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About The Prospector (Helena, Mont.) 1916-2015 | View This Issue
The Prospector (Helena, Mont.), 27 Sept. 2012, located at <http://montananewspapers.org/lccn/TheProspector/2012-09-27/ed-1/seq-4/>, image provided by MONTANA NEWSPAPERS, Montana Historical Society, Helena, Montana.
C ampus Shakeup in Borromeo Hall Brandon A. S a iki S taff W riter Carroll College is well known in the western United States for its rigorous academic programs, respected professors, and for its students’ academic achieve ments. Graduates who leave Carroll enjoy excellent job placement rates and selection to some of the most prestigious graduate schools in the country. What often gets lost in the shuffle is that these students did not get there alone. The group of staff and faculty on campus, known collectively as the student support services personnel, helps undergraduates navigate the Carroll campus as well as gives them access to resources that will create a more positive Carroll experience. They are a critical component of ensuring a student’s success. This fall, Carroll College students returned to find a reorganization of their student support services. Over the summer, the Carroll administra tion and the facilities department worked diligently to collate all stu dent services. Now, Carroll students will find Career & Testing Services, the Internship Coordinator, Interna tional Programs, Academic Advising, Veteran Resources, and the Academic Resource Center (ARC) all together in the east wing of Borrorneo Hall. This collation means direct services are now available in one location to assist students in education, con sultation, and advising. Yet, student support services are not just for those who may be straggling academically. Resources in Borrorneo can also be used to round out a college experi ence and prepare for life beyond Carroll. The reason for the change is that student support services have, in the past, been spread all throughout the campus. No longer is this a concern since all the services are now located in one place. In speaking with student services staff, they have been quick to acknowledge how pleased they are with the transition. “I believe that this will benefit stu dents and make it easier for students to connect with all of the different student services that are offered at Carroll.’’ said Rosalie Walsh, director of Career & Test ing Services. Shannon Ackeret. assistant director of Education Abroad, added. \We love being here. It makes sense because we are all advising... We can work together and help students in a timely fashion.\ The students appear to be responding positively to the changes as well. “I think it’s great,” said Dan Galipeau, a senior health science major from Wil- limantick, Conn. “It’s nice to be able to get all of your services at once. All of the services can be found in one place instead of having to ran around campus.” Therein lies the most important element of the change. The administration wanted to create a centralized location where they could send students to have their ques tions answered. Michelle Lewis, direc tor of International Programs, acknowl edged that there has long been a need to have a more concentrated student services area. As a result of the changes, she notes. “There’s a lot more synergy.” There is a sense of interconnectedness between the staff that may have been missing in the past. They are working together more than ever to streamline services for students and ensure that students are getting the help and resources they need to get back on track as quickly as possible. The truth is that this change lias been in the making for a while. Now that it is finally in place, it has thus far been a success. A number of years ago, the Carroll administration first broached the idea of bringing all the student services together. Services were distributed throughout the campus and were a major inconvenience not only for the students, but also for staff. Consider a freshman student who seeks out academic advising. He or she may also benefit from the use of a tutor in the ARC. The problem is that in the past, the advising office was in O’Connell Hall, whereas the ARC was in Simperman Hall. This disconnection led to some students not getting the proper, timely services that they needed in order to be successful. The administration began to collect information while also analyzing other colleges and universities in the United States that had merged their student service resources. Based on this research, a decision was made late last spring to move forward on the consolidation of student services. “Our decision to consolidate student services was made based on best practices that are discerned from information and studies from informed and professional individuals who are experts in student services,” explained Dr. Paula McNutt, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the college. There was a question though that arose from this decision. Where can we put all of these services that would be convenient and would accommodate not only the needs of the students, but also the support staff? Walsh acknowledged that the idea of consolidating services has been thrown around for several years, but that it always ended up being shelved and revisited again over time. The question has never been whether this was a good idea, but rather how can it be best implemented? “We looked into moving into the library, but it didn’t seem like there was enough room for growth,” said Walsh. She noted that the library did at first appear to be an ideal location, but while it may have accommodated an initial setup, there was no room to add on additional support services as the needs of Carroll students either grew or changed. In the end, the administration decided to move forward with a teaching and learning center inside the Corette Library. The idea of consolidation ended up on the backbumer. However, as the college has continued to make a commitment towards adding more courses and expanding the range of majors and minors available to students, a need has grown for additional staff and faculty. Furthermore, there was a need for facility maintenance and office reha bilitation. The consolidation of student services all of a sudden became very vi able and realistic because it would create more room for staff and faculty offices. According to Dr. Mark Parker, associ ate dean, St. Charles Hall was another location that was considered since it is truly at the heart of the Carroll campus. Yet, it was decided that the building housing the student services needed to be more accessible. Parker then commented that Jim Hardwick, vice president for Student Life, broached the idea of Borrorneo Hall. He stated that with some changes in housing, the west wing on the first floor of Borrorneo could open up and create space for faculty that were once in the east wing. Then, the student support services personnel could take over the offices on the east wing where Career & Testing Services was already located. Parker noted that it worked out better to go to Borrorneo Hall because there was already classroom space and large office space that could be converted into classroom space if needed. Thus began what Parker termed the \domino game. ” Staff members were moved in a synchronized order. Eventual ly all of the student support services were settled into the east wing of Borrorneo, while the rest of the staff found a new home elsewhere throughout the campus. Parker admitted there were challenges, but he was quick to praise the facili ties department stating. “Facilities did a fantastic job at helping as much as they could.” In the end. the response has been over whelmingly positive, but many students still are not aware of the changes that have been made. For that reason, the student support staff is hosting an open house on Thursday, October 11 from 1-4 p.m. for all Carroll students in Borrorneo Hall 'Academic Support and Advising ^ _______________ ta Homecoming from front p a g e and the staff. One team member sits on the bed while the other four carry the bed the length of the football field. The staff team was given a 10-yard head start and the student teams could not make up the difference. The staff team made of Cory Cummings. Robert Poirier, Jeff Wald. Craig Blaker, and his young son Carson Blaker won by a convincing margin. Cummings works in the Admis sions Office, Poirer in the events depart ment. Wald and Blaker work for Campus Computing and Information Technology. Unlike all of the student teams, the staff team did not drop their bed once. The first student team to cross the finish line was the junior class. This year bed race incorporated more drama than in previous years. As the teams raced down the field senior biology major, Jon “Soup” Campbell from Pasco, Wash., attempted to sabatoge the junior team. Despite Campbell's attempts the junior class finished in second. \Being Homecoming king is every little boy's dream, and this little boy's dream came true.\ -Galen Mills Faculty celebrate their win PHOTO BY GARY MARSHALL 4 The Prospector Thursday, September 27, 2012
