours of college coursework, the student should meet the college eligibility requirements.
Through service learning, students have the opportunity to use the concepts they learn in SPCC courses in professional situations and practice real-world application. The Service Learning Program facilitates these experiences across disciplines in order to provide all students at SPCC with the most enriching and valuable learning opportunities.
Faculty may provide a service learning option in any curriculum course after receiving approval from their chair and dean. The service learning form and informed consent (if required) are first submitted to their department chair. Upon approval, department chairs will submit forms to deans for review. A representative from Administrative Services also reviews projects to determine any liability/insurance requirements.
FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE (FYE)
Starting college is exciting, but it can also be challenging. College comes with a new environment, new practices, and even a new language that is often very different from other learning pathways. The First Year Experience (FYE) program is designed to help first-time college students make a seamless transition into the new culture. The central component of FYE is our learning community, which brings students and faculty together in the same classes to offer each other support, share knowledge, and have fun. FYE also takes part in numerous social events outside of the classroom, including team-building activities and community service, which form lasting friendships and a strong sense of belonging. All participants in FYE work together for their first year to achieve academic success and develop meaningful relationships with their peers.
For more information, please watch the video below!
STUDENT LIFE
What is SGA? The Student Government Association (SGA) is your student organization which represents you (the student body) at South Piedmont Community College (SPCC).
What are the benefits?
Membership in the SGA Senate offers officers and delegates the opportunity to:
- Build leadership and communication skills
- Learn work-related responsibilities and professionalism
- Gain skills in parliamentary procedures
- Attend statewide conferences
- Network with other students at SPCC and in the state SPCC’s SGA is a member of the North Carolina Community College Comprehensive Student Government Association (N4CSGA) which holds several conferences each year. Officers and delegates attending the conferences have the opportunity to bring statewide concerns to our state legislators.
SGA officers and delegates can be recognized on campus by the distinctive shirts they routinely wear as they oversee events and activities to help make SPCC a place to think, learn, and interact.
The experience gained and the friendships found within the SGA will last a lifetime. Why not get involved today!
GRADUATION
Graduation One of the primary goals at SPCC is that each and every single one of our students not only start their programs of study, but also graduate. Graduation is held each May for curriculum students earning a degree, diploma, or certificate. Students should talk with their advisor, during their first semester, to come up with a graduation plan which is a step by step, class by class, and customized plan to help them achieve their academic goals. Advisors will help student's ensure that they have met all requirements for graduation. Deadlines and more information can be found online.
FREQUENTLY ASK QUESTIONS (FAQ)
- Q: When will I be able to see my courses in Moodle?
A: They will be available on the first day of class.
- Q: How often should I check my college email?
A: Several times a day. Your instructors use email to provide additional information that you need to know. Financial aid, work study, and departments across the college use email to communicate with students.
- Q: If I forget my password or have other technical issues and cannot log in to Moodle, the Go Portal, Office 365, Aviso, or Etrieve, what do I do?
A: Contact support@spcc.edu for assistance.
- Q: Where do I find my instructor's contact information?
A: At SPCC, all instructor's contact information is located on the first page of the course syllabus.
- Q: How do I see the grades for my class?
A: Grades can be found on Moodle by opening up the left-side panel and clicking the tab labeled "Grades." This gives you access to the course grade book, where you can view your scores on individual assignments and your total percentage for the class.
- Q: How often should I access Moodle?
A: It is recommended that you log into Moodle at least once a day.
- Q: How do I find my faculty advisor?
A: You can locate your faculty advisor by going to spcc.avisoapp.com. Login using your SPCC email and password. Once you are logged into Aviso, your faculty advisor will be listed on the dashboard.
- Q: Once I know my faculty advisor, how do I reach out to them?
A: Beneath your faculty advisor's picture and name, you have the option to either "Schedule a Meeting" or "Send Message." If you want to meet with your advisor in-person, you can schedule a meeting by picking a day, time, topic of discussion, and duration of meeting. If you simply would like to email your advisor, you can send them a message through Aviso that goes directly to the faculty member's SPCC email address.