Welcome to

Mohawk Valley Community College

Smart Start Program

Smart Start

"Welcome to MVCC’s Smart Start ?our online orientation program."

Vice President of Student Services
Denise DiGiorgio

Student Service Center

We are your one-stop welcome area whether it's registering for classes or getting answers about financial aid.

You will find these offices in the Student Service Center:

• Admissions
• Advisement
• Business Office
• Counseling
• Financial Aid
• Help Desk
• Registration

Placement Testing

The MVCC placement test helps ensure that you will be successful in your classes. It is not a pass or fail test, but assists us in helping you choose the right classes for your level of ability. You will need to reserve a seat to take the test from one of our scheduled times.

You will need to take the MVCC placement test if:

• you are a new, matriculated (accepted into an academic program) student.
• you are taking a course that has a specific test score as a prerequisite.

You may be exempt from all or part of the placement test if:

• you are a transfer student with qualifying transfer credit.

Academic Advising

Once your first semester starts, you can find your academic advisor’s name listed on the top of your academic Plan of Study in your secure SIRS(Student Information Registration System) account.

Academic Advisors will help you:

• understand the requirements of your program
• select the appropriate courses
• prepare to start your career
• OR
• prepare for transfer to a four year college
• access special resources such as tutoring or counseling

You should see your academic advisor regularly, and especially before pre-scheduling each term.

Registration's Office

Services Include:

• transcript requests
• schedule for courses
• changes in class schedule
• privacy issues about student records (FERPA)
• change of address processing

Available on the web through SIRS (Student Information and Registration System):

• register for courses
• update mailing and email address
• print course schedule and unofficial copy of grades
• drop/add courses during advertised dates

Financial Aid

Important Information:

• in order to be eligible for any financial aid you should file the application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• there are many steps to the financial aid process
• please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns
• information on scholarships

Business Office

The Business Office is where you:

• submit your Certificate of Residence
• find a notary public (no fee for MVCC students)
• pay additional fees and charges such as parking tickets
• pick up financial aid refund checks
• pick up student payroll checks

And where you pay your tuition and fees by:

• cash, check or credit card
• Pell, TAP, or other financial aid awards
• student loans
• scholarships
• VESID
• employer

Residence Halls

We are experienced in operating College owned Residence Halls. See what we have to offer:

• total capacity for first and second year students is 500.
• 24 hour locked doors, emergency phones and security on-site.
• freshmen students live in “quads?housing approximately 7-9 students.
• common lounges, laundry facilities, microwave ovens and study areas are in each complex.
• all residence halls offer students high-speed internet access, cable TV and telephone service.

Dining Services

Welcome to MVCC Dining Services, operated by Sodexho. We are here to satisfy your hunger with several different food outlets available on the Utica Campus:

• AB General located in the Academic Building for a quick bite to eat in between classes.
• MV Commons located in the Alumni College Center has everything from the grill and pizza entrees to fresh bakery products and coffee.
• Resident Dining Hall, also located in the Alumni College Center serves 3 meals per day, all you care to eat. You don’t have to be a resident to eat there!
• Hawk Dollars ?a debit system that uses your ID card so you don’t have to carry cash –your ID cards work in the MV Commons and Resident Dining Hall.
• Traditional Meal Plans that offer 19, 14 or 10 meals in a week plus Hawk Dollars.
• Commuter Meal Plans that offer a combination of meals in the Resident Dining Hall and Hawk Dollars.

Student Activities Office

The Student Activities Office helps:

• to plan a co-curricular program run by students like you.
• you create the clubs and events that happen at MVCC.
• add valuable experiences to your classroom education.
• you learn skills for success, develop self-confidence and build a strong sense of self-worth.

Get involved with our clubs:

• dramabowling
• judoski
• fine artsweightlifting
• photographyrespiratory care
• public policy softball
• volleyballpoets recluse

Contact Information

Sandy Cummings

Alumni College Center Room 208

315.792.5391

Counseling

The Counselors will:

• direct you to the right person or office for any question.
• provide you with career, personal or academic counseling (problems with instructor, roommate, family, dating, health, attendance, etc.).
• provide substance abuse education and support services.
• help with transferring to a 4 year college information and assistance.

After the first 3 weeks of classes, the counselors will assist you with:

• decisions on changing your major.
• decisions on having to withdraw from college classes.

Learning Center

The Learning Center

• helps students enhance their skills for academic success
• offers tutoring, group study sessions, supplemental instruction, study skills training, a math lab and a writing lab
• is located in the Academic Building AB 151 on the Utica Campus and in the Library PC 127 on the Rome campus
• is open Monday ?Thursday 8-7 Friday 8-4 in Utica and by appointment in Rome
• is free to all full and part time students

Don't wait until it's too late

Adult Student Services

MVCC knows that the needs of an adult student differ greatly from a student “right out of high school.? The Office of Adult Student Services is here to help make the transition to college as smooth and as stress-free as possible for adult learners. We offer:

• assistance in exploring career fields
• current job market statistics
• a mentoring program which pairs a new adult student with an adult student currently attending MVCC
• retention services designed on an individual basis which assist adult students from admissions to graduation
• a helping hand with navigating through college registration paperwork
• community referrals to agencies for the exploration of tuition assistance, resume building, job search and child care
• and most of all, a place to come to when you are in doubt of who to see, where to go, or what to do??

Office for Services to Students with Disabilities

Our staff will

• help to ensure that students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate, compete, and succeed at MVCC.
• coordinate and provide accommodative services to students, employees, and visitors with disabilities.
• serve all disability types ?physical, emotional, and learning and other cognitive disabilities.
• determine how best to assist you based on documentation from a professional that describes your disabilities and related needs.

Please contact us as soon as you arrive on campus so we can assist you.

Libraries

Our Libraries offer:

• friendly and helpful staff will direct you in finding answers to your educational questions.
• large reference section, microfilm collection, audiocassettes, audio books, and many videos & DVD's.
• free interlibrary loan service available, children’s book collection, career center, and library computer lab.
• hands on access to book, periodical and online collections ?materials transported between campuses.
• access to online research resources from our reference area and from off-campus.
• hours posted at the start of each semester.

Health Center

The Student Health Center provides:

• basic medical care, assessment, and referrals.
• emergency response to illness or injury.
• physician accessibility weekly and on an emergency basis.
• educational literature and programs relevant to current health issues.

All students are required to submit a completed health information form to the Student Health Center with proof of immunizations.

Athletics

Ours is one of the most comprehensive and diverse two-year college intercollegiate athletic programs in the country with:

• 9 National Championships
• 33 Regional Championships
• 59 Conference Championships
• 83 Individual National Champions
• 226 All-Americans

Get involved in any of these intercollegiate sports:

• x-countrylacrosse
• soccerbaseball
• basketball ice hockey
• bowling track/field
• and more

Congratulations!

You have finished the majority of Smart Start. However, there is other important information that we encourage you to review.

• Bias Crime Prevention
• Code of Conduct
• Right-to-Know Information
• Sexual Assault Prevention

In addition other valuable resource information can be found in our Student Handbook, available on line or when you visit the Bookstore to buy books.

We look forward to seeing you on campus in August. Congratulations.